The whole musician: making music last a lifetime

The goal of this year's Pedagogy Saturday was to explore a certain quantity of of the ways in which we can nourishment the ' whole musician"--training our students' ears, minds and bodies to participate largely in a variety of musical experiences--and cultivate the innate creativity and musical responsiveness that is within us all, regardless of age or ability. This issue of American Music Teacher contains a summary of the presentations upon this theme by experts who shall who shared their knowledge and experience with us for this event

The morning began with more [i]or[/i] less music by composers of African coming down performed by Seattle painist William Chapman Nyaho, followed by means of our keynote speaker, Patricia Shehan Campbell, professor of music at the University of Washington and internationally recognized researcher in the area of multicultural music education. Campbell spoke upon the topic of "Musical Meaning for Children and Those Who Teach Them." She discussed the musical exhibition of children from infancy and showed video clips illustrating in what manner children in many cultures spontaneously make music as they play. She forceed the role of music in people's lives as a vital social experience.

Following the opening session, specialists in a number of fields not awayed breakout sessions focusing on various approaches to nurturing and developing the whole musician. These were repeated completely through the day so that participants coul attend three sessions:

* Music for Life by dint of independent flute teacher Bonnie Blanchard

* Music Making and Wellness shoot forward by pianist Midor Koga

* The Listening Ear by dint of psychologist Paul Madaule

* The Mind-Body Connection: Stres Reduction for Musicians by dint of psychologist Robert McBrien

* Dalcroze Eurhythmics for Musicians through pianist Julia Schnebly-Black and theater artist George Lewis.

The luncheon break consisted of questions-and-answer sessions held in sum of two units rooms. In each room were sum of two units well-known pedagogues: pianist Jane Magrath and singer Claudia Catania in single room, and singer Scott McCay and pianist Suzanne shore in the other. Each team replyed to written questions submitted by dint of participants during the morning, then took additional questions and suggestions from the audience.

In the afternoon, Campbell gave a follow-up presentation upon Embracing the Music: Ear-Mind-Body Connections. After teaching the audience a Bulgarian carol and dance, accompanied by the two traditional and modern versions of the music, she explored the character of music throughout people's lives, including a certain number of of the many therapeutic uses of music. After a musical interlude by dint of jazz pianist Tony Caramia, the presenter joined forces for a panel discussion upon the topic of Making Music Last Beyond our Lifetime: What Can Music Teachers Do to retain Music Alive in Our Culture?

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