The Improv Project has taken a side step for a couple of weeks.  The students continue to incorporate dynamic elements into the daily warm-up scale which keeps one element of expressive control in their fingers.  On Friday I asked them to play the scale at volume 7 with "happy" quarter notes just to make sure they had retained some of the original lessons.  It's amazing to hear them--they know exactly how to create that effect.

The kids enjoy their march through the pages in Essential Elements so we've focused on covering ground.   It's important for me to put this in perspective:  students want to see their accomplishments in a method book.   Checking off the numbered exercises is their goal.   Introducing them to expression while they learn an instrument is my goal.  I want to keep the lessons balanced.  

Around the time we took a break from playing with sound I introduced them to 12-bar blues.  The bass player and cellist were given a simplified walking bass line.  The upper strings are playing a simplified part as well--just the root for now.  All I put on the board is the note names so they get to choose which D, G and A they play.  Having a note option teaches them more about their instruments and about music.  Yes, there really are A's all over your violin!  We also work on rhythm by having one student tap 4 quarter notes on each bar. 

After two weeks the chin fiddles are completely comfortable with their part.  And the walking bass is coming along.  They love playing this so much that we started adding dynamic expression.   I asked the students to suggest volume levels and we added some finger snaps in addition to the tapper.   A usually mild-mannered student asked to play volume 12.  So far, ten has been our loudest volume.  At the end of 12 bars he was still playing like a rock star sawing frantically on his violin.  He was having a blast!  Now that's priceless.

Near the end of our class period they almost always ask if we can play 12-bar blues.  It's a great way to play for enjoyment.  And this kind of music is definitely more fun with a group.  I think it teaches them to work together.  In future classes we'll try different rhythms, new notes and more of our expressive techniques.   The possibilities are limitless!

Last week I attended an inspiring clinic presented by Mark Harris, Saxophonist and Visiting Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Metro State College of Denver.  The clinic was entitled "Sowing Seeds of Expression-Using (Non-Jazz) Improvisation to Develop Musicality."  This concept was geared towards wind and brass instruments--there was even a quartet of young trumpet and woodwind players on hand to demonstrate.  Though the principles we learned could apply to all instruments.

He started the class with an important point:  we teach elementary instrumental music by showing kids where there fingers go and how to produce a sound.  And we can all agree that these are necessary skills.  But when do we talk about using our ears?  

This session was so exciting to me!  Mr. Harris led the quartet through several demonstration exercises all based on listening.  I want to emphasize that these were young players--early middle school-aged. The quartet was able demonstrate and discuss tone color, articulation, pitch and dynamics.  What's more, they were tuned in to each other--each one took a turn leading a short musical phrase and performed with surprisingly accurate ensemble.  (Many of you reading will understand how challenging it is to get musicians of any age to play together).

My favorite demonstration was "playing a musical scale."  Mark started by reading the first sentence of "the Gettysburg Address" in a bland and boring monotone.  They he read it again with feeling.  He explained the difference between playing a major scale routinely or playing it musically.  Each student had chance to play a musical scale.  I'm laughing now thinking about the amazing things I heard.  Each scale was unique and each scale was musical.  The trumpet player experimented with dynamics, rhythm and smooth articulations.  One of the saxophone players used punchy articulations, rhythm and rests, the space between the notes, to draw us in to his musical scale. 

I left eager to try this with all my string students--from private students to the beginning orchestra class.  Mr. Harris shared enough ideas to keep me cooking for a long time.  To think that students so early in their training could make this leap across space and time.  To go from wielding a clumsy tool to commanding sound, now that is truly astonishing.   It's what all musicians strive for.  The instrument is merely a mouthpiece that conveys the music we want to express.  The sophisticated sounds and expression he coaxed from the group was amazing.  And he did it by using what they already knew--language.  This musicality didn't come from a method book; it came from inside.