Klangnetze – AT
Inventing the world with your ears – A way to introduce contemporary music in schools
I. Abstract
The example is about a partnership of music teachers and musicians to introduce contemporary music to pupils. Over several weeks pupils created their own piece of music which is performed in one of the main concert halls of Vienna.
I. Introduction
This project, called “Klangnetze”, was supported in Austria in the 1990s by the local cultural authority for all school types (Primary, Secondary and also vocational schools). My[1] school situation was a Secondary School with an age-range from 11 to 18 years, located in the Inner City of Vienna. Most of the pupils are from middle class backgrounds with an average number of 25-28 pupils per class. I worked with a group of fifteen 15 year old pupils of a modern language class, mostly experienced in classical and popular music. All 15 of them, had basic instrumental knowledge, and had chosen an optional music course, which was held in seven workshops in the afternoon, 2-3 hours each.
Before the work in class started a 3-day workshop introduced musicians and teachers to the project. Teams of two musicians and one teacher in each were built. The timeframe of 20 hours, two partners to work with and the possibility of a performance in a beautiful concert hall made this project an attractive one for all participants.
This example reflects most of the meNet-criteria for Examples of Practice: It is a partnership between school and musicians, an integration of performing, listening, creative music making and reflection, it offers opportunities to all partners to experiment and innovate, it offers opportunities to learn independently and from each other. Young people also learn to become critical, independent, communicative and socially competent. The chance for a performance adds an opportunity to excel. This project encouraged and influenced my way of teaching.
III. The Example
This project was a chance to realize my ambitions making pupils create their own music. The educational focus was on an independent, self-critical, and responsible way of working and collaboration.
1. Preparations
a) Organisational work: I had to arrange times and dates for the workshops, provide enough rooms for working in subgroups and to inform parents and colleagues.
b) Meet the artists: in meetings with the musicians Michael Moser and Thomas Gorbach we prepared the work in class. From the very beginning I was regarded as a musically equal partner. This was not always the case in other teams.
2. Work in class
For starting the session we provided small pieces of a composition of temporary music, all the instrumental resources of the school and unusual sound objects. Each pupil chose a piece and selected sound - material to realize it, in this way preparing a first motif as a basis for further musical work. The next task was to find variations to the individual motif, which encouraged the pupils to search the resources of the material.
Motif and variations were used for improvisation, which added collaboration to the individual work.
My observation: The pupils developed high degrees of sensitivity towards sounds when experimenting with the material. Especially unusual sound – objects (such as adhesive tape, stones, a washbowl etc.) made them curious towards the possibilities. They listened carefully and examined precisely before making their choice. Each pupil was involved and responsible for their own little piece of music. Improvisation made them listen to each other and communicate without words.
Pupils listening carefully and trying to organise the material
3. The crisis
After 8 hours work there was the point of no return. The problem was how to get from improvisation to composition, how to get from anything goes to agreed decisions. The pupils were helpless and for a while it seemed to be the end of the project. After discussions with them I realized the problem: art is in contrast to everyday school – life. Getting degrees from outside usually helps pupils to decide what is right or wrong. Having to be responsible and to decide asked too much of them. In this project they had to trust their ears and make their own decisions, which was completely new. After a long talk they decided to go on and to accept the challenge.
Work went on fluently and they continued experimenting, testing, discussing, rejecting and trying again. Finally they found a coherent piece of music in which everyone was involved equally.
Both musicians Michael Moser and Thomas Gorbach working with the pupils
4. The performance
The piece Hirnlos
was performed in the
final concert of the whole project in the Vienna Concert Hall. The pupils
performed in a very professional way, played with high sensitivity for the
sounds and showed responsibility for their piece. They discussed seriously
about the other pieces and it was obvious, that they had an understanding of
what makes a piece sound like contemporary music.
IV. Commentary
1. Key outcomes
a) We were asked to take part in this project for the following year with the same team. The reactions of the pupils were interesting. While they decided to use a huge variety of instruments in the first year they decided to use drums and voice only for follow up. They wanted to create their own piece and therefore they were more critical to suggestions of the musicians.
b) It confirmed my way of teaching: I felt encouraged to follow my way of teaching and I experienced that it is important to provide: enough time for creating music, separate rooms for small groups and to accept a crisis.
c) School and artistic work - a contrast: This project proved what I already thought. School asks a different way of learning as I already talked about above. Being used to degrees and exams which evaluate correct answers, pupils are not used to decide by themselves what is right or wrong. That means that pupils have to change their attitude, and a music teacher has to know that.
2. Strength and challenge
The really good conditions for working with pupils can be considered as strength (enough time, partners, performance). On the other hand here is also a challenge, because teamwork with musicians asks for the teacher’s artistic self confidence. This was not easy for all teams. Especially in Primary Schools teachers often were considered as teachers only.
3. Development of the practice
a) The method of working is used for other musical tasks (musical forms such as variation, rondo).
b) I organized a modified version of the project with only one musician, less time and no performance to introduce contemporary music.
4. Stakeholder evidence
This project was supported officially and regarded as an innovative practice.
V. Contact
Contact Person:
[1] This example of practice is described from the music teacher’s – Elisabeth Labschütz’ – perspective.
