The Gesellschaft für Musiktheorie (GMTH) has published a memorandum in the interest of adjunct teaching staff in music theory, which amounts to a considerable part of its members at German music universities. The most important desiderata are an increase of permanent positions and the reduction of classes taught by freelancers to a maximum of 20 percent. I was involved as a co-author in this paper, and more statements are to be issued soon.
Teaching
A Stunning New Campus
After months of absence from my workplace, I was excited to explore the possibilities of the new university campus at Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, where my department has found its new home. Ambience and interior design go very well with the purpose of the recently completed building, which also provides large new spaces for the library and plenty of rehearsal rooms. It’s just a pity that face-to-face teaching is still not possible, and I look forward to meeting my students again in this environment. For now, I turned one of the seminar rooms into a digital workspace from where I delivered my online classes. Here is what it looked like—the technical equipment is quite satisfying, and I can well imagine to use a similar setup for hybrid classes, if needed in the near future.
EPTA Video Lecture
I recently participated in this year’s online seminar of EPTA Deutschland, which comprised a series of papers and presentations dedicated to aural skills and aspects of ear training in piano pedagogy. My video lecture Listening, Playing, Understanding (in German language) focuses on different methods of synchronous playing and singing that are applicable in online teaching and blended learning, making use of tools such as on-screen keyboards and web tutorials. I believe that the instruction of instrumental performance and music theory subjects can significantly benefit from these (and similar) methods. If you are also interested in this field and can spare some 15 minutes to watch the video, please feel free to share your thoughts!
Launch of Musiktheorie Digital
Glad to be participating in the development of a new website dedicated to the exchange of music theory resources and OER teaching materials. The project is named Musiktheorie Digital and was started by my colleague Krystoffer Dreps. In collaboration with fellow music theorists Magdalena Büttner and Dennis Mayer, we will strive to gather a comprehensive and cross-linked collection of worksheets, syllabi, musical examples, and literature that is searchable by subject, media type, and author. The goal is not to keep one’s digital content to oneself, but to make it widely available to lecturers and students in German-speaking academia, and to motivate others involved in teaching music theory and aural skills to contribute and share their resources. Everybody is welcome to participate, so don’t hesitate to get in touch and open an account!
Teaching Online Revisited
The third digital semester at Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf has started last week, and teaching online already feels somewhat familiar. I tried to further improve my methodology and will now regularly use collaborative platforms for real-time music analysis and score-writing assignments. Jamboard and Noteflight promise to be convenient tools to enhance the classroom experience. Maybe these will also increase the students’ disposition to take part in peer assessment and self-evaluation routines. Blended learning and teaching aural skills will hopefully benefit from the use of Shared Piano, an on-screen keyboard that allows up to ten persons to play simultaneously. I am still unsure, though, about the best way to move music theory exams online without having to rely on scans or photographs of paper worksheets.
I am particularly looking forward to a music analysis seminar that I am offering to instrumentalists and students in the musicology minor. We will be exploring the repertoire of the Russian Silver Age, ranging from Scriabin, Rachmaninov, and Medtner to Myaskovsky, the early Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as lesser-known figures such as the Gnesin siblings, Aleksandrov, and Roslavets. Let me know in case you are interested in attending as a guest auditor.