Music Discovery: Improvisation for the Large Ensemble and Music Classroom - Paperback

by Daniel J. Healy (Author), Kimberly Lansinger Ankney (Author)

Improvisation is a boundless and exciting way to experience music, especially for students. Teachers increasingly agree that improvisation is an essential skill for students to learn - however, many are unsure how to productively incorporate it in the classroom. Furthermore, most improvisational practices are centered around jazz, with very little to help even classical and vocal ensembles let alone the general music classroom. Now, in this new book, Daniel Healy and Kimberly Lansinger Ankney offer a practical volume aimed at busy music teachers. Recognizing educators' desire to balance the standard curriculum with improvisational activities, the authors provide 36 activities to incorporate into their everyday music classes and ensemble practices. All activities are flexibly designed in styles ranging from modern classical to pop. Teachers can spend anywhere from 5 minutes to an entire term on a single activity, in a variety of environments and ensembles - concert bands, orchestras, choirs, jazz ensembles, and music technology classes alike can benefit from the practices of improvisation. Aligning improvisation practices with the constraints of the classroom, the lessons focus on key music learning principles (melody, harmony, rhythm, texture/timbre, articulation, and dynamics), allowing students' basic performance skills to develop in conjunction with their improvisational ones. The book also comes with a companion website which provides helpful resources for teachers, including recordings of actual K-12 ensembles performing the improvisation activities. Designed for a wide range of ages and experience levels, Music Discovery: Improvisation for the Large Ensemble and Music Classroom is the first practical guide of its kind, and gives teachers a long-awaited jumping-off point to introduce this playful, thrilling, and vital musical practice to their students.

Author Biography

Daniel Healy is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education and Head of Music Education at Roosevelt University. He has published with the Music Educators Journal and contributed to the volume Envisioning Music Teacher Education.

Kimberly Lansinger Ankney is Assistant Professor and Director of Music Education at Christopher Newport University. She has contributed research to several publications, including Advances in Music Education Research and Visions of Research in Music Education, and written for volumes including Envisioning Music Teacher Education and Analyzing Influences: Research on Decision-Making and the Music Education Curriculum.