musical education

sweetone · Post by **sweetone** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 12:28 pm

In some discussions it could be useful to know how much one actually knows about music theory, different instruments etc, how much playing experience one has (in any style),how long one has been playing music etc.
So I think it might be interesting to know what kind of musical education and experience people have here, any education, any experience that could be interesting to know for the boardmembers.
Cheers

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 12:47 pm

Hey, great idea ?

How'z about you ?

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 1:27 pm

OK, well here goes:

In addition to the whistle, I play recorder (yeah, I know) and, well, voice. I've sung in various choirs and chorales for most of my life. I also teach music appreciation and chorus at my daughter's elementary school.

I read music well, and have studied a little piano (not a lot). I'd say my grasp of basic music theory is pretty good, for an amateur, but I have no formal training in it.

Redwolf

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:14 pm

Well, I started learning Piano when I was 5 years old, but I soon quit because I was bored with it. When I got older, I took up the Alto Saxophone, and I've been playing that for around 6 years (all through Jr. High and most of High School). During that time, I got really into classical music, and eventually took Piano up again, which led to my Violin and Classical Guitar, ect. (I'm basically classically trained)

However, when I began to have problems with my hands from Piano, I returned to Saxophone, and around that time, I discovered Irish Step Dancing. When I injured my foot during a maneuver, I decided to take up an Irish instrument, b/c I couldn't stand not doing anything related to Dance. That led to the Whistle, and I've been playing it ever since. (I've been playing the whistle for about 2 years)

I've done several gigs, and am asked to play in various places, and it seems that the more I play, the more I get asked to perform. I find it very fun, and am quite glad that I switched from Classical to Celtic. There's something about the Celtic music that hits me in a way that the Classical music never did.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:31 pm

I took piano lessons as a child and a few months of guitar lessons as a teenager, but in both cases I was never able to get the hang of one's hands doing something while not looking at them both at the same time. Too many fingers in use, I suspect. I took up recorder in third grade and tootled with it for the next fifteen years (much more portable than a piano, and I rambled even then). I have had no music theory training but tomorrow is my first class in it, and I had to buy $100 in textbooks for it today. Joy.

Anyway - currently learn by ear and play by instinct, but am actively working on the reading and theory.

Edit - Oh yeah. I've been playing whistle for a little over a year and would look into joining a group in Seattle next year if the opportunity arose.

Edit again (I think I'm still car lagged) - Just a few days ago I got a bodhran and am learning that. It's a little harder because I am right handed but I am learning to play left handed; my right wrist just won't take the abuse. It's interesting though!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: avanutria on 2002-12-02 17:15 ]</font>

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:37 pm

Nut sighting!

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:48 pm

Well elementary school had their annual christmas pageant where they made the kids sing really annoying songs (I was always off key, usually on purpose).

In middle school I played a clarinet badly in the band. I learned to read music, although I've forgotten a lot of the particulars (time signatures and junk confuse me these days).

High school was nothing (I couldn't march and play at the same time so I quit. Yes, I suck.)

that's about it.

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:50 pm

Nothing, none, nada, zip.

As a matter of fact, I am so musically inept that when I was in a choir as a child, I was so horrible that they asked me to just fake it and not actually sing. I guess they didn't have the heart to kick me out, though I'm not certain that their solution was much better.

All the Best, Tom

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 3:06 pm

On 2002-12-02 15:50, TomB wrote:
Nothing, none, nada, zip.

As a matter of fact, I am so musically inept that when I was in a choir as a child, I was so horrible that they asked me to just fake it and not actually sing. I guess they didn't have the heart to kick me out, though I'm not certain that their solution was much better.

All the Best, Tom

That's really a shame. Most kids can learn to sing, if the choral director is willing to put some time into teaching them. Even the idea of going up and down with everybody else is often foreign to kids at first. Very few people have a natural grasp of choral singing.

We spend a lot of time in our little chorus on ear training and timing, and NO kid is ever told to fake it (or, heaven forbid, asked to leave). I'd rather have them sing from their hearts and learn to enjoy singing...unless they're truly tone deaf (and, to be honest, that's relatively rare), the rest will come with time. And if they ARE tone deaf, well...the Psalm says "make a joyful noise"...it doesn't specify a tuneful one!

Redwolf

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 3:07 pm

Redwolf: It wasn't the best thing to happen, but oh well...

Blayne Chastain · Post by **Blayne Chastain** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 4:09 pm

It's good to know more about the players behind the names... Well here goes...

Started formal piano lessons at age 6. Quit at age 13 since it bored me.(The right teacher makes all the difference.) Started formal lessons on guitar at 15 and took off from there. During high school I practiced about 4hrs a day and would practice 8 hrs the next day if I missed a practice session. Totally obsessive I know!

