Responding to Music

This week has been exciting reading about how we respond to music.  From Music Learning Today (Bauer, 2014) it is discussed that researchers have found that music listening has a social context (p. 112).  This is true, everyone I know listens to music in a different social setting from when they are working-out, at home, a party, church, or a sporting event- each one is different.  I agree that a primary goal of music listening activities in my classroom and even in my home are to develop my students and children’s desire to become a lifelong music listener.  

It is logical that it is hard to listen to music with understanding when it is an unfamiliar style, genre, or from a different time period.  When I think back to my freshman year in college, I dreaded going to a music theory class when we were studying atonal music. It was music that I struggled to appreciate because I didn’t understand it.  Now I am much more open to various styles when there is an opportunity to research and understand the background of the composer and why he or she wrote the piece. My own life experience has given me understanding for my high school choir students when they don’t alway like a piece of choral literature that I select.  It takes time to learn and understand new things.

It has been fun downloading and setting up a Spotify account.  I have created 2 playlists so far and it crazy to see how many choices there are on Spotify.  My husband and I were talking about how I pick romantic love songs and he enjoys energetic selections.  After dinner he is often dancing with our small children in the living room but it looks more like a workout session :)  I on the other hand enjoy more laid back tunes because when I come home from a work day after teaching over 400 students I don’t care for “noise”.  My spirit is instantly tranquil when I listen to Yo-Yo Ma selections on the cello or some jazz.  My current life both professional and personal is so full that I like to counter it with peaceful music.  This week has reminded me of the simple pleasures that listening to music brings.