The two clips I chose are the excerpts from viola masterclass, the instructor in these two videos are world well-known violis Nobuko Imai and the principal viola of Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The reason why I chose these two clips are not solely because of their reputation, but the way they convey the idea of music and the excerpts are the music I played before.
In the first video, Nobuko Imai is coaching the Brahms viola sonata, I have observed that she demonstrates technique and phrasing more often then the second clips, she also made lots of changes in terms of bowing, which inspires me to realize there are actually so many different bowing that I can use when I play it. This video sets an exemple of exeptionally good teaching, both the student and instructor are attentive, and those adivices given by Nobuko Imai are reflected in the student's performance.
The second video I chose is also the viola masterclass, which conducted by Roger Benedict, and this video is coaching the excerpt from the second movement of Brahms 4th Symphony. The difference between this video and the previous one is they focused on solo piece and audition for symphony respectively. Roger mentioned three important elements of strength in audition that the jury are looking for, including intonation, sound production, and the use of appropriate bowing strokes. In comparison to the first video clip, I found that Roger will give some adivices after the student finish playing, while Nobuko Imai will stop the student immediatlely if she finds there are better bowings or phrasing. It's not about good or bad, simply is the different style of teaching.
In conclusion, I think both videos are exemples of good and effevtive teaching, students played better soon after the instructions were given, and both teachers give their thought of music in a precise, simple and clear communication.
In the first video, Nobuko Imai is coaching the Brahms viola sonata, I have observed that she demonstrates technique and phrasing more often then the second clips, she also made lots of changes in terms of bowing, which inspires me to realize there are actually so many different bowing that I can use when I play it. This video sets an exemple of exeptionally good teaching, both the student and instructor are attentive, and those adivices given by Nobuko Imai are reflected in the student's performance.
The second video I chose is also the viola masterclass, which conducted by Roger Benedict, and this video is coaching the excerpt from the second movement of Brahms 4th Symphony. The difference between this video and the previous one is they focused on solo piece and audition for symphony respectively. Roger mentioned three important elements of strength in audition that the jury are looking for, including intonation, sound production, and the use of appropriate bowing strokes. In comparison to the first video clip, I found that Roger will give some adivices after the student finish playing, while Nobuko Imai will stop the student immediatlely if she finds there are better bowings or phrasing. It's not about good or bad, simply is the different style of teaching.
In conclusion, I think both videos are exemples of good and effevtive teaching, students played better soon after the instructions were given, and both teachers give their thought of music in a precise, simple and clear communication.
Influential Teacher Project
Influential Teacher Project
At first, I found this project was hard for me since I only knew a few people here in London, not to mention the teachers or professors becauseI just came to Canada recently after finishing my high school degree in Taiwan, but fortunately my viola professor Sharon Wei helped me to complete this assignment.
Prof. Sharon completed her undergraduate degree here at Western and later on studied at the Curtis Music Institute, which is one of the most famous conservatory in the world. I am glad to interview her not only because of her professionalism but also her as an Western alumnus.
In terms of the questions for the interview, I integrated some questions that Prof. Benedict used for example in class and others are generated from my interest. The questions included:
7. What personality traits do teacher need to be successful?
We conducted the interview at Sharon’s house after having lesson with her.
Prof. Sharon has been teaching for many years, since she was in undergraduate, she taught in many different schools across the North America which includes Stanford University, Curtis Institute and Western.
The most interesting part of teaching for her is to see someone every week and satisfied by the progress that being made by the students. Based on my experience about learning music from before, I did have some very professional violinists for being my teachers, but playing professionally is not always align with teaching professionally, It might be easier to demonstrate a phrase of piece than to articulate the interpretation that is already inherent in your mind.
Prof. Sharon discovered herself from teaching that she needs more patience. Listening a student playing the same piece without progress can be bored after a few weeks, and it is easy to get mad at the students if he or she is not practicing at all. Sharon also finds you sometimes have to have the natural chemistry within teacher, and she mentioned again the importance of patience in teaching, which is also the crucial personality traits that teachers need to be successful.