Graduated from Berklee College of Music in 97 with an emphasis in guitar. Learned a ton while I was there about theory -both jazz and classical... I use a more contemporary/jazz/berklee/ style of theory in my conceptual/musical thinking. Ear training was great for me as well.. I'd practice my ear training 2hrs a day! I had to - to avoid failing! It's helped me a ton in learning trad music.

Moved to Nashville to start my music career... There I wrote, performed, recorded & taught private guitar lessons...

When bigger named artists started to ask me to go on the road I realized that it just wasn't for me. I'm married and the though of being away most of the time just seems bass ackward... Also, leaving the steady income from my 18 students would stink too!

About a year and a half ago I moved to Greeley Colorado and have taken the position of Music & Arts director at St. Patrick. I've learned a bunch in the process and still love to teach those who really want to learn... I don't think I have the gift of teaching the young ones! Unless they're totally motivated! Too many pep talks!

Oh, almost forgot...I started getting heavy into trad when I moved to Colorado. It was my friend and mentor Shannon Heaton of Siucra (siucra.net) who got me into the madness! Now that I've got the itch... I can't stop itchin!

Oh, BTW... I play Piano, Guitar, Voice, Whistle & Bodhran...

Peace,

hillfolk22 · Post by **hillfolk22** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 5:55 pm

In a nutshell...

I took organ lessons from 1st grade to 8th grade. In the midst of that started up band in 5th grade playing clarinet to my freshmen year of highschool.

Gave those two up took up guitar for a year as a teen. Found out dating was more fun than practicing...

Then as an adult... took up mountain dulcimer, then got serious on the guitar. Discovered the pennywhistle.... was thankful for those years in band.

Rediscovered the keys...

Found myself employed as the church music director...

Never did the choir thing as a child, however loved to sing... So leading a choir is a whole new experience for me...

Still learning.... and will never stop learning new things. Music education is fun..

Well, off to practice.

Laura

jeffmiester · Post by **jeffmiester** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 6:22 pm

Ok, here I go.....
I've always been a musical person, even as a child I was always putting on shows for my parents, and singing and danceing. At about age 10 I started taking piano lessions, but could not learn to read standard musical notation. What I would end up doing was to watch my teacher play a song, and play it myself from sight and memory. After a while my parents could'nt afford the lessons anymore, so they stoped. I found out later that the reason I could'nt read sheet music is because I have a learning disability. About 3 years ago I was kind of introduced to the pennywhistle, but did'nt try it seriously for awhile. I set it aside and taught myself guitar (chords, my brain Isn't wired to play the scales well), and then a couple of months ago I rediscovered my whistle. I have been working hard on it, and can play quite a few songs now, and I'm working on a few jigs at the moment. Playing by ear on the whistle seems to come very naturally to me, and once I got the fundimentals down, (like playing with the pads of the fingers, and not the tips, that was causing me alot of trouble), I did alot better. I think my brain is wired (for lack of a better term) for playing the whistle better.
Well, thats my story, part of it anyway.

lawhistle · Post by **lawhistle** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 6:28 pm

My 'formal' music education started in my old whistle teacher's livingroom, lessons once a week, or my friend and I practicing our latest tune, he in the kitchen making dinner or putting on the tea. Then, he'd stick his head out the kitchen door and grab a whistle, 'almost, but more like this' and play the tune, and it was so great we'd just listen for every note and then just have to shake our heads for how long it would be until we could bring the tune out like that. I never had any other formal music training, basically because I had no interest before that. But since Irish trad is what brought me to music all together, I guess that reminded me of what 'formal' education maybe looks like for ITM, even if it is in Los Angeles. And it was a great education. lol

sweetone · Post by **sweetone** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 4:10 am

On 2002-12-02 13:47, Zubivka wrote:
Hey, great idea ?

How'z about you ?

Very short :
Started leanring music, playing a flugelhorn when I was 6 (30 years ago), started musicschool at 8, studying trumpet and solfège. At the age of 12 started musical history and theory of harmony. At 13 started playing the trombone. Finished music school at 19. Then started music college (conservatoire)where I got my masterdegree.
In 1991 joined the Belgian Radio Orchestra, left it in 1993 for The Femish Opera orchestra. Meanwhile I've been writing, arranging and conducting music, also learned the piano, some percussion, bass guitar and of course whistles and a little uilleann pipes. Aside of all of this I heard a recording of Liam O'Flynn years ago and that's how I got interested and after a while addicted to Irish music, so I started buying and learning whistles and uilleann pipes. Also bought a cheap bodhran which I'm also able to play a little.