week 8/31-9/7 VÄsen-'brewed'
LISTENING QUEST
To have rich musical journeys, listening is just as important as playing a lot!
Our Listening Quest will introduce different styles and approaches to playing violin/fiddle. There’s no way we can cover all worthy styles/bands/performers, but we can get an overview and share about our experiences of listening. The aim: For us to grow into strong listeners who can listen actively. To understand the immense diversity of music in the classical and the many folk fiddle traditions across the world. To hear how musicians are experimenting in these various traditions and beyond. To get in touch with how we respond to music in all our levels of being. And maybe some of the music will spark extra inspiration, and point us in directions in our own personal journeys as musicians. When I can, I’ll provide the album in Google Drive, though most of what we listen to will be available on iTunes, Spotify or YouTube. To really support the musicians, the very best option is to buy the music from the artists directly from their own websites or Bandcamp.
Our Listening Quest will introduce different styles and approaches to playing violin/fiddle. There’s no way we can cover all worthy styles/bands/performers, but we can get an overview and share about our experiences of listening. The aim: For us to grow into strong listeners who can listen actively. To understand the immense diversity of music in the classical and the many folk fiddle traditions across the world. To hear how musicians are experimenting in these various traditions and beyond. To get in touch with how we respond to music in all our levels of being. And maybe some of the music will spark extra inspiration, and point us in directions in our own personal journeys as musicians. When I can, I’ll provide the album in Google Drive, though most of what we listen to will be available on iTunes, Spotify or YouTube. To really support the musicians, the very best option is to buy the music from the artists directly from their own websites or Bandcamp.
WHAT THE LISTENING QUEST ASKS OF YOU
ACTIVE LISTENING
Listen to the ‘Album of the Week’ at least once with full attention. This is what we call active listening. Doing this, along with filling in the sheet and showing it to me the following week, is the requirement to earn a Fiddlebuck! If it’s not possible to listen with full attention to the entire album in one sitting, you could give it your full attention in increments (a number of tunes at a time), as long as you listen to the whole album by the end of the week.
Listening in the car is a good option, but there should be little to no talking, and zero distractions from phones or other media during.
Listening while crafting/painting/drawing is probably the very best way to do active listening. Studies show that people who doodle while listening recall more details than those who sit still. It also calms the body and makes it easier to stay focused. A repetitive or menial task would work ok too. Or dancing! As long as most of the awareness is in the music and there is little to no talking (discussing the music a little, during, is fine) and again it must be stressed, no distractions from phones, screens, or other media. And importantly, please listen through good earphones or speakers, and NOT through phone/tablet/laptop speakers.
Listening in the car is a good option, but there should be little to no talking, and zero distractions from phones or other media during.
Listening while crafting/painting/drawing is probably the very best way to do active listening. Studies show that people who doodle while listening recall more details than those who sit still. It also calms the body and makes it easier to stay focused. A repetitive or menial task would work ok too. Or dancing! As long as most of the awareness is in the music and there is little to no talking (discussing the music a little, during, is fine) and again it must be stressed, no distractions from phones, screens, or other media. And importantly, please listen through good earphones or speakers, and NOT through phone/tablet/laptop speakers.
passive listening
While active listening is the main requirement here, passive listening is also encouraged. Aspects of the music are absorbed by the subconscious and even details like melodies can be retained through passive listening, especially in a relaxed environment.
The response prompt sheet
On the surface, this exists to be filled in and shown as proof of having really listened, for the earning of a Fiddlebuck. But it really exists to provide inroads and invitations for how to listen, and to relate what the listener is hearing with the possibilities and potential in their own musical creativity.
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