IMPROV

TEACHING
AND IDIOMS
20TH-CENT
Witha littleeffort,it ispossibletosimultaneously
introduce to improvisation
students
and techniquesfor playing modernmusic.

I
S

M ost music educators rec- any number of performance tech-

ognize breadth of reper- niques, and the music can be tailored
toire and creativity in to any type of ensemble. Problemscan
performance as part of a be overcome by developing an appro-
well-rounded music edu- priate frameworkin which improvisa-
cation. It has been stated that exposing tion can take place. Such a piece is
students to twentieth-century music Improvisedcontemporary "ImprovisationsI" (see Figure 1), and
and to the practice of improvisation by using it, I have found that many of
are valuable methods for achieving musicallowsstudents
to the difficulties I have describedcan be
these goals. However, problems can be overcomequickly and easily.
encountered along the way. Most experimentwithany
pieces that make full use twentieth- numberofperformance Meetingthe Improvisation
century sounds and techniques can be Challenge
difficult to perform, even for profes- andthe
techniques, Allowing improvisational skill to
sionals, and teachers may shy away
musiccanbetailoredto develop naturally over an extended
from offering modern music and period of time can be very beneficial
improvisation in the music classroom. anytypeofensemble. what he considers
to students. John Kratus documents
to be the different
Finding appropriatemodern repertoire
for a group of students of a particular stages of musical development. Briefly
playing ability and for a specific summarized,the initial stagesinclude:
instrumentation can be extremely * exploring sounds on a given
challenging. In teaching improvisa- instrument
tion, overcoming students'initial anxi- * developing meaningfulpatterns
whose musical sophistication far
ety and helping them develop enough exceeds their improvisational ability * combining patterns to communi-
continuity and audiation (musical raises still more difficulties. These are cate to an audience
awareness)1to shape the music into a some of the problems I've encountered * developing fluidity of the above,
final convincing product are challeng- freeing the learnerto concentratemore
and worked to overcome in my instru-
ing tasks. Finally, teaching improvisa- mental classes. on the music'sdirection and nuance
tion to older students who may have * developing strategies and struc-
In dealing with these challenges, I
little or no background in it and
have discoveredthat teaching contem- tures for pieces.2
porary pieces that are largely impro- In an ideal situation, progress in
vised providesan ideal learningoppor- these stages should be encouraged
tunity. These works can engage stu- early in a child's musical development,
dents at whateverlevel of playing abili- though this seldom happens. The
Keyesis anassistant
Christopher inthe
professor ty they are currentlycapableof achiev- question then arises:can more mature
musicdepartment at HongKongBaptistUniver- ing. Improvised contemporary music students who have not yet begun the
sityin Kowloon,
HongKong. allows students to experiment with initial stages of this development

MAY 2000 17
 I
Figure1. Improvisations
Christopher Keyes

Choir
(optionaul)

