A Catalyst Toward Music Education: The Integrated Approach Applied To A "New-Age" Keyboard Curriculum Via The Synthesizer Ense

A Catalyst Toward Music Education: The Integrated Approach Applied To A "New-Age" Keyboard Curriculum Via The Synthesizer Ensemble.

Anne E. Craig

Kapiolani Community College, University of Hawaii

In a traditional music curriculum, the keyboard department might offer the following: beginning, intermediate, and advanced piano classes, perhaps a piano duo class, and private applied lessons. In an effort to increase student retention and also keep up with technology, I developed the following non-traditional classes to add some variety: Piano By Ear I and II classes, a Piano Ensemble, and the Synthesizer Ensemble.

The synthesizer ensemble is the culmination of experiencing classical and contemporary music using electronics and advanced technology. It is a small and select group of four to six students who possess advanced sightreading skills, the ability to play by ear and improvise, a high level of technical facility in various styles of music, and some knowledge of synthesizers and electronics. I developed this class as the final phase of a curriculum geared toward drawing in more students: those who are non-music majors, as well as prospective music majors with a weaker music background (i.e., students who play well by ear but cannot read music).

The synthesizer ensemble is the culmination of experiencing classical and contemporary music using electronics and advanced technology. It is a small and select group of four to six students who possess advanced sightreading skills, the ability to play by ear and improvise, a high level of technical facility, and some knowledge of synthesizers and electronics. I developed this class as the final phase of a curriculum geared toward drawing in more students: those who are non-music majors, as well as prospective music majors with a weaker music background (i.e., students who play well by ear but cannot read music).

In a traditional music curriculum, the keyboard department might offer the following: beginning, intermediate, and advanced piano classes, a piano duo class, and private applied lessons. To round out the curriculum, I developed the following non-traditional classes:

Piano By Ear I

This class is geared toward teaching students the rudiments of how to play the piano by ear. Many students with little music reading experience but some playing experience might be intimidated by the standard music reading classes, but this course could be the means for bringing them into the department, then steering them toward a path of musical progression that would include learning how to read music. The Piano By Ear I class performs together as a group at the end of each semester in the piano department solo and ensemble concert, which is attractive to students: high exposure, yet low pressure. The student does not have to perform soloistically unless he desires to do so.

After spending at least a month working with basic rudiments (notation, chords, intervals, piano fingering, technique, etc.), the class then chooses one selection, with advice from the instructor, to be "figured out" by ear, transcribed, arranged, rehearsed, and performed. All of the class exercises are then geared to this selection, and the various parts and aspects are assigned and divided among the class members. For example, some students are assigned the rhythm of the melody, others the pitches of the melody, some the rhythm of the accompaniment, others the pitches of the accompaniment, some the solo flute melodic pitches, others the rhythm of the flute part, etc. In this manner, all students have an assignment, but it is not overwhelming for any one student; weaker students are occasionally assigned a partner. During class, all information is shared, discussed, and analyzed, so that each individual student is adding to his own rough score. The selection chosen should have as much variety as possible, with regard to instrumentation: acoustic piano as well as electric piano sounds, a select variety of synthesized sounds (strings, horns, bells, etc.), and possible percussion accompaniment and/or soloists (instrumentalists as well as vocalists). The amount and variety of sounds used depend on the size of the class and the tastes of each class and instructor. Possibilities of arranging are made easier by choosing a piece that includes parts for novices as well as the more experienced pianists. Usually a contemporary or popular selection works best in this case, with a somewhat moderate tempo. Class size: 15-25 students.

