Dalcroze Connections, Winter 2019 by Dalcroze Society of America

DALCROZE

Connections dalcrozeusa.org WINTER 2019 Vol.4, No.1 â&#x20AC;¢ www.dalcrozeusa.org

DALCROZE

Connections

IN THIS ISSUE

Submission deadlines for each volume year are August 1, February 1.

3 Behind the Scenes: Out of Sight/Out of Mind? By William R. Bauer

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8 Celebrating Lisa Parker and Her Lifetime Achievement in Dalcroze Education By Aaron Butler

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CO-MANAGING EDITORS: William Bauer, Michael Joviala ASSOCIATE EDITOR Aaron Butler JOURNAL DESIGN Melissa Neely / www.neelyhousedesign.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Cover: Kathryn Nockels David Tucker

Articles should be submitted electronically to Michael Joviala (editor@dalcrozeusa.org). Submissions to Dalcroze Connections should be no longer than 2500 words. Contributors are encouraged to submit related photographs and images. The views expressed in Dalcroze Connections do not necessarily represent those of the Dalcroze Society of America.

Winter 2019 â&#x20AC;˘Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

10 Dalcroze Education at The Diller-Quaile School of Music: An Interview with Kirsten Morgan By William R. Bauer 14 The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson By Ruth Alperson 22 Music for Dalcroze Lessons: Two Original Works 24 2018 Scholarship Recipientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Testimonials 25 The DSA Memorial Scholarship Fund 25 Donors/Patron Members: Thank You 25 DSA Chapters 26 Become a Member 26 Bequests 26 Board of Trustees 27 National Conference

ADVERTISERS: 6 Carnegie Mellon School of Music Marta Sanchez Dalcroze Training Center 7 Institute for Jaques Dalcroze Education 7 Lucy Moses School 21 Dalcroze School of the Rockies

BEHIND THE SCENES: OUT OF SIGHT/OUT OF MIND? William R. Bauer

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The tech crew of a Broadway show makes things happen onstage without drawing attention to itself. And in most productions, the pit orchestra’s contribution remains largely unseen (if not unsung). It’s only when something isn’t right that we notice it. In many respects, the Dalcroze Society of America is like these teams. In the production of Dalcroze Education in the USA, our organization plays a supporting role, out of the glare of the spotlight. For the most part, it operates behind the scenes. That said, we hope the DSA is making a positive difference in people’s lives. As we work together to nurture and grow Dalcroze Education, we hope to strengthen the various and sundry communities dedicated to the practice. And while our presence is felt mainly in the ways we support our sustaining members’ teaching and learning, we also hope to project the benefits of Dalcroze Education outward into the world at large. Much like that pit orchestra, as long as things are going along as they should, those with whom the organization interacts will merely feel our presence, rather than experience it directly. We accept that, by its very nature, much of what we do will remain hidden from view to all but a few people.

The new DSA website, launched in midFebruary, features a more user-friendly, dynamic, and interactive “front end” (or, user interface).

These thoughts surfaced recently as I reflected on the results of our annual survey. In each of the three years we’ve conducted this survey, more and more people have taken part—and not only faithful DSA members, but also a number of non-members, too. The 2019 survey witnessed a dramatic surge of interest; so much so that we’re still analyzing the results, which we hope to report on in due course. As we form a clearer picture of how respondents think about the DSA, we’re excited to learn of the wide range of perspectives on all things Dalcroze in the USA. Several who took part in the survey raised concerns about the organization and its impact, giving us invaluable feedback on ways the DSA may need to change and grow. The urgency of these concerns came across in several ways. In response to two questions, number 14: (What would you like to see the DSA accomplish in the next two years?) and number 16: (What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the DSA and/ or Dalcroze practitioners?), several respondents urged us to do more to address widespread ignorance about Dalcroze Education and work harder to get the word out. We all share this goal. In fact, to “raise the general public’s awareness and appreciation of Dalcroze Education” stands as one of the three pillars of THE DSA’S MISSION.

dalcrozeusa.org

Behind the Scenes: Out of Sight/Out of Mind?, continued

Traditionally, we have tried to reach it “through educational workshops, publications, financial and consultative assistance, and the encouragement of local chapters and study groups throughout the United States,” all of which serve to promote the artistic and pedagogical principles of Emile JaquesDalcroze here in the USA. The DSA serves other purposes, too; but those others are less apparent to the casual observer. Perhaps more than any other aspects of our work, it is our effort to publicize Dalcroze Education that most shows the DSA’s face to the general public. So our work in this area tends to receive the most scrutiny. And well it should! Still, as with a stage crew, we do it not to highlight the DSA itself, but to shed light on Dalcroze Education and those who practice it. A key source of survey respondents’ concern came up in their responses to question 17: What new features would you like to see on the DSA website, if any? A little history is in order here. When our Dalcroze colleague and Webmaster Greg Ristow engineered the DSA website nearly a decade ago, it benefited from the many state-of-the-art design features he built into it. Over the years, it has served us remarkably well. I note for the record (without getting too technical—I’d be in over my head) that the database he designed way back then is still so fundamentally sound, he was able to migrate it over intact to our new Client Relationship Management system, NeonCRM, where it now hums at the core of our current “back-end.”1 Since August, our members have already been enjoying the benefits of this feature, which helps us coordinate all the moving parts of the DSA’s mission. As we know, in the ensuing years, the Internet has morphed into a complex, dynamic, interactive environment, accessible not only by computers, but also by mobile devices, touch screens, microwave ovens, cars, you name it. So, even as our heroic Administrators have wrestled with our Content Management System (named CMS Made Simple), struggling to get our outdated “front end”—or “user interface”—to project a strong web presence for Dalcroze Education, there is only so much they, or anyone could do. As one survey respondent put it: “The website needs a redesign. Materials contained within are fine, but it looks like it was made in about 1995 using a dial-up modem and one of those 90 hours-free CDs of AOL online.” This description seems a bit harsh. But it dramatizes the urgency of our work ahead. The good news is that, as of this writing, we are celebrating the “roll out” or our new website, which we launched in mid-February. Truly, in light of the critical role the DSA plays in portraying Dalcroze Education to newcomers, we stand poised on the precipice of a new era, ready to take flight in ways we only could 1 The reference to humming is especially apt here: Since 2015 Dr. Ristow has been serving as Director of Vocal Ensembles, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Several generations of Dalcroze teachers have sustained the practice at this campus, contributing mightily to the training of young musicians and future Dalcrozians. On behalf of the DSA: Thank you, Greg.

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

dream before. In the words of Alex Marthaler, who has played an active role in the website’s design: For many, the website and social media are the best ways to stay in touch with the community. So I’m looking forward to seeing how the new website can engage, inspire, and connect us all. I wanted it to reflect the DSA’s evolving image as we’ve grown over the past few years. It’s still a work in progress, but I think it’s a major step in the right direction. It will give our online visitors a more welcoming first impression, our members better tools for communication, and our staff more robust membership and event management. Out of the 160 respondents who took the survey, only 52 ventured an answer to question 17; and almost half of those (24) expressed indifference about our old website. Awkwardly, several confessed to having no constructive answers; others to not having consulted the website in some time. Their lack of familiarity spoke volumes; so much so, I was tempted to call this message to our readers: “Out of Site/Out of Mind.”2 Many issued the call for more multimedia resources. One respondent wrote: “I love the videos [now there] and would love to have specific subjects tutored. Maybe a video on how to practice certain aspects of the work?” Media technology has made it relatively easy to offer streaming video online; so we’re all feeling a pressing need for video clips that demonstrate succinctly and clearly many of the more subtle aspects of our practice that written content can only hint at. The work that lies ahead on this front will entail more than just a website upgrade, but also substantial investment in high audio-video production values. The initiative will no doubt figure in the Strategic Plan that the DSA Board of Trustees develops in the coming months. There was also a call for more written content, too, in the form of articles, research, and topical items: “News, stories, and Dalcroze Connections-type stuff.” Our web users want us to provide them with more ideas about teaching and improvisation, online. One wrote: “I’d like to see practical teaching ideas for pre-K and K, the classes I am currently teaching,” while another wrote “just a thought, tips for playing piano for movement, how to inspire a variety of running, galloping, skipping, jogging movements... like a mini lesson.” Still others wished for practical articles that “show ways non-pianists can use the Dalcroze approach,” or that “encourage people to study Dalcroze for its own sake,” and not just for certification, as well as for more professional aid, like “a good list of Dalcroze subjects and music to use for each subject.” Other requests included those for digitized archives that will enable users to search through research papers relevant 2 My hope is that in the coming weeks, all who visit our newly redesigned web resource will exclaim: Outa sight! An outdated expression, to be sure; but better that than our web presence.