Cue

Choir

high

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Legato Marcato_

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i =:~--tl

18 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

derive any benefit from its introduc-
tion later in their studies?The answer, I"
NotationsUsedin "Improvisations
I believe, is "Yes."
The key, in a word, is structure.3As
Kratus and others point out, improvi-
sation at any level involves precon- , X Senza misura(without meter)
ceived structures and/or constraints.
Whether rhythmic, harmonic, or styl- Chromatic cluster
istic, constraints are the preconditions
of any meaningful improvisation.
I . -_ . Boxes give the pitches from which to choose while
Experienced improvisers, like experi-
enced orators, have basic ideas, an improvising. The performer can, and should, use
overall strategy,a range of vocabulary, octave transpositionsof the given pitches, staying in
and perhapseven key phrasesin mind the generalrange indicated.
before they start. With a structure
Extended instrumental techniques should be used
firmly in place, the improviser'smind st I
is free to focus on more immediate (e.g., on-string glissandos for piano, behind-the-
(foreground)material.This is precisely bridge bowings for strings, etc.), which are likely to
where a compositional framework produce unequal temperedpitches.
A
may help accelerate the development /
of improvisational skills. It can pro- Sing the highest pitch possible for each individual.
vide a structure,direction, pitch mate-
rial, and other "constraints," freeing bass, the registersthemselves will dic- The movement of the various sec-
students to focus on the technical and tate which sections students should tions of the piece is coordinated by a
expressive capabilities of their instru- play and which sections they should set of cues. These cues are on a sepa-
ments. not play. The players may play the rate staff, and the instruments that
"Improvisations I" was developed pitch classes in other octaves. The play them are not specified. In the
specifically for the purpose of provid- optional choir extends the sonic envi- case of a small ensemble such as a duet
ing an overall structure.Although the ronment and accommodates support- or trio of larger polyphonic instru-
version provided here is intended for ive but somewhat less involved impro- ments, the players themselves can
college-level students, regardless of visation. agree on who will play which cue,
their level of performanceskill or the This version of "ImprovisationsI" depending on the nature of their
range of their instruments,the work is is supplied with pitches and time sig- instruments.For largerensembles, it is
also a model upon which similar natures. There are two main assump- more practicalto assign a group leader
pieces can be written for use in a wide tions: (1) the meters and tempos are to give cues. For very large ensembles,
variety of educational settings. I hope practicalfor a given set of players,and a modest amount of conducting is
that describing this piece in some required, especially when a choir is
(2) among them, they can play a com-
detail will encouragemusic teachersto plete chromatic scale. Other versions used. In addition to helping the play-
develop ideas for teaching improvisa- are possible, however, in which the ers shape the dynamics and timing of
tion and for creatingsimilarpieces. the performance,the conductor'smain
pitches and/or meters are left for
either the instructoror students them- job is to provide signals to the desig-
ASpecificApproach selves to complete or experimentwith. nated cueing instruments, signalling
The instrumentation of "Improvi- (See the Notations Used in "Improvi- the rest of the ensemble to move on to
sations I," which has an overall dura- sations I" sidebar for more informa- the next section. This can be accom-
tion of seven to fifteen minutes, tion about the score.) plished simply by holding up fingers
remains completely open. It can be The following performance notes (one finger for cue al, two fingers for
performed with ensembles ranging are intended for the execution of the a2, and so on) and giving a beat (cue-
from only a few instruments to much complete version (Sections A-H), ing the entrance) with the opposite
larger ensembles, optionally including with specified pitches and time signa- hand. The conductor need not con-
a choir. Instruments are designated tures. Sections A-C can be used effec- duct the actual meters, although con-
only as "high," "middle,"or "low" in tively if rehearsaltime is scarceor stu- ducting the final ritardandois recom-
register.Any instrument that can pro- dents' currentability is limited. mended.
duce the desiredeffect may be used. In The most important performance As the piece progresses,additional
the case of larger polyphonic instru- aspect of the piece is maintaining the constraints are added. With each new
ments such as piano or marimba, des- mood indicated. Even if a group elects constraint, the students will find
ignations in the score tell the players to modify the mood, the expressionof themselvesfurtherchallengedin terms
in which register of their instruments what they want to achieve should be of technical proficiency and musical
to play. For instrumentsof more limit- commonly understood and clearly expression. Pattern development and
ed range, such as piccolo or double projected. combination become increasingly