Piano by Ear II

As a continuation of Piano by Ear I, this class offers a more in-depth study of chords, such as seventh, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, suspended, altered, and borrowed chords. Rhythm and meter complexity are also explored, with exposure to asymmetrical meters such as 11/8 and 13/8. It is particularly challenging to assign selections that vacillate between symmetrical (for example, 4/4 meter) and asymmetrical (7/8, 10/8, then 11/8 meters, for example!). These aspects lead very naturally to concert ensemble selections being chosen from the jazz idiom. As an example, the jazz pianist/composer David Benoit has a wealth of repertoire for just such a study. This class usually chooses two selections with a contrast in tempo and/or style. One of the pieces should accommodate the possibility of each person in the class having the chance to do a soloistic section, phrase, or motive. This class performs every semester in the solo and ensemble concert, as well as some of the local shopping malls. Class size: 9-15 students.

Piano Ensemble

For those students not interested in playing by ear or lacking in the skills to do so, an ensemble class that has a focus on reading music seemed advantageous, so the multiple piano ensemble was developed. Piano duo classes are fairly common in college and university curricula, but I found that it does not work particularly well in the community college system. Master classes work much better for established music majors, who are used to the demands of always having to memorize/perform; these classes result in only one or two students playing at one time, while the rest of the class watches and takes notes. A fairly high skill level is assumed in this case, which is not necessarily the norm at community colleges, where the skill levels can be widely divergent. These students, rather than losing interest when the skill level is too demanding, are better accomodated when they are all playing at one time, with a wide variety of parts distributed/arranged.

Learning how to sightread music effectively is a cultivated skill, and the repertoire developed leans toward classical and light popular music. There is a fair amount of duet and two-piano literature available, but as for music for a twelve-piano ensemble, it is practically non-existent. Therefore, the instructor has found that classical and popular duets and two-piano arrangements can easily be adapted to fit the needs of this class. For example, the least-skilled students in the class can focus on either a right or a left-handed approach, bringing in the other hand to play whenever possible. It is possible for the instructor to arrange the music for each varying class size per semester, and also vary the skill levels of the separate parts. This class can accommodate almost all levels of piano students, from second-semester beginners to very advanced students, thus making it a useful vehicle for promoting various technical aspects each semester. The students react to this class with great enthusiasm because the music is so diverse as to style.

Piano concertos are one of the major forms studied, with the solo part being arranged/divided among a couple of soloists, as well as the "orchestra" parts being divided among class members. The class performs three to four different selections for the ensemble concert, and a typical repertoire list might include a Mozart piano concerto (one movement), a Debussy duet, a Gershwin selection, and possibly a rag-time or popular ensemble. In the case of the piano concerto form, some of the ensemble members are playing synthesizers or synthesized sounds on digital pianos (stgs., brass, timpani, etc.). The piano ensemble joins together to perform at the shopping malls with the Piano By Ear II class during the Christmas season. Class size: 15-30 students.

The above classes could and should, in some cases, be taken concurrently. For example, after taking Beginning Piano, a student would logically progress to Intermediate Piano, as well as being ready for Piano by Ear I and the easier ensemble parts in the Piano Ensemble. Many students take the Piano by Ear I class twice before moving on to the Piano By Ear II class, so that they can practice and improve on their skills with the changing repertoire. I stress the importance of being in an ensemble class concurrently with a methods class, so that the skills learned in both interrelate and strengthen concepts more quickly than if the courses were taken separately.

Synthesizer Ensemble

This is the final course developed for the curriculum to date, and it is the epitome of challenge for the students. Enrollment depends on an audition, and students must demonstrate a high level of facility in technique, ear-training, theory, repertoire, performance practices, and some exposure to synthesizer techniques and electronics. Students must have their own personal equipment (i.e., synthesizer(s), amplifier, keyboard stand, pedals, amplifier cords, MIDI cords, pedal cords, and sound cards). The instructor functions as director/performer in the group, and provides supplemental equipment when possible.