Behind the Scenes: Out of Sight/Out of Mind?, continued

to Dalcroze Education or the writings of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, as well as all DSA publications. All these searchable features would enhance the website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO), raising the DSA’s online profile. Making past issues of American Dalcroze Journal available online has long been a wish of Dalcroze Connections co-editor and Board of Trustees Chair, Michael Joviala. It looks like this wish will finally come true. Alex, newly promoted to the role of DSA Marketing and Operations Director, had already made various promotional materials available to the membership online. While we haven’t seen much actual use of these materials, survey respondents issued a call for more in this regard. One respondent asked for a greater variety of photos to use for publicity, another asked more specifically for photos of Dalcroze children’s class. Still another offered to help us create “a series of articles that will introduce Dalcroze to a variety of new audiences...parents, educators, administrators.” Whoever you are, please be in touch! We will welcome your help wholeheartedly. In fact, bring friends and we’ll call it a party! A few respondents requested online professional development opportunities: online classes, webinars, panel discussions, and even national teacher training. Such an ambitious agenda is now conceivable. These features would allow us to extend our reach further, to our global membership. A few miscellaneous requests included: a website that is more relevant for “every day” use; “a more robust member community section” that will allow members to interact with the DSA online, for example by posting comments and “blurbs”; a way for less experienced teachers to contact the more experienced for help and mentorship; and, dedicated monthly national meetings that are “Facebook live.” On the more technical end were calls for an interactive map, with statistics about membership, classes, and training opportunities offered regionally; even “the ability to see the entire website menu from the members’ portal”; and “links to others arts organizations.”3 As we survey the new horizons opening up to us on this technological frontier, the sky’s the limit. Some of these features are ones the web designers and Alex have been integrating into the new site. Others will take more time to do well, requiring more strategic thinking, and perhaps even a capital campaign for the necessary funding. NeonCRM was originally designed for fundraising, and we hope to build development into the Strategic Plan, as well. It’s exciting to see the level of interest members and nonmembers alike expressed in this critical area. As with other aspects of our mission, we welcome further input from our

3W e already have a pretty active Facebook group; I heartily encourage our readers to check it out. As for providing accurate and up-to-date event listings, the biggest challenge we face is getting event producers to submit all the necessary information to us with ample time to promote the event. We now have a Google Form for this purpose. So start planning your workshops now!

As with other aspects of our mission, we welcome further input from our stakeholders, and invite participation from volunteers. After all, the DSA is not only the Board of Trustees or the staff: it is the entire membership. So, while the DSA itself necessarily performs much of its magic invisibly, there’s no need for our members to be “out of sight/out of mind.” stakeholders, and invite participation from volunteers. After all, the DSA is not only the Board of Trustees or the staff: it is the entire membership. So, while the DSA itself necessarily performs much of its magic invisibly, there’s no need for our members to be “out of sight/out of mind.” We look forward to seeing a rise in member participation on all levels of the organization. As Humphry Bogart was famous for saying: “Here’s lookin’ at ya.”

William Bauer leads workshops in Dalcroze Education for all ages, from preschoolers to seniors, and all levels of musical ability from novices to professional musicians. An experienced and compelling workshop leader, he is perhaps best known for making improvisation accessible to students, regardless of their training and background. Bill earned his Dalcroze License and Certificate at the Manhattan Dalcroze Institute in studies with Dalcroze Diplômées Robert Abramson and Ruth Alperson. He earned his Ph.D. and MA in Composition from the CUNY Graduate Center and Columbia University, respectively. His in-depth study of spontaneous expression in jazz, blues, and various popular idioms informs his Dalcroze teaching, giving his work a distinctly American character. Bill is internationally recognized for his research into jazz performance practice. Current Executive Director of the Dalcroze Society of America, Bill teaches music full-time in the Performing and Creative Arts Department at the College of Staten Island/ CUNY, where he also serves as Coordinator of Musical Performance. The Director of CSI’s Interdisciplinary Degree Program in American Studies (AMS), he is also on the CUNY Graduate Center’s Ph.D. Program in Musicology and Certificate Program in Africana Studies faculties. dalcrozeusa.org

MARTA SANCHEZ DALCROZE TRAINING CENTER music.cmu.edu/dalcroze

Dalcroze at Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh 2019 Join us for our 44th Annual Summer Workshops! “ This physical experience transformed our understanding of the music. Had we not experienced the consonance and dissonance within our own bodies, decisions regarding the tempo, dynamics, and phrase lengths would have been purely cerebral.” —Mattie Kaiser, Violist, Dalcroze Certificate, 2018

Come join us for an exciting year of Eurhythmics study!

February 16–17, 2019

Two-Day Workshop Dalcroze Eurhythmics Winter Workshop with Mary Dobrea-Grindahl, Dalcroze Diplome Baldwin Wallace University

July 1–5, 2019

One-Week Workshop 44th Summer Dalcroze Eurhythmics Workshops

July 1–19, 2019

Three-Week Workshop 44th Summer Dalcroze Eurhythmics Workshops

July 1–19, 2019 6

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

All Workshops offer performers, conductors, music educators (preschool through college), studio teachers, music therapists, and movement specialists practical applications of the Dalcroze principles to performance and teaching. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced level classes are offered during the OneWeek and the Three-Week Workshops. Contact: Stephen Neely, Director Marta Sanchez Dalcroze Training Center at Carnegie Mellon School of Music Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 music.cmu.edu/dalcroze music-dalcroze@cmu.edu

Read what people are saying about Dalcroze at Carnegie Mellon at music.cmu.edu/dalcroze

International Faculty

Liang Mei Lin

Françoise Lombard

Jack Stevenson

jack@jdalcroze.org

Jason Miller

Anneta Pasternak`

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THE DALCROZE SCHOOL LUCY MOSES SCHOOL

THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF DALCROZE STUDIES (ICDS4): The listening body in action. The Dalcroze School at Lucy Moses School offers a unique and comprehensive musical training. Eurhythmics, the study of rhythm; Solfége, ear training and musical literacy; and Improvisation, spontaneous musical expression at the piano; are offered in Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced levels during fall, spring, and summer terms. Lucy Moses School’s Birnbaum Music Library offers a large collection of Dalcroze materials. Lucy Moses School has one of the largest Dalcroze teacher training programs in the country. Classes can lead to Dalcroze certification at the Certificate and License levels.