MAY 2000 19
important, and fluidity and confi- glissando up to the highest note in players may play the pitch classes in
dence will increasewith practice. their vocal ranges, and lower voices other octaves. Only the general regis-
drop out completely. ter and mood need be maintained.
EachSection
Performing Cue a3. The ensemble reachesa cli- Cue b3. As the crescendo and
Section A. Duration: 45 sec.-1 max and glissandosdownwardquickly accelerandodevelop, a low- or middle-
min., 30 sec. To overcome possible and immediately into the low register, range instrument (with or without
reluctanceon the part of the beginner, using chromatic pitches and ending equally tempered pitches) plays two
the piece opens with few constraints on a low sustained C-sharp.The choir bars synchronously with the other
in pitch, rhythm, or meter. Limited takes a breath, having previously used playersto signal movement to the next
solely by dynamics and the instruction staggeredbreathing. section.
"slowand mysterious,"the performers Section B. Duration: 1-2 min. Section C. Duration: 2-3 min.
are encouraged to explore extended This section introduces the concept of The instrumentsplaying the low regis-
techniques in a setting that is not pattern development as performers ter drop out immediately, and the
overly demanding. A pianist, for create five-note figures with a given high-register instruments enter,
example, could use on-string glissan- contour: four repeatednotes and a sin- improvisingon the given pitch classes
dos, string scrapes(making sure not to gle higher (or lower) note with an in the meter provided. Note carefully
touch the dampersand using a materi- accentuation pattern of threes and the changes of expression, meter, and
al softer than copper), or pizzicatos. twos. Thus students create a fairly dynamics (the cue remainsthe same-
Graphic and senza misura ("without sophisticated figure that is readily forte for one bar only).
meter") notations may be new to identifiable, but remains technically Cue cl. Play the cue for two bars.If
many of the performers,but the writ- undemanding, because this process a choir is used, this cue must be given
ten instructions clarify the desired occurs within a senza misura setting in the indicated pitch. If not, unequal
effect. As the section progresses,effects and a slow tempo. As the students tempered pitches may be used (e.g.,
are played more rapidly and more gain competency and confidence unpitched percussion). Note the
closely together, the instrument regis- under these constraints, additional change of meter and expression after-
ters rise, and the tempo and mood constraints of pitch limitation (in the ward.
become "fastand fiery." boxed pitches) and rhythm ("becom- Cue c2. The cueing instrument
Cue al. Any instrument that can ing periodic in five")are added. must be clear and synchronous with
produce the desiredeffect (in this case, other players to signal movement to
a tremolo with a crescendo) may be the next bar. Once there, each player
used. Rolling on a suspended cymbal plays and repeats all of the indicated
is one possibility; a flutter-tongued pitches possible on his or her instru-
low note played by a clarinet is anoth- ment in the rhythm indicated. Note
er. Upon hearing cue al, students that the pitches are all patterns of five
move from low- to middle-register sixteenth notes. The choir, if used,
instruments. Instruments that are divides into two sections, one per-
played only in low registers(e.g., dou- forming the upper rhythm and the
ble bass) fade out, while instruments
Improvisationat any other performing the lower rhythm,
that play only in middle and high reg- level involves speaking the text indicated. These
isters (e.g., flute) fade in. The players repeats should not last for more than
continue improvising with chromatic preconceivedstructures fifteen seconds.
material and/or extended techniques. and constraints. Cue c3. The cue must be loud and
The optional choir, which had previ- clear enough to signal all players and
ously sung a chromaticcluster,glissan- singers to move to section D at the
dos upwards an octave. This original beginning of the next bar. (If desired,
cluster is easily created when each the piece can be ended at cue c3, with
choir member sings more or less a dif- a fortissimolow D-flat.)
ferent pitch. Although initially these Section D. Duration: 2-3 min. On
pitches may be assigned (for the choir the downbeat, all high-registerinstru-
to get used to singing clusters),after a ments simultaneously play the chord
few rehearsalseach member can sim- Cue bl. Low-register instruments indicated. One beat later, each mem-
ply think of a pitch in his or her lower occasionallyarticulatesome pattern of ber of the choir chooses and sings a
register before singing it, and the five that is noticeably louder than the pitch from the chord, sustains it for
resultwill be a cluster. rest of their improvisation, and then two beats, and glissandos over three
Cue a2. This is similar to cue al. returnto the lower dynamic. beats to a note chosen from the pitch-
Any middle-register instrument may Cue b2. Instrumentalists merge es that the high-register instruments
play the cue. Instruments shift to into a steady pattern of five and limit are now using to improvise.
higher registers, use faster gestures, their pitch choice to the pitch classes Cue dl. The sudden entry of
and move toward a climax. Singers specifiedwithin the box. Note that the instruments in the low register in a

