Stanislavski in the Choral Classroom: A Choral Curriculum Guide By Daniel Grayberg Abstract This capstone is geared toward developing

a choral music curriculum with a foundation in Stanislavski acting techniques. Stanislavski, the father of acting, developed a style of analyzing acting which is centered on dissecting the human frame of mind in order to place the actor into a state of experiencing. However, when this is perceived as a style of all performing arts then it can easily be applied to the development and education of choral musicians. This perception to music learning and music-making is applied in the choral classroom it can provide learners with experiences that are meaningful; leading to what John Dewey calls plasticity. Although the focus is on the performance of choral music, the system provides the learner with a need-to-know situation in order to cognitively understand the behaviors of the character for the choral piece; igniting creativity and autonomy. This capstone contains two lesson plans and a choral warm-up plan combining research on Constantin Stanislavski, Augusto Boal, John Dewey, Elliot Eisner and Allan Moore to create a curriculum guide that will empower our learners to be active participants in their choral education. Introduction Musical illiteracy is a problem that has surfaced among current music education programs; not only the inability to read music, but also the inability to communicate what one knows about music. Many graduates of school music programs do not have the vocabulary or

the frame of mind to communicate about music they have either performed or experienced, leading us as educators to believe that their music education is not meaningful. Music has been around for centuries, therefore has developed its place within our culture. Music is not only an artistic form of expression for an individual, but it also expresses the artistic opinion of the culture and community as well. In order to share these opinions, a set of vocabulary and terms, or ideals, have been set up in order for the aesthetics and performance of music to be assessed and critiqued. Our learners, the futures of our culture and community, need the ability to communicate their opinions and critiques of music, past and present, in order to progress as productive and active members of society. Elliot Eisner states that there are four things that people do when they associate with art; they make works of art, they appreciate art, they learn to understand art in relation to cultures, and they make judgments about art (Brandt, 1987). In relation to music, we focus on music production, music criticism, music history, and musical aesthetics. Eisner describes criticism as a growth in perception while aesthetics is the actual perception of music. The questions that get raised during and after this perception bridge the gap between the two. The learning of aesthetics in schools comes from providing our learners with adequate musical experiences which evoke questioning and dialogue within the classroom. Weak or ordinary experiences will evoke few to no responses while strong, unique experiences evoke creative and thoughtful responses.

Literature Review When artistic objects are separated from both conditions of origin and environment, there is a wall around them that renders almost opaque their general significance, with which esthetic theory deals. (Dewey, 1934) In Art as Experience, Dewey begins with this sentence to proclaim the idea that when objects of the world are separated into arts and non-arts then the original significance of these objects that we experience everyday dwindle into indifference. Dewey continues that the, Task is to restore continuity between the refined and intensified forms of experience that are works of art and the everyday events, doings and sufferings that are universally recognized to constitute experience. (Dewey, 1934) According to Dewey, the world around us and every physical aspect that are comprised within it are parts of the human experience, therefore no matter how the world changes there is constant interaction between the world and us. We can examine Dewey and focus on how we can enforce plasticity from these musical experiences. Plasticity, as defined by Dewey, is "the ability to learn from experience; the power to retain from one experience something which is of avail in coping with the difficulties of a later situation." (Hansen, 2010) When Dewey addresses plasticity, he perceives it from the angle that learning a certain ability from experience will steer the learner to discover their personal style of executing that ability, or traits of personal method. (Hansen, 2010) This state of self-discovery leads the learner to creativity, originality, critical thinking and autonomy. For that reason, plasticity encourages a moral attitude that identifies the learners abilities as