SUMMER INTENSIVE 2019 Registration now open! August 12–16 • August 19–23

Beginner through advanced sections offered both weeks

To register: 212 501 3360

MON–FRI • 9:30 am–3 pm $610 for one week • $1150 for both weeks $25 registration fee required annually

lucymosesschool@kaufmanmusiccenter.org KaufmanMusicCenter.org/LMS

Faculty: Michael Joviala Cynthia Lilley Leslie Upchurch

“It’s truly an immersive experience in all things Dalcroze.” “The most engaging theory and ear training I’ve ever experienced.” Accredited by the Dalcroze Society of America

28 July - 02 August 2019 Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, Katowice, Poland. An exploration of the listening body in music, dance, somatic practices, theatre and therapy, with a special focus on the relationships between listening, music/sound and movement. REGISTRATION: BEFORE 31 MARCH 2019 (EARLY BIRD RATES): Regular 1150 złoty; Student 700 złoty. AFTER 31 MARCH 2019: Regular 1400 złoty.; Student 850 złoty.

www.dalcroze-studies.com

dalcrozeusa.org

Celebrating LISA PARKER

AND HER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DALCROZE EDUCATION  Aaron Butler

On the weekend of June 2nd, 2018, a whole crew of Dalcroze folks got together in Cambridge, Massachusetts, along with Lisa Parker, her daughter, Wendy, and many of Lisa’s students and colleagues. The gathering was organized in lieu of the celebration of Lisa’s lifetime contribution to Dalcroze Education that the Dalcroze Society of America had planned for our 2018 National Conference in Los Angeles six months earlier. Less than 48 hours before the conference was set to begin, a severe storm forced the airlines to ground all flights out of Boston. This kept the New England Dalcroze contingent—including the guest of honor!—from joining the celebration. Thanks to the marvel of teleconferencing, Lisa attended the banquet virtually and delivered the talk she had prepared; but, of course, it was not the same as having her there in person. To make up for that lost opportunity, our colleagues in the New England Chapter, partnering with the DSA and Longy School of Music of Bard College, organized the special event—this time in Lisa’s own town—so everyone could come out! The celebration began with a dinner on Saturday night at a Cambridge restaurant and jazz lounge called Thelonious Monkfish.1 It was hard to get through the delicious meal amidst all the greetings, as close and distant friends, and old and new colleagues reconnected—so many of them having met while under Lisa Parker’s wing. The following afternoon, many of us were also present at Longy School of Music’s Pickman Hall to witness an exquisite concert of music performed in Lisa’s honor. Many more watched from afar as the event streamed over the Internet. Impressed with the span of generations performing music, New York Chapter President Mattie Kaiser commented, “what a legacy, across generations and across a single stage!” From old to young and everything in between, it was evident that Lisa’s legacy is broadly felt, broadly manifest, and broadly recognized. Deborah Beers opened the program with original compositions inspired by her experience in an improvisation class during the 2013 Dalcroze Summer Institute at Longy. Beers is a longtime member of Longy’s piano faculty; and her presence on stage—playing her own work showcasing the improvisatory and playful aspects that Lisa adored and taught—was an early indication that the evening would be a fine tribute to Lisa’s legacy.  Emma Shubin treated the hall to Debussy’s “Syrinx.”  With this amazing piece, Debussy projected the flute into the compositional realm of solo-instrument music, and in Emma’s graceful performance you could feel the musicality that Lisa cultivated throughout her teaching career and inspired in her students. Eiko Ishizuka and Yoshiko Kline gave a sparkling, colorful rendition of JaquesDalcroze’s four-hand piece, “Fantasie-Ballet,” and their performance was as musical as it was technically virtuosic. Dalcroze deftly folds a piece of theater into his score, and Eiko and Yoshiko unfolded it before us with extraordinary emotion and conviction.  PHOTO CREDIT: David Tucker

1 Many thanks to Melissa Tucker for her tireless work in organizing this dinner.

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

Celebrating Lisa Parker and Her Lifetime Achievement in Dalcroze Education, continued

Next were two thrilling selections by the Bauers—the beloved Dalcroze family—and Michael Joviala. First, Fumiko and 11-year-old Kentaro Bauer played the scintillating Allegro movement from Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata, Op.40.  Then Bill Bauer, with Michael, performing together as the piano and clarinet duo, Loco Motors, delivered two original compositions: Bill’s “Sin” and Michael’s “Mayday.” Both improvisatory pieces gave these long-time duet partners great vehicles for interacting with, bouncing off, surprising, and re-engaging each other. Loco Motors performs with exemplary ensemble. The final offering of the program was Adriana AuschSimmel, with Eiko Ishizuka once again on piano. They paired two contrasting songs: Schumann’s “Weidmung” and Marc Blitzstein’s “I Wish It So.” Eiko brought a classical touch and sensitivity to the Blitzstein; but I was also impressed by how Adriana brought the intimate and natural accessibility of musical theater to Schumann’s composition.  The concert was over—or so it seemed—when percussionist Taki Masuko unexpectedly took to the stage with a pair of congas and a single kettledrum. As he began to improvise, a dancer approached from backstage, crept, hopped, and scratched her way through the audience...then listened, imitated, and jumped around in a simian manner. What was going on here? By the time she arrived onstage, it was clear who this mysterious, comical figure was: our very own Dawn Pratson! She and Taki were reviving a sketch from the children’s show they had made with Lisa, Curious George Goes to Music School.  It was an ecstatic performance, and both performers stayed onstage to bring Lisa up for a bow and a grand applause. Adriana Ausch, Eiko Ishizuka, Ginny Latts, and Melissa Tucker—Lisa’s Dalcroze colleagues at Longy—arrived on stage to present Lisa Parker with the Memory Book they had lovingly assembled filled with photos of Lisa and her many friends, students, and colleagues, and tributes from around the world. Acting on behalf of the DSA, Board of Trustees Chair, Michael Joviala and Executive Director Bill Bauer presented Lisa with a crystalline glass trophy inscribed with the actual Lifetime Achievement Award the DSA had planned to give her in January. It was a joyful and tearful moment for everyone! Lisa concluded the evening by recollecting the many friends and colleagues who have helped her to shape her career over the years, from her first exposure to Dalcroze while at Smith College, to her training in New York, to her early days of teaching, to the beloved program she built in Cambridge at Longy, complete with photographs projected on the wall.2 She treated us to a virtual who’s-who in Dalcroze history. Witnessing Lisa’s gracious sharing of insights and reflections, we experienced the very rich legacy she passes on to all her students.

2 Jessica Schaeffer proved invaluable in helping Lisa prepare the slides for her talk. And thanks to her, the Memory Book traveled safely from its temporary home in California via mail to Boston in time for this wonderful occasion.

dalcrozeusa.org

DALCROZE EDUCATION AT THE DILLER-QUAILE SCHOOL OF MUSIC: AN INTERVIEW WITH KIRSTEN MORGAN William R. Bauer

Michael Joviala shared the following reflections Kirsten’s commitment to Dalcroze Education has been unwavering for many years now. She is the director of a large and multifaceted organization, and no one would blame her for using her time in other ways besides teaching. But there she is, each week before I start my own classes, on the floor with young children, playing, singing, improvising… That alone spells commitment to me, and sends a big message to the rest of the School about the importance of Dalcroze Education at Diller-Quaile.

Ruth Alperson shared the following reflections Co-founder Angela Diller at the chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

PHOTO: George Kerrigan

When I think of schools that have shown an exemplary commitment to Dalcroze Education, The Diller-Quaile School of Music, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, stands out in my mind. The School has been in continuous operation since 1920, when two extraordinary women—Angela Diller and Elizabeth Quaile—who were both pianists and educators, founded it with imagination, inventiveness, and innovation. As this nonprofit 501(c)(3) community music school approaches the celebration of its centennial, it continues to fulfill its mission and thrive with the leadership of Executive Director, Kirsten Morgan. The school has embarked on a new wave of publications, for example—a series of songbooks with accompanying recordings. It has also engaged in an ambitious research agenda in pursuit of knowledge about music cognition, guided by its own Institutional Review Board. For some time, I’ve wanted to talk with Kirsten about her passion for Dalcroze Education, which finds a home at Diller-Quaile not only in the School’s children’s classes, but also in its adult education offerings. Last November, in an email response to my initial query, Kirsten provided me with a wealth of background information. She also welcomed me to the School, where she generously shared her thoughts about the factors that led her to such a wholehearted dedication to this practice.

