MUSINGS
This new page contains thoughts on music, performing, and links to relevant topics and people I think you should know about. I'll be updating this regularly. I also welcome your feedback. Just click on the "contact" link to email me. -jeannie
Musings on intention in performance
This is a focus topic for me right now. I am researching authors and studies on how the audience is part of live music. I am also writing a series of articles and book for performers, about having awareness of audience interaction as you hone your craft. There is a lot written about performance craft, but very little about the obvious interaction between audience and performing musician. I believe it is essential for the musician to be aware of the audience, not just whether or not there's a feeling there, but actually nurturing a relationship in performance.
If you'd like to be part of my research study on this topic, I'd love to get your input. Click here and be part of an interactive questionnaire. Your responses are really valuable to me. Thanks for participating!
Musings on rhythm for playing contemporary or world-music hymns, and music in general, for Unitarian Universalist services.
As one of the creators of Singing the Journey, the new UU hymnal supplement, I wrote a rhythm primer for the supplement website. Rhythm --one of the three primary components of music, the other two being melody and harmony-- is a key ingredient to get or "feel" contemporary (non-classical) music. I've been fortunate to work with great contemporary musicians as a professor at Berklee College of Music, and by teaching students how to work with a band, have myself learned a lot about how to teach rhythm. (I thank my colleague Bob Stoloff who taught me so much on how to teach this topic.)
Rhythm in contemporary music is a feel thing. You can't get it by reading the notes on the page. It's really important to listen to music in the style you're going to play in order to get it, and more importantly, to play it with other people who already can. The primer I wrote will help you get started if you don't have a background in contemporary music. When you go to the link above, click on "Rhythm and percussion in congregational settings" to download the pdf. Have fun!
