Saturday, July 28, 2007

Q and A #7 (Blogathon 63)

Amy The Black asked me: Some people think rock-n-roll is a kind of music that lacks any value socially, mentally, and musically. What are your thoughts about how
rock-n-roll fits into music education?

(Don't worry, I'm just playing Devils Advocate here. My husband teaches music at a university but we listen to rock, in addition to some classical, neo-classical, and avant-guard.)


My answer: Oh boy. Who are these people and where are they?

Personally, I think that music is music and that all types of music are equally valuable. There are definitely some styles of music that people identify with more than others and whatever gets kids to pick up an instrument, play and composing music is what’s important, not what they are playing.

I also don’t believe that rock and roll has any limitations in regard to instruments, either. You can do what you want and it allows for total creativity and imagination! Anybody can rock with any instrument. Just ask my daughter :)

Bon Jovi and Sheryl Crow are using a violinist now as a regular in their band and well, there was that flute in Jethro Tull, too :)

I was a choir singer and I love classical and chamber music, but let’s face it, the Beastie Boys “We’re Not Gonna Take It” is certainly much more fun than “Handel’s Messiah”. Kind of hard to jump around to that one :)

COMING UP NEXT: The raffle winners will be announced in my next post! Good luck everybody!

3 comments:

Amy The Black said...

Thanks for answering my question! I believe that some of the composers were, at their time, very much the same as our rock-n-roll stars are today. If you listen with a an open mind, Mozart, Beethoven, and Stravinsky ROCK!

The Rock Chick said...

They totally do! Just a little easier to tap your foot, dance, etc. to rock and roll and I think that's what draws people to it!

Thanks for stopping back!!
Jessica

Marcia (MeeAugraphie) said...

I missed your posts earlier, but I'm reading a few now. Where is Bon Jovi? I was quite sure he would be here. Maybe he was and I just missed him. LOL.

I think all music could be enjoyed to a point by more people -- if they would just listen to more of it. Hearing a few rock songs, or a few classical pieces is not a true representation.

I love a bit of it all, but the music I am drawn to is predominately Middle Eastern and rock. All the years of listening to Rock and dancing to Middle Eastern, I think I have assimilated the two rhythms.

Just wanted to say hello, Jessica: it is great that you are doing this. I'm sure VH1 is grateful.