During the 2016-17 academic year, Kirsten provided support for a series of classes designed for Dalcroze teachers who had earned the Dalcroze License; each wished to undertake training that might eventually lead to the Dalcroze Diplôme. Working with the group of nine participants were Dalcroze teachers Lisa Parker, Louise Mathieu, Jeremy Dittus, Monica Dale and myself. This course holds a special place in my heart. When we all gathered for the first class, I sat to the side to observe.  I was so moved to see this group of Dalcroze teachers, all active in the field for decades, all people I loved and admired.  We had shared classes, taught in conferences, attended workshops. Everyone so dedicated and alive with interest and energy in this new effort to move forward in the work. Kirsten provided crucial support, which included our use of a beautiful space in which to work, and administrative assistance. Without this we would have been unable to run the program.

1st and 2nd grade students (moving - spirited skip) Ruth Alperson, Instructor

Dalcroze Education at The Diller-Quaile School of Music: An Interview with Kirsten Morgan, continued PHOTO: George Kerrigan

Bill Bauer I get the impression that Dalcroze Education and the School’s philosophy are a good fit. What makes this so?

Elementary school age students, improvising with rhythm instruments. Michael Joviala, Instructor

Cynthia Lilley shared the following reflections The first time I walked into Diller-Quaile was probably in 1996 or ’97, when Kirsten Morgan invited me to give a short workshop for the School’s faculty. I was fresh from earning my Dalcroze License. Shortly after that, I started teaching core subjects for the DillerQuaile faculty. The teachers attended for free, and for many years I got to teach in this wonderfully supportive environment. Kirsten enrolled in these classes, too, in the first season. My students weren’t there to get certificates; they were there to take advantage of Dalcroze classes, develop their musicianship, and enrich their teaching skills. So I chose topics that would give them a rich understanding of what the Dalcroze approach can do: metric transformation, polyrhythms, “do-to-do” scales—in minor as well as major keys—improvising for movement, certainly, but also for the sheer joy of it. These were among the most exciting classes I’ve ever gotten to teach. I was new to teaching adults, so every week I was developing new lessons; my growth as a teacher was huge. It was a win/win for everyone – students personally, and me, of course; but also for Diller-Quaile’s teachers, who grew cognizant of the Dalcroze approach. It added richness to an already rich educational environment. Kirsten made all of this possible. She is devoted to the Dalcroze approach and sees to it that many Dalcroze classes and events take place at the School. Anne Farber joined the Diller-Quaile faculty to teach advanced core subjects, and these were marvelous classes. For many years, Anne attracted top students and exposed us all to the upper regions of Dalcroze subjects in the most delightful, albeit challenging, ways. Kirsten took those classes, too. Ruth Alperson joined the Diller-Quaile faculty to give Dalcroze Methods classes, and these became legendary for their scope and depth. Kirsten took these classes as well, and through her Dalcroze training there she earned her Dalcroze Certificate. All through this time, the courses were provided without charge to Diller-Quaile faculty. Outside students, of course, paid tuition. There were lean times as well, when student registration was low – but the courses continued.

Kirsten Morgan I think this has a lot to do with the three areas that were key to the founding of Diller-Quaile in 1920: 1) the linking of individual lessons with required classes in musicianship and theory; 2) the training of teachers; and 3) the development of publications. The School’s founders had a vision of a comprehensive approach to teaching music. They correlated individual piano lessons with classes in musicianship and theory to develop musically sensitive and receptive individuals. They wanted students to play music with the eloquence that comes from understanding musical structure and the inner relationships of musical elements in a composition. Through inspired teaching, they would awaken in students a responsiveness to the beauty of music and to the subtleties of artistic performance. In the early years, these musicianship courses focused on ear training, rhythmic development, singing, improvisation, written dictation, analysis and theory – all with a focus on rhythmic design and phrasing. These priorities are evident in the wide range of our Dalcroze offerings, which feature Dalcroze teacher training initiatives as well as musicianship courses for children. Bill Bauer What does that mean in terms of the School’s curriculum and programming? Kirsten Morgan We have integrated Dalcroze classes into our Early Childhood Department, starting with children as young as 2.7 years with an accompanying adult, as well as classes for 3s, 4s, and 5s. I teach these classes. Dalcroze courses also serve as the musicianship component for many students enrolled in the School’s Instrumental and Vocal Department, all the way up to grade 12. Ruth Alperson and Michael Joviala teach these classes. Over time we’ve offered various Dalcroze classes for adults – from single workshops for Diller-Quaile faculty or space for New York Chapter workshops to 15-week semester classes. Recently we also provided space for the Post-License program that Ruth organized, taught by Monica Dale, Jeremy Dittus, Louise Mathieu, Lisa Parker, and Ruth. Bill Bauer Wow, that is a lot! I’ve attended many of these events over the years, and I was blessed to take part in that intensive. You mentioned publications. I’m remembering now that there’s a piano method named after the founders. Kirsten Morgan Yes. Diller and Quaile were concerned with the lack of quality materials available for beginning music students. This prompted them to write the well-known Diller-Quaile Series. The First Solo Book and the First Duet Book, both published in 1918, became the first volumes in the series.  This carefully graded series was written for students of all ages and included piano materials for beginners; four levels of solo books; duet books; pedal studies; a first theory book covering the elements of music with a particular focus on ear-training; four levels of keyboard harmony texts; opera stories—The Stories of Siegfried, Lohengrin, Aida—re-told for young people, with narratives and easy piano arrangements; and additional materials developed with Diller’s colleague and collaborator, Kate Stearns Page, including a preschool music book, song books, and a carol book. In 1953, Diller won a Guggenheim Foundation Award, which helped to provide leisure time to write The Splendor of Music, her last book – a distillation of over fifty years of teaching experience.

dalcrozeusa.org

Dalcroze Education at The Diller-Quaile School of Music: An Interview with Kirsten Morgan, continued

Bill Bauer Amazing. I didn’t know they covered so much ground. You mentioned earlier that teacher training has always figured in the School’s history. What was it like? Kirsten Morgan The first teachers at Diller-Quaile were selected from among the two founders’ adult students. As the School grew, so did the need for more teachers, and formal teacher training courses evolved. School catalogs from the early days list these teacher training courses: Musicianship; Ear-Training; Music Appreciation and Analysis; Keyboard Harmony and Improvisation; Written Melody, Harmony, and Analysis; Teaching Material and Methods; Observation of teaching in the Children’s School; Piano Pedagogy; and Observation of Class in Interpretation. Photos from archives show adults gathered around the piano, or observing another’s teaching, or gathered at the piano and chalkboard notating and studying together (see above). Bill Bauer So there was an emphasis on comprehensive musicianship throughout the institution from the youngest students on up to the teachers. On a related note, let’s talk about your own Dalcroze training. Can we go back to your earliest experiences with Dalcroze Education? What were they like?

Kirsten Morgan The first thought that comes to mind takes me back to 1981. I was finishing my undergraduate degree in Flute Performance at Manhattan School of Music and I attended a workshop on the Dalcroze approach that Joy Yelin taught there. It was at that time that I learned about the Dalcroze School here in New York City and its summer courses. I contacted the school and made an appointment to meet with Hilda Schuster. The appointment was more of an audition – we sat in the rear room of the School and she asked me to sing back, with solfege, the phrases she played. Then we went to the piano – she at one and I at another – but with our backs to each other. There was no talking. She played a phrase – a single melodic line, and I echoed. The phrases became more intricate, additional voices were added. It was right at that moment that I knew I had to enroll. I loved that day. I have such special memories of that summer’s classes, in particular the eurhythmics portion of the training. I knew then that the approach was for me. It was so musical – I felt, when moving to Dr. Schuster’s improvised music – that I became the Music. Bill Bauer I didn’t realize your training went back that far. That’s wonderful. Several of the Diplomates in the USA got their training with Hilda Schuster. And many also fondly recalled their entrance examination.1 The Diller-Quaile School of Music has been offering Dalcroze teacher training for some time. How did you get involved in that? Kirsten Morgan In the mid-1990s, when I became head of the Early Childhood Department, we held faculty workshops periodically. I thought it would be inspiring and helpful for Diller-Quaile to offer a few Dalcroze workshops for teachers; so I contacted Cynthia Lilley. Then in 1998, after I became Executive Director, one thing led to another. Ever since that summer in 1981, I had always wanted to work on my Dalcroze Certification. Now the time was right to start a Dalcroze teacher training program at Diller-Quaile that could lead to certification. I asked Ruth Alperson to teach Dalcroze Methodology: Principles and Practices, and Anne Farber and Cynthia Lilley to teach the Core Subject courses – Eurhythmics, Solfege, Improvisation – from beginning to advanced levels. The Dalcroze Program at DillerQuaile launched and I enrolled.

