Sectional 3 is a highly improvisational/freeplay class. Mondays are sight reading days and Wednesdays are play days usingthe theme of the week as the point of reference with occasional instruction toguide things along. You never know what will happen during these times.

Sometimes things come together and sometimes they don’t. Butthe point of the exercise is to try - to engage the students’ improvisationalcreativity within context of an ensemble where they have to listen and respondto other players as well.  The joyand freedom in knowing that it’s okay if things don’t really come together allthe time allows each student to explore his or her instrument without fear or judgment. 

This semester we have explored motives and retrograde,colors, silence/space, emotions, rhythm and movement, and responding toliterature to name a few.  Thisweek we explored the idea of responding to pictures and paintings. To enhancethe experience we had local artist, Sarah Hascher, come join in on the fun.

Fora little over 45 minutes Sarah painted while the students’ played. It waswonderful to watch and listen as they played off one another; the students’musical choices leading Sarah’s painting choices and vice versa. At the end Sarahhad created a beautiful painting and the students a beautiful piece ofmusic. Unplanned and unrehearsed. It 

Sarah commented afterwards that her painting did not comeout anything like she had thought it would, not that she knew what that was going to be in the first place. Ah, the joy of engaging our own creativity without anypreconceived ideas as to the outcome. It’s a glorious journey if you arewilling to engage in the process.

If you’re interested in seeing the painting and/or listeningto the music swing by the school. We’d be happy to share with you. The arts,after all, are for all people!

Play on my friends!