Musicking

Online virtual workshop to combine multiple artistic expressions and soundscape on the theme of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”

Details on how to participate in this LIVE workshop are below!

Allan Molnar, Lehman College, The City University of New York; Shizuka Sutani, Mimasaka University, Japan; Carrie K. L. Ho, University of Saint Joseph, Macao; Miho Yamada, Shujitsu University; Taiga Kameishi, Okayama Prefectural University; Koume Shintani, Okayama Prefectural University; Taichi Akutsu, Okayama Prefectural University

Allan Molnar, Shizuka Sutani, Carrie K. L. Ho, Miho Yamada, Taiga Kameishi, Koume Shintani & Taichi Akutsu

MUSICKING: Online virtual workshop to combine multiple artistic expressions and soundscape on the theme of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy"

Musicking is the term originally introduced by Christopher Small (1998) that simply means the act of music making. For Small (1998), music is not a fixed artwork, but an act, which is defined by singing, listening, playing, practicing, composing and dancing, “to music is for everyone to participate in any capacity of musical lives” (Small, 1998, p. 9). According to Dissanayake (2015), in a traditional society in any culture, music was originally shared in community from the religious ceremony to the local carnivals, and there was no wall between performing and listening. Everyone used to participate in music in a shared sense, and there was a much closer connection to the other art forms in an interdisciplinary manner and to surrounded cultures and everyone’s live.

The authors aim to construct a practice model of musicking by offering online virtual workshop via Zoom on the theme of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “Ode to Joy.” In this workshop, we uniquely adopt the researcher-developed soundscape as a foundation and a structure, and create variation of Beethoven’s tune by using the technologically created sound scape. The soundscape is defined as the acoustic environment perceived by people who are part of the environment (Sudarsono & Sarwono, 2018).

The actual process of the workshop would be the following. Followed by a brief introduction and some demonstration by the presenters, we would assign a group of 4 or 5 randomly. First, each group would listen to the researchers-prepared soundscapes. There are soundscapes online and each group would discuss and select the sound scape that is close to their images.

Next, in each group, individuals select the art form that they would like to participate such as music, dance, visual art and other creative expressions including the use of technology. For example, in music, the participant(s) could select either any choice of musical instruments or any objects including technological devises that make sound, or simply use voices or language for artistic expression. For visual arts part, for example, the participant(s) could either live paint by employing the tool in Zoom, or use other devices, and/ or hand drawing. Other members of the group could also add physical expression and movement etc. while others may add poet, lyric or photo images of their choice. Individual groups either use Beethoven’s theme as a direction for artistic expression or consider the tune more personal ways to adopt the excerpts of the tune more in improvisational manner. The researcher who also plays traditional instruments of East and West, and who manages technological devises also participate the group work partly for facilitation and for some collaboration.

Finally, each group would discuss and create a different variation of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. We would connect each product of the Beethoven’s tune, listen to each group, and connect them to complete our original variation of the Beethoven. We would also address the issue of implementing the practice model of musicking into school climate from educational perspectives by reflecting the experience of the workshop (90 minutes).

Musicking philosophy into practice: Online virtual workshop on the theme of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony "Ode to Joy"

Workshop Instructions

Welcome to Musicking!

In this workshop, we will explore online music education and play music together through live Zoom ensemble on the theme of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “Ode to Joy”.

Date & Time:

Monday 12 October at 12 noon CEST (Central European Time, Prague)

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83555799159?pwd=UWlLdGk5VEp0V1BzQ2EyYjhxc1A1Zz09
Meeting ID: 835 5579 9159
Passcode: 630354

Brief Run-down of the 90-Minute Workshop:

20 mins Intro & Lecture

25 mins Group Work

15 mins Individual Group the Trial

5 mins Break

10 mins Live Ensemble

15 mins Reflection, Q&A

Live Ensemble Information:

*For this workshop, the use of computer or laptop or tablet is encouraged instead of mobile phone for better sound quality.

The live ensemble has three groups:

Group A: Soundscape with Allan

In this group, you will play around “Ode to Joy” with different soundscapes. Live digital drawing, painting, vocal, or sound with body (e.g., clapping) or objects (e.g., glasses) are welcome.