PHOTO: George Kerrigan

1st and 2nd grade class – skipping. Ruth Alperson, Instructor

4 and 5 year old children ((clapping and singing with a partner) Kirsten Morgan, Instructor

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

1. E ditor’s note: In 2015, the DSA published two special issues devoted to Schuster’s legacy. American Dalcroze Journal 41, No. 3 (Summer 2015): 8-20; and American Dalcroze Journal 41, No. 2 (Winter/Spring 2015): 36-41.

Dalcroze Education at The Diller-Quaile School of Music: An Interview with Kirsten Morgan, continued

Bill Bauer So adult education became an important component from the outset? How did that work?

PHOTO: George Kerrigan

Middle School Students – Summer Music Institute. Michael Joviala, Instructor

“It is in the Performance Space that most Dalcroze classes take place, and it is redolent with memories for me. Two beautiful grands are always in the room. For voices, especially a cappella, the acoustics are beautiful.” —Cynthia Lilley

3 year old children and adults, jumping and playing rhythm sticks – connecting with adult playing sand blocks PHOTO: George Kerrigan

Bill Bauer How could the DSA and schools like The DillerQuaile School of Music work together more effectively to advance Dalcroze Education in the world?

PHOTO: George Kerrigan

Kirsten Morgan While working on my certification, it became clear that not all adult students enrolling in the classes wanted to work towards a Dalcroze certificate. For some, a semester or a year gave them what they needed. But, for others, they wanted to keep going. Working together, Anne, Cynthia, and Ruth developed the curricula and program – creating semester-length courses, which we submitted to the National College Credit Recommendation Service. Each 15-week course was then evaluated and recommended for graduate credit by the University of the State of New York, New York State Board of Regents National College Credit Recommendation Service. A few students – I was one of them – created portfolios containing papers, observation notes, journal reflections, pieces we had composed inspired by Dalcroze subjects or on poetic text, and recordings of our work. I spent a lot of time observing Ruth Alperson and others. This gave me a chance to develop my teaching and build a framework for planning and developing lessons. National CCRS visited Diller-Quaile to verify the work we had submitted. Every five years we went through a renewal process with this organization – which included a panel review of the program and of adult student work. As our Dalcroze teacher training courses evolved from 20002017, they carried graduate credit recommendations. Also, Diller-Quaile’s teacher training and professional development offerings are approved for Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) by the New York State Education Department.

4 and 5 year old children (experiencing the scale – jumping over numbers). Kirsten Morgan, Instructor

5 year old child at board – notation. Kirsten Morgan, Instructor

Kirsten Morgan First, we need to continue to emphasize and make the case for well-rounded musicianship training, whether it is for children or artist-teachers. We sing, move, play, create, notate, compose, etc., and gain a deeper understanding of the elements of music – why music sounds the way it does and why we feel the way we do when we hear it – and then communicate this understanding through expressive performances on our instruments.  Secondly, we need to develop new ways to package and deliver the training, specifically for adults. Given the fullness of schedules, might it be beneficial to develop a series of intensives or full day workshops that focus on a particular subject or theme? Mimi Hsu did this recently for the New York Chapter’s Fall Workshop, which we held here at DillerQuaile. The workshop focused on rests and silence. Bill Bauer These are both great ideas, which we should follow up on, going forward. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and for providing your written responses to my questions, as well as the photographs. Kirsten Morgan It was my pleasure. dalcrozeusa.org

THE CAHIERS OF EMILE JAQUES-DALCROZE: ANATOMY OF A LESSON Dr. Ruth Alperson

Editor’s note: I spent the fall of 2018 studying at the Institut JaquesDalcroze in Geneva, Switzerland. While I was browsing through the stacks in the library one day, a slim notebook found its way into my hand. In it were 15 typed (on a real typewriter) pages bearing the Institute’s stamp of approval, and the hand-written words “Diplôme juin 1976.” I knew instantly that I wanted to publish it. Those of you who know Dr. Ruth Alperson will immediately recognize her voice: the clear, concise wording; the penetrating analysis; the seemingly effortless flow… all fully formed here in the first half of her Diplôme memoire.1 Her analysis of a class given by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, taken straight from his own notebooks, reveals two singular minds at work and in resonance a mere 33 years apart. Aside from an opening paragraph that makes wistful mention of a different era in education, it is itself timeless; and so I am pleased to present it here largely as it originally appeared. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Michael Joviala

In the era of the open classroom and the free school in the West, one is aware of an increasing emphasis in education on the importance of the tactile sense in the learning process. It is in this context that eurhythmics as a method of teaching music is both relevant and adaptable to the modern curriculum. The foundation of this method has its roots in the first half of this century, when Emile Jaques-Dalcroze put into practice his belief that the natural rhythms in physical movement provide the best basis for experiencing and reproducing expressively that which is heard in music. Thus, in the eurhythmics class, it is the body that becomes the musical instrument, and a tool for learning. Those who have studied with M. Jaques2 speak of his remarkable musicianship, his ebullient personality, his energy and dynamism, his ability to infuse his classes with joie de vivre. These qualities nurtured a method that grew and flourished for decades and led to the establishment of Dalcroze Eurhythmics centers in Switzerland and elsewhere. M. Jaques was a prolific writer and composer, lecturer, and teacher. He was a great organizer, and exposed the public to the work of his students through numerous performances in and outside Geneva. After his death in 1950, M. Jaques’ approach developed and changed with the times, while keeping the original spirit intact. Today, there are centers of Dalcroze education in Switzerland, Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Israel, Mexico, The Netherlands, South America, and the 1 E ditor’s note: Dr. Alperson analyzed two lessons in her original paper; here we present a single lesson only, followed by her paper’s closing paragraph. 2 E ditor’s note: Students and colleagues continued to refer to Jaques-Dalcroze as Monsieur Jaques throughout his career.

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

United States.3 Students today may read a variety of books written by a second generation of Dalcrozians. At this time it is particularly interesting to examine the work that “le Maitre” himself did in the classroom. Aside from the many volumes that M. Jaques wrote discussing the theories behind his method—Le Rythme, La Musique et L’Education probably his bestknown—there are the “cahiers”—over ninety beautifully bound notebooks—large volumes containing most of his lesson plans for adults in eurhythmics, improvisation, and solfège classes, spanning some 40 years of teaching. What is immediately striking here is the amount of material. It appears that M. Jaques planned and organized each class, step by step; the lesson plans from his final notebooks are written out as thoroughly and explicitly as those from 1915. Here is a methodical and precise man; despite his great talent in improvisation Dalcroze wrote out in full the rhythms and melodies he would use in what are now referred to as classic Dalcroze exercises: quick response, canon, and follow. With all of this careful planning, M. Jaques would invariably make digressions in the lesson, both according to personal whim and to what transpired in the class. After each lesson, he marked on the plans the exercises that had been completed, with the word “fait” (done), or the word “bon” (good), crossing out exercises that did not work well, and indicating those not completed. As an educator, M. Jaques carried out this careful planning and recording not only for himself, but also for the succeeding generations of Dalcroze teachers, to be used as a reference. Dalcroze indicates, very explicitly, at the beginning of certain volumes that he intended his work in the classroom to be regarded in the context of the entire rhythmic experience; that exercises taken out of this context, literally, so to speak, would be meaningless. If one is impressed by the sheer number of volumes containing M. Jaques’ lesson plans, one may be equally impressed by the amount and diversity of material contained in each lesson. Dalcroze would often present eight or nine musical subjects in one class, each one organized in an entirely different way from the next. That is, the combinations of body movement, organization of the class, use of space in the room, and extra objects or materials used in the lesson would differ from one subject to the next. The following is a lesson plan by M. Jaques for the third year group (the most advanced level at the time) dated November 26, 1943*:

3 E ditor’s note: In the time since these countries were listed, others have joined the list, including Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, to name a few.

