The Way of Music – Creating Sound Connections in the Music Room

Music educators gain new mastery in the creativity and community of music making. Many, if not most, music educators feel they lack the training and experience to confidently and skillfully
use improvisation techniques and strategies to meet the musical and personal goals of their students. This course addresses that need and provides a “more than music” skillset that supports teachers and students. Improvisation techniques are applied to group music making as a way of creating, enhancing, and supporting interpersonal relationships, Such as active listening, empathy, validation, leadership, risk taking, mindfulness and creativity. A unique improvisation-based approach is explored as a means for identifying, validating, and supporting
social and emotional goals and as a tool for self-awareness and relationship building–all within the context of music making.

After completing this course students will:

• have a greater capacity for music improvisation, at all stages of the musical journey.
• be better able to recognize and use improvisation techniques for building musical and interpersonal
  relationships.
• identify and use facilitative techniques to identify and manage a variety of conditions and relationships
  among and between students.
• have a better understanding of the psycho-social implications of musical relationships and how those
  can be leveraged in one’s personal life in the form of self-care and care of others.

Units

1. Music improvisation techniques and “experientials.” Students explore simple concepts to build an
   improvisation vocabulary and increase capacity and confidence.
2. Musical Relationship building and applications. Students focus on techniques of organization,
   structure, empathy, redirection, bonding, and more.
3. Facilitative techniques for moving beyond music. Students apply music improvisation as a means for
   creating opportunities for connection, expression, sharing, and support.