The Significance Behind the Name Ars Nova de Audiation
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AUDIATION
Audiation is defined as "hearing and comprehending in one's mind sound of music not, or may never have been, physically present" (Gordon, 2012). ARS NOVA Ars Nova is Latin for "new art" and refers to a musical style that flourished in France in the 14th Century. Ars Nova may also be translated as "new style" or "new technique". It was during this period that a new form of music notation was developed, one which aligns more closely to the notation we use today. ARS NOVA de AUDIATION The name Ars Nova de Audiation is in reference to the time when students are ready to enter the process of reading notation. Gordon stated, "Notation can only help one recall what [one] can already audiate . . . one cannot learn to audiate notationally unless [one] has first learned to audiate (Gordon, 1989). When students have developed their audiation and when they are ready to enter the reading stage, they are adding a new "technique" or "type" of audiation - notational audiation. "Reading" is audiation of what is seen in music notation without sound being physically present (Gordon, 2012). When students audiate as they read and write notation, they continually reflect on and explain notation to themselves in terms of sound." |
Unless we audiate music we read and write, we cannot expect notation to impart musical meaning.” IS AUDIATION REALLY A NEW ART - TAKING A LOOK BACK While Gordon coined the term "audiation" in 1975, audiation has existed since the beginning of time. While some may refer to it as "inner hearing" or "aural perception" these reflect only one facet of "audiation". All great composers audiated. Bach was a great improviser, meaning he was not always reading notation, but rather audiating. Mozart was asked the night before the opening of Don Giovanni when was he going to compose the overture? His reply was, it's already composed, I just need to put it down on paper. Again, on his deathbed, Mozart was dictating the Requiem so it could be notated. The Requiem was already composed, however, it wasn't yet notated. We also have the Anna Magdalena Notebooks - again these served the purpose of notating what had already been audiated. I'll ask the question again, is audiation really a new art? The answer is "no", it is not, it has existed for centuries. However, it may be new to many of us in the 21st Century, only because we have been "tied" to notation, turning an "aural" art (sound) into a "visual" art (notation). In music education we are now at the crossroads of that old adage, "what was once old, is now new". |
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ORIEL STAIRCASE
The picture in the banner is of the Oriel Staircase found in the Rookery in Chicago, Illinois. Architect John Root designed an iron staircase that winds down from floor 12 to 2 and projects into the light well. The intricate, repeating patterns and the spiraling nature of the steps is both overwhelming and awe-inspiring. The picture above is looking up from the first floor to the 12th floor. (Picture taken by Gregory Chase © 2015.)
Learning is sequential and moves in a spiral motion of up and down. The image of Oriel Staircase represents this concept, and movement, of scaffolding from one level to the next, but forever moving up and down on a continuum of learning. Bruner believed a spiral curriculum would allow for information to be structured so complex ideas can be taught at a simplified level first, and then taught at a more complex level later (Bruner, 1960), As students learn one thing, they step up to the next level, referred to as "scaffolding" (Wood et al., 1976). The Oriel Staircase illustrates the concept that spiralling and scaffolding can occur simultaneously as we teach from the simple to the complex.
The picture in the banner is of the Oriel Staircase found in the Rookery in Chicago, Illinois. Architect John Root designed an iron staircase that winds down from floor 12 to 2 and projects into the light well. The intricate, repeating patterns and the spiraling nature of the steps is both overwhelming and awe-inspiring. The picture above is looking up from the first floor to the 12th floor. (Picture taken by Gregory Chase © 2015.)
Learning is sequential and moves in a spiral motion of up and down. The image of Oriel Staircase represents this concept, and movement, of scaffolding from one level to the next, but forever moving up and down on a continuum of learning. Bruner believed a spiral curriculum would allow for information to be structured so complex ideas can be taught at a simplified level first, and then taught at a more complex level later (Bruner, 1960), As students learn one thing, they step up to the next level, referred to as "scaffolding" (Wood et al., 1976). The Oriel Staircase illustrates the concept that spiralling and scaffolding can occur simultaneously as we teach from the simple to the complex.