In conclusion, I found that being teacher is not an easy thing for everyone, not every person has the traits for being a “good teacher”, that means, having that competence to be patient and be able to articulate the interpretation of music precisely and clearly, as different teacher has distinct thoughts about music as well as distinct techniques that applied to music. Dealing with techniques on playing is not the only part in teaching music, we also have to care about student’s life, mental wellness and difficulties they have. Giving appropriate assignments helps students to progress, whereas too much work for students might result in injuries, for example, excessive practice of octaves scales can be detrimental to left hand.
After doing this influential teacher project, now I better understand the viewpoints of teaching from teacher’s side, realizing that teaching music is not only about asking students to play on their instruments, but can also be a meaningful lesson for teachers to reflex themselves.
At first, I found this project was hard for me since I only knew a few people here in London, not to mention the teachers or professors becauseI just came to Canada recently after finishing my high school degree in Taiwan, but fortunately my viola professor Sharon Wei helped me to complete this assignment.
Prof. Sharon completed her undergraduate degree here at Western and later on studied at the Curtis Music Institute, which is one of the most famous conservatory in the world. I am glad to interview her not only because of her professionalism but also her as an Western alumnus.
In terms of the questions for the interview, I integrated some questions that Prof. Benedict used for example in class and others are generated from my interest. The questions included:
- How long have you been teaching?
- Why did you being teaching?
- What is the best (most interesting) part of teaching?
- What is the hardest part of teaching?
- What have you discovered yourself from teaching?
7. What personality traits do teacher need to be successful?
We conducted the interview at Sharon’s house after having lesson with her.
Prof. Sharon has been teaching for many years, since she was in undergraduate, she taught in many different schools across the North America which includes Stanford University, Curtis Institute and Western.
The most interesting part of teaching for her is to see someone every week and satisfied by the progress that being made by the students. Based on my experience about learning music from before, I did have some very professional violinists for being my teachers, but playing professionally is not always align with teaching professionally, It might be easier to demonstrate a phrase of piece than to articulate the interpretation that is already inherent in your mind.
Prof. Sharon discovered herself from teaching that she needs more patience. Listening a student playing the same piece without progress can be bored after a few weeks, and it is easy to get mad at the students if he or she is not practicing at all. Sharon also finds you sometimes have to have the natural chemistry within teacher, and she mentioned again the importance of patience in teaching, which is also the crucial personality traits that teachers need to be successful.
In conclusion, I found that being teacher is not an easy thing for everyone, not every person has the traits for being a “good teacher”, that means, having that competence to be patient and be able to articulate the interpretation of music precisely and clearly, as different teacher has distinct thoughts about music as well as distinct techniques that applied to music. Dealing with techniques on playing is not the only part in teaching music, we also have to care about student’s life, mental wellness and difficulties they have. Giving appropriate assignments helps students to progress, whereas too much work for students might result in injuries, for example, excessive practice of octaves scales can be detrimental to left hand.
After doing this influential teacher project, now I better understand the viewpoints of teaching from teacher’s side, realizing that teaching music is not only about asking students to play on their instruments, but can also be a meaningful lesson for teachers to reflex themselves.
Student Interview
The two interviewees are my friends Edward Yu and Guo Yang, Edward is my current roommate and Guo is our common friend. I’m much obliged for having this opportunity to examine and understand several aspects of music from non-music major students’ points of view. Given the list below is the questions I generated and integrated from the syllabus, also including the main points of their response.
1.What program you are in currently? Edward is a second year biostatistics PHD student and Guo is completing his undergraduate degree of computer science.
2.Does it relate to music?
Edward stated that there is no direct relation between his major and music; however, he mentioned there are some interesting maths can be found in many composers’ works, the best known example would be Bach. Guo said he knows some relations between computer science and music, for example, recording as well as adjusting the music would require the usage of computers. In addition, many modern music are in electronic form.
