Music is a very facinating thing. "Music intrigates the mind and body in a unique manner which often surprises non-musicians." This is an interesting quote, because people who play an instrument are used to how to read music and how to go about interpreting music. Some people who don't play instruments or who are non-musicians may just look at what they are listening to just a nice melody or something. Music intrigates the mind and body by it provokes thought, feeling, and emotion. Music is sometimes surprising on how it truly does impact the listener.
Yo-Yo Ma plays the Cello. I think he as a composer is phenomenal. I am the type of person who loves listening to classical music, instrumental music, I, in general love listening to it all. I listen to all music...just not punk rock, hard metal, or hard core rap...haha, I love my music to have meanings, and the songs or instrumental pieces have to draw me in, in some way. I want to connect to the music I listen too. What I like about Yo-Yo Ma, is the fact that he does fully connect all the time. He has a style about him while he plays...(from what I see on youtube and things) that I like. He plays some music from SWAN LAKE a ballet, and I find it breath taking. I absolutely love the music and Swan Lake is one of my favorite ballets ever!
"The relationship among ideas, images, words, and music is great fun to explore, and musicians are very playful in this regard." THAT is very true!! It's so fun to "disect" music...see if the music pants a sort of image. I LOVE the music in Bambi. YES...the Disney movie bambi. Whenever I hear the music, EVEN IF it's not along with the movie, I see the meadows or I see how the rain falls on the leaves of trees. It's facinating, because everyone has a different image in their heads. Everyone connects differently to music.
"Music, the mystery I know best, is my guide to thinking about other ocmmon mysteries in the world." :D
*quotes came from the WHAT TO LISTEN FOR IN THE WORLD, excerpt I read for class.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Art of Composing...PAUL ELWOOD style!!!
Today, I had the pleasure of listening to a guest speaker who came into my class, Creativity in the Arts. It was very interesting to me, because he does a lot of composing using a banjo. I always think of composers as people who compose for the piano or a violen. I just never thought that so much could be done with a banjo, and honestly...of COURSE it can be done.
Paul Elwood, was the speaker who came into class, and he played his banjo along with some other music he composed. It was so neat!!! I really enjoyed listening to the music...it was not the typical music you would hear. It was like, music that is more contemporary, a little abstract, but the sound was brilliant. I sat there listening to him, in amazement. It was fascination. He has a program on his computer that allows him to do most of the manipulation that he does in his music, but it's just so neat to hear! I felt that today, what he played, sounded a little middle eastern to me. Almost had a vibe of music that people in India listen to. It had a sense of...an urban feel. It's hard to explain, but the music he played, was very intriguing. I kept trying to listen to the music, to see if I could hear maybe objects he used that may not be instruments. I just found his music, and him as a speaker interesting. He said that composing music is a lot of work, that it is hard. He'd rather grade loads of papers then compose music. He said that it's a lot of work for him, but that a deadline helps him stay under control and focused to compose what he needs. It's just interesting.
Paul Elwood, was the speaker who came into class, and he played his banjo along with some other music he composed. It was so neat!!! I really enjoyed listening to the music...it was not the typical music you would hear. It was like, music that is more contemporary, a little abstract, but the sound was brilliant. I sat there listening to him, in amazement. It was fascination. He has a program on his computer that allows him to do most of the manipulation that he does in his music, but it's just so neat to hear! I felt that today, what he played, sounded a little middle eastern to me. Almost had a vibe of music that people in India listen to. It had a sense of...an urban feel. It's hard to explain, but the music he played, was very intriguing. I kept trying to listen to the music, to see if I could hear maybe objects he used that may not be instruments. I just found his music, and him as a speaker interesting. He said that composing music is a lot of work, that it is hard. He'd rather grade loads of papers then compose music. He said that it's a lot of work for him, but that a deadline helps him stay under control and focused to compose what he needs. It's just interesting.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Composer and his Message
Composers. They are the great minds that form such music as Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. They are not always "prodegies." Everyone, can be a composer, they just need to be inspired to want to do something great.
