Final Thoughts
As the this quarter comes to an end it is important to look back and acknowledge the points that we take away from any experience. In this case, this classical music course encouraged me to step outside of my usual interests and to learn something new. I always appreciate it when I am exposed to things that I am not usually around, for the most part learning about the history of classical music was completely new for me!
One of the music listening experiences that I will take away as we move forward from this course will definitely be the third performance that I attended for this course. During the performance titled, Paper Sounds: From Where She Came (Erin C. Kealy) it was very interesting to listen to and even confusing at first. This experience impacted me because it made me realize that music is all around us and that there are several forms of producing it. The performance was composed of 7 "paper players" and 1 vibraphone player, the paper players intensified in their rhythm as the song continued to go on. They began by shaking their paper props slowly then slowly increasing in rhythm and pace until they were shaking so violently that the sounds were much stronger. They concluded by finally ripping up their paper props. This created another mix of noises and added to the overall strength of the performance. It was really intriguing because I had never seen anything like it, and to be honest if I had not been in attendance and someone had simply described it to me I probably wouldn't have even acknowledged it! But truly, it was eye opening and even made me think about other forms in which we can take every day items and create art not only visually but for musical pieces as well. I definitely learned that it is important to keep an open mind and allow yourself to see and experience new things.
Whether or not I am now a "classical music lover", truthfully I am not quite sure! One thing I do know is that through the experiences that I had during this course I am much more aware about the influence that classical music history has had on society and how it is still very prominent in what we see today. Classical music truly is the foundation to everything that we hear in present day, it is through the evolvement of classical music through the ages that we have so many genres of music today. What surprised me was how many pieces of music were composed hundreds of years ago that are still extremely well-known and used in the media, but are known for their tune and not for their name. There were certain examples of pieces that were used by Professor Davenport that rang a bell right away but I had no idea about their historical background or even who had composed the pieces. A prime example is "The Rite of Spring" (1913) by Igor Stravinsky, although it has been a part of Walt Disney's Fantasia I had no idea about the details associated with the piece itself.
I also think that by going out into our community and being exposed to local performances that for the future, I am much more prone to going to these shows for leisure as opposed to just to fulfill a homework assignment. Seeing new sights, supporting local talent, and spending time with loved ones who wish to share in these opportunities for quality time are just a handful of the reasons why I would encourage anyone to go to these types of performances. I really enjoyed planning out going to see some of these performances with my fiancé in particular, as work, school, and familial obligations tend to overwhelm our schedules it is always good to plan something where we take a break from the daily stressors and responsibilities.
I also really enjoyed the fact that we had to write blogs about our experiences and our thoughts, as college students we frequently have to write long papers but blogging is a totally different method of expressing ones thoughts. This type of writing allows for a sense of intimacy as you write about how something makes you feel, or how it has changed or contributed to your opinions. Overall, I think this was a great online course due to the fact that the content was full and diverse yet was still connected and engaging. Thank you for the quarter!
Always,
- A
Healthcare Leadership Class of 2019
One of the music listening experiences that I will take away as we move forward from this course will definitely be the third performance that I attended for this course. During the performance titled, Paper Sounds: From Where She Came (Erin C. Kealy) it was very interesting to listen to and even confusing at first. This experience impacted me because it made me realize that music is all around us and that there are several forms of producing it. The performance was composed of 7 "paper players" and 1 vibraphone player, the paper players intensified in their rhythm as the song continued to go on. They began by shaking their paper props slowly then slowly increasing in rhythm and pace until they were shaking so violently that the sounds were much stronger. They concluded by finally ripping up their paper props. This created another mix of noises and added to the overall strength of the performance. It was really intriguing because I had never seen anything like it, and to be honest if I had not been in attendance and someone had simply described it to me I probably wouldn't have even acknowledged it! But truly, it was eye opening and even made me think about other forms in which we can take every day items and create art not only visually but for musical pieces as well. I definitely learned that it is important to keep an open mind and allow yourself to see and experience new things.
Whether or not I am now a "classical music lover", truthfully I am not quite sure! One thing I do know is that through the experiences that I had during this course I am much more aware about the influence that classical music history has had on society and how it is still very prominent in what we see today. Classical music truly is the foundation to everything that we hear in present day, it is through the evolvement of classical music through the ages that we have so many genres of music today. What surprised me was how many pieces of music were composed hundreds of years ago that are still extremely well-known and used in the media, but are known for their tune and not for their name. There were certain examples of pieces that were used by Professor Davenport that rang a bell right away but I had no idea about their historical background or even who had composed the pieces. A prime example is "The Rite of Spring" (1913) by Igor Stravinsky, although it has been a part of Walt Disney's Fantasia I had no idea about the details associated with the piece itself.
I also really enjoyed the fact that we had to write blogs about our experiences and our thoughts, as college students we frequently have to write long papers but blogging is a totally different method of expressing ones thoughts. This type of writing allows for a sense of intimacy as you write about how something makes you feel, or how it has changed or contributed to your opinions. Overall, I think this was a great online course due to the fact that the content was full and diverse yet was still connected and engaging. Thank you for the quarter!
Always,
- A
Healthcare Leadership Class of 2019
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