The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued

Many thanks to the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze, the Bibliothèque de Genève, and the Jaques-Dalcroze family for granting us permission to reproduce this page from Emile Jaques-Dalcroze’s notebooks. dalcrozeusa.org

The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued * Note: the exercises below are first copied word-for-word from the notebooks; in the subsequent translation and analysis I have tried to make the best guess as to what actually transpired in the lesson.4

I. M. Jaques commences with a typical first exercise

to warm up: a quick reaction, involving large movements, in this case, running freely through the room. Dissociation between hands (drum) and feet are involved in executing a polyrhythm which is tricky, although not highly complicated. The placement of rests in the upper line of the rhythm demands concentration; while the movement should be fluid and continuous, it may never become mechanical. When the “Hop!” signal is given, the hands and feet exchange rhythms. Quick reaction demands a constant readiness on the part of the students to inhibit one action and immediately begin another, develops spontaneity, and generally requires that one be fully in the present, taking in all sounds and stimuli from the outside. In an article by Dalcroze in Le Rythme entitled “Les Hop Musicaux,”he explains the basis for a signal given as an incitation5 to immediate action as being the preparation for responding to “signals” in music. After using “hop” as the signal to change, M. Jaques will express the “hop” musically; for instance, a change of harmony, tessiture, a certain rhythmic motive, now serve as a signal to commence an action.

I. Feet

Drum

38 Œ

At "hop" change

‰

œ.

‰

œ J

‰

œ œ

‰ j œ

II. This exercise in dissociation requires the small

movements of arm, hand and fingers, and a high degree of concentration. (Note that the rhythm for fingers is written in groups of five notes—one for each finger—to each half bar.) With regard to time, space, and energy, the rhythm for fingers involves the shortest durations, longer in the hand, and longest in the arm. Thus, while one is executing an exercise in dissociation, one is also learning to organize all of the different parts of the body used in the exercise into a whole. II. Hands

44 œ

Arms

44 ˙

Fingers

4 Editor’s note: To reveal the archaeological process involved in this paper’s publication, we provide the following illustrations before Dr. Alperson’s discussion of each exercise: 1. A reproduction of Jaques-Dalcroze’s hand-written segment 2. A reproduction of Dr. Alperon’s own hand-written copy 3. A modern print version, with English translations of the French

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

œ œ œ œ. J œ

œœ œ œ˙

˙.

œ œ

œ œ œ œ. J œ

œœ œ œ˙ œ œ

˙.

44 œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ

5 E ditor’s note: The word “incitation” occurs in English usage; but it occurs more often in French, where it commonly means “encouragement,” “inducement,” or “incentive.” Here it means: “stimulus,” or “prompt.”

The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued

III. En grand cercle, lancer (pendant un arrêt) d’une balle en arriére par dessus la tête. Now in a circle, each student holds a ball; the class skips to music improvised by M. Jaques. When a signal to stop is given (probably a pause or long duration in the music), each student stops and throws the ball over her head to the person standing directly behind. Throwing the ball correctly requires skill and judgment in the arc of time, space, and energy; then there remains the matter of catching the ball. The skipping adds vitality, making this more a game than an exercise. The forward thrust of the body with the inhibition of movement and then the delivery of the III. In a large circle, throw (during a stop) a ball ball backward are contrasting movements, requiring different momentum, different III. In aoflarge (during amounts forcecircle, exerted.throw That the patternaofstop) a ball backwards over the head. QUIY QUIY etc. skipping and stopping is not fixed would mean that quick reaction is involved to some extent.

backwards over the head. Q

IV. E ach student moves freely about the room, stepping this rhythm, which is rendered musically by M. Jaques at the piano. The students listen for changes in nuance through movement and facial expression. Dalcroze emphasized the importance of facial expression in body-movement in the following statement from Rhythm, Music and Education: …the mastery of body movements constitutes a mere virtuosity, unless those movements are employed to help out facial expression. The same gesture may express ten different sentiments according as the eye gives out the clue.6

IV. expressivo

& 44 œ

œ œ œ

major, minor physiognomy

‰

p f

V. De petits cercles sur place During a 4/4 bar of skips, each student skips in place, turning in a circle; in the following bar the student leaps to each eighth note coming on the beat and will re-commence the skipping at the new point of arrival. The dense dotted rhythm, anacrusic into the spaced pulsations of the eighth note, is affirmed in physical sensation by intense movement in a confined area contrasted with large, extended movement through space.

œ.

Small circles in place

œ œ.

Each in turn will lead

‰

in x plans

6. Jaques-Dalcroze, 1921, pg. 118. dalcrozeusa.org

The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued

VI. Deplacer successivement coude droit, coude gauche, main droit, main gauche, tête, torse, jamb. This exercise helps the student to develop muscular control over different parts of the body. That the movements are to be done in fairly quick succession demands a degree of facility. Hopefully, continued practice of displacement of this sort will grow from controlled movement into spontaneous movement. Writes Dalcroze: Muscular actions, after constant repetition, pass outside the control of the brain. New reflexes can be created, and the time lost between the conception and realization of the movement reduced to a strict minimum. The cultivation of automatisms should be effected in all nuances of tempo. The cultivation of automatisms should be effected in all nuances of tempo.7

VI.

(as in this exercise) [He adds:] “conformity with these nuances depends on the perception of the degrees of muscular energy necessary for effecting the movements” (Jaques-Dalcroze, 1921, pg. 68). The rhythm used involves unequal measures, in which the pulse is successively 4 beats, 2 beats, 3 beats, and 3 beats again; the common denominator is the eight note. This is a good preparation for the next exercise, which involves the divisions of 12/8.

Move successively the right elbow, left elbow, right hand, left hand, head, torso, leg

&œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ R. elbow

L. elbow

œ œ œ œ RH

œ ˙

Torso

Head

VII. Sur l’escalier (4 lignes) divisions du 12/8 en canon. Batons: Chaque division avec flexion de genoux (sur place) entrée sur la repetition de la division. The class is asked to form four lines on the steps at one end of the room. Each student holds a baton. In canon, the lines will execute the different divisions of 12/8, indicating the different pulsations in successive bars with the batons; by bending the knees, and sounding VII. On the stairs (four lines) divisions of 12/8 in canon the subdivisions with the batons. BATONS Each division flexing the knees (in place) Through canon, one may experience 12/8 as the composite of all the different divisions possible.

7. Jaques-Dalcroze, 1921, pg. 68.

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

Enter on the repetition of the division.

œ Œ

Light leg

The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued

VIII. Avec elastiques à 3 ou 4 (le dernier élève complete une figure) This rhythm, executed as in a canon involves contrasting bars of subdivisions with long durations. The former is realized in movement (running and skipping-depending on the tempo), and the latter, in the stretching of elastics, one experiences, visually and sensorially, the subdivisions of movement through space of the entire body, followed by the extension, tension, resistance (in the elastics) in the pulsation and momentum forward, of the long durations. This contrast in the rhythmic motive, and thus in the movement, is important when executed as a canon, as the two come simultaneously, resulting in design that can be visually very effective.