personal works of art, bridging the barriers separating how the learner perceive works of art and everyday events, doings and sufferings. Aristotle reinforces this with the concept of major and minor arts, stating that everything we do is separated into a tree of major and minor arts. (Boal, 1979) For example, the art of singing branches off into musicality and artistry which can branch off into rhythm, pitch, tempo, expression, execution and so on. Aristotles idea is not regulated to works of art either and we could also apply it to the art of math problem solving which branches into the art of situational analysis, numbers, formula, execution and so on. The artist separates the major art into its minor components, discovers their traits of personal method for these minor arts and the culminating experience of execution results in a mastery of the major art. Deweys plasticity is not restricted to only an executed art. Dewey describes personal attitudes in thinking and in perceiving the world that inspire enduring open-mindedness towards human beings, projects and the learners own interests, which he labels as the essential moral interest; essential meaning that this must occur for a human being to progress. (Hansen, 2010) Constantine Stanislavski, considered the father of acting, states that it is the life of the human spirit within our art. Therefore experiencing is no longer an activity that someone is involved with, but instead it is an activity that someone belongs to. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines involve as engaging as a participant or to oblige to take part. Belonging is defined as to be an attribute, part, adjunct, or function of a person or thing or to be a member of a club, organization, or set usually used with to. The idea of a club or organization could

be related to the idea of a culture. When an ethnographer explores a foreign community, they often discuss their role in society as being involved verse belonging to the community; to be seen as one of their own. Through the application of Stanislavski technique as part of the application and perception of musical techniques, the musician can perform authentic music with the sense of I am being. Acting is a reflection of humanity, just as any other art form is, therefore when we break down art, we break down what makes it human. We embody the art in us, in relation to us, creating the I am being, and begin to belong with the art as we embody it. Augusto Boals Theatre of the Oppressed, acting and theater can have a profound effect on what our culture views as right and wrong. Since acting and music are both performance arts, they both require an active ensemble and an active audience, or as Boal states, actors and spectators. Music can then be a vessel for displaying aspects of right and wrong within our culture, building and progressing our community. Therefore the music embodies an aspect of humanity which is depicted as right or wrong, creating and strengthening the collective culture within the community. Objectives within the Curriculum Objectives are the driving force in curriculum development, albeit there has been development in how teachers focus their objectives towards multiple educational goals. Objectives were incorporated into educational curriculum around World War II in order to make the educational process more efficient, and then adopted by public schools between the 1950s and 1960s. This provided straightforward educational goals and an easy assessment

process for teachers and learners. Since then, objectives have multiplied into four separate objectives: Behavioral (Mager, 1997), cognitive(Wiggins & McTighe, 2005), experiential (Eisner, 1994) and critical (Abrahams 2010). The true driving force behind objectives in curriculum is which objective should be the central focus when developing a curriculum. During the 1950s and 1960s, the behavioral objective was the only objective used in education. Elliot Eisner published his book Cognition and Curriculum (Eisner, 1994), stating that knowledge cannot be a verbal construct, but that it is a very personal event involving sensory perception; providing us with the experiential objective. At the turn of the century, Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) revolutionized public school curriculum by focusing on our learner understanding stating that there are six facets of understanding: explain, interpret, apply, have perspective, empathize, and have self-knowledge. In the late 2000s, Critical Pedagogy for Music Education develops a critical objective in order to provide focus on a change in perception experienced by the learner. As we know, the art of experiencing occurs when the actor (learner) obtains a state of I am being when creating and performing art; this differs from the art of representation (the replication of art) and stock-and-trade art (clich and standard artistic methods) (Stanislavsky & Benedetti, 2008). However, the system is not limited to experience, and can utilize behavioral, cognitive and critical objectives as well. The Stanislavski System

The Stanislavski system has a myriad of techniques and steps one follows to reach the state of experiencing (I am being). First, an artist must divide their artistic goal (or supertask/focusing question) into a series of bits and tasks, which can be labeled as the actions the learner accomplishes within their supertask, which is the overall goal for the actor. This relates to behavioral objectives in the sense that the behavior of the actor changes in order to accomplish these bits and tasks. The actor also must understand the character on a cognitive level in which the actor can make character choices when asked what if? The Stanislavski term, coined as the magic if, requires the actor to explain, interpret, apply, have perspective, empathize, and have self-knowledge of the characters intellect, will, and desire (which is what the character knows, what the character is willing to do, and what the character wants). Once the actor accesses a state of I am being, the actors perception is now directly related to the character. When related to a choral classroom, if the singer can sing Cantate Domino by Hans Leo Hassler in the character of a person from the Renaissance era, then that singer/actor/learner can have that Renaissance experience; provoking a changed perception towards Renaissance music. Previously I have related the supertask to a focusing question, also known as essential question, a question within the lesson plan to address the goal of the learner. Professionals in Critical Pedagogy, such as Frank Abrahams, state that a good focusing question should address each objective. The supertask can be applied the same way. When the bits and tasks, intellect, will, desire, and the state of I am being have been accomplished, the supertask is fulfilled (Stanislavsky & Benedetti, 2008).

This educational approach has aspects relatable to the behavior, cognitive and critical objectives, in a curriculum deriving itself from a Stanislavski point-of-view, the experiential objective is the driving force to guide the overarching goal of the courses curriculum. Stanislavski states that the only way to authentically perform art is through the art of experiencing; when correlated to education, it could be said that the only way to acquire authentic knowledge is through experience. Creating authentic cultural knowledge The art of acting is used as a means of creating authenticity in the music classroom, based on Allan Moores definition (Moore, 2002); we should visualize how the act of perception works. Augusto Boals Theatre of the Oppressed situates the concept of authentic perception through invisible theatre from which the actors cause a scene in public allowing random bystanders or spectators to become involved; believing in its authenticity. Although the scene is not real, or actual, the perceiver, or spectator, engages as if it is real placing its validity as authentic (Boal, 1985). This form of acting relates to Moores second-person and third-person definition of authenticity, allowing the spectator to be affected directly, and for that person to have confidence in its authenticity (Moore, 2002). This does not, however, address the issue of personal authenticity, or first-person authenticity. As we explore first-person authenticity (Moore, 2002), the technique of how the actor personally embodies an authentic experience should be acknowledged. Stanislavski focuses on the art of experiencing, states that the art of experiencing occurs when the actor (learner) obtains a state of I am being when creating and performing art; this differs from the art of

representation (the replication of art) and stock-and-trade art (clich and standard artistic methods) (Stanislavsky & Benedetti, 2008). This sense of I am being within the actor provides the subject with a personal authentic experience within the art. Stanislavski states Because what is conscious and credible gives birth to truth, and truth evokes belief, and if nature believes in what is happening inside you, then she, too, becomes involved. (Stanislavsky & Benedetti, 2008). The Old Curriculum The curriculum developed in the 1950s which gear towards behavioral objectives Visions: Ultimate purpose of education is to acquire and assess the skills our students learn There is a higher focus on behavioral objectives and how there are changes in habits. Students: The students are subjected to classroom activities which foster musical skills in order to create musicians. Like before, there is a focus on what the students are able to do and not on what or how they understand. Classrooms are teacher centered within the classroom, therefore students often are just empty vessels to be filled with knowledge. Teachers: The teachers are the main source of knowledge and pass down their experiences to their students.

10

Teachers carry all the knowledge, and there is little room for students to find their own knowledge and their own meaning. Context: Though environments change from area to area, more often than not students place their focus strictly to the teacher. Whenever knowledge is presented, it is always presented in the context of the classroom as knowledge to learn instead of presenting it as an experience. Especially when learning about music history, it is presented as facts to know instead of a human experience that happened in the context of their culture. Planning: Curriculum is developed by the chair of the department who often has little contact with the students in their program. Teachers sometimes use what they know about their students towards their curriculum, but focus on creating a product rather than enriching the process. The curriculum is very general and broad, therefore each teacher has their own perception of how to present the curriculum. Though this seems individualistic and gives teachers freedom to teach with their own style, when they are the sole bearers of knowledge it gives the students sometimes contradicting information. Evaluation: Students are assessed through a final performance product often neglecting the actual experience of musiking. The final performance is never a solid assessment of the process and what the students know. The Recultured Curriculum

11

The application of Stanislavski with the focus being on the experiential objective Visions: The ultimate purpose of education is to provide authentic learning experiences which will enrich and culture our learners lives. The idea is not to make professional musicians and exclude those who do not wish to perform music, but the idea is to make the learners interaction with music a meaningful experience. Students: The students come to terms with musical performance, critique, history and aesthetics through meaningful experiences. Students are taught how to communicate their thoughts and feelings about music to their peers and community. Their knowledge music history and past experiences are points of plasticity, which is the ability to take in knowledge from experience. Teachers: The teachers become a guide, providing knowledge in order to evoke autonomous and critical thinking. The classroom is student-centered, therefore students make decisions about how they learn and how they come to accomplish their goals without direct orders from the teacher. Context: The context of the classroom changes depends on the music that is being performed. The idea of learning music history provides contextual knowledge for each musical piece. The transmission of knowledge takes place in different ways to accommodate the information being presented in the classroom. Therefore, the way an African spiritual is taught would be

12

different than how a Renaissance piece would be taught. The former would be taught through rote with a focus on bright open tones while the latter would be taught with music in a very balanced style. Planning: The context of each piece is vital to the planning process. Teacher must provide contextual given circumstances which guide the learners to make active artistic choices. There is a sense of who are my students, who am I, and who can we be together? This is a very critical pedagogical approach, therefore the teachers planning is not only what my students are doing, or what I am doing, but what we are doing together. Therefore, the interaction of the teacher and learner working together becomes part of the learning process. Evaluation: Assessment is taken through dialogue and reflection. The assessment is formative, so that it occurs throughout the process instead of at the product in order to make adjustments necessary for success. This gives the teacher a tactic for understanding their students, who they are, and this guides how the teacher and students interact. This also highlights the fact that the process is where students learn instead of the product. Conclusion The experiences provided for our learners must be meaningful, though not every experience is going to mean the same thing. The reason for reculturing our choral curriculum is that our learners are either being forced into sharing the exact same experience or not given an

13

experience that has any impact on their musical lives. The wonderful thing about utilizing Stanislavski within our curriculum is that our learners are never forced to share a unified experience. Stanislavski implores the artistic learner to discover their own creativity and past experiences to fuel their performance, consequently each learner will have a personal connection to choral music. This is the ideal result. This is not a complete overthrow of the choral classroom as we know it, instead it is just a perception a train of thought that the educator takes on; allowing the educator to maintain his or her own style. It is a perception that finds the multiplicity in answers and the life of the human spirit in every piece of art an openmindedness that is part of Deweys essential moral interest that can lead as a model to our learners. Therefore, the educator must take on a role of their own and be able to place a choir in character by example; otherwise the learners are lost in confusion and an unwillingness to feel comfortable. Fortunately, not only does this provide a comfortable and structured learning environment but it gives the chance for the educator and learner to share the experience together. We can only hope as educators that we impact our learners lives, but it is even better if the experiences we share with our learners in the classroom impact our lives as well.

14

STANISLAVSKI CHORAL REHEARSAL PLAN

Conductors Name: Daniel Grayberg

Ensemble Name: Chorale

Title of Piece: Cantate Domino

Composer/Arranger: Hans Leo Hassler/John Leavitt

Voicing: SATB

Learning Goals (Objectives):

supertask (physical) What singers will accomplish via musicality Singers will welcome those back from war, and praise God for their return through musical decisions.

understand (cognitive) What singers will understand musically

Singers will make connections from the Renaissance music style to their own singing.

encounter (experiential) What singers will experience musically

Singers will experience expression of joy and gratitude through musical dynamics, articulation and timbre typical of the Renaissance era.

change (critical) How being musical will transform the singers

15

Singers will transform their view of the Renaissance era to relate to current events regarding war. Choral Concepts (Tone, Diction, Intonation, Posture, Breath, Phonation, Balance and Blend)

Pure open and bright tone. Renaissance diction. Equal balance and blend between sections.

Musical Concepts (Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Form, Timbre, Texture)

Harmony, voicing. Renaissance phrasing and timbre/texture.

Relatability (Background story, Situational Reasoning, Life of the Human Spirit)

Siege of Vienna Empire of Charles V vs. Ottoman Empire. Religious soldiers return home. Renaissance context. Relates to current events.

16

Process

Physicalize: (Generate Supertask based off the given circumstances. From the given circumstances, develop bits and tasks which coincide with the supertask.) Supertask: Praise God for the return of the soldiers. Given Circumstances: In mid-1500s Germany, soldiers return from The Siege of Vienna after stopping the Ottoman Empire from invading their land. Townspeople are in praise of God. Bits and Tasks: Measures 1-4: Soft marcato, mezzo-forte. Cadence is gentle. Measure 8: Word cantate is on an ascending run. Each run is sung to a section. Altos -> Basses -> Tenors -> Sopranos. Measure 14 and 19: Forte, seem a little too loud -> hushed piano Measure 24: Annuntiate; men strong forte, women gentle forte, then meet together with a mezzo-forte legato. Measure 42 and 45: Lift at cadence. Measure 45: Triumphant timbre.

Philosophize: (Create situational ifs. Allow singers to develop questions for said given circumstances. Create situational idea for musical actions. Singer input should be given in the form of homework assignments.)

Develop questions with the choir to ask about the situation which inform musical decisions. What kinds of professions did people have in the Renaissance era? What would be a general profession for the voice parts? How does that affect tone quality between the sections? What kind of background can you give yourself?

17

Conductor presents each section with the opportunity to create their own sections back-story (character life past, present, and foreseen future). Sections will present their background story to the rest of the choir when developed. How does that affect the characteristic of each section?

Psycho-analyze: (Conductor and singers discuss the intellect, will, and desire for said situation, and its ability to relate to the supertask, given circumstances, and bits and tasks . This is the point where the full story should be developed.) Conductors and singers discuss intellect, will, and desire for each section while rehearsing the song. What kind of roles musically does each section play? Do roles switch between sections? At this point, musical pitches and rhythm should be known.

Perform: (Conductor and Singers rehearse and perform together.) Conductor and singers rehearse Cantate Domino with authentic knowledge of the time period while relating personally to the style. All timbre, articulation and dynamic choices were made to reflect the conductors and singers knowledge of the Renaissance era.

Assessment: After the concert, conductor and students will examine aspects of their performance, how they felt, and what they thought was good or bad. Personal stories about a singers own experience or how that singer felt singing with the choir.

18

STANISLAVSKI CHORAL REHEARSAL PLAN

Conductors Name: Daniel Grayberg Ensemble Name: Chorale

Title of Piece: Amor de mi Alma

Composer/Arranger: Randall Z. Stroope

Voicing: SATB

Learning Goals (Objectives): supertask (physical) What singers will accomplish via musicality Singers will confess the feelings they have for someone they love. Loved one or family. understand (cognitive) What singers will understand musically Singers will make connections of shape and dynamics to how they portray feelings.

encounter (experiential) What singers will experience musically Singers will experience beautiful music that explains every part of their love for someone. change (critical) How being musical will transform the singers Singers will impact their own views on what it means to love and have love for someone. Choral Concepts (Tone, Diction, Intonation, Posture, Breath, Phonation, Balance and Blend) Pure open and bright tone. Spanish diction and language. Equal balance and blend between sections.

Musical Concepts (Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Form, Timbre, Texture)

19

Tight harmonies, split 8 parts. Warm texture with varying dynamics. Relatability (Background story, Situational Reasoning, Life of the Human Spirit) This is said to anyone that the singer loves, either that be a partner, family member or someone from the past.

