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In this episode Evita and I look into what you might learn from a university degree and how you can incorporate different elements into your own learning!
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Hello Simon and Evita,
I listened to the DIY University podcast this afternoon and it made me think about how the world seems to be changing, and how social institutions that once commanded respect and implied that a certain level of expertise had been attained, are not necessarily perceived that way anymore.
What occurred to me afterwards was that the Arts are a field of endeavour, maybe the only field of endeavour, where a practitioner can achieve huge success but have no formal education/training in it. At the same time the artist has become an expert because they have devoted themselves and learned by actually doing. It is that kind of experiential knowledge which gives great credibility.
In my opinion, it seems music is actually a science. It explores the intervals of concords and discords by a mathematical and proportional arrangement. These can only be effectively demonstrated however, as an art form.
Thanks for all you do for us. It must be hard work.
Joe
Hi Joe, thanks for your thoughts. Things are definitely changing, and in some ways they are returning to the past. I feel that with the democratization of public viewing (youtube etc.) there are no guardians of the arts anymore. Education, performances, and writings will be judged by their quality rather than who approved them.
I think this is pretty exciting!
A resource I have found to be invaluable is the local community college. I am currently taking an online class of History of Latin American Music. You can take lower division courses including the 3 term theory sequence, history, and appreciation, classes. I found my private lesson teacher who is an instructor at the college, and this provides an opportunity to participate in weekly performance workshop, and juries if you want.
For me this has been much better than purely self study. You are provided a structure and requirements for paper writing and other expectations and feedback that I would miss in self study. In the history sequence for instance I believe it would be unlikely for a person to learn about the foundations of western music in church modes, and plainsong without the “push” from assigned work and the curated listening examples. You still have flexibility and self direction, but with structure to ensure growth.
Thanks Simon (and Evita) for an amazing, eloquent, timely, honest and fearless
appraisal of the potential way ahead for the passionate amateur classical guitarist.
This was a much needed and eminently practical and down to earth validation and inspiration for those of us forging our own way. The obstacles to such a previously lonely course are slowly and invigoratingly disappearing and you have nailed the Zeitgeist perfectly.
The news about certificates signed by our beloved teachers for those of us lucky enough to be participating in Guitoberfest (exactly the kind of experience reflected and foreshadowed in your podcast) is a wonderful and exciting to look forward to as ‘reward’ and validation of the efforts of us all and our teachers.
Many of us might want to hold you to the promise of the ‘lipstick seal” :-))
John