VIII. With elastics in 3 or 4

(the last student completes a figure)

œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ ˙. ∑ ∑

Throughout his writings, Dalcroze often talks about the importance of two elements in teaching: joy and order. The teacher of the Dalcroze method must experience joy in teaching, joy in music, and should be very clear about what he or she wishes to communicate in the lesson, and how to go about it. Former pupils of M. Jaques speak of the joy and vitality he communicated, both inside and outside the classroom. From his writings alone, one feels the intense interest Dalcroze had in his work and in the process of formulating, and growing with, his method. From his lesson plans alone, as from the one discussed above, it must be concluded that a tremendous amount of energy and clarity were needed merely to cover all the material planned; M. Jaques’ skills at improvisation must have been remarkable to have held together such varied lessons. Given these qualities, plus the cultural environment, materials available, and the aesthetic demands of the times, it is clear that a word-for-word reproduction of the lesson plans of Dalcroze is insufficient in one’s own teaching. It is important, then, to be able to analyze his lessons in a broad sense--to try and discover, to the greatest extent possible, how and why his lessons worked. It is through this knowledge that one may then adapt his method to one’s teaching—to one’s own needs in the classroom, and to the needs of a particular class. In the above lesson plan one notices that while, from one exercise to the next the musical focus, the subject, may change, there is a definite progression through the lesson, from easier to more challenging exercises. The rhythmic and melodic fragments presented also differ, from one to the next, yet there are many common elements as well. The basic pulsation throughout is the eight note.

˙.

œ.

œœœœœœœœœ

œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ ˙.

œ.

˙.

œ.

œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ. œ œ ˙.

œ.

∑

etc.

Leading up to exercise VII, in which the divisions of 12/8 are done in a canon, Dalcroze has given both binary and ternary rhythms; in the exercise just preceding, the students experience unequal measures, binary and ternary. The exercise for displacement of hands, head, shoulders, torso, and leg, come only after preparatory exercises involving these parts of the body. The order in the lesson is clear; the progression is smooth, so that no exercise should be found overwhelmingly difficult. In this same lesson, as in all of the others, Dalcroze makes the fullest use of the physical resources and materials available to him. The students work individually, in groups, or in pairs. They are directed to use the space around them in many ways: running freely through the room, remaining in place, moving in a large circle formed by the entire group, moving in an area defined by the placement of benches, getting onto the benches, forming lines on the steps at one end of the room, etc. In this one lesson, the students use many materials including drums, balls, batons, elastics. These variables are not suggested arbitrarily; M. Jaques perceives every formation, area, each object, as possessing special qualities that render each useful and meaningful toward a specific educational end. A former student of Dalcroze writes that the formation of different figures, the transformation of one figure into another—for example, a circle into three triangles, a square into three circles—“creates associations between our muscular sensations and our visual and spatial senses.”8 One must also mention those exercises that consist in changing the character of a movement according to the musical style and nuances of a given subject in solo, duos or trios, or in groups. The individual responses developed in classes for body technique are transformed into group responses.

8. Le Rythme [Editor’s note: The source document does not cite the particular article and issue.}

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The Cahiers of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: Anatomy of a Lesson, continued Use of objects offers visual stimulus, increased awareness of weight, space, balance. Elastics and ropes provide resistance; balls of different weights and sizes require physical adaptation, appropriate muscular responses; balls and other objects to be thrown and caught develop physical dexterity, quick response, a sense of space. “The use of external resistance reinforces the bodily sensations in such way that one later recreates imaginary resistance in a truer and more natural way.”9 In his essay “La rythmique, la plastique animée et la danse,” Dalcroze (1916) writes: The aim of the method of rhythmic is to give to the student an awareness of his resources [physical, mental] and to help him to reclaim the natural physical rhythms, and then— thanks to exercises of automatization and dissociation in all the time and space, as well as the harmonization of nervous centers, and the excitation and ordering of the motor functions–to create in his intellect absolute freedom and control of action. It is the idea of both freedom and control in movement that is at the base of the Dalcroze method. Dalcroze emphasized that “a-rhythmy” is correctible through training that seeks to develop the natural body rhythms; for many first-time eurhythmics students, particularly young adolescents and beginning adults, the experience of such training is somewhat like a rediscovery of those rhythms that flowed naturally and spontaneously in early childhood, and have since been inhibited through bad training and habits. Thus, in the process of learning through body movement, there is a lot of un-learning that takes place. The method appeals to what feels right rather than to any intellectual idea, theory, or presupposition about what should be right. And in turn, what feels right is enjoyed. As a method that seeks first to draw from the resources of its students rather than to impose external material on them, eurhythmics speaks to the creative imagination of the individual and the group. Only one lesson has thus far been discussed; however, in terms of other lessons in the “cahiers,” and in terms of Dalcroze’s stated beliefs in his pedagogic writings, this lesson is nicely representative. Much attention is given in the lesson to amount, variety, and progression of material. [In one Dalcroze lesson] students are exposed to so many different musical subjects..., which they execute in so many different tempi, with so many different parts of the body working together and independently, [one imagines] that after several months of these lessons, ... they [would] develop well-tuned bodies capable of immediate response, flexibility in response, a good knowledge of different forms of music and the Dalcroze subjects, and a good model for their own future teaching.

9. Editor’s note: Ibid.

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

However, as in all teaching, it is the teacher, more than the “method,” that makes for a successful class. It is therefore important for the student of the Dalcroze Method to absorb these teachings while being ever aware of his or her own intuitive sense. The teacher must always have confidence in his or her inventiveness; in fact, it is this [confidence] that Dalcroze wishes to develop in his students—an awareness of self, which grows as one is able to express in a highly personal way that which one hears, through movement, and communicate to others, beautifully.

THANK YOU In the midst of intensive studies at the Institut JaquesDalcroze in Geneva, Michael Joviala unearthed my “Memoire,” written to fulfill a requirement for the Dalcroze Diploma. I was stunned; I had completely forgotten its existence. Michael then undertook the laborious job of editing the text. Eventually, he handed the work to Bill Bauer, who generously continued the process. Artfully executed by two gifted writers, brilliant devotees of Dalcroze education, the document has become the work of three people, a labor of love, inspired by the work of M. Jaques. —Dr. Ruth Alperson

References Jaques-Dalcroze, Emile. 1916. Méthode Jaques-Dalcroze. Exercices de plastique animée. Vol 1. Lausanne: Jobin & Cie. ——— . 1916. “La rythmique, la plastique animée et la danse.” Préface aux Exercices de plastique animée. Lausanne: Jobin & Cie. ——— . 1918 La Rythmique Appliquée à l’Etude du Piano. Lausanne: Jobin & Cie. ———. 1920. Method of Eurhythmics. Rhythmic Movement. Vol. 1. London: Novello and Company, Limited; New York: The H.W. Gray Co.; Lausanne: Jobin & Cie. ———. 1921. Rhythm, Music & Education. New York: Putnam (reprint, London: The Dalcroze Society, 1980). ———. 1935. Coordination et disordination des mouvements corporels: Exercices pour l’harmonisation des actes moteurs spontanés et volontaires et le développement de la concentration. Paris : A. Leduc. Martin, Frank; Dénes, Tibor; Berchtold, Alfred; Gagnebin, Henri; Reichel, Bernard; Dutoit, Claire-Lise; Stadler, Edmond. 1965. Emile Jaques-Dalcroze: l’homme, le compositeur, le createur de la rhythmique. Neuchâtel: Edition de la Baconnière. 1929-1934. Bound volume containing issues of the Le Rythme. The library of the Institute Jaques-Dalcroze.