3.Do you listen to music?
4.What type of music do you listen to?
Edward listens to all kinds of music, and Beethoven is his favorite classical composer. Guo likes listening to JPOP (Japanese pop music) and ACG (Animation, Comedy, Gaming) music.
5.Did you study music formally?
Edward said he didn’t study music formally, one of the reason is he was unable to afford cultivating a pricy hobbit, he only learn music in school before. Both Edward and me are from Taiwan, we have music course in our curriculum from prime school to high school, we learned recorder in both prime school and middle school, surprisingly learning recorder is mandatory to every students in Taiwan.
Guo is from China, the music course seems to be a little different from the Taiwanese one. In China, they talked more about music theory and music history, while music theory and history are seldom mentioned in music class in Taiwan.
6.Will you let your future children learn music?
Edward said it will depend on his future children’s will but he will also inform his children that learning music can be tough. In addition, he made the point that choosing music as a career has many things to worry about as well as whether you can raise a family by playing music. That is actually one of my concerns about learning music, since I’ m international student so I have to pay triple tuition that the local students here, this is actually a burden for my parents, and whether I can find a job after graduation seems to be difficult. I did know the seats in orchestras are fairly limited and it is very difficult to win an audition in professional orchestra. However, the only thing I can do currently is to practice hard and work hard, even there’s no any guarantee in the future. Guo answered similarly.
In conclusion, doing this student interview gives me an opportunity to know what music seems to be in different aspects, since my major is music and I’ve learned playing music for over a decade, so music is something I’m really familiar with and music is natural to me. By knowing the meaning or function of music from other non-music major students is interesting to me, some of them have a stereotypical conviction that “if you can learn music, you must be rich”. I would like to know more about how people think of music and how people think about learning music in the future.
1.What program you are in currently? Edward is a second year biostatistics PHD student and Guo is completing his undergraduate degree of computer science.
2.Does it relate to music?
Edward stated that there is no direct relation between his major and music; however, he mentioned there are some interesting maths can be found in many composers’ works, the best known example would be Bach. Guo said he knows some relations between computer science and music, for example, recording as well as adjusting the music would require the usage of computers. In addition, many modern music are in electronic form.
3.Do you listen to music?
4.What type of music do you listen to?
Edward listens to all kinds of music, and Beethoven is his favorite classical composer. Guo likes listening to JPOP (Japanese pop music) and ACG (Animation, Comedy, Gaming) music.
5.Did you study music formally?
Edward said he didn’t study music formally, one of the reason is he was unable to afford cultivating a pricy hobbit, he only learn music in school before. Both Edward and me are from Taiwan, we have music course in our curriculum from prime school to high school, we learned recorder in both prime school and middle school, surprisingly learning recorder is mandatory to every students in Taiwan.
Guo is from China, the music course seems to be a little different from the Taiwanese one. In China, they talked more about music theory and music history, while music theory and history are seldom mentioned in music class in Taiwan.
6.Will you let your future children learn music?
Edward said it will depend on his future children’s will but he will also inform his children that learning music can be tough. In addition, he made the point that choosing music as a career has many things to worry about as well as whether you can raise a family by playing music. That is actually one of my concerns about learning music, since I’ m international student so I have to pay triple tuition that the local students here, this is actually a burden for my parents, and whether I can find a job after graduation seems to be difficult. I did know the seats in orchestras are fairly limited and it is very difficult to win an audition in professional orchestra. However, the only thing I can do currently is to practice hard and work hard, even there’s no any guarantee in the future. Guo answered similarly.
In conclusion, doing this student interview gives me an opportunity to know what music seems to be in different aspects, since my major is music and I’ve learned playing music for over a decade, so music is something I’m really familiar with and music is natural to me. By knowing the meaning or function of music from other non-music major students is interesting to me, some of them have a stereotypical conviction that “if you can learn music, you must be rich”. I would like to know more about how people think of music and how people think about learning music in the future.