Title: Audiation, Improvisation, and Music Learning Theory

Author(s): Christopher Azzara

Source: Azzara, C. (1991, Spring & Summer). Audiation, improvisation, and music learning theory. The Quarterly, 2(1-2), pp. 106-109. (Reprinted with permission in Visions of Research in Music Education, 16(2), Autumn, 2010). Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme

Visions of Research in Music Education is a fully refereed critical journal appearing exclusively on the Internet. Its publication is offered as a public service to the profession by the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the state affiliate of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. The publication of VRME is made possible through the facilities of Westminster Choir College of Rider University Princeton, New Jersey. Frank Abrahams is the senior editor. Jason D. Vodicka is editor of the Quarterly historical reprint series. Chad Keilman is the production coordinator. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning is reprinted with permission of Richard Colwell, who was senior consulting editor of the original series. Audiation, Improvisation, and Music Learning Theory

By Christopher Azzara

Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester

dwin Gordon's music learning theory potential to appreciate music. is an excellent model for understand- We learn to audiate so that we can audiate E ing learning. While similar in some to learn. With musical understanding, respects to other theories of music learning, individuals can: it is not an application of other theories. 1) listen intelligently to music: Rather, it is an attempt to answer the ques- 2) develop aesthetic sensitivity and appreciation tion, "How do individuals learn music?" The through listening, improvisation, and perform- answers to this question should provide the ance; 3) develop the ability to communicate ideas, foundation for music education. The con- feelings, and emotions through improvisation, cept of audiation is at the heart of Gordon's music learning theory. Audiation is to music what thought is to "The word "improvisation" language. 1 In order to master a language, has been used as a catch one must be able to think in that language. Likewise, in order to understand music, one word in music education. must audiate music. Audiation takes place A refined definition, however, when one comprehends music for which the sound is not physically present. It is impor- brings focus and a clearer tant to distinguish between audiation and understanding of this activ- imitation. To audiate is to think for oneself; imitation is quickly forgotten. Musicianship ity: Improvisation means is fundamentally based on audiation. When that an individual has inter- we audiate, we give meaning to music that we read, write, create, and improvise. We nalized (can audiate) a music audiate music we have heard, as well as vocabulary and is able to music we are predicting. Audiation is not dichotomous; it is a matter of degree, not express intended musical kind. The better one audiates, the more one ideas spontaneously." is able to understand. You are what you hear. One of the essential elements of music learning theory is composition, and performance; and 4) listen to and participate in musical perform- the audiation of tonal and rhythm patterns. ances on varying levels of understanding We learn music similarly to how we learn commensurate with individual aptitude, language. Language has syntax. In lan- achievement, and interest. guage, we comprehend by organizing words. What is Basic to Music Education? Music has syntax. We comprehend music when we audiate tonal and rhythm patterns When specifying what is basic to music and are able to combine and sequence them education, it is necessary to distinguish in a larger context. For example, one may between musical behaviors and music-related internalize a sense of tonality and meter. To behaviors. A musical behavior involves audiate is to understand, and the greater understanding based on audiation, Music- one's understanding, the greater is the related behaviors can be described by

