Applying Classical Training Across Musical Genres
Context:
Music is an integral part of human existence, dating back 35,000 years to the earliest found musical instruments, and likely extending beyond that date with the human voice. We hear music almost constantly in our daily lives: in the grocery store, elevator, AirPods, headphones, television, and on Tiktok, Instagram, and other social media platforms. We surround the most important days of our lives with music: graduations, weddings, funerals, celebrations, and birthday parties. Certainly, we can benefit from incorporating those (arguably less academic) forms of music that we know and love into our honed craft.
At times, being a classically trained musician can feel like existing in a very small universe. Really, it’s part of the charm and extraordinary nature of this community. At conventions or music events, people just seem to all know each other. There is an overarching feeling of comradery and community as we all commiserate the lows and celebrate the highs together.
However, when creating and enjoying music, the small, tightly-knit world of classical music can feel claustrophobic. The music that you love to scream-sing in your car on the way to work doesn’t seem to hold as much value here. That one Sza song that’s stuck in your head seems too vulgar to exist on the same plane as your Mozart concerto. You can’t find inspiration to play Mahler by listening to the Eagles… right? I disagree. It is possible to consider all these music genres and more as inspiration for your classical studies.
To broaden your musical universe, engage in critical day-to-day listening to find inspiration to create in all genres of music. When I started studying flute, it was mainly an academic pursuit. In middle school, I fell in love with music-making as an art form when I heard Rhonda Larson’s music for the first time. Her music (and by extension all Celtic music) became a significant source of inspiration to me. During my undergraduate degree, my Professor assigned listening journals in which each week we were expected to listen to/watch different kinds of music and write a stream of consciousness about our thoughts. That journal was game-changing for my artistry. Finding the artists that inspire you as a musician means everything. It empowers you with a message and a story to tell that you deeply care about, which will then speak to the people listening in their own ways.
There is a misconception that when performing, you want your audience to think of the music in exactly the way that you do. However, if you offer music that delivers passion and gravity, people will absorb that feeling into their own stories and perspectives in a way that is much more meaningful and far-reaching. Finding ways to engage in your daily listening to music and the artists that you love means offering more depth to your art and music-making- crossing the boundaries of musical genres to create something fresh and sincere.
Here are some suggestions for how to start:
Listen to music of varying genres (instrumental and vocal): opera, rap, country, R&B, indie, rock, classical, video game and movie music, and more. Listen to as many cultures and styles as you can. You don’t have to like every style to listen critically! However, make sure to include music that is nostalgic or important to you in your search.
Write a stream of consciousness or keep a journal with your honest thoughts and opinions on the music, as well as general observations about the style, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, lyrics, etc.
Find artists and performances within each genre you explore that you LIKE. Consider why. What do they have in their deliverance of the music that you like? How can you incorporate that special quality or character into your craft? Is there anything about their performance that you DON’T like? Why?
Make a playlist of your favorite songs from this experiment and spend part of your practice session playing along (I like to start my warm-up this way to get relaxed air flowing). You might make mistakes finding the notes at first, but just be patient, take one melodic line at a time, and match the pitches. Make your intention to capture and develop the musicality you heard within the song when it first caught your attention as opposed to perfectionism with the notes and rhythms.
Improvise on top of the themes or ideas you heard! Keep it free and flowing, but strive to add different colors and sounds that enhance the things you liked about the song. Recording yourself or writing out your new musical ideas is a great way to keep your ideas and inspiration to recall later or to build upon in the future.
Seek ways to include the sounds and colors you’ve found through this experiment in your classical music studies. For example, sometimes I like to play etudes I am working on with improvised Celtic ornaments to find new ways to view the music.
If you find true inspiration in this experience, seek out ways to perform the music you like on your instrument (recital, with friends and family, in public, etc.) Remember to credit the artists and cultures that inspired you, and share your journey with this music with the audience.
Why this is beneficial to you and your playing:
Critical listening to multiple musical genres develops your musical ear and artistry.
The method of playing along to the music by ear develops aural skills capabilities and promotes free-flowing air as well as natural playing.
The process of actively welcoming musical inspiration prevents practice room fatigue and offers new perspectives to tired, frequently played pieces.
Being knowledgeable and respectful of different kinds of music and performance that people enjoy opens the door for opportunities both in and outside of the classical world. This allows you to share your craft with multiple communities, thus broadening your impact.
By appreciating various musical genres, we can become more dynamic performers and people, and create more meaningful music for those who are not classically trained- and have more fun in the process!
Source:
Smithsonian Institution. “Musical Instruments.” The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program, June 30, 2022. https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/art-music/musical-instruments.