Roger Sessions, wrote an article on THE COMPOSER AND HIS MESSAGE. It was really interesting. He says the essence of musical expression is EMOTION. "Emotion is specific, individual and conscious; music goes deeper then this, to the energies which animate our psychic life, and out of these creates a pattern which has an existence, laws, and human significance of it's own." This is a good point. Emotion is so deep and complicated in itself, that if we as people are aware of ourselves, and what we feel, then it's easily expressed.
He also says, "It must not be forgotten that, for the composer, notes, chords, melodic intervals - all the musical materials - are far more real, far more expressive, than words..." I relate to this. I believe it's true. Composers, create the music. If you watch a movie, there are composers who create music to go along with the actions of the actors on the screen. They are creating the music to enhance the movements and the characters themselves. Words are words, they mean a lot, that is true, however, at the same time, if there was not music, the words are just words. With music, the words are brought to life. They are given emotion, that which is so important to music and to composers.
"The composer, one must first think of him as living in a world of sounds, which in response to his creative impulse become animated with movement." Movement is also very important when composing. The movement of the music that is provoked by the sounds of the emotion, will express whether or not the song is up beat, steady, sad, happy, scary. Everything that is created will have a movement to it. How else do audience members, say they "connected" so well with a particular song or play or movie? They connect to the circumstances of the characters, actors, or in some cases, the way the music is presented. :)
INSPIRATION, is also important. Without inspiration, how is something truly created? "The inspiration may come in a flash, or as sometimes happens, it may grow and develop gradually." That is true...I playwright, and sometimes, my ideas hit me like a lightning bolt, at other times...they gradually lay quiet and gather in my journal, until at last they all fall into place as something that I can write about. "Inspiration, then, is the impulse which sets creating in movement: is is also the energy which keeps it going." EVERYTHING ties in together. Inspiration is the STYLE!
After a composer finds his or her emotion, inspiration, movement...after inspiration and conception comes EXECUTION. Putting it all together, into the grand masterpiece that is truly is, and truly will become.
MUSIC is so important to me...I can't go a day without my music. I listen to it all. Music helps me get through my day...I don't dwell on things, I am able to relax and stay focused. Music helps me forget my troubles. I find myself content and continuously happy, due to my music. I LOVE MUSIC!!!
Roger Sessions, wrote an article on THE COMPOSER AND HIS MESSAGE. It was really interesting. He says the essence of musical expression is EMOTION. "Emotion is specific, individual and conscious; music goes deeper then this, to the energies which animate our psychic life, and out of these creates a pattern which has an existence, laws, and human significance of it's own." This is a good point. Emotion is so deep and complicated in itself, that if we as people are aware of ourselves, and what we feel, then it's easily expressed.
He also says, "It must not be forgotten that, for the composer, notes, chords, melodic intervals - all the musical materials - are far more real, far more expressive, than words..." I relate to this. I believe it's true. Composers, create the music. If you watch a movie, there are composers who create music to go along with the actions of the actors on the screen. They are creating the music to enhance the movements and the characters themselves. Words are words, they mean a lot, that is true, however, at the same time, if there was not music, the words are just words. With music, the words are brought to life. They are given emotion, that which is so important to music and to composers.
"The composer, one must first think of him as living in a world of sounds, which in response to his creative impulse become animated with movement." Movement is also very important when composing. The movement of the music that is provoked by the sounds of the emotion, will express whether or not the song is up beat, steady, sad, happy, scary. Everything that is created will have a movement to it. How else do audience members, say they "connected" so well with a particular song or play or movie? They connect to the circumstances of the characters, actors, or in some cases, the way the music is presented. :)
INSPIRATION, is also important. Without inspiration, how is something truly created? "The inspiration may come in a flash, or as sometimes happens, it may grow and develop gradually." That is true...I playwright, and sometimes, my ideas hit me like a lightning bolt, at other times...they gradually lay quiet and gather in my journal, until at last they all fall into place as something that I can write about. "Inspiration, then, is the impulse which sets creating in movement: is is also the energy which keeps it going." EVERYTHING ties in together. Inspiration is the STYLE!
After a composer finds his or her emotion, inspiration, movement...after inspiration and conception comes EXECUTION. Putting it all together, into the grand masterpiece that is truly is, and truly will become.
