Music is an undeniably powerful medium. Watch a horror movie sometime with the volume turned off to see exactly how much music can add tension and emotion to a scene. Without a gripping score, horror movies can become almost comical. In Picturing the World by John C. Gilmour, the author states, "Music has an unusual capacity for direct expression of feeling" (Gilmour, 1986, pg 25). Visual artists such as Kandinsky strove to make their art more like music, more able to directly communicate emotion (Gilmour, 1986, pg 26). I especially noticed how moving a work of art made with music could be when I first heard Janet Cardiff's piece "40 Piece Motet". I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the choral work that I almost couldn't breathe. I had heard it from several galleries away and slowly moved towards the noise with so much anticipation. I didn't want to walk too quickly because I didn't want to have the experience of walking towards the haunting music end. I would probably travel a good distance to hear that piece again.
Walking around New York City, I get easily stressed out by the overwhelming sounds. I usually don't notice it until I get back to the quiet of my apartment and my shoulders suddenly drop from up above my ears. In the classroom that I am observing, the teacher sometimes plays calming music before the start of each class. I love the idea of using music and sound to create a calming, welcoming space for your students. I also think students could get really engaged in projects that involve sounds, such as creating audio documentaries, like in the TED talk podcast we listened to, or remixing/mashing familiar songs in audacity.
Gilmour, J.C., Picturing the World. State University of New York Press. NY. 1986.
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