[Applause] good evening so as you heard I’m a
good evening so as you heard I’m a
good evening so as you heard I’m a musicologist and that’s a fancy way of
musicologist and that’s a fancy way of
musicologist and that’s a fancy way of saying that it’s my job to think about
saying that it’s my job to think about
saying that it’s my job to think about talk about and write about music it’s
talk about and write about music it’s
talk about and write about music it’s amazing and I love it but when I went to
amazing and I love it but when I went to
amazing and I love it but when I went to college I had no idea it was the thing I
college I had no idea it was the thing I
college I had no idea it was the thing I could do literally no clue that
could do literally no clue that
could do literally no clue that musicology was a thing but whenever I’d
musicology was a thing but whenever I’d
musicology was a thing but whenever I’d go to my piano lessons I would always
go to my piano lessons I would always
go to my piano lessons I would always spend the first 15 minutes annoying my
spend the first 15 minutes annoying my
spend the first 15 minutes annoying my professor with questions who was this
professor with questions who was this
professor with questions who was this composer why is this music important
composer why is this music important
composer why is this music important today why did we play it like this
today why did we play it like this
today why did we play it like this instead of like that after a couple of
instead of like that after a couple of
instead of like that after a couple of probably exhausting years my teacher SAT
probably exhausting years my teacher SAT
probably exhausting years my teacher SAT me down for a talk and I remember it
me down for a talk and I remember it
me down for a talk and I remember it vividly he said you know until now I
vividly he said you know until now I
vividly he said you know until now I just thought you were killing time so I
just thought you were killing time so I
just thought you were killing time so I wouldn’t know you didn’t practice but
wouldn’t know you didn’t practice but
wouldn’t know you didn’t practice but now I think you might really be
now I think you might really be
now I think you might really be interested in this stuff so we told me
interested in this stuff so we told me
interested in this stuff so we told me what musicology was and he suggested
what musicology was and he suggested
what musicology was and he suggested maybe I should go to graduate school for
maybe I should go to graduate school for
maybe I should go to graduate school for that instead of her piano which now that
that instead of her piano which now that
that instead of her piano which now that i think about it is actually a little
i think about it is actually a little
i think about it is actually a little bit insulting but luckily for me he was
bit insulting but luckily for me he was
bit insulting but luckily for me he was absolutely right so after college I went
absolutely right so after college I went
absolutely right so after college I went off to graduate school for six years six
off to graduate school for six years six
off to graduate school for six years six years and not that I thought about it
years and not that I thought about it
years and not that I thought about it pretty much every day during that time
pretty much every day during that time
pretty much every day during that time or anything but six years is longer than
or anything but six years is longer than
or anything but six years is longer than people spend in business school and law
people spend in business school and law
people spend in business school and law school put together so why did it take
school put together so why did it take
school put together so why did it take so long because I had to become an
so long because I had to become an
so long because I had to become an expert here are a few of the things that
expert here are a few of the things that
expert here are a few of the things that I learned how to compose a fugue in the
I learned how to compose a fugue in the
I learned how to compose a fugue in the style of the composer jsbach how to
style of the composer jsbach how to
style of the composer jsbach how to recognize drumming patterns in
recognize drumming patterns in
recognize drumming patterns in afro-cuban music how to read and
afro-cuban music how to read and
afro-cuban music how to read and understand books of music philosophy in
understand books of music philosophy in
understand books of music philosophy in French and German I studied the impact
French and German I studied the impact
French and German I studied the impact of cassette tapes on music culture in
of cassette tapes on music culture in
of cassette tapes on music culture in 1980s india and the meanings of
1980s india and the meanings of
1980s india and the meanings of illustrations in 14th century music
illustrations in 14th century music
illustrations in 14th century music manuscripts
manuscripts
manuscripts and I spent months searching archives
and I spent months searching archives
and I spent months searching archives for missing letters unpublished
for missing letters unpublished
for missing letters unpublished manuscripts and obscure newspaper
manuscripts and obscure newspaper
manuscripts and obscure newspaper articles experts are important every
articles experts are important every
articles experts are important every field from quantum physics to auto
field from quantum physics to auto
field from quantum physics to auto repair has experts and that’s a good
repair has experts and that’s a good
repair has experts and that’s a good thing because we need experts experts
thing because we need experts experts
thing because we need experts experts make the world a better place but right
make the world a better place but right
make the world a better place but right now we’re on the cusp of a future where
now we’re on the cusp of a future where
now we’re on the cusp of a future where experts don’t matter and we have to try
experts don’t matter and we have to try
experts don’t matter and we have to try to fix that a startling number of people