Process Physicalize: (Generate Supertask based off the given circumstances. From the given circumstances, develop bits and tasks which coincide with the supertask.) Supertask: Express feelings of love. Given Circumstances: This is a dialogue between two people, one expressing love to the other. Bits and Tasks: Follow dynamics written along with tempo markings. The most important idea about this piece is the text which from Spanish turns into this: I was not born but to love you. You, my soul has cut to its measure: and its you I want as a cloak for my soul. Your every aspect is written on my soul: I no more than read, that within it, even from you I might hide. How much I must confess I owe you: for you I was born, for you I have life. Were it necessary, for you I would die; and for you I do die. For you. The text does not unfold so easily though as it often repeats particular phrases more often than others. The music emphasizes the text, I was not born but to love you. You, my soul has cut to its measure: and, For you. Never say those phrases the same way twice.

20

Philosophize: (Create situational ifs. Allow singers to develop questions for said given circumstances. Create situational idea for musical actions. Singer input should be given in the form of homework assignments .)

Develop questions with the choir to ask about the feelings which inform musical decisions. What kinds of feelings do you have about love or the idea of love? Who could you say you associate feelings of love with? What kinds of love are there? What kind of love is being expressed through the text? Conductor presents each singer with the opportunity to create their own back-story (person or people to love, dialogue situation). How does that affect the characteristic of tone and timbre?

Psycho-analyze: (Conductor and singers discuss the intellect, will, and desire for said situation, and its ability to relate to the supertask, given circumstances, and bits and tasks . This is the point where the full story should be developed.) Conductors and singers discuss intellect, will, and desire for the text presented while rehearsing the song. The text translation is in depth and has a love of deep feelings involved. What kind of text painting occurs in the music? At this point, musical pitches and rhythm should be known.

Perform: (Conductor and Singers rehearse and perform together.) Conductor and singers rehearse Amor de mi Alma with the intent of expressing love. This will be a powerful experience for some and a meaningful experience for all. All timbre, articulation and dynamic choices were made to reflect the conductors and singers knowledge of expressing love. There should be a communication between the conductor and singer so that there can be a shared experience. Assessment: After the concert, conductor and students will examine aspects of their performance, how they felt, and what they thought was good or bad. Personal stories about a singers own experience or how that singer felt singing with the choir.

21

Warm-ups

Video representation of warm-ups at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBm34MqQbDA 1. Present warm-up 2. Present kinesthetic 3. Present scenario (given circumstances)

Lip trills o D m s f s ls m d o The queen of England is making her entrance, and you are the trumpet players. o This demonstrates a lifted palate to make the open sound required for a regal trumpet. (Discuss differences in trumpets briefly) o Also can demonstrate a communication of articulation between the conductor and the choir (slow down, speed up, change posture) Di-doh o Dsdsdmsmd o You have a stack of paper that you need to pass to the left. o Demonstrates the similarities between two different open vowels. o Also can demonstrate a communication of articulation between the conductor and the choir (slow down, speed up, change posture) Zi ah o Drmfsslfsmfrmd o You are travelling home, and youve crossed over 1000 hills, and finally you come upon this one hill and beyond that you see your home town. o Demonstrates legato and crescendo within a phrase. o Demonstrates agility in voice and expression.

22

References Boal, Augusto. (1979). Theater of the oppressed. New York: Urizen Books. Brandt, Ron. (1987). On Discipline-Based Art Education: A Conversation with Elliot Eisner (Vol. 45, pp. 6): Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Stanislavsky, Konstantin, & Benedetti, Jean. (2008). An actor's work : a student's diary. London ; New York: Routledge. Dewey, John. (1934). Art as experience. New York,: Minton. Eisner, Elliot W. (1994). Cognition and curriculum reconsidered (2nd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press. Hansen, David T. (2002). Dewey's Conception of an Environment for Teaching and Learning. Curriculum Inquiry, 32(3), 267-280. Mager, Robert Frank. (1997). Goal analysis : how to clarify your goals so you can actually achieve them (3rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: Center for Effective Performance. Moore, Allan (2002). Authenticity as authentication. Popular Music, 21 , pp 209-223 doi:10.1017/S0261143002002131 Wiggins, Grant P., McTighe, Jay, & ebrary Inc. (2005). Understanding by design Retrieved from http://www.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/cul/resolve?clio5435941