MUSIC is so important to me...I can't go a day without my music. I listen to it all. Music helps me get through my day...I don't dwell on things, I am able to relax and stay focused. Music helps me forget my troubles. I find myself content and continuously happy, due to my music. I LOVE MUSIC!!!
The Lives of Others
Tonight, I met up with my class, and we watched a foreign film. We watched, THE LIVES OF OTHERS. It was really good! I was able to read a review of the movie before hand. It was in THE NEW YORKER. This review was written in 2007, but it was a good review. The author Anthony Lane wrote about the story line. It is essentually about Germans, who are controlling the society in which this movie takes place, 1984. It takes place in East Berlin. During this time, The Stasi - the state security service has been sneaking into homes and putting all the homes under survaillence. They are spying on the people who live in these homes, because the people are doing something suspicious that is causing them to be questioned by the secerity service. It's really interesting.
MY REVIEW:
I am very picky about foreign films. I love to watch them when I get the chance. I enjoy movies like: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Amale, and many others. It's sometimes hard to find a good film that is worth watching...sometimes foreign films don't have a good story line, or other times the acting in the movies are just horrible. NOT in this case. THE LIVES OF OTHERS is a great film, and was very well acted. I really liked Ulrich Muhe. He played a Stasi agent who spies on a playwright and his actress girlfriend. The playwright who is being spied on, because the security service believes that he is writing a play that is not allowed and that will cause much controversy.
I really enjoyed this film, because the story line was so accurate and detailed. There was conflict, stuggle between characters, and great character development. The Stasi agent who spies on the couple, is a great character. He truly does not want to do harm. I believe at first he does, because he is indeed doing his job, however, as the movies progresses, I see this transformation that occurs to him. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, and he falls in love with Christa the actress, in the sense that he realizes through her, that the people they are spying on are just like themself. They are pround people who love their home, culture, and are proud to be German. I think that he does what he does in the movie, to help secure the "true good" of Berlin. He is a corky guy, who as well "acts" his part, but may not truly believe what he has to do.
The whole movie was wonderful, I have no bad things to say. The directing was amazing! The story line didn't leave anyone out of the loop or guessing. Everything was very detailed, and in the end leaves the audience thinking.
I love movies that are thought provoking, and that give the audience something to think about and to discuss. We really start to think about how lucky we as humans, as Americans, have it. I give this film 4 stars! :)
MY REVIEW:
I am very picky about foreign films. I love to watch them when I get the chance. I enjoy movies like: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Amale, and many others. It's sometimes hard to find a good film that is worth watching...sometimes foreign films don't have a good story line, or other times the acting in the movies are just horrible. NOT in this case. THE LIVES OF OTHERS is a great film, and was very well acted. I really liked Ulrich Muhe. He played a Stasi agent who spies on a playwright and his actress girlfriend. The playwright who is being spied on, because the security service believes that he is writing a play that is not allowed and that will cause much controversy.
I really enjoyed this film, because the story line was so accurate and detailed. There was conflict, stuggle between characters, and great character development. The Stasi agent who spies on the couple, is a great character. He truly does not want to do harm. I believe at first he does, because he is indeed doing his job, however, as the movies progresses, I see this transformation that occurs to him. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, and he falls in love with Christa the actress, in the sense that he realizes through her, that the people they are spying on are just like themself. They are pround people who love their home, culture, and are proud to be German. I think that he does what he does in the movie, to help secure the "true good" of Berlin. He is a corky guy, who as well "acts" his part, but may not truly believe what he has to do.
The whole movie was wonderful, I have no bad things to say. The directing was amazing! The story line didn't leave anyone out of the loop or guessing. Everything was very detailed, and in the end leaves the audience thinking.
I love movies that are thought provoking, and that give the audience something to think about and to discuss. We really start to think about how lucky we as humans, as Americans, have it. I give this film 4 stars! :)
Monday, March 2, 2009
IMPROV!!! :)
I have always loved Improv. I love watching Saturday Night Live and Who's Line is it Anyway, as well as the local improv troupes that are at school. When I was in High School, I had the honor of being on the school's improv troupe. We had to audition to have the chance to be on it, and I was lucky to have that chance. I loved it! A lot of my friends were on the troupe, and we were all experiencing the art of improv together. I tried three times, before I made it, and when I finally made it, I was so excited.
