[TPIN] Listening and learning about music no jazz out there

[Rod Brawn]

Hi All,
    I think the root of the problem is that most music teachers see 
themselves as recreative artists, rather than creative artists.  I think 
that comes from the fact that to enter music schools no-one asks anyone just 
to fake a simple blues in Bb or C or the Canadian Key Eh "A."  So the idea 
that you are supposed to create something from the inscription on the page 
that breathes and emotes, other than in a very prescribed way, is alien to 
the greatest majority of players who become teachers, and we all know that 
even for "education" majors at music schools there are some performance 
credits where students are required to perform in "master classes" 
supervised with their teachers.  I find that most of these teachers, and I 
remember one in particular, seemed to discourage students from taking 
chances.  I can't count the times I listened to a student falter through a 
Charlier Etude.  I would have been much happier to hear that student with an 
accompaniest, read through  "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and play one chorus 
on the changes.  The trouble is the teacher himself would have fallen all 
over himself if he were asked to to that, even though he could play 
perfectly through Goedicke's, "Concert Etude" at a very quick tempo.  He 
would have had no idea what to tell the student about their improvisations, 
and that would have made the teacher very insecure.  I mean he was a 
wonderful trumpet player, but did he help his students most of whom would 
never even have the chance to play a Messiah after they left colleges and 
moved back to places where the critical mass necessary to mount such works 
doesn't exist.  Maybe there are no "jazz" opportunities out there. ........


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Evans" <baissie at yahoo.com>
To: "Rich Szabo" <rich at richszabo.com>; <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: [TPIN] Listening and learning about music


> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Rich Szabo rich at richszabo.com
>
>
> In my travels doing clinics and concerts, I can't tell you how many
> jazz band directors never even heard of Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan,
> Clark Terry, Stan Kenton, Count Basie.....
> _______________________________________________
>
> This problem has 2 roots: 1. the teacher mills 2. the teachers themselves
>
> If University X cranks out music educators without requiring a jazz 
> education course or without putting together a worthwhile jazz education 
> course, then how can we expect those future music educators to teach jazz? 
> Yet every high school (or most every school) has a jazz band. So you have 
> a teacher who was maybe a bassoon major with no clue about jazz thrust 
> into a teaching situation they have no hope of pulling off.
>
> What does the teacher do?
>
> Well, if they're a good one, even a bassoon major :), they'll study and 
> they'll listen and they'll talk to the local jazz musicians and they'll 
> get help. Unfortunately, most of them will say, "I'm a music educator, by 
> darn, so I'll just teach these kids jazz the way I see it!" The good 
> educators will know when they're in over their heads and look for help. 
> Too many teachers never believe getting in over their heads is even a 
> remote possibility. They have a degree from University X, therefore they 
> are an expert in all forms of music education.
>
> The same argument applies to the University X professors who are thrust 
> into teaching that required jazz course! It starts with education and that 
> starts with educating the educators.
>
> ...Steve
>
>
>
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