I had the rare privilege this week of team teaching my best friend's Music Appreciation Classes with her. Here are my teaching notes for your edification and enjoyment. It was nice to work together again.
How many of you have ever taken music lessons of any sort
(piano, voice, instrumental)? How many
of you have taken dance or gymnastics?
What about playing a competitive sport?
You know that these endeavors, if one is to perform them at the highest
levels, require tremendous commitment, work, thought, and perseverance. To master such activities demands sacrifice
and discipline. Consider the difference
between the gifted high school or college athlete and an Olympic champion. I would argue that a similar difference
exists between a talented musician and an opera singer. Singing at this level demands devotion and
the discipline to rest as well. Today,
that is what your professor is doing…resting her voice in order to perform at
that highest level this weekend.
Many years ago, I sat in a similar classroom taking a
similar course to fulfill a degree requirement.
I’ve looked at your General Education requirements and know that this Music
Appreciation course is one of 52 courses you could have chosen to complete your
Humanities-Foundational Content credit.
I hope that among the reasons you chose this course in particular is
that you have a genuine love of music. I
know that I do. However, I also know
that we can be highly opinionated, discriminatory, and downright close minded
when it comes to music. We gage other
people’s coolness by the music they or we like or don’t like. And, we like what we like and often are
simply not open to experiencing music (and more broadly art) that feels
unfamiliar to us. I would like to
propose that exposure to a wider range of art forms (and more variety within
those forms) enriches our lives and can help us become better teachers, health
care professionals, business executives, and, ultimately, better people. Checking out new art, food, and languages can help us better encounter new people. It
exposes us to thoughts, ideas, emotions, cultures, and experiences that
otherwise might be inaccessible to us. The
development of our critical thinking skills and our empathetic sensibilities is
dependent on our ability to listen carefully and not react instinctually and adversely to all that is different or foreign. The arts
can open the world to us and this is always good.
So…congratulations!
You have chosen well and wisely.
Through this course, a new world and a new way to engage music is
available to you. I hope you will be
open to seizing this opportunity for all it’s worth.
If I understand correctly, you have a course requirement to
attend some music events and one of your options is the upcoming Western Plains
Opera production of Rigoletto.
I have discovered that when I fall in love with a topic, an activity,
a food, a place…I can’t help but wanting to share that passion with
others. And, I have fallen in love with
opera!
When you hear that word…”opera”…what comes to mind? What do you envision? What do you think? What do you feel? Yes, it can be intimidating. It is frequently in a foreign language. Opera is filled with a wide range of emotions
and character types. The music is
powerful and the performances larger than life.
Nevertheless, it’s about so much more than the fat lady singing. In fact, my favorite opera singer is as far
from the fat lady as you can get. And,
in the case of the upcoming Rigoletto performance, I will still argue that isn’t
over until SHE sings!
The emotions on stage will run the gamut from celebration to
grief; lust to envy; anger to seduction; fear to love. The costumes are fabulous and the set is even
better!
Resources used in preparation and follow up to these class
sessions:
