Essential Teaching Practices for the 21st Century

In an effort to explore 21st Century teaching practices for my virtual music classroom, I have developed a project that includes a collaborative performance assessment, lesson, and reflection. Please view my video explanation and presentation slides. I welcome your feedback in the comments section below. Do you think my performance assessment and lesson will accomplish my goals? Will they help students be more responsive in the virtual classroom?

To view my presentation slides, click here.

References
Alvermann, D., Gillis, V., & Phelps, S. (2013). Content Area Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms (7th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Clark, R. E. (2002). Performance assessment in the arts. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 39(1), 29-32. 

McMillan, J. (2018). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice that enhance student learning and motivation. Pearson Education, Inc. 

Essential Teaching Practices for the 21^st Century Teacher: Module 3 Foundations. (n.d.). Advancement Courses.

Scott, S. J. (2001). A task-centered approach to performance-based assessments. General Music Today, 14(3), 10-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/104837130101400304

A.I. sure ain’t Baroque

Most of the world woke up to a cute Google doodle this morning, featuring the incredible Johann Sebastian Bach of organ-shredding and music-dynasty-begetting notoriety. The doodle’s claim to harmonize any two-measure melody in the style of Herr Meister Johann was intriguing. I quickly plugged in the first thing I could think of: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” (I’ve been teaching a lot of beginner piano lately.) What resulted sounded like a mistake, a four part chorale written by Charles Ives or someone who might be failing Music Theory I. What’s the tonal center? Why are some of the chords missing thirds? And what’s with that minor second between the soprano and bass voices? Can the A.I. even counterpoint?

 

In short, my first try at using the Google doodle made me suspicious that it was a far shot from generating Bach-like music. But I decided giving the program W.A. Mozart’s “Ah vois dirai-ja, Maman” wasn’t quite fair; so, next, I tried giving it the first two measures of a melody Johann set a quite a few times: “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott.” Below is what I got, with my quick analysis. To other music theory nerds, I’m sure I’ve missed stuff–let me know in the comments!

[CORRECTIONS: The third chord (on beat 4 of measure 1) should be labeled a V4/3. The suspension in the tenor (or escape tone) on beat 3 of measure 2 is foiled because of the E in the alto. March 23, 2019.]

 

Now, compare that to my favorite of Johann’s own settings: BWV 303 (from bach-chorales.com).

 

To be fair, I generated thirteen “A.I. Bach” harmonies; and the above was the most humorous. But in my mind, this very happily confirms that, as great as technology is getting, J.S. Bach’s genius–his mastery of melodic/harmonic tension, fugue, and incredible voice leading–CANNOT be replicated by a computer program. Try again another time, Google. In the meantime, Bach’s ghost is killing kittens for that parallel fifth.

 

Yeah, this is old school: UMBC guest artist adventures

For me, a trip to UMBC is always like a trip home. Sure, the music department has relocated to a new building, my friends have moved onwards and upwards, and some of my favorite faculty members have retired; but there’s something special about remembering your own undergraduate bildungsroman. Whenever I visit campus, I catch ghostly glimpses of things I learned while there: about myself, music, the world. There are apparitions of past joys, heartaches, victories, defeats, and friendships. My heart always fills with thanks when I reflect on any of this.

Imagine my excitement when I was invited to come play a UMBC guest artist recital, as well as stop by classes that I once took myself: Careers in music (MUSC 323), Flute repertoire class (MUSC 193, 194, 390, 391, 392, 393), and Linehan Artist Scholar freshman seminar (LAS 121H). It was déjà vu all over again. My heartfelt thanks to Lisa Cella and Doug Hamby, as well as the rest of the UMBC Department of Music for these opportunities!

This flute/light recital was a beautiful collision of some of my Maryland and North Carolina friends, all incredible musicians and wonderful people: lighting technician (and flutist!) Willie Santiago, sound engineer Sarah Baugher, composers Nick Rich and Jonathan Wall, percussionist Michelle Purdy, and double bassist Emily Damrel. (And I can’t forget Yoshi Horiguchi, who lent us a bass!) The craziest part of the story? Somehow, the performance managed to sell out! There’s no way I can fully express just how exciting this week has been, or just how deeply honored and thankful I am to have been back.

