Teaching
Statement
My activities as a composer, performer and scholar collectively inform my teaching approaches and interests.
Writing art music requires an exploratory attitude coupled with innate creativity. While teaching private composition lessons and classroom composition at Northwestern University, I developed a variety of exercises to draw from and expand upon each student's individual creativity. Improvisation is an important element in this process, providing a fertile environment for new ideas and sounds to enter a student's vocabulary naturally. My assignments also address the development of this new material through the handling of different parameters such as pitch, harmony and form.
Composing is a central part of my theory instruction. Currently, I teach sophomore-level tonal theory to music majors at Northwestern University. I supplement traditional forms of analysis with various composition projects, including composing and harmonizing original melodies as well as writing full-length movements. I firmly believe this type of direct engagement with the material generates an unparalleled degree of musical comprehension.
In addition to tonal theory, I recently co-taught a post-tonal theory course at Northwestern University. I lectured on topics such as Dallapiccola's twelve-tone technique, Stravinsky's use of rotational arrays, and spectral compositional techniques in the music of Gerard Grisey and Tristan Murail.
Over the past three years I have taught ear-training courses to music majors at Rice University and Northwestern University. At Northwestern I lead ear-training courses that addressed tonal and post-tonal music. Teaching both ear-training and theory has convinced me of the necessity of a multi-dimensional music education. Students must simultaneously develop their aural and mental perceptions. Their success in this endeavor depends upon their ability to see and hear structural details. My personal teaching philosophy and practices are designed with this goal in mind.
Content © 2006 Drew Baker