Being able to truly listen to music is a skill that all people can develop to varying degrees (Haack, 1992). Musicians absolutely must have a keen sense of listening in order to be effective performers and artists. People who are non-musicians can still listen to music and develop an ear that's on the same level as musicians. There are a number of colleagues I work with every day who are amazing when it comes to interpreting or analyzing different pieces of music as they listen to it. My mentor in the B.E.S.T. program has not played his trumpet in several years so it's safe to say that he no longer performs. But when I put on a song that is very complex, he can point out the form, structure, and key changes almost instantly. One of his favorite musical artists is Frank Zappa and if you've listened to any of his music, you would be hard-pressed to find anything remotely simple in any of his highly-complicated works! I actually wasn't a big Zappa fan until I worked with my B.E.S.T. mentor and he pretty much turned me onto Zappa.
The concept of hearing versus listening to music is an interesting one to me, mainly because I'm of the belief that everyone listens to music. But it made more sense to me when it was broken down and I realized that hearing music can be reserved for passive-type activities venues where the music isn't necessarily the center of attention. Prior to teaching, I was a performer for several years and most of my gigs were concerts and performances. However, there were also quite a few parties, weddings, etc. where we played but we were simply providing background music. This definitely harkens back to how music is an essential staple of all cultures. Whenever there is an important event or ceremony, music is always provided to make that event more authentic and meaningful. That being said, I'd like to share a quote I read recently, although I don't know who said it:
"Music makes everything better. Think about it; when you eat out at a nice restaurant, when you attend a birthday party, when you go to a wedding or bar-mitzvah, when you go out for a run, there is always music. If music can make everything better, why is it usually the first program to be taken away from public schools?"
I may not have gotten the quote exactly word-for-word but it rings true nonetheless. But going back to hearing vs. listening, it's important that students understand the difference as well. When I assign students specific songs or musicians to listen to, I usually require some type of reflection or written report that shows their thoughts or opinions on the music. The most common reflections I've received from my students are related to how the music makes them feel. My students almost always write something about how the song(s) make them feel happy, sad, mellow, energetic, etc. Over the years, I started being more specific and on the assignment, I would write down, "Please share your thoughts on the assigned listening. You must write about at least 2-3 musical concepts within the song(s) you listened to. These concepts can range from dynamics and tempo to form and time signature." Once I started setting this kind of standard, the reflections I received from my students were more about the musical elements at work, not about how the music makes them feel.
Just last year, my school instituted a new policy in which students are allowed to listen to their iPods or music on their cell phones during lunch time. Since I have cafe duty every day, I saw this policy in action. I was completely and utterly amazed at how much music was being shared! Students were trading iPods, sharing ear-buds, and showing music videos, which I thought were non-existent! The last time I saw a music video was back in the late 90s-early 2000s on MTV. Of course, the music that was being shared wasn't traditional music-class type of music. They weren't sharing Bach concertos or the nocturnes of Chopin. They were sharing what they already listen to on the radio. That's why it is crucial for music teachers to teach students about music that they wouldn't normally listen to. My students always complain, "why can't we play something we know for the concert?" They're referring to songs by Adele and Justin Bieber and whatnot. The reply I always give is, "You kiddos already know that music inside and out. In music class, the purpose is to explore music that you don't know. Music class is meant to expand your horizons and teach you about music beyond your iPods." One great moment I had with a student was right after his jazz band audition on electric bass. I usually ask my students what type of music they listen to, kind of like an interview within the audition. When I asked about his music, he pulled out his iPod and there were all these great jazz bassists like Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, and Jaco Pastorius on there. That made me very happy to know that, even outside of the classroom, he is using technology to listen to music that most teenagers would hardly listen to.
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