Soonsook Myung, D.M.A.
Piano Performance & Pedagogy

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PROJECT

Current Project:
Assesment Using Rubric In Music Performance Courses

Abstract

In the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, rubrics have been considered highly effective tools for assessing students' academic performance. By using rubrics, teachers can indicate the criteria that he/she emphasizes in his/her teaching allowing students to identify what they need to focus on while studying. However, it is challenging to create rubrics for disciplines that require are focused on creativity since it is hard to quantify this quality in a student. Judging creativity is largely subjective. Thus students might be confused by or even doubtful of whether or not their creative abilities are assessed properly.

In music performance, it is quite challenging to create a generalized rubric since assessment of individual student performance can be highly subjective. For instance, some teachers emphasize precision and accuracy, whereas other teachers emphasize translation and expression. Nevertheless, by having a rubric with clearly defined criteria students learn how to critique their performance based upon the actual criteria that their instructors use to assess the performance. Clearly defined criteria help students understand how to divide their performance into small segments, which need to be separately examined. By doing this, students can gain greater understanding about what they should look for in a good performance.

Throughout the presentation, the development process for creating rubrics in music performance disciplines will be discussed. The presentation will describe specific criteria that music teachers can adapt for performance-oriented courses and will categorize them depending on the teaching style (i.e. precision/accuracy vs. translation/expression) being implemented. Furthermore, data gleaned from student interviews on their perceptions of the use of rubrics in music performance courses will be analyzed and shared.

Current Project:
Pedagogical Comparison and Contrast Between Asian and American Approaches to Music Prodigies

Abstract

Prodigy is often defined as a highly gifted and talented child. Over the centuries, societies have witnessed many prodigies in various disciplines rise and fall. Especially, in the field of music, many prodigies have been exposed to general public through numbers of news coverage. However, it is very rare to see their maturity since training sometimes precedes talent. Their talent shines when they are little, yet they have to compete with latecomers with intensive training as they grow.

Many researchers followed these prodigies’ steps and attempted to plot the general pattern of their rise-and-fall, yet they failed in a sense since it requires more case-by-case studies on each prodigy. In general, prodigies are hard to read, and often their maturity depends on teaching and mentoring. Thus, it is required to study how they are taught and guided. In other words, it is necessary to understand pedagogical approaches to music prodigies in order to comprehend characteristics in music prodigies and proper education for them.

This paper will address the general perception towards music prodigies in Asia and America and their rise-and-fall. Glaser’s grounded theory will be used to comprehend different pedagogical approaches to music prodigy in Asia and America based on interviews with pianist, Christopher Taylor. Mr. Taylor, who earned a bronze medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, was a child prodigy himself and now teaches many Asian graduate students who once were piano prodigies at University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Current Project:
Concord Sonata by Charles Ives: Performance Manual & Reception for Experimental Music

Abstract

Concord Sonata by Charles Ives has been widely recognized as one of the most innovative modern piano pieces composed in 20th century for its uniqueness and complexity.  At the same time, this contemporary piece has been known as one of the hardest pieces to play. 

The most distinct problem raised in playing this piece is that notations Ives used are very complicated and unclear.  Unlike traditional composers, he doesn’t clearly direct performer to play the piece.  For the flexibility of playing, he said, “Concord Sonata is changeable depending on the mood or circumstance. This freedom of playing bears the improvisational possibility.”  Furthermore, experimental keyboard techniques Ives used make the piece even harder to play.  Interestingly, Ives provides performers Essay Before A Sonata.  This essay consists Emerson, Hawthorne, The Alcott, and Thoreau, which related to four movements in the piece and reflects Ives’s transcendentalism.

Throughout the presentation, efficient performance approaches for Concord Sonata will be addressed and demonstrated.  Individual movements in the piece will be interpreted according to Essay Before A Sonata: the genesis of the essay and Ives’ suggestions in his own performance notes will be acknowledged.  Many pianists have acknowledged that this piece is almost unplayable, yet this presentation will share possible guidance to play the piece.

Along with the technicality and interpretation of the piece, the reception side of this experimental piece will be addressed in terms of Comprovisation and Structuralism.  Also, how this piece could be understood, or received by both performer and listeners will be addressed.

Click to view the paper

Current Project:
Visualized Music and Its Reception: Influence of Peking Opera in Chinese Pianist’s Performance

Abstract

Although audio is a main medium for musical performance, it is inevitable for live audience to “see” how musicians perform the piece in front of their eyes. Thus, in real-time performance setting, someone’s musical performance is often judged with two categories: the quality of musical performance and the visual aspect of performance. In other words, musical performance is dichotomic, musical and visual, and both aspects should be analyzed to fully appreciate musician’s interpretation of the piece.

In piano recital, various aspects of pianist’s engagement with the instrument and piece are revealed to live audience through visual elements. Since pianist remains seated for the performance, their movements are fairly limited on the stage. Thus, audience witnesses all the pianist’s subtle movements and analyzes them to seek deeper meanings . For instance, pianist’s posture at the piano sometimes suggests pianist’s attitude toward the piece. Pianist’s body languages and facial expressions hint audience what is going through pianist’s mind on the stage.

Chinese pianists have been renowned for their visually rich performance on the stage. Their performances remind Peking Opera, which is a classic Chinese form of theater that combines instrumental music, singing, dancing, acting and acrobatics. In fact, world class Chinese pianist, Lang Lang once acknowledged his childhood memory of his mother listening to Peking Opera on the radio.

This paper will address the issue of visualized music in piano performance and analyze how Peking Opera has influenced Chinese pianist using the data obtained from interviews with Chinese pianists using grounded theory (Glaser).