Exploring the relationship between the educational philosophies of R. Murray Schafer and his use of graphic notation in Epitaph for Moonlight
R. Murray Schafer (b.1933) is a Canadian avant-garde composer, writer, music educator, and environmentalist. As a composer, Schafer is known for his distinctive instrumental soundscapes, the influence of the environment on his compositions, and his unique use of graphic notation. As an educator, Schafer is celebrated for bringing his philosophy on listening and alternative ways of making sound in the classroom, and for his bold ideas about notational practices in music education. His pedagogical books, including Creative Music Education (1976) and The Thinking Ear (1986), demonstrate a predisposition to involving students in his creative methods of teaching music. While researchers have studied Schafer’s educational philosophies and compositional strategies as separate entities, research on the interconnection of the two remains scarce.Through an analysis of Epitaph for Moonlight (composed for youth choir and optional percussion ensemble), this exhibit seeks to draw these two worlds together and explore the relationship between Schafer’s graphic notational practices and educational philosophies.
In his writing, Schafer’s clearly articulated a pedagogical practice that reshapes our understanding of music education. For example, he encouraged students to create their own notation through basic sketches of shapes; he believed that choric textures could be visually represented, and that musical intervals can be successfully represented by non-conventional notation. These ideas are not only outlined in his writings about music education, but are also evident within the choral score examined in this exhibit. By demonstrating the direct relationship between two of Schafer’s areas of interest, this exhibit will show how graphic notation encapsulates Schafer’s educational philosophies, and, by extension, show how the two are completely intertwined in his compositional language.
Authors
- Anastasia Lysack
Bibliography
References to come soon.