2023-02-14
Hello!
I’m Evan Tobias, Associate Professor of Music Learning & Teaching at Arizona State University. You’re receiving this email because you signed up for #ImaginingPossibilities an occasional newsletter on imagining possibilities for music learning and teaching and exploring academic workflows. I’m happy to connect with you.
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Contents
Wonderments & Curiosities
When was the last time you committed to stop doing something?
Sure, it’s valuable to consider what you might add to your work or music program, but what about aspects of your program to discard?
Years ago, at the Mountain Lake Colloquium for General Music teachers, conference organizers featured a small recycle bin that they labeled the disposal site. The idea was that at any point throughout the conference, you could jot down on paper an aspect of your music teaching that you had been doing for years and dispose of it, committing to make space for something new (You can read about this and the Mountain Lake Colloquium in this chapter by Janet R. Barrett, Diane Persellin, Janet Robbins, and Sandra L. Stauffer).
Whether terrifying or freeing, getting rid of something can help us make change in our programs.
I’m constantly revising the courses I design and teach. This often means leaving behind certain topics, activities, or projects some of which have been successful and some of which are no longer as generative or relevant. For instance, this past year, I tried a book that I had never worked with before in a class, which meant leaving behind other reading assignments from prior semesters – what happened? It helped us think in new ways and inspired projects and great conversations.
- How do you determine what to maintain, what to change, what to discard, or what to add?
- What would you commit to throwing out to make space for new possibilities?
Share your answer with me and (with your permission) I’ll include some answers in the next newsletter (link at end of newsletter).
Ideas & Inspirations
What’s your approach to taking notes and then making connections across information and ideas? The free app Obsidian supercharges my work in making meaning of texts and making connections across whatever I’ve read or engaged with. Try Obsidian and watch this video outlining my process for note taking & making & synthesis.
The Grammy Awards is such a great source of ideas and inspirations for content to include in our music programs. Though the awards span across different roles throughout the music industry, we tend to focus most on the performers. Students in music programs, however, might identify with many other ways of being musical or might not even think about the many different roles or careers in the music industry. This recent article in Rolling Stone draws attention to songwriters, and more specifically the financial realities of songwriters in the music industry. Whether students are interested in being songwriters or you think that students could think more deeply about songwriters and the way money is distributed (or not) in the music industry, the article can lead to some interesting discussions and even project ideas for students to wrestle with. Perhaps students in your program might have some perspectives or even proposals for more equitable systems for the music industry and society when it comes to the role of songwriters and their compensation?
Sparks & Springboards
- “Is TikTok killing off the pop music bridge?” I’m not sure but it’s worth an exploration & discussion with students.
- Looking for free (open access) books to explore? Check out the Open Book Collective and get reading!
- I haven’t seen M3gan yet (cause I think I’m still recovering from wondering if Chucky was hiding in my closet decades ago) but this article about the AI doll’s piano technique is an interesting read. Check it out and imagine a lesson or project for students to analyze and discuss how musicians, technique, and performing are portrayed in movies!
Have a favorite movie clip that speaks to music teaching (or one that’s a pet peeve)? Let me know and maybe I’ll mention it in the next newsletter. (Link at end of the newsletter).
Don’t Miss . . .
The Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Learning and Teaching a welcoming music education research conference at Arizona State University Feb 16 – 18 (Beautiful weather!) With discounted rate for graduate students, K12 teachers, and community members!
and just because . . .
Am I the only one looking at photos from the James Webb telescope in awe at the cosmos or anyone else out there absolutely fascinated by these images?!
| OK that’s a wrap on this first newsletter. Until next time, keep on #ImaginingPossibilities And share your perspectives by responding to any of the questions from this newsletter! |
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