to fix that a startling number of people
to fix that a startling number of people today either don’t trust experts or are
today either don’t trust experts or are
today either don’t trust experts or are simply unaware of what experts are
simply unaware of what experts are
simply unaware of what experts are saying climate science happens to be one
saying climate science happens to be one
saying climate science happens to be one good example because we have a lot of
good example because we have a lot of
good example because we have a lot of good polling data on that recent data
good polling data on that recent data
good polling data on that recent data from the Pew Research Center indicates
from the Pew Research Center indicates
from the Pew Research Center indicates that among PhD holding members of the
that among PhD holding members of the
that among PhD holding members of the American Association for the Advancement
American Association for the Advancement
American Association for the Advancement of science ninety-three percent believe
of science ninety-three percent believe
of science ninety-three percent believe the earth is warming as a result of
the earth is warming as a result of
the earth is warming as a result of human actions ninety-three percent
human actions ninety-three percent
human actions ninety-three percent that’s pretty good that’s been a that’s
that’s pretty good that’s been a that’s
that’s pretty good that’s been a that’s an a-minus may be right that’s what we
an a-minus may be right that’s what we
an a-minus may be right that’s what we call a solid consensus now the
call a solid consensus now the
call a solid consensus now the percentage of Americans who believe
percentage of Americans who believe
percentage of Americans who believe there’s consensus on this topic is
there’s consensus on this topic is
there’s consensus on this topic is twenty-seven percent that’s not good
twenty-seven percent that’s not good
twenty-seven percent that’s not good that means there’s a disconnect between
that means there’s a disconnect between
that means there’s a disconnect between what experts are saying and what
what experts are saying and what
what experts are saying and what non-experts are hearing now climate
non-experts are hearing now climate
non-experts are hearing now climate change is just one example we can find
change is just one example we can find
change is just one example we can find something similar in almost every field
something similar in almost every field
something similar in almost every field from medicine to economics to literary
from medicine to economics to literary
from medicine to economics to literary criticism there are a lot of reasons why
criticism there are a lot of reasons why
criticism there are a lot of reasons why faith and experts seems to be eroding we
faith and experts seems to be eroding we
faith and experts seems to be eroding we can blame the media the educational
can blame the media the educational
can blame the media the educational system social media bubbles
system social media bubbles
system social media bubbles opportunistic politicians and more but I
opportunistic politicians and more but I
opportunistic politicians and more but I think as experts and experts in training
think as experts and experts in training
think as experts and experts in training we have to be willing to take part of
we have to be willing to take part of
we have to be willing to take part of that blame on ourselves too because we
that blame on ourselves too because we
that blame on ourselves too because we often do a terrible job of communicating
often do a terrible job of communicating
often do a terrible job of communicating about the same subjects we’re so
about the same subjects we’re so
about the same subjects we’re so passionate about I learned so many
passionate about I learned so many
passionate about I learned so many things while becoming an expert but one
things while becoming an expert but one
things while becoming an expert but one thing I never
thing I never
thing I never was really taught was how to communicate
was really taught was how to communicate
was really taught was how to communicate with people who aren’t also experts and
with people who aren’t also experts and
with people who aren’t also experts and I’m not alone in fact not only are we
I’m not alone in fact not only are we
I’m not alone in fact not only are we not sure how but a lot of experts seem
not sure how but a lot of experts seem
not sure how but a lot of experts seem unclear about whether we even should try
unclear about whether we even should try
unclear about whether we even should try to communicate across a broad spectrum
to communicate across a broad spectrum
to communicate across a broad spectrum of people we often make the mistake of
of people we often make the mistake of
of people we often make the mistake of acquainting complexity of expression
acquainting complexity of expression
acquainting complexity of expression with complexity of thought for me
with complexity of thought for me
with complexity of thought for me somewhere in grad school I started
somewhere in grad school I started
somewhere in grad school I started believing that to be successful I had to
believing that to be successful I had to
believing that to be successful I had to make everything pretty much as
make everything pretty much as
make everything pretty much as complicated as it could be i would
complicated as it could be i would
complicated as it could be i would literally write a paragraph and then go
literally write a paragraph and then go
literally write a paragraph and then go back and rewrite it to be less
back and rewrite it to be less
back and rewrite it to be less understandable how messed up is that I
understandable how messed up is that I
understandable how messed up is that I wanted more jargony buzz words more
wanted more jargony buzz words more
wanted more jargony buzz words more references to trendy scholars more words
references to trendy scholars more words
references to trendy scholars more words and phrases that no one would actually
and phrases that no one would actually
