Improvisa1on Pedagogy: Sustainable Musicianship Recycle, Re- use, Rejuvenate: Improvisa*on as musical health Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra, DMA AGO Na1onal Conven1on BOSTON 2014 CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 1 1. A liqle psychology goes a long way a. Open, calm, encouraging mindset b. Focus on what we love c. Sing a new song 2. Mystery Sleuths: What if.? I wonder how? 3. History Buffs: How did Bach learn & teach? 4. Something old & borrowed: Re- use repertoire 5. Something new & blue: Re- cycle world music, jazz 6. A healthy you: Rejuvenate your playing through improvisa*on 7. A green choice: Create service music directly from the hymnal CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 2 1
Psychology: Open, calm, encouraging mindset Focus on what we love Sing a new song from Muse (CHI Press, forthcoming) EMDR=eye movement desensi1za1on & reprocessing calming & centering (for young choristers to adults) moves brain ac1vity from trauma center (amygdala) to objec1ve analysis process (pre- frontal cortex) CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 3 From Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra, Muse (CHI Press, forthcoming) CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 4 2
P. Ruiter- Feenstra, Improvisa*on Endeavors (CHI Press, forthcoming) Mystery Sleuths: What happens when Lemmens Fanfare meets EASTER HYMN? CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 5 CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 6 3
History buffs: What can we learn? How did Bach learn? 1. From observing the example of other musicians 2. By copying music (Pachelbel, Böhm, Buxtehude, Bruhns, Fischer, Froberger, Kerll, Grigny, Vivaldi) 3. From the instruments 4. By composing & improvising How did Bach s pupils learn? 1. From Maestro Bach s example 2. By copying music!! 3. From the instruments 4. By composing & improvising CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 7 Bach & the Art of Improvisa;on Sustainable cycle of improvisa1on CONSTRUCTION Exis1ng composi1ons RECONSTRUCTION Use the structural plan to compose and improvise; Vary the elabora1on DECONSTRUCTION Analyze, discover individual tools of structure and elabora1on Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra CHI Press CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 8 4
What happens when Bach s WTC Prelude in C, BWV 846 meets EIN FESTE BURG? CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 9 CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 10 5
P. Ruiter- Feenstra, Improvisa*on Endeavors (CHI Press, forthcoming) Something old and borrowed What happens when Franck s Prelude, Fugue, & Varia*on meets O Sacred Head? CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 11 CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 12 6
CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 13 Something new: What happens when an Argen1ne tango (3+3+2) meets Children of the Heavenly Father? CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 14 7
Something blue: What happens when Gershwin s/ella s Summer Time meets ABERYSTWYTH? CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 15 Summer Time meets ABERYSTWYTH, p. 2 in P. Ruiter- Feenstra, Improvisa*on Endeavors CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 16 8
Improvisa1on as musical health A healthy you Rejuvenate your playing through improvisa1on Enhance your repertoire playing, listening, analysis, harmony, expression, & historical context understanding; improve your sight reading; keep your brain ac1ve A green choice Create service music directly from the hymnal Recycle repertoire in fresh new ways Learn new styles to apply via improvisa1on Save money Spare trees CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 17 Improvisa1on Pedagogy: Sustainable Musicianship Recycle, Re- use, Rejuvenate: Improvisa*on as musical health Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra, DMA AGO Boston 2014 CHI Press, Pamela Ruiter- Feenstra 18 9