106 Tbe Quarterly activities such as identifying clefs or key tion and are able to teach to the differences signatures and knowing the time values of of individual students. notes. Music educators should research, Gordon's music learning theory is a model design, and incorporate curricula, methods, for method, and method based on this theory and teaching techniques relevant to both suggests techniques for learning sequence behaviors, but emphasis should be placed on activities and classroom activities. Music teaching the content and audiation skills learning theory supplies a hierarchy of relevant to musical behaviors. Consider the sequential objectives so that students can high school graduate who can recognize a acquire a music vocabulary for understand- treble clef sign, tell you the names of the ing music. Skill learning sequence and lines and spaces on the staff, and the time content learning sequence are the funda- values of each of the notes. He reads on the mental dimensions of music learning theory. title page that the piece was written by J S. The skill learning sequence includes levels Bach, and he knows that Bach was a prolific of discrimination and inference learning and Baroque composer. When asked to sing or their respective parts. In music learning audiate the music, however, he cannot. This theory, both rote and conceptual learning are individual cannot give meaning to the emphasized. Discrimination learning is rote notation. Although not unimportant, music- learning, and the student develops a vocabu- related behaviors are not necessary to lary of familiar tonal and rhythmic patterns. engage in a musical behavior; they are only During discrimination learning, the teacher necessary to talk about music. gives the answers and teaches students to Individual Differences and the make comparisons. Perception is not Learning Process learning; discrimination is learning. We learn what things are by what they are not. When Gordon's music learning theory is a we teach minor, students learn more about paradigm that is the result of creative re- the nature of major. When we teach triple, search and critical thinking, and it provides students know more about the nature of direction and definition to educators and duple. If everything is the same, there can researchers. Iusic learning theory is not one be no inferences. Inference learning is method of teaching music. Rather, it is the conceptual learning, and students give outline of logical, fundamental principles for meaning to unfamiliar tonal and rhythm understanding music learning. Because of patterns based on the familiar patterns which the open-ended nature of the paradigm, it they learned by rote in discrimination lays the groundwork for a myriad of teaching learning. During inference learning, students and learning settings. teach themselves; teachers provide guidance. Music instructors at all levels should have Just as skill learning moves sequentially, an understanding of the music learning Gordon's content learning sequence provides process. Individuals bring their unique an orderly outlirie for tonal and rhythm perspective to any situation; one's world content. Music skill and content are not view is influenced by one's specific life mutually exclusive. Gordon (1989) states: history. Understanding teachers and students "Skills cannot be learned unless they are in these terms is critical when considering taught in conjunction with tonal content or any educational or research endeavor. Good rhythm content, and tonal content and teaching is not synonymous with exposure. rhythm content cannot be learned unless Sadly, much of what is called teaching is they are taught in conjunction with a skill" simply exposure, and students are left to Cpp. 33-34). learn on their own. The teacher's role becomes that of a disciplinarian. Yet, with Measurement and Evaluation an understanding of method, teachers know Identifying musical behaviors defined by what to teach, when to teach it, and why it is audiation and teaching to individual differ- taught. Techniques demonstrate how to ences with the aid of objective measurement teach. When teachers apply techniques tools are two critical components for exem- based on method, they can improve instruc- plary teaching. The primary purpose for

Volume II, Numbers 1 & 2 107 measurement and evaluation is to improve Creativity and Improvisation instruction and to teach to individual differ- Since the mid-fifteenth century when the ences (Grunow & Gordon, 1989). Yet printing of music began, an ever-increasing measurement and evaluation have been the emphasis has been placed on notation. Yet subjects of much concern and criticism. it is important to remember that notation is Controversy exists over the application of visual documentation for an aural art. Just as and need for measurement and evaluation in it is possible to read and understand the music education. A lack of understanding by phrases on this page, it is possible to read music educators has been the cause of much and audiate notation. When performance confusion and debate when designing includes audiation, meaningful expression curriculum and evaluating teaching effective- takes place: Students give meaning to ness. Test interpretation should not be used notation. Knowing how to create and to categorize students or as proof of good or improvise music is not a necessary readiness bad teaching. Test scores should, however, for reading music with meaning. Neverthe- be recognized as samples of behavior under less, when students have the audiation skills certain conditions at certain times. As such, necessary to improvise, the relationship they provide objective scores upon which between composition and performance is put one can evaluate and help improve instruc- into its proper perspective. tion and learning. The word "improvisation" has been used An understanding of musical aptitude and as a catch word to describe a variety of ac- music achievement and their implications is tivities ranging from aleatoric exploration to essential to any discussion of teaching to unrestricted creativity. While creativity and individual differences. Confusion exists improvisation are similar, there are important concerning the difference between aptitude differences. Creativity involves less restric- and achievement. Many vague terms, tions than improvisation. While improvisa- including "talent" and "ability," also have tion is a creative activity, it is important to been used in attempts to describe musician- specify precisely what is meant by the word ship, resulting in more confusion. Aptitude "improvisation." A refined definition brings is defined as the measure of one's potential focus to activities and allows for a clearer to learn, while achievement is what has understanding of improvisation's role in actually been learned. An individual who musical education. demonstrates high achievement must display Improvisation means that an individual has at least equally high aptitude, while an internalized (can audiate) a music vocabulary and is able to express intended musical ideas individual who possesses high aptitude will spontaneously. Students accrue an "audia- not necessarily demonstrate high achieve- tion dictionary" from which to draw when ment (Gordon, 1989). The value of testing is engaging in improvisatory endeavors. to improve teaching and learning experi- Gordon states that without an ample amount ences. Music aptitude is one's potential to of tonal and rhythm patterns in various audiate: Everyone has music aptitude, and tonalities and meters, students will only some students have the potential to achieve engage in aleatoric exploration. Audiation of in music more than in other subjects various patterns crystallizes the difference (Grunow & Gordon, 1989). between having to create something and Just as techniques should be understood in having something to create (Gordon, 1989), terms of method, music achievement should Improvisation is not exclusive to jazz; be understood in terms of music aptitude. opportunities to improvise in various settings Measuring music achievement is the assess- should be provided. Individuals improvise ment of what a student has accomplished. It daily in language when engaging in conver- includes peliormance ability, aural skills, sation. Yet, with the exception of some aural-visual skills, general musical knowl, ed.ge, knowledge of music notation, compo- experiences in general music classes and sition skills, and improvisation skills. various jazz ensembles, many students are never given the opportunity and encouraoe- b 108