and phrases that no one would actually ever use in conversation like these be
ever use in conversation like these be
ever use in conversation like these be honest raise your hand if you’ve ever
honest raise your hand if you’ve ever
honest raise your hand if you’ve ever used one of these words in a paper I
used one of these words in a paper I
used one of these words in a paper I knew it now that kind of communicating
knew it now that kind of communicating
knew it now that kind of communicating can sometimes help you be taken
can sometimes help you be taken
can sometimes help you be taken seriously among your expert peers it’s
seriously among your expert peers it’s
seriously among your expert peers it’s like a secret handshake that only the
like a secret handshake that only the
like a secret handshake that only the really cool kids know with cool being
really cool kids know with cool being
really cool kids know with cool being highly subjective in this case but
highly subjective in this case but
highly subjective in this case but somewhere in the course of learning to
somewhere in the course of learning to
somewhere in the course of learning to walk talk think and write like an expert
walk talk think and write like an expert
walk talk think and write like an expert we can lose track of the fact that in
we can lose track of the fact that in
we can lose track of the fact that in some context that same language can be
some context that same language can be
some context that same language can be off-putting or alienating now I want to
off-putting or alienating now I want to
off-putting or alienating now I want to be one hundred percent clear I am not
be one hundred percent clear I am not
be one hundred percent clear I am not advocating for dumbing down what it is
advocating for dumbing down what it is
advocating for dumbing down what it is that we do I’m not even arguing against
that we do I’m not even arguing against
that we do I’m not even arguing against discipline specific language we just
discipline specific language we just
discipline specific language we just have to know when and how to use it
have to know when and how to use it
have to know when and how to use it believe me I love a good debate about
believe me I love a good debate about
believe me I love a good debate about thorny issues that come up in my own
thorny issues that come up in my own
thorny issues that come up in my own research on video game music so if
research on video game music so if
research on video game music so if anybody wants to talk with me after the
anybody wants to talk with me after the
anybody wants to talk with me after the talk about let’s say deconstructing
talk about let’s say deconstructing
talk about let’s say deconstructing paradigms of Ludo narrative dissonance
paradigms of Ludo narrative dissonance
paradigms of Ludo narrative dissonance please feel free but if I’m not
please feel free but if I’m not
please feel free but if I’m not advocating for dumbing down what am i
advocating for dumbing down what am i
advocating for dumbing down what am i advocating for I think we have to become
advocating for I think we have to become
advocating for I think we have to become better at what linguists call code
better at what linguists call code
better at what linguists call code switching we have to understand how to
switching we have to understand how to
switching we have to understand how to change the way that we communicate
change the way that we communicate
change the way that we communicate based on who it is that we’re talking to
based on who it is that we’re talking to
based on who it is that we’re talking to those of us who are educators need to
those of us who are educators need to
those of us who are educators need to teach those skills and all of us need to
teach those skills and all of us need to
teach those skills and all of us need to work on developing and refining them
work on developing and refining them
work on developing and refining them constantly it’s not always easy take it
constantly it’s not always easy take it
constantly it’s not always easy take it from me I’ve given talks in front of
from me I’ve given talks in front of
from me I’ve given talks in front of some of the leading figures in my field
some of the leading figures in my field
some of the leading figures in my field and I’ve published hundreds of pages of
and I’ve published hundreds of pages of
and I’ve published hundreds of pages of scholarly books and articles but
scholarly books and articles but
scholarly books and articles but communicating with non-experts that’s
communicating with non-experts that’s
communicating with non-experts that’s tough stuff for the last few years I’ve
tough stuff for the last few years I’ve
tough stuff for the last few years I’ve really dedicated myself to getting
really dedicated myself to getting
really dedicated myself to getting better at it and it’s taken me way
better at it and it’s taken me way
better at it and it’s taken me way outside my comfort zone sometimes I
outside my comfort zone sometimes I
outside my comfort zone sometimes I write articles for magazines or blogs
write articles for magazines or blogs
write articles for magazines or blogs instead of for academic journals or I
instead of for academic journals or I
instead of for academic journals or I give informal pre-concert talks before
give informal pre-concert talks before
give informal pre-concert talks before music concerts in my area like the fort
music concerts in my area like the fort
music concerts in my area like the fort worth opera or the Dallas Symphony
worth opera or the Dallas Symphony
worth opera or the Dallas Symphony earlier this week for example for the
earlier this week for example for the
earlier this week for example for the second time i sat on stage in a packed
second time i sat on stage in a packed
second time i sat on stage in a packed concert hall and gave commentary for a
concert hall and gave commentary for a
concert hall and gave commentary for a program of video game music for the
program of video game music for the
program of video game music for the dallas wins one of the world’s leading
