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About this journey

(1934)

Music is a simultaneity and succession of pitches and combinations thereof, organized so that… their influence allows us to live in a dreamland of fulfilled wishes...

Things to bring along…

  • The website and PDF “journal”

  • Computer or mobile device with internet access

  • Headphones or speakers

  • Pencil and other writing tools

  • Camera 

  • Audio(-visual) recording device

  • Something to keep everything together--zip lock, bag, envelope, box…

  • Curiosity, questions, emotions, honesty, and an open heart

...and leave behind.

  • Judgment

  • Criticism

  • Ideas of normality

  • Restrictions or constrictions (within moderation)

General Resources

PDF_file_icon.png

Click here to
download t
he "journal" (worksheet).

From Schoenberg

“Unfortunately, methods in music teaching, instead of making students thoroughly acquainted with music itself, furnish a conglomerate of more or less true historical, facts, sugar-coated with a  great number of more or less false anecdotes about the composer, his performers, his audiences, and his critics, puls a strong dose of popularized esthetics.” (p. 37)

“‘Music appreciation’ often gives a music student not much more than the perfume of a work, that narcotic emanation of music which affects the senses without involving the mind [...] of course the best way to train a musical ear is to expose it to as much serious music as possible. ..read music play music or even listen to music much more than they do today.” (p. 147)

About the project and about us

The Creative Thinking of Schoenberg:
Exploring Opportunities for Musical Learning Today

Schoenberg's creative and educational outputs encourage educators to rethink music and interdisciplinary learning, and such a goal would allow students to discover and document their curiosities--as authentically as Schoenberg did, and as the Schoenberg Center continues to do. Delving into the creative process of musicians, not only their final compositions, allows listeners as learners to engage in “musicking”--the understanding of music as a process, not an object. Creative and reflective "making" (e.g. composition, performance, and other creatively artistic bricolages) are musicians’ regular processes and a rich lens through which process-oriented, learner-driven, and interdisciplinary thinking can be encouraged. Schoenberg--his influential compositions in relation to his multifaceted life--can allow for the rethinking of the “what” and “how” of learning music beyond traditional music history and theory. Constructionism and a holistic music education allow students to not only learn to perform music in their classroom, but also to embed creative practices like bricolage and documentation of reflective processes in their own lives as artists and musical learners.

Hanako sawada

Hanako is an international arts educator and arts administrator who is continuously questioning and exploring learning in and through music. She studied music education and trombone performance at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and she received her Ed.M. Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research interests include innovative, interdisciplinary, and equitable practices in music learning. Currently, she works in Singapore as an elementary music teacher at Singapore American School, supports the Pacific Music Festival (an educational music festival), and explores how to better (un/re)learn as a teacher coach for Harvard's Project Zero. She warmly welcome any questions and/or feedback regarding this work-in-progress at has280@mail.harvard.edu

Jess Paik - Web Designer

From Jess: "I craft meaningful experiences through teaching and learning.  I studied Painting and History of Visual Culture at the Rhode Island School of Design and Arts in Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, with a focus on multidisciplinary design (steam). My creative activities have grown and wandered vastly from traditional drawing and painting, to graphic design, book making, felting, stop-motion, and interactive digital curations. My major source of professional work experience has been in working for arts in education within museums, and designing interactive digital experiences from all around the world with the company, TeamLab. Now, I work full time as an Assistant Professor of Design and Program Director of User Experience Design at the Azusa Pacific University. Concurrently, I work part time and remotely as a graphic designer for the Stanford Health Care Blood Center. I hope to continue my research in visual literacy in education, and one day to successfully launch my own illustration publishing company."

vIVIAN MÓL - Web Designer

From Vivian: "Essentially, a Carioca (Rio de Janeiro born and raised) besieged by the sun. 
I'm always looking for new projects and people to share and develop good ideas. 
I'm an Art Director and Graphic Designer who's really into photography, video-games, music, interior decoration, urban interventions, upcycle, creative solutions and of course, in being up to date on the latest design and technology innovation. I love to learn about new things! Most of my work experience in advertising was focused on the educational branch, developing promotional and institutional materials."

FELIPE BORDALO - Web Designer

From Felipe: "Growing up along my grandfather who was a military doctor, a model builder, an amateur radio enthusiast, a photographer, an early computer hobbyist among a lot of other things, gave me this notion that there is so much in this world to see, to learn, and experiment that I could settle for just a couple interests in life. So, at this moment, I think is fair to say that I'm a graphic designer, photographer, educator & video game collector from Rio de Janeiro but not necessarily in that order. Most importantly, I'm a lifelong learner who never ceases to be amazed!"

Special thanks to:

thank

you

  • All leadership and staff at the Schoenberg Center, with much gratitude to Director Angelika Möser for your generous support, Karin Nemec for taking care of my logistics, and Therese Muxeneder and Eike Feß for your guidance, expertise, and kindness during and after my stay. 

  • The Avenir Foundation for the financial support and belief in this research.

  • Belmond Music and Mr. Larry Schoenberg for the rights to explore and share all the carefully preserved materials from his father.

  • Jess Paik, alongside Vivian Mol & Felipe Bordalo, for your collaborative and artful technical support for the web design.

  • My music and arts teachers and colleagues, who continuously challenge and inspire me.

  • Family and friends from around the world who feed my soul.

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