Oklahoma State University
This residency was presented in partnership with the Strings and Woodwind Chamber Music Departments of the Greenwood School of Music.
INQUIRY QUESTION
How does a chamber music program explore creative collaboration in digital spaces?
OSU faculty were challenged with the task of taking their chamber music programs online and sought assistance to provide recording and remote collaboration tools to their students.
Faculty also wanted to foster creative collaboration and interpretation skills, inside or outside of a remote setting. The curriculum typically prepares students to rehearse and perform traditional works; this residency, and the digital environment surrounding it, provided an opportunity to choose repertoire that would inspire students to develop their own interpretations collectively, and explore improvisation skills.
ACTIVITIES DESIGNED
Fifth House Ensemble curated a semester-long fully digital chamber music curriculum, choosing and assigning repertoire that could be rehearsed and performed live on video conferencing platforms.
Activities included:
Remote Rehearsal and Collaboration Workshop
Public Speaking Workshop
Performance Classes
Tech Office Hours
Digital Livestream Performance
OUTCOMES
During this residency, students:
Rehearsed, performed and led compositions by composers including Pauline Oliveros, John Cage, and Hildur Gudnadottir - adapting them for digital platforms and honing improvisation and presentation skills
Forged new creative ways to collaborate with one another artistically, exploring the process of making musical decisions in non-traditionally notated works
Learned to self-record remotely, producing high-level audio results and opening doors to current and future professional opportunities and income streams
Became sensitive, thoughtful listeners and improvisatory collaborators through the interactive practice of Deep Listening
Managed group chamber music projects, building capacity in project management and logistics in addition to artistic skills
Developed the responsiveness and flexibility needed to be a 21st century artist, cultivated through long-term adoption of skills, resources, and mindsets developed through the project
WORK SAMPLE
TESTIMONIAL
“We are so grateful for your leadership and support throughout this project ... your patience and creativity inspired all of us to try new ways of doing things and as a result, we all grew so much as artists and humans. Like us, the students loved working with you and are grateful for the time you spent supporting their efforts. This was a categorically positive, even life-changing experience for all us: these lessons about collaboration and expression the students will take into their future musical endeavors. THANK YOU for making all of this possible!”