Orchestral hybridity and convergence: FUSE@PSO & potential for music education

Here’s another example of how professional orchestras are engaging in some of the ideas expressed in my article Toward convergence: Adapting music education to contemporary society and participatory culture: The FUSE@PSO (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra) initiative currently involves Steve Hackman’s arrangement of music by Brahms, Radiohead, and others in the form of mashups (as discussed in this article by Elizabeth Bloom in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). While in this case Hackman is creating mashups for an orchestra to perform, I suggest that in music education contexts, students ought to have opportunities to create mashups and other creative musical transformations or expressions. Why not have this occur in K-12 or collegiate contexts? It’s been fantastic watching this happen with students in the ASU Music education program and local music teachers partnering with us.

I was happy to hear Steve Hackman speak with nuance to dismiss tropes that classical music and popular music are diametrically opposed to each other. He speaks of hybrids, which I often suggest is a wonderful metaphor for and approach to music education curriculum. You can listen to an interview regarding his creation of hybrids of Brahms and Radiohead for orchestra here:

Hearing Hackman discuss listening to classical music for moments to combine with other types of music was refreshing. Hopefully, the adoption of such ideas in mainstream professional orchestral contexts, such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, helps support music educators and those interested in engaging in similar projects in their schools (and other settings). [Contact me or comment below if you would like a copy of my article and don’t have access to MEJ.]

Check out the FUSE@PSO Brahms + Radiohead event page and this article by Mary Wade Burnside. You can also learn more about Steve Hackman’s role as creative director of the FUSE@PSO series (or checkout his website). Listen to this morning mix interview with Hackman about FUSE@PSO, classical popular music mashups, and his interest in broadening audiences of orchestras.

Here’s an excerpt of Hackman’s Brahms vs Radiohead

https://youtu.be/5Xpf6xpRrJo

Here’s the complete symphonic work/arrangement/mashup/medley

Best wishes to Steve Hackman and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as they engage in the FUSE@PSO series and kudos to the orchestra for taking it on!

Thanks to the ArtsJournal Music News, which pointed me to the article.