20 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

new meter and with new expression/ Cue f4. This is like cue cl. If a ensembles and when a choir is used, a
articulation signals the high-register choir is used, execute using the indi- conducted ritardando is recommend-
instruments to fade out over approxi- cated pitch. ed.
mately five seconds. Section G. Duration: 45 sec.-l Cue h3. Once the designated play-
Cue d2. The entry of middle-regis- min., 30 sec. Note the change of er/conductor leading the ritardando
ter instrumentssignals the low-register meter and expression in this section. feels the tempo has slowed sufficiently,
instruments to fade out over approxi- On the downbeat, the high-register the cue is played on any instrument to
mately five seconds. instruments fade out over approxi- signal the rest of the ensemble to hold
Section E. Duration: 30 sec.-1 mately five seconds. The rest of the the notes they were playing when they
min., 15 sec. The main climax of the section then builds to a minor climax first heard the cue, and then all
piece, this section returns to the at cue g2. Note that the choir also decrescendo to "n" (niente-"noth-
sound, rhythms, and chromatic pitch- improvises,with each member singing ing").
es of Section B. his or her own melody using the
Cue el. Low-register instruments pitches indicated. SuggestionsforRehearsal
enter on the downbeat of the middle- "ImprovisationsI" and pieces mod-
eled on it should not be rehearsedin
register instruments' pattern. The
middle register instruments maintain the same way that more traditional,
the pattern until cue e3. completely notated compositions are.
Cue e2. Not more than fifteen sec- According to Kratus'sstages of devel-
onds later, the high-register instru- opment, students need time to explore
ments and the choir enter. The choir
With each new unfamiliar playing techniques. For
pianists, stage one (exploring sounds
divides into two groups for the upper constraint,the students on a given instrument) may include
and lower parts and uses vocal tech-
will find themselves various kinds of clusters, harmonics,
niques that include singing, shouting,
on-string glissandos, string scrapes,
making percussive sounds, and other further challengedin dampened notes, and pizzicatos.4 For
means of vocal expression. They may
string players, stage one may include
also tap, clap, or use small percussion termsof technical sul tasto, sul ponticello, col legno, and
instruments to articulate their
behind-the-bridgebowings, as well as
rhythms. proficiencyand musical experimentingwith different kinds of
Cue e3. For two beats in the previ-
ous tempo, a chromatic clustercues all
expression. vibrato, irregulartremolos, snap pizzi-
catos, and body-taps. For wind play-
the choir members to sing in their ers, this stage provides an opportunity
highest registers, after which all play- to explore flutter-tonguing,key-clicks,
ers and singers use extended tech- blowing air through the instrument,
niques, without metric accents, to glis- playing on the mouthpiece only (or
sando back to the register, timbres, without the mouthpiece on some
and mood of section A. Cue gl. This cue is rhythmically instruments), and multiphonics. Per-
Section F. Duration: 2-3 min. identical to cue f4. The high-register cussionists have an especiallyvast and
This section should return to the instruments come in directly after the growing repertoireof new techniques
sound of section B. five-note cue. to explore. They can play numerous
Cue fl. Low-register instruments Cueg2. This is the loudest point of pitched instruments (crotales, vibra-
divide, half beginning the rhythmic this section. A five-note cue is given phones, etc.) by using a well-rosined
pattern and pitches indicated (note and the choir and high- and low-regis- string bass bow to bow the edges of
the tempo change), and the other half ter instrumentscontinue. the instruments. Options among
continuing the unequal tempered tim- Section H. Duration: 2-3 min. unpitched instruments (cymbals,
bres, fading out over five to fifteen This section winds down and closes gongs, etc.) include rolling an inverted
seconds. the piece. On the downbeat, high- cymbal placed on a timpani head and
Cuef2. As the low-register instru- and low-registerinstruments fade out using varioustypes of "kitchenpercus-
ments accelerate, the high-register over approximatelyfive seconds. sion"-nontraditional instruments
instruments enter and continue the Cue hl. Although high-register such as glass and metal bowls or brake
upward motion. Low-register instru- instruments predominate, middle-reg- drums that can be found in kitchens
ments fade out over approximately ister instrumentsdo not fade out com- and junkyards. As indicated in the
five seconds. pletely. score, simpler percussion instruments
Cue f3. Once the indicated tempo Cue h2. As the low-registerinstru- can also be played by the optional
(the same tempo as section B) has ments reenter, the groups begin a choir.
been reached, which should take no gradualritardandoover approximately The second stage, developing
more than twenty seconds, the mid- twenty seconds. In smaller ensembles, meaningful patterns, may take more
dle-registerinstrumentsenter. a designated player leads. In larger time, but this could be acceleratedin

