Search of Our Own Music Patricia Shand University of Toronto Reproduced with the Permission of CMEA/Acme

search of our own music Patricia Shand University of Toronto Reproduced with the permission of CMEA/Acme. This paper was originally published in 1976 in Volume 17 Nr. 2, pps. 7-14. Teachers should certainly not What Canadian music is available? Canadian composers were chosen to out all but Canadian music How technically difficult is it for observe and work in classrooms. They their school libraries. But a young performers? How musically were then commissioned to write balanced performance program interesting is it? How effective is it as music for student performers. In 1965 ;',,';'ILUI,tLU include music of a variety of teaching and performance material? It a follow-up seminar was held where ""'r-'-' periods, and countries, and is not enough for the teacher to pick many of the pieces written were Canadian repertoire has a place up a publisher's catalogue and select a demonstrated. Some of the music was such a program, piece just because it is Canadian. The subsequently published, but further decision should be made on aesthetic development of the project was John Beckwith received a ques- and educational grounds, not on curtailed be .aise of CMC's heavy tionnaire from a high school student purely nationalistic grounds. Inferior commitments to preparations for doinga survey of Canadian compos- music cannot be justified just because Canada's Centennial. In November ers.Question One asked: "As a it is Canadian. And so teachers need 1967 a policy conference on the John Canadian composer do you feel your guidance. Adaskin Project was organized in work is sufficiently well known?" In response to the need for refer- Toronto by CMC. Educators from While considering whether to answer ence material to assist teachers, many parts of Canada gathered with "Yes" or "No," Beckwith glanced at CMEA and the Canadian Music Canadian composers and with special Question Two: "What do you propose Centre have undertaken to produce a guests Peter Maxwell Davies, who to do about it?" Guidelist of Canadian music suitable had done outstanding creative work The questionnaire's rather too for performance by student ensembles with children in England, and John obvious assumption was probably (bands, choirs, orchestras, string Davies, who was then Assistant justified - the music of Canadian orchestras, and chamber ensembles). Director of the MENC-Ford Founda- composers is generally not well Each piece listed will be described in tion Contemporary Music Project for enough known. But what to do about terms of its musical worth, stylistic Creativity in Music Education. Al- it? An obvious answer would be features, technical problems, degree though enthusiasm at the policy "Introduce and develop the study of of difficulty, pedagogical value, conference ran high, CMC itself could Canadian music in the schools. Show effectiveness in performance, and no longer maintain the Adaskin children that they have a national appeal for students. Only the best Project. CMC felt that further initia- cultural heritage of which they can be music, based on the recommendations tive should come from educators, but proud. Stimulate their interest today, of experienced educators who have the project was a major undertaking challenge their minds and ears with actually used the repertoire with and for some time no initiative was the best of our music, and you will be students, will be listed. 1 actually taken. It was not till 1973 that developing a knowledgeable, inter- The preparation of the Guidelist is the CMEA decided to join with CMC ested audience for the future." the first phase of a joint CMEA - in undertaking a reactivation of the But it is a far cry from proposing Canadian Music Centre project on Adaskin Project. It was felt that the this to actually implementing it. Canadian music for schools. This is in first step should be to survey what is Teachers who out of personal interest fact a reactivation of the John Adaskin currently available by Canadian or a sense of patriotic commitment set Project, begun by CMC in 1963 to composers for student performers, and out to select Canadian music for their develop a body of Canadian teaching then acquaint music educators with students to perform are immediately material and to encourage creativity in Canadian repertoire chosen and faced with a number of problems. music education. In 1963 fifteen described for its suitability for school Canadian Music Educator. 