What?! I Thought You Said She Has A Grade 8 (Part I)
A look into the weaknesses of some classically trained students
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“What?! I thought you said she has a grade 8,” I sometimes hear this exclamation during a church music practice. The truth of the matter is that just because someone has a grade 8 in classical training (piano, guitar, violin or others) it does not mean that the person can play in a church ensemble (band) well. In fact from my experience more than 50% take months to learn to play contemporary church music. This is also true for diploma holders. This is not surprising when one appreciates the fact that classical training does not train one to be able to play in an ensemble or contemporary band.
© 2004 Timothy Lee
timothy@gsus.biz
http://www.gsus.biz
At this juncture, let me state that I AM NOT an authority on classical training or music education for children. My closest experience to children's music education is taking organ lesson when I was in Standard 6 and regularly sending my daughter for her piano classes. I do however own a teacher's rank in organ, have studied at International College of Music, worked professionally as a musician and was at one time a music director for my church. On these merits I have auditioned and taught numerous classically trained pianist to play for churches. I have found a lot of them ill-equipped to play contemporary music. Here are some of the weaknesses I have seen:
What is music in its most mathematical sense? It may be said to be a series of notes (pitches) held for certain durations according to certain tempos which are generally constant in nature. However it is sometimes the case that classically trained students cannot play simple contemporary music passages under strict time. Perhaps this is due to a lack of practice with the metronome.
Some music teachers neglect the importance of strict timing. More emphasis is instead placed on learning a piece rather than improving time keeping skills. When that piece is learnt, strict timing is again excused in the name of interpretation and expression. Don't get me wrong. Interpretation and expression are the soul to music. Good time keeping may be an equivalent to the body. However what is the soul without the body?
Through time poor time keeping becomes a habit. In a church ensemble there are a handful of musicians. Just one member with poor time keeping can make the whole performance stressful. It feels like driving a car on the highway with one tyre punctured.
Classically trained students (pianist or guitarist) are groomed towards solo playing. They play the melody, block or arpeggio chords, counter-point and bass lines. However, in an ensemble situation they tend to overplay. This may then result in an “overkill”. Classically trained musicians sometimes need to be made aware of their role when playing in an ensemble. It is important for them to bear in mind that they are accompanists and hence should not launch a takeover of the ensemble. However, admittedly if there are such tendencies, they are understandable bearing in mind that classical musicians have been trained to be soloists for years.
This is definitely not emphasized in classical training, at least not in the contemporary sense. What is emphasized is the ability to read notes and to perform music written by famous composers of the past. If you look at these music scores you will find that every note needed is written. There is nothing needed that is not there on the score. Whereas in contemporary church music all that is given in the score is the chord progression, lyrics and the style in which it is played. Usually there are not many notes written on the stave. The musician would have to create a part based on the chords and the style. A classically trained musician can sometimes be ‘lost' when it comes to contemporary ensemble, particularly when they have to think fast to come up with the notes, based on the chords and the style, a skill that they probably would not have trained to develop.
Someone once told me that if I could master classical music I could play any type of music. My observations tell me that may not be accurate. The language of music has many genres. Arguably, classical music is the most profound. However just because I am studying classical music does not mean I am able to be proficient in other genres of music. For example, a person who speaks good Mandarin may be horrendous in the Hokkien dialect. Every musical style has its own custom, inflections, rhythm and instrumentation. Unless the classically trained students learn them, they will only be good at what they have been practicing all this while; performing written pieces by famous classical composers.
Once again let me say that it is not the classically trained students' fault. Neither am I belittling classically trained music teachers. I suspect it is the way students are taught music in Malaysia that needs reform.
Through the years I have developed specialized courses that open up their perspective and help them overcome these weaknesses. In my next article, I will share some exercises.
Click here for information about our Harmony courses
Click here for information about our Ensemble courses
Click here for information about our Instruments in Worship courses
© 2004 Timothy Lee
Email : author@gsus.biz
http://www.gsus.biz
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