Well, in college, I've had the opportunity to take an improv class. I've taken the Improv class that is offered here at UNC twice. I find that improv is very beneficial to acting and to being able to think on my feet. I feel confident that if I find myself on stage in a show, and an actor misses a line, I feel that I am able to recover, and move on by using improv. Improv simply is a tool that can be used in case something happens.
In one of my classes, Creativity in the Arts, we were asked to write our own improv skits. Well...thinking about that, is difficult, I'm not used to having something "SCRIPTED". I'm used to just going up there, getting a relationship or environment and having to deal. It's up to you to fill in the gaps. :) WELL...the week of Feb. 23rd to the 27th, we played improv games in class, with the local UNC Improv Trouple CHAOS. I had the pleasure of working with ERIC RITTER, on of Chaos' members in high school. That's right...he went to my high school and he was in the same improv troupe as me. Well, he was heading up this weeks "WORKSHOP" so, I was able to see him again and work on improv and getting better.
WHAT I LEARNED:
1) Don't ask questions
2) Always agree
3) Follow C.O.R.E (Character, Obejective, Relationship, and Environment)
MY CLASS IMPROV SKIT:
The environment is at a Hospital. The characters are Doctors who are rivals. The objective that I WANT is: I want to take over the hospital (which can also be my secret). The relationship is that we start out as rival enmies and we end up as happy colligues. The jist of my skit with my friend Andrea Romano, is that we are rivals...we go way back to college. I know that she's stolen my cure for restless leg syndrome, and that I know she cheated on her medical exams. She however, knows that I've stolen her husband and she has filled my room with Enema Balls. WE work on a patient discovering that the particular patient has jewels and a map in her stomach. The map leads to the Holy Grail. I end up telling her my plans, and we end up putting things aside and working together.
Other ideas can also be a patient/doctor or a girl who is affraid of the doctor. WE HAVE many ideas...and have quite a few to choose from for the day that we present our "skits" in class.
Improv is fun, and not mean to be taken so seriously. YES, remember the key "rules" but ultimately...you must just have fun!!! :)
I LOVE IMPROV!!! :D
Well, in college, I've had the opportunity to take an improv class. I've taken the Improv class that is offered here at UNC twice. I find that improv is very beneficial to acting and to being able to think on my feet. I feel confident that if I find myself on stage in a show, and an actor misses a line, I feel that I am able to recover, and move on by using improv. Improv simply is a tool that can be used in case something happens.
In one of my classes, Creativity in the Arts, we were asked to write our own improv skits. Well...thinking about that, is difficult, I'm not used to having something "SCRIPTED". I'm used to just going up there, getting a relationship or environment and having to deal. It's up to you to fill in the gaps. :) WELL...the week of Feb. 23rd to the 27th, we played improv games in class, with the local UNC Improv Trouple CHAOS. I had the pleasure of working with ERIC RITTER, on of Chaos' members in high school. That's right...he went to my high school and he was in the same improv troupe as me. Well, he was heading up this weeks "WORKSHOP" so, I was able to see him again and work on improv and getting better.
WHAT I LEARNED:
1) Don't ask questions
2) Always agree
3) Follow C.O.R.E (Character, Obejective, Relationship, and Environment)
MY CLASS IMPROV SKIT:
The environment is at a Hospital. The characters are Doctors who are rivals. The objective that I WANT is: I want to take over the hospital (which can also be my secret). The relationship is that we start out as rival enmies and we end up as happy colligues. The jist of my skit with my friend Andrea Romano, is that we are rivals...we go way back to college. I know that she's stolen my cure for restless leg syndrome, and that I know she cheated on her medical exams. She however, knows that I've stolen her husband and she has filled my room with Enema Balls. WE work on a patient discovering that the particular patient has jewels and a map in her stomach. The map leads to the Holy Grail. I end up telling her my plans, and we end up putting things aside and working together.
Other ideas can also be a patient/doctor or a girl who is affraid of the doctor. WE HAVE many ideas...and have quite a few to choose from for the day that we present our "skits" in class.
Improv is fun, and not mean to be taken so seriously. YES, remember the key "rules" but ultimately...you must just have fun!!! :)
I LOVE IMPROV!!! :D
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)