Music ʻ09 : Modulations

from Karen Carter, MENZA Liaison Co-ordinator.

 

This world class 5 day conference, held in Christchurch during the first week of the July holidays, lived up to its name, with a range of keynote speakers and workshops that were interesting, challenging and full of ideas. Major NZ and overseas presenters included:

 

•    Dr Pamela Burnard (Britain) on Modulating pedagogical spaces for creativity                  

    and innovation and in music education

•    Professor Sam Leong (Hong Kong) on Arts assessment for a creative future

•    Dr Richard Letts (Australia) on strategic advocacy for music education

•    the ever-witty Dr Tim Bell (NZ) with his send-up of Technology and music          

    education: the good, the bad and the ugly

•    Professor Colwyn Trevarthen (Scotland) on How innate rhythms of life become

    fabulous art in sound

•    John Hopkins (Australia) and his entertaining stories from his book ‘The point

    of the baton’

•    Rawiri Toia (NZ) on modulating musical cultures, a Maori music perspective

•    Andrew Penman (Salmonella Dub)  and Musical practices: realistic thoughts

    on music and education and

•    Dr Jane Southcott (Australia) on the mismatch of the school music curriculum

    to the preparation of teachers in Victoria.

 

Surrounding the major presentations were an array of workshops and seminars that catered for all interests. Making selections was difficult as the choices were many and the quality high e.g. songwriting with talented NZ rock musicians, APRA, Play it Strange, StarJam,  Arts Online, the NCEA standards alignment group, composers, Itinerant Music teachers, SOUNZ and so much more. The musical entertainment was spectacular, ranging from the NZ Trio, NZ Secondary Students’ Choir, National Youth Orchestra and local Big Bands to community musicians, primary, intermediate and secondary school ensembles, cultural groups and the incomparable songs of John Drummond.