lbeQuarterly ment necessary to improvise music with necessary to optimize music understanding. syntactical meaning. Developing improvisa- While technology and media continually tion skills involving audiation yields improvi- change, audiation and the ability to create sation that is as natural and interactive as and improvise remain fundamental. Future stimulating conversation. research should involve an examination of Many of today's audience members are the role and definition of improvisation and passive listeners. Many concert-goers attend creativity in music education. more to the visual and acoustic aspects of a An increased awareness of musical behav- performance than to the aural/musical iors, the learning sequence process, method aspects. Music in many people's lives is and related techniques, achievement in terms synonymous with ambience and entertain- of aptitude, and the use of measurement and ment. One of our goals as music educators evaluation tools provides the practical should be to facilitate the development of foundation for good music instruction. De- independent music makers and active veloping musicianship in terms of audiation listeners. Aural understanding-audiation- provides for more meaningful performances and improvisatory experiences are at the root and musically intelligent audiences. Music is of accomplishing this goal. a vital part of life; music educators have the Future Needs and Implications opportunity to enhance the experience. Just as each culture has its language, each Footnote culture also has its music. Music class is the 1. Statements in italics are published and place to learn the understanding of music, unpublished quotes of Edwin Gordon. just as English class is a place to understand References English. If all students have some aptitude Gordon, E. E. (1989). Learning sequences in for music and many students, indeed, have music (Sth ed.). Chicago: G. 1. A. Publica- the capacity to succeed in music more than tions, Inc. in any other subject area, then all students Grunow, Richard F. & Gordon, Edwin E. (1989) Jump right in: 17.1einstrumental series. should be provided with opportunities to Chicago: G. 1. A. Publications, Inc. develop the music knowledge and skills

~(ljJ~~@U~[j'j] of the Council for Research in Music Education Table of Contents, NO.1 08, Spring 1991 Articles Proactive versus Reactive Teaching: Focusing Observation on Specific Aspects of Instruction --Robert A. Duke and Clifford K. Madsen Determination of Location of Pitch within a Musical Vibrato --Steven F. Brown Teacher Effectiveness Research: A Review and Comparison --Joe W. Grant and Lynn E. Drafall Comparisons of Attitudinal Assessments in Middle and Junior High School General Music --Jacquelyn Boswell Music in Nigerian Education =Richard C. Okafor Dissertation Reviews Analytical and Aesthetic Concepts in the Work of Leonard B. Meyer--Helen Naomi Cummings --Reviewed by Joy E. Lawrence Recruitment and Retention of Hispanic Students in Selected Successful School String Programs-- Jeanette Eastwood Ensley--Reviewed by Lemuel Berry, Jr. Reviving a Lost Art: Piano Music of Russian-Jewish Origin--David Marc Posner--Reviewed by Wesley Roberts Applications and Adaptations of Orff-Schulwerk in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand--Mary Elizabeth Shamrock--Reviewed by Patricia Shehan Campbell

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Volume II, Numbers 1 & 2 109