Unleashed Passion in Free ImprovisationSarah Stiles, Music Teacher International
Unleashed Passion in Free Improvisation Article by Sarah Stiles I have sometimes felt the urge to try different music out with my pupils. There are those times when 'the usual' just does not suffice and it becomes a choice between getting the whip out or just trying something new. This is an ideal excuse to experiment on them and they are introduced to a completely different world where they can create their own improvisations, experience playing without music and also discover a wide variety of sound in the process. There are no limitations on them and they can play whatever they like.
Their passion can sometimes suddenly become unleased and it is at this point that I should mention that reports have recently reached me of a young pupil actually breaking his bow during an improvisation called 'Tranquility and Disturbance' (from Impro, Stainer & Bell). I must however stress that the intention of Free Improvisation is not about wrecking your instruments; quite the opposite in fact! The range of different sounds possible on a stringed instrument require sometimes very controlled playing. A lot of the improvisations are also note-based, exploring the imagination during a more conventional way of playing. It really depends how far you want to stretch the boundaries.
I am convinced that if teachers have the confidence and are happy to experiment with sounds and musical ideas in improvising that they will be able to incorporate some of these techniques successfully into their own practices and pass them onto their students. There are more benefits than first meet the eye. The value of listening and reacting to other players while you improvise can be an invaluable experience to be utilized in other areas of ensemble playing. It is also a good way for players to get to know their instruments inside out. This approach is not meant to replace conventional teaching but to add a little variety and compliment it. By trying out these different ways of playing with my pupils, a method of teaching has logically evolved. Impro is the result of a step by step approach to Free Improvisation directed at players who are interested in trying out a new way of making music and at teachers who wish to know how to go about teaching it. It is often the worry of how to incorporate these techniques into the lesson that stops teachers experimenting. I am very aware that most teachers are actually extremely creative and can use the ideas very effectively if they have something to work from.
What I find works well is starting off with relatively stress-free notes or sounds for a player to copy. I say 'relatively stress-free' meaning there must be no danger of students going into panic-mode and not being able to remember what was just played! The notes therefore consist of about two, three or four in total and the sounds short and preferably squeaky to put players at ease with a laugh. This level can be built up to longer and more complicated phrases to either copy or by answering them with their own phrase or sound. The level of difficulty depends entirely on the pupil and the teacher. From there on I use pieces with themes or ideas where there is a lot of room for improvising. Melodies in the written sections of the music can be played around with and used in the IMPRO sections. The players are encouraged to make up melodies themselves, interpret symbols to make music or to think up their own endings for a piece. I have adapted a lot of these pieces for Impro, Dual Band (Stainer & Bell) and Violin Stuff (De Toorts, Holland) so that other players and teachers can follow the suggestions for their improvisations as a starting point. The principles are very easy and once players get the hang of what may be expected of them (or rather what is thankfully NOT expected of them) it generally runs very smoothly. It's amazing how some musicians almost become different people because the transformation can become quite sudden. They are not restricted any more by what they may have earlier found difficult to grasp. They seem to finally be involved with the music itself.
It still surprises me that so few conservatories discuss improvisation with their students for those intending to set up teaching practices. And of course starting at the beginning and trying to introduce these ideas early on in the chain of education should ideally start at this main source. The majority of teachers have however already passed through the system and so my books, (Impro in particular) are directed at both them and the future generation of string teachers. It may even give teachers of other instruments some useful ideas. Shortly after Dual Band was published I was approached by Stichting SWING, an organization in Holland whose main occupation is to spread the word of improvisation in all its forms. They asked me to give a series of workshops for string players with the theme of Free Improvisation. This came as a most pleasant surprise for two reasons:
The first reason was that I didn't have to convince them that improvising was a fun thing to do. Convincing people of the merits of Free Improvisation is a hard enough job, something to do with all those preconceptions of it being something to do with Pop and Jazz. The second reason was that during our conversation I was backed up whole-heartedly by the organisation that the best way to reach students is by tackling music teachers first. Our meetings resulted in a series of workshops being planned for string teachers in schools and conservatories in both Holland and England with the title: Free Improvisation in the Lesson for String Teachers.
I hope that my ideas on Free Improvisation will reach other string teachers and let them know of all the possibilities open to them in their lessons. Without of course giving them the impression that I have all the answers and know everything myself! Improvisation is all about discovering it all for yourself and whilst it is possible to give pointers and ideas as to how to go about getting started, the rest comes with imagination, creativity and just having a go.