As there is very little music written for synthesizer ensemble, the repertoire has distinct creative possibilities: 1) the music must be arranged from something written for some other type of ensemble; 2) the music must be one's own compositions; or 3) the music must be figured out by ear from tape/CD. The students are also responsible for merging classical techniques and repertoire with contemporary music and its inherent techniques, through the use of the theme and variations form. For example, my synthesizer ensemble did a theme and variations piece based on Brahms' Lullaby: introduction/theme, in mellow popular style (electric piano and string patches); Var. 1, a theme taken from the Arsenio Hall show music, with a jazzy version of the Brahms melody (slides, etc.); Var. 2, Stand By Me, with the melody augmented as to rhythmic values (during the chorus of the Lullaby, the chords from Stand By Me have to be altered to fit Brahms' melody, but the style remains); Var. 3, a Bach version, based on the Little Prelude in C Minor style (Brahms melody, complete with baroque ornaments, has to be altered to the minor tonality); Var. 4, Free Your Mind, from En Vogue's Funky Divas album (melody on a squeal guitar sound, again in minor tonality); Var. 5, atonal, with half step clashes in the Brahms melody, tradeoffs, and wheel effects throughout; Var. 6, new age version, a la Suzanne Ciani (utilizing strings and repetitive piano motives, harmonized all with either the C Maj. or F Maj. chords, and melody on horn patch); and the finale, Var. 7, End of the Road, from BoyzIIMen, with Brahms' melody on a saxophone patch.

During the fall semester, the theme and variations form should encompass familiar Christmas melodies: for example, the group might begin with The First Noel as an introduction, done in a soft mellow popular style with strings/textured electric piano sounds; then Winter Wonderland, done in country-western style, with sampled rooster sound (Roland S-50), and harmonica "Grand Canyon" patch (Roland D-50); followed by Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, done in reggae style, wioth a sinister-sounding bridge in minor tonality, and the melody of Brahms' superimposed on a patch called "Grittar" (Roland D-50); followed by the finale, Eddie Van Halen's Jump, merged with The First Noel and a squealing guitar melody complete with wheel effects. Jump is particularly effective, as it has lots of big synthesizer "brassy" sounds and a keyboard solo. The melody from The First Noel fits exactly, without altering a single pitch; only the meter has to be adjusted to 4/4 to fit with Jump.

The students in this ensemble are expected to provide a 30-minute portion of repertoire for the ensemble semester concerts, as well as repertoire for shopping mall performances, background music for college campus parties and events, concerts for the university system reception of visiting delegates, and other community concerts.

I have found this to be the most versatile class I have ever taught, and the integration of musical elements is both desirable and essential to maintain the high skill level demanded of the students. It is possible to concentrate on teaching technique, both classical (for example, touch differentiation) and contemporary (for example, exploring the pitch and modulation wheels, transcribing a keyboard solo that utilizes both effects); ear-training (learning jazz keyboard solos from tape/CD); performance skills, historical background (which affects ornamentation) and perspective (students are required to do a vast contemporary survey of at least ten current keyboard composer/performers); theory (analyzing chord structure and root movement); technology (both in synthesizers/sound modules as well as computer knowledge); composing and arranging; and repertoire expansion in all styles. This class also provides the impetus and incentive for taking the more traditional piano methods classes, as well as the Piano by Ear classes and the Piano Ensemble class. It is advantageous for students to be concurrently enrolled in one of the Piano by Ear classes with the Synthesizer Ensemble, as the aural demands are constant throughout the semester. Enrolling in private lessons concurrently with these two previously-mentioned classes will strengthen the student's individual technique yet further.

In conclusion, the Synthesizer Ensemble makes a welcome and fresh addition to any keyboard music curriculum, especially when coupled with the Piano by Ear classes. Although it works particularly well in the community college system, it could also be adopted by a curriculum catering to music majors, as well as having possible high school and elementary school applications. As a result of these classes, I was able to develop a commercial music keyboard certificate/degree program at Leeward Community College (University of Hawaii branch campus) which was implemented this past fall of 1992. During the seven years of experimentation with these courses, the enrollment tripled, and most of the students gravitated toward these new, non-traditional courses, especially the synthesizer ensemble. Because of the immense popularity of ensemble performances, this one course can become the catalyst for building and retaining student enrollment, through technology blended with creativity.