At our music school in Midland, Texas we believe that music more than sound, it is relationships. However, the following delves into greater detail about what music is and how it functions in our lives.
When asking the question of why studying music is important, the first question to ask is, “What music is, in the first place?” To understand what music is, by contrast, it is helpful to assess what it is not.
Music is not a sport – although in recent pop-culture it has become vogue to render comparisons of up-and-coming artists, ultimately thrusting the winners into greater public awareness, music’s substance goes deeper. Art is difficult to scientifically compare. It is more like comparing apples to oranges. Every artist is uniquely individual, and although one may seem to shine over another at one moment, when cast in a different setting the originally less preferred artist may shine.
As stated earlier, music, in its purest form, does not seek to ‘divide and conquer’ but rather to unite and find common ground. Even acoustics shows us that when two waveforms are in perfect phase with one another, they double their amplitude (become twice as loud), while the same waveforms when out of phase cancel each other out. This perfectly describes the benefit of finding common ground to amplify when individuals come together to make music.
At our music school in Midland, Texas we encourage our students to participate in ensemble playing, which gives them experience in learning the value of synergy.
Music is not entertainment – while obviously people are entertained by music, music in itself carries greater meaning. While the root word for entertainment comes from the Latin suggesting the idea of holding someone’s attention or interest, the root word for music is derived from the word ‘muse,’ or to think. All music seeks to convey a message. Even though it may capture someone’s attention, it does so for the purpose of conveying meaning. This meaning may or may not be easily understood by the listener, but it is the reason for the music’s existence.
Music is not purely sound – the old adage is relevant here, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” If music is only made by AI and no one ever hears it or responds to it, is it really music? Music is meant to resonate with a listener, to send meaning and from that meaning to create a response. Music is for the living. Music must be responded to. When a concert-goer leaves the auditorium he wants to communicate his response to a friend. A reviewer wants to write an article. A student wants to add his critique of the performance. A radio-listener wants to sing along. Music was built for community.
We encourage students at our music school in Midland, Texas to find their own artistic convictions and to openly share them in constructive ways.
Delving further into the question of what music is leads us to look at some of its components. Most people would admit that music emotionally moves them. There is a definite emotional component to music. Most pieces of music, whether they be a song or an instrumental work carry an emotional ‘tone’ that is consistent throughout its duration. That emotional color may ebb and flow in one way or another, but it is unmistakably there. This can be any number of emotions, ranging from anger to love, victorious clamor to gentile sensitivity. The listener is also moved to respond to this emotional language, usually in similar tone, but not always.
Another element sometimes less obvious is that of pattern and design. As humans, we perceive truth based upon pattern and design. Whether we are always aware of it, or not, when something doesn’t seem ‘right,’ it is usually because we are perceiving incongruence in what we are experiencing.
Music, beautifully composed, is usually filled with carefully constructed motivic development. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is a perfect illustration in its opening five notes, reiterated in various transpositions and rhythmic augmentations and diminutions, ultimately creating the entirety of the symphony. When we see a flower or a seashell we sense order, and from that order, we see beauty. We can’t always explain why, but this also translates into an emotional sense of ‘wholeness.’
We teach students at our music school in Midland, Texas how motivic development is derived and useful in composition and analysis.
Because music always conveys meaning, whether emotional or by way of beautiful design, it is used throughout our life-experiences in a number of ways.
Music is used to advertise and sell – a catchy jingle for a hamburger or insurance add could be an example of this. Pop-stars sometimes promote themselves as the product in order to gain more attention and revenue. A number of classical compositions have been written to honor a king or a nation. Each country has a national anthem.
Music is used for itself – ‘music for music’s sake’ is often produced for those who are artistically trained to appreciate its intricacies. Each style has its aficionados. Styles can become like a language carrying deeper meaning to the studied observer. How many who are new to a jazz club exclaim, “This all sounds the same to me.” Yet deep listeners hear three-dimensional meaning and every nuance.
We hope to expose students in our music school in Midland, Texas to a wide variety of musical styles, helping them to appreciate each one for its own beauty.
Music has been used since the dawn of time for worship. Numerous examples fill every culture. In the Bible the subject of music is more plentiful than most realize. King David and his son Solomon wrote numerous songs. We have the book of Psalms and the Song of Solomon as some of their most famous works. David had instruments made for the purpose of worship and even set up teams of the most highly skilled priests to provide twenty-four-hour continuous music for worship before God’s Presence at the Tabernacle.
We can gain insight into ancient civilization’s thoughts about music by examining the first known musician in the Bible, whose name was Jubal. The meaning of his name is ‘to flow.’ And the song-leader for King David, who also penned numerous songs, was named Asaph. His name means ‘to gather.’
We can see by these examples that music through the ages has been used to convey meaning, particularly in a flow of beauty and emotion for the purpose of gathering others in relationship.
It is our goal at our music school in Midland, Texas to foster positive relationships through musical activities and participation in ensembles and groups of various forms.
Relationship could be understood as with one’s self, with those who are participating in ensemble with one another, relationship with the audience, those who are listening and being moved by what they are hearing, even relationship with God in worship. Much like Newton’s Cradle, the impetus flows through the seemingly static hanging metallic spheres, ultimately transferring to the last one, making it jump, we are all impacted by music, and without one another, there could be no transfer, flow, or relationship.
It is in all of these relationships that music exists, impacting all who are touched by its intrinsic power.