Go Retrievers!

Recital pics and videos will be coming soon.

Motivating Student Practice.

As important as Aristotle’s laws of motion are to the development of modern physics, somehow, they are humorous.  Newton’s first law of motion is merely a more precise restatement of Aristotle’s ideas: an object in a particular state of motion will continue in that state of motion unless an outside force influences it.  However, Aristotle called this altered status of motion “forced” or “violent;” moreover, he believed that all objects had inherent, measurable resistance to such forced motion.  Some of what Aristotle observed is now understood to be what is indeed called resistance, friction, and drag; but Aristotle’s language creates an amusing picture of inanimate objects with wills to remain inert, resisting motion until coerced.

We could say that this picture is a rather uncanny illustration of a type of student—the type that never seems to practice, despite their teacher’s best efforts.  These are unmotivated students who come to their lessons week after week, only prepared with excuses.  If we’re honest, however, we might admit that this metaphor could be used to describe anyone (including ourselves!) in a wide variety of situations.

Over the last year, I have spent some time seeking to better understand both the stimulation of self-motivation and the teacher-student relationship as it pertains to responsibility.  For now, I have concluded:

TEACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY: To guide the student into a cycle of work and achievement (related to attribution theory in psychology).
STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY: To implement the short-term goals assigned by the teacher.

My studies resulted in a “How to Practice” Workshop at the Community Music School of UNC School of the Arts (see the video below), as well as in a list of potential motivational methods that can be directly applied to practicing.

© 2016 Krisztina Dér.  All rights reserved.

The Absent-Minded Professor

It has happened.  In September, one of my professors passed my name along to the Chair of the Music Department at Guilford College.  The result: I have been working as a “Part-time Lecturer of Music, Flute” this semester.  My family’s prophesies destining me as a lovable (albeit soporific) Prof. have been fulfilled!  And that’s not even counting the times I have inadvertently mismatched my socks!

Other news includes competing at the semifinals of the inaugural Raleigh Area Flute Association’s (RAFA’s) Artist Competition.  They selected six semifinalists total; I was honored to be there, learned a thing or two about my repertoire choices, and look forward to applying again next year.  Recordings from the preliminary round are forthcoming!

In the upcoming months, I’ll be competing in the final round of UNCG’s Student Artist Competition, preparing for the second of my three doctoral recitals, teaching (UNCG secondaries, UNCSA CMS, and Guilford), playing in Fayetteville, studying for comprehensive exams, researching for the dissertation (more info on my research topic coming soon!), finishing up the majority of my classwork, and (I hope) breathing.  For now at least, in the interim between semesters, there’s a bit of time to catch my breath– so stay tuned for more updates, recordings, and musings!

 

A Seasoned Musician?

Wolfgang and his powdered wig conducting the FSO.

June has arrived, and my first season with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has
come to a close.  Puns aside, it has been such a blast!  I have learned so much from my incredibly friendly woodwind and brass colleagues and have gotten to play amazing repertoire, to boot.  Some season highlights include: being part of a live production of
Amadeus in collaboration with the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, playing piccolo in Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and my first ever performance of John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever–on Sousa’s 160^th birthday.  For a little peek into what this year was like, check out this flattering review of our Season finale in April: “This performance [of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique] ranked among the best, live or on record.”  Wow!  In short, I feel incredibly blessed.

Meanwhile, in March, I was blessed to begin work at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ Community Music School.  My little studio has
taught me so very much in the last three months; I can’t wait to continue working with the students very soon!

Of course, my first year as a DMA student has also ended.  The end of the semester brought me two exciting multimedia experiences.  The first: performances of MAX patches written by members of the Greensboro Laptop Orkestra (GLOrk).

Second, Dr. Michael S. Rothkopf (composer of Coloured Inks) asked me to perform an excerpt of his work Gitanjali with three lovely dancers at UNCSA’s M3 Spree.  Flute, computer, and dance–what an incredible experience!

“Of the Energies,” by Kate McFalls, at UNCSA’s M3 Spree.