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MUSIC FOR DALCROZE LESSONS: TWO ORIGINAL WORKS “At the time I wrote “Happy New Year” my Dalcroze Jazz group had a weekly gig at a well-known Jazz club. When New Years Eve came around, I needed a tune; but I also needed to teach my group in public. The subject was measures in 5/4. So I wrote a little tune with a simple way of expressing or feeling that fifth beat: beat beat beat beat click. I wrote Happy New Year as a four beat phrase with fifth beat to be expressed by a tap, a clap, a stomp or a wild gesture. This is a canon with a simple chord progression I I V I click. In addition, I am suggesting several short vocal riffs on the same progression. Please feel free to improvise on this round in your own way; but be sure to include that fifth “clink” (in the club that night, people tapped their spoons on their beer bottles, which made a cheerful cacophony).”

Happy New Year Joy Kane

#5 & 4œ 1

Hap

#5 & 4œ

New

Year!

#œ

Hap

#5 œ & 4

New

hap - py

hap

#5 & 4œ

new

Year!

nœ -

#5 & 4‰

hap

Piano

{

?# 5 4

œœœ J

≈

r j œœœ œœœ

‰

œ bœ

œ #œ nœ

nœ #œœ

year.

nœ

j œœœ

new

year;

j œ

‰

œœ

Vocal Percussion Licks

j # œ nœ œ œ

& œ™

Toon

& œ

chi

Doup doup

& &

ki - ki - toon

twip

Hap - py

New

bœ

nœ

Doot

doot

œ #œ œ

toom

ba - ba doop

nœ

œ œ œ œ

Hap

œ œ nœ

Year

ba - ba doo

zwe

New

œ œ œ œ nœ

ta - ka

tou

The "licks" are to be sung with F§ throughout, though the accompianment should be played with F# (mixolydian mode).

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

bay

œ œ Year, a

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Music for Dalcroze Lessons: Two Original Works, continued A study of polymeter; specifically, the polymetric re-interpretation of subdivisions. To interpret the page, the performer needs to change from grouping eighth notes by threes to grouping them by twos. Movement studies in this skill will prepare the performer to feel these metric shifts whether singing the melody or playing it on an instrument. For ease of reading (and to help the performer feel the dotted quarter-note beat) I show the polymeter with ties. Rather than the disruptive quality of syncopation, these evoke a hemiola-like shifting of metric divisions from four dotted quarters (4/q.) to six quarters (6/q) per measure. Any movement study of the melody and accompanying ostinato will bring the piece’s polymetric cross-currents to the surface. A canon at the unison after one measure, the lilting tune may be performed simply over the anacrusic ostinato.

Mixolydian Melody William R. Bauer

William R. Bauer

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dalcrozeusa.org

2018 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS’ REFLECTIONS Leslie Frost “My study of Dalcroze, which began around three years ago, has fueled an ongoing devotion to developing my own comprehensive musicianship. Notably, I am now an active composer. In my work as a composer, I always try to get inside the musical ideas and ask myself: How is this part of the music functioning and how does it relate to the other parts? My intensive work … this [past] summer continues to provide practical tools and inspiration for my daily work as a musician, composer, arranger, and music educator.”

Mira Larson “My students’ shining eyes were what gave me proof of how much I had absorbed in two whirlwind weeks of Dalcroze training. I was able to better inspire students’ movement, guide their technique, and encourage their self-expression. Already, I have been able to apply more dynamic strategies in my private studio teaching and, more than anything, have felt renewal in my own musical practice. I look forward to continued growth, as the material studied this summer begins to unfold and nourish the year ahead.”

Laura Wiebe Writing of her experience this past summer, Dr. Laura J. Wiebe, Assistant Professor of Music, Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri, recalled: “I first learned of the Dalcroze approach in graduate school, when a fellow singer remarked of my incredible teacher: ‘He went to a Dalcroze workshop, and came back as a new conductor.’ I never forgot this, and I hoped that the approach might have something similar in store for me.” She added: The Dalcroze approach to music education has transformed my life as a singer, conductor, and music professor. I incorporate Dalcroze principles, strategies, concepts, and lessons into virtually every class I teach—from aural skills to music history. My voice students and my choir are no longer surprised when I ask them to move! Most of the students I teach are training to become public school teachers, and it is exciting to think that in various ways, they will carry elements of the Dalcroze approach into their own classrooms. As I reflect on the countless benefits Dalcroze education brings to me and my students, I would like to express deep thanks to the Dalcroze Society of America for the scholarship awarded to me for summer studies. 24

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

THE DSA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND PROVIDING FINANCIAL AID TO STUDENTS PURSUING DALCROZE CERTIFICATION is a critically important function of the Society. Through the DSA Memorial Scholarship Fund, we are able to assist serious students with up to half the cost of tuition at a Dalcroze training center. Please consider donating to the Memorial Scholarship Fund. Give easily and securely online via the website: dalcrozeusa.org/donate

Thank You!

2017-2018 DONORS Maria Abeshouse The Robert M. Abramson Charitable Foundation Ruth Alperson Viktoriya Babchenko-Frumin Terry Boyarsky Javan Carson Deborah Clem Jeremy Dittus Mary Dobrea-Grindahl Jackie Edwards-Henry Jeanne Kierman Fischer Kenneth Guilmartin Kathryn Jones Rebecca Lightcap Cynthia Lilley Nancy Lineburgh Stephen Neely Dawn Pratson John R. Stevenson Melissa Tucker Pamela Young

RECIPIENTS

Congratulations to the 2018 Scholarship Recipients: Tess Degen Leslie Frost Mira Larson Guy Mendilow Laura Wiebe

DSA CHAPTERS: EXECUTIVE BOARDS NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER • President: Adriana Ausch-Simmel • Vice-President: Caroline Ly • Secretary: Anne Edgerton • Treasurer: Phil Berman NEW YORK CHAPTER • President: Mattie Kaiser • Vice-President: Lisa Dove • Treasurer: Mimi Hsu NORTHWEST CHAPTER • President: Jared Ballance, • Vice-President and Treasurer: Xing Jin • Secretary: Molly Porterfield PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER • President: Dawn Pratson • Vice-President: Barbara Golden • Secretary: Gema Valencia-Turco • Treasurer: Leo Zumpetta ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER • President: Katie Couch • Vice-President: Emma Shubin • Secretary: Lee Evans • Treasurer: Wendy Nestrud

dalcrozeusa.org

MEMBERSHIP: WWW.DALCROZEUSA.ORG/JOIN • Support the mission of the DSA • Receive discounts at DSA sponsored events • Access online videos by master teachers • Access and contribute to the lesson plan library • Access the “American Dalcroze Journal” Archives • Appear in our Member Directory • Become a member of a local DSA chapter (if available) • Request “Dalcroze Connections” magazine, print edition • Receive the member-only email newsletter • Automatic membership in FIER (La Fédération Internationale des Enseignants de Rythmique: The International Federation of Eurhythmics Teachers) $60/yr ........................ Regular Member $25/yr ........................ Student Member $70/yr ........................ International Member $100/yr ...................... Institutional/Library Member

BEQUESTS

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Dalcroze Society of America gratefully accepts monetary donations and bequests on an ongoing basis. The DSA w elcomes the opportunity to work with donors to honor their wishes.

Michael Joviala, Board Chair boardchair@dalcozeusa.org

For more information,please contact Bill Bauer, Executive Director, at executivedirector@dalcrozeusa.org

Cassandra Eisenreich, Vice-Chair vicechair@dalcrozeusa.org Anthony Molinaro, Treasurer treasurer@dalcrozeusa.org Paula Zerkle, Secretary secretary@dalcrozeusa.org Jeremy Dittus, Ex officio Lauren Hodgson, Trustee Cynthia Lilley, Trustee

Photo Credit: Kathryn Nockels

Winter 2019 •Dalcroze Connections Vol.4, No.1

dalcrozeusa.org

Dalcroze Society of America P.O. Box 15 Valencia, PA 16059