For digital drawing or painting, please ensure your camera can be adjusted to focus on your drawing device or paper.
If water painting is involved, please beware of your computer/laptop.

Group B: Instruments with Taichi & Shizuka

In this group, you will enjoy the “Ode to Joy” with your instrument, any objects that make sounds, or sound with vocal, body percussion, visual arts and movement are all welcome. Engineering major students from Okayama Prefectural University, Team TRY, would add the element of drawing to music by using the tool embedded in Zoom, and software to collect and edit the organic sounds from our daily lives by using an iPad.

All different voices, sounds, movement, and creative ideas are welcome to pursue musicking practice for collaboration and participation

Group C: Movements with Miho

In this group, participants will device and dance along with variation of “Ode to Joy”.

Please ensure you have a safe “dance space”;
The Zoom camera can capture your body movements.

Let’s get ready and see you next Monday at 12 noon Czech time on Zoom!

Carrie @ Musicking

About authors

Allan Molnar is a recording artist, composer, vibraphonist, drummer and percussionist who currently resides in New York where he freelances in the music profession, holds the position of Jazz Lecturer at Lehman College, and serves as the executive producer of the Johnny Pacheco Latin Music and Jazz Festival at Lehman College (Bronx, NY). Allan spent 20 years teaching music with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (Canada) and is a recipient of the prestigious “Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.” Allan is a faculty member of the KoSA International Percussion Workshops and has served as chair for the Percussive Arts Society Music Technology Committee. Allan’s experiences include many live and recorded performances in a variety of genres including jazz, Latin, symphonic and commercial music. He notably contributed vibraphone tracks to Nelly Furtado’s Grammy and Juno Award-winning albums “Whoa Nelly” and “Folklore.” Allan is the cofounder and artistic director of The ALIVE Project (Accessible Live Internet Video Education) and provides arts-oriented distance learning opportunities for students in schools worldwide.

Taichi Akutsu is a Japanese violinist-teacher-researcher and a Professor of Okayama Prefectural University and a Lecturer at Seisa University and Shujitsu University. His degrees include a BM, from Tokyo College of Music in violin performance; a MM, from Manhattan School of Music (2005) in orchestral performance; and a MA, from Lehman College, CUNY (2011) in music education and PhD in Education, from Tokyo Gakugei University. Akutsu studied the violin with Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, and served as a violinist of the New World Symphony. He has recently published his researches on International Journal of Music Education and Music Education research.

Miho Yamada is an associate professor at Faculty of Education, Shujitsu University in Japan. After receiving her master’s degree in education from The University of Tokyo, she has worked as a certified clinical psychologist in medical and welfare facilities. She has begun her dance/movement therapy training through the Embodied Neurobiology in Austin, Texas, and is pursuing therapeutic use of dance/movement for Japanese.

Carrie Ho is an Assistant Professor of the School of Education at University of Saint Joseph. She is also appointed as an Honorary Professor by the Southwest Institute of Child Rehabilitation Medicine, Chengdu, China since 2019. Carrie is also appointed as Subject Specialist (Performing Arts) of The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications since 2006, and Drama Examiner of Hong Kong Arts Development Council since 2008. Carrie holds a Doctor of Education from The Education University of Hong Kong and a Master of Arts in East/West Theatre Studies from Middlesex University (London, UK). She interests in transdisciplinary arts-based research on aesthetics, education, spirituality, SEN support, and applied theater through the lens of postmodernism.

Shizuka Sutani is a music educator, soprano singer and researcher of music education. She earned a B.A. at Osaka College of Music in Japan majoring vocal music. After serving as a professional singer/ dancer at Shiki Theatre Company and gained teaching experience in Japanese K-12 schools as a music specialist, she graduated from Okayama University with an M.A. in Music Education. She currently teaches at Mimasaka University Junior College. Her most recent publication publications are including Implementing the Mixed Instrumental Practice in Japan from IGI Global, and Medical Problems of Performing Artists.

Please, make sure you connect at the right time. Please, check your time zone, e.g. here.