Appendix: A Practice

Summary

In this appendix Peter Wiegold offers a summary of the practice that has evolved through his work, looking to present the essence of a shareable methodology and pedagogy.

These are interesting times. Boundaries between musical forms are loosening, jazz musicians might write extended notated compositions, classical musicians improvise, traditional Asian musicians often au fait with Western notation. Almost every University will now include courses in popular music, jazz, world music and improvisation as well as Western classical music.

But this raises fundamental questions about devising educational curricula that can be both integrated and respect, and teach, core disciplines. One of the first questions here is whether educational establishments should continue to teach in separate ‘modules’ or explore integration between areas.

As can be seen in the main chapter, the methods that emerged in my work were driven by such questions. Particularly, find a practice that:

• • bridged composer and performer

• • could function across different skills and experience, crossing educational, community and professional boundaries

• • functioned across genre, in the process drawing in influences from different genres

• • integrated skills, creative and theoretical work

• • could facilitate the development of specific skills: in harmony, rhythm, composition, improvisation etc.

• • explored creative leadership and its relation to team-work

• • explored ‘cultural context’ as a means of understanding musical content and function

• • drew on personal artistic experience and voice as well as ‘generic’ ideas

• • explored the relationship between artistic development and self-knowledge

As the practice developed there were several holding ideas that emerged, and these will be presented first, before working through a practical sequence of activities.

Key Concepts

When at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, looking for a guiding overview, I coined the term ‘the third way’. The three ways can be summarised as:

THE FIRST WAY

Closed, final, the authority held ‘outside’.

You will do this. (Leading to issues of transgression).

The image of a box.

THE SECOND WAY

The way of the 60s – an open space – equality, democracy.

What shall we do today, class?

The image of an open space.

THE THIRD WAY

A holding centre, with the possibility of multiple responses to it.

The backbone.