MAY 2000 21
 that the score itself already gives the
raw material for pattern forming and
Figure2. Possible realizationof Sectionb2 the musical expression desired from
the patterns. Section b2 in the score
might suggest the pattern shown in
Figure2.
Meeting the requirements of the
third stage of development-combin-
0
o? rG\, p v etc. ing patterns to communicate to an
audience-is perhaps where a frame-
work like "ImprovisationsI" is most
useful. Since the tempo, expression
marks, dynamics, range, and pitch
structureof a completed score already
dictate the musical direction, combin-
Note: Music examples created using the ibelius Music Notahmon Software.
ing patterns based on these specifica-
tions into a structure that communi-
cates with an audience is to some
extent guaranteed, providing that the
orchestra can manage the given con-
straints. If not, modifications to the
-I^^ score become necessary to facilitate
Figure3. Possiblerealizationof Sectionb2 in triplemeter this stage of development.
The fourth stage, fluidity, is where
the specific abilities of the performers
become crucial. If their skill level is
quite primitive, the meters and tem-
pos given in this example will be
beyond their grasp, and the piece will
* - not be communicated well. It can be
!) 0tplo,
-(w *
1 r I etc.
b
easily modified, however, to suit the
needs of students with less developed
p performing skills. For example, the
complex/compound meters of section
B and beyond can be adapted to a
simple triple meter, suggesting pat-
terns such as the one shown in Figure
3. Section C could then retain the
same time signature,with the indicat-
ed change in pitch-choice, range, and
tempo. Alternatively,Section C could
adopt a simple duple meter, suggesting
Figure4. Possiblerealizationof SectionC in duplemeter the pattern shown in Figure 4. If,
however,some of the playerscan man-
age more demanding constraints, the
rest can learn from their peers in the
best traditionof ensemble playing.
The fifth stage, developing strate-
gies and structures for pieces, is
etc. learned in two ways. At first, this
might mean simply following the
p completed version of the piece. Later,
however, the learners can modify the
score, change the meters, choose other
pitches, modify the dynamics, or bet-
ter still, use the score as an example
from which to compose their own

continuedonpage 50

22 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL

 Teaching
Improvisation
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O '' . ................. continuedfrom page 22
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More Than 1,000 Titles
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Notes
1. Edwin E. Gordon, "Audiation, Music
For a FREECatalog 800-827-2936 Learning, Theory, Music Aptitude, and
cata :Ilog a -ca ppel la com
lI..M4 <,B^l.l.ldlk^ l..I?JJII- I.I.I .I .S.-IA
Creativity," in Proceedings of the Suncoast
II f'( I to()x' '3 * Sot t ixh(az VL (,() n/ Music Education Forum on Creativity, ed. J.
I.
W. Richmond (Tampa, FL: University of
South Florida, 1989), 75-89.
2. John Kratus, "A Developmental
Approach to Teaching Music Improvisa-
*^AKU^^^n^^li
_^^^^^ tion," International Journal of Music Educa-
tion 26 (1996), 27-38.
3. See also Anne Farber's, "Speaking the
Musical Language," Music EducatorsJournal
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book (New York: W. W. Norton, 1980).
800-289-1255 (530-872-7664) www.pianofun.com 5. Kratus, 30. E

50 MUSIC EDUCATORS JOURNAL