41 (3 & 4) Spring & Summer 2000 41 .. use, this through the publication (in education in our country. If we can ments are introduced, but only the English and French) of a selective, share our ideas with sympathetic, easiest notes for each instrument are annotated Guidelist. interested composers, and if those used in the beginning stages, and The second phase of the current composers can react to our insights textures are transparent so the players project will deal with unpublished into the educational process and can can hear themselves and can concen- Canadian repertoire, again carefully use their imaginations to create trate on developing embouchure and selected as being of good musical exciting sound materials for the tone. From his contact with schools, quality and discernable pedagogical classroom, there are possibilities for Freedman has learned to think educa- value. The plan is to collect and development and musical growth for tionally as well as musically. When evaluate unpublished music for school everyone - students, teachers, and his band series is completed and band, choir, orchestra, string orches- composers. published it will provide valuable tra, and chamber ensemble, then to Implicit in what I am saying is musical learning opportunities.2 In the prepare a selective, annotated list of this - composers writing for schools choral field, Freedman's Keewaydin the best of this material, and finally to need to be in contact with teachers for SSA and optional tape (G' V, approach publishers, recommending and students. This was the assumption Thompson) and Three Vocalises for that they publish the selected music. behind the first John Adaskin Project stirs (Leeds) are useful in familiariz- The prestige of national organizations Seminar in 1963, and behind the ing students with contemporary like CMEA and CMC, backed up with Contemporary Music Project in the sounds and devices. Keewaydin the specific recommendations of United States. Commission money is employs tone clusters, a combination experienced teachers across the not enough. Composers need opportu of singing and speaking styles, country, should have some influence nities to work with students and to graphic notation, and exploration of with publishers. Also, since the discuss with teachers the problems the sounds of Ojibwa place names. Guidelist will be distributed interna- and objectives of school music. A Chorale, the first of the Three Vocal- tionally as well as nationally, it is number of Canadian composers know ises, explores dissonances. The hoped that Canadian publishers will this at first hand. second, Soliloquy exploits chromati- be encouraged at the prospect of an Harry Freedman underlines the cism, while the third, Chant, intro- increased market for the recom- importance of actual experience with duces irregular meter and mended music. At the moment one of students. Some years ago he received jazz-influenced style. Keewaydin and the most unfortunate problems in the a Canada Council grant to compose Three Vocalises require careful area of Canadian music for schools is music for school band. After a sum- listening and are in fact ear training that some of the best material has not mer in his studio he produced music exercises as well as performance been published. which was unuseable. It was too pieces. Like Freedman, Murray The third phase will involve difficult, primarily because the young Schafer is introducing students to commissioning composers to add to players had not been prepared for the contemporary compositional tech- the existing repertoire. After the sounds and techniques of the contem- niques. And both composers stress the research in phases one and two, it porary idiom in which Freedman was importance of "ear cleaning" and should be evident what age and grade working. At that point Freedman thoughtful, focussed listening. But in levels and which types of performing recognized the importance of consul- his educational music Schafer does medium are particularly in need of tation with teachers and classroom not have Freedman's interest in repertoire, and it should be possible to trial with students, and also the need developing instrumental performing offer specific guidance to composers for sequential preparatory studies technique per se . Schafer's concern is as to what helps to make a good introducing young performers to more with encouraging and develop- teaching piece. It is, I think, important contemporary techniques. Out of that ing students' creativity. For example, that we as educators be willing to experience grew Freedman's ongoing Minimusic (Universal, available in assume some responsibility here. project - the preparation of a series Canada from Berandol) is not so much What do we in fact want to do in our of musical studies for junior band, a musical composition as a collection music programs? What sorts of each piece classroom-tested and of sound exploration ensembleactivi- teaching materials would help us revised in the light of student and ties for classroom use ideas and better achieve our aims? The possibil- teacher reaction. Dissonant harmo- stimuli to encourage students to work ity for intelligent, creative interaction nies, tone clusters, interesting with, listen to, make decisions about between educators and composers rhythms, mixed metres, tone produc- and express themselves through holds real hope for the future of music tion exploration and aleatoric ele- sound. All Schafer's music for 42 Canadian Music Educator, 41 (3 &4), Spring & Summer 2000 schools utilizes graphic notation, not sounds. It can be played by any experience, and are physically ready, only because this is a contemporary combination of instruments and is they can move on to string or wind technique with which students should thus particularly useful in school instruments.

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