dallas wins one of the world’s leading
dallas wins one of the world’s leading wind bands it’s been terrifying and you
wind bands it’s been terrifying and you
wind bands it’s been terrifying and you should do it too because it’s also been
should do it too because it’s also been
should do it too because it’s also been unbelievably rewarding so how do we do
unbelievably rewarding so how do we do
unbelievably rewarding so how do we do that there are so many different ways
that there are so many different ways
that there are so many different ways and we each have to find our own path
and we each have to find our own path
and we each have to find our own path because we’re all good at different
because we’re all good at different
because we’re all good at different things but let me give you just three
things but let me give you just three
things but let me give you just three sort of simple tips to help you get
sort of simple tips to help you get
sort of simple tips to help you get started first edit edit edit when you
started first edit edit edit when you
started first edit edit edit when you write something for a non-expert
write something for a non-expert
write something for a non-expert audience it’s going to take a lot of TLC
audience it’s going to take a lot of TLC
audience it’s going to take a lot of TLC especially when you’re used to writing
especially when you’re used to writing
especially when you’re used to writing term papers or academic articles every
term papers or academic articles every
term papers or academic articles every single sentence that I right I say does
single sentence that I right I say does
single sentence that I right I say does this help people understand this better
this help people understand this better
this help people understand this better and does it help get them as passionate
and does it help get them as passionate
and does it help get them as passionate about this subject as I am and if not it
about this subject as I am and if not it
about this subject as I am and if not it gets cut even if I think it’s great to
gets cut even if I think it’s great to
gets cut even if I think it’s great to ask for help ask everybody and I mean
ask for help ask everybody and I mean
ask for help ask everybody and I mean everybody I send things to my friends to
everybody I send things to my friends to
everybody I send things to my friends to my colleagues to my former teachers
my colleagues to my former teachers
my colleagues to my former teachers basically anybody I could corner in a
basically anybody I could corner in a
basically anybody I could corner in a hallway or guilt trip with an email
hallway or guilt trip with an email
hallway or guilt trip with an email truth time I’m the tenured professor and
truth time I’m the tenured professor and
truth time I’m the tenured professor and I still send a lot of what I write to my
I still send a lot of what I write to my
I still send a lot of what I write to my mother so she
mother so she
mother so she tell me if it makes sense to a non
tell me if it makes sense to a non
tell me if it makes sense to a non musicologist there is no shame in asking
musicologist there is no shame in asking
musicologist there is no shame in asking for other people’s advice three practice
for other people’s advice three practice
for other people’s advice three practice communicating every chance you get when
communicating every chance you get when
communicating every chance you get when you run into a friend from high school
you run into a friend from high school
you run into a friend from high school and they ask you what you’re up to maybe
and they ask you what you’re up to maybe
and they ask you what you’re up to maybe don’t just say I’m working in a lab say
don’t just say I’m working in a lab say
don’t just say I’m working in a lab say I’m working to develop new medical
I’m working to develop new medical
I’m working to develop new medical treatments or I’m researching new ways
treatments or I’m researching new ways
treatments or I’m researching new ways to clean up the water use that time to
to clean up the water use that time to
to clean up the water use that time to open up space for discussion talk with
open up space for discussion talk with
open up space for discussion talk with that old lady at church about how you’re
that old lady at church about how you’re
that old lady at church about how you’re directing a play that deals with civil
directing a play that deals with civil
directing a play that deals with civil rights or tell that friendly stranger on
rights or tell that friendly stranger on
rights or tell that friendly stranger on the bus all about your term paper on
the bus all about your term paper on
the bus all about your term paper on Bollywood films or bond with your
Bollywood films or bond with your
Bollywood films or bond with your cousins at Thanksgiving about that great
cousins at Thanksgiving about that great
cousins at Thanksgiving about that great class you’re taking on income inequality
class you’re taking on income inequality
class you’re taking on income inequality in Appalachia it feels weird it really
in Appalachia it feels weird it really
in Appalachia it feels weird it really really does it takes hard work and it
really does it takes hard work and it
really does it takes hard work and it takes courage to communicate outside our
takes courage to communicate outside our
takes courage to communicate outside our comfort zones but it’s essential that we
comfort zones but it’s essential that we
comfort zones but it’s essential that we put in that effort and we learn how to
put in that effort and we learn how to
put in that effort and we learn how to do it the world needs experts now more
do it the world needs experts now more
do it the world needs experts now more than ever before and it needs you all to
than ever before and it needs you all to
than ever before and it needs you all to be those experts it needs you to make
be those experts it needs you to make
be those experts it needs you to make breakthroughs in the labs and in the
breakthroughs in the labs and in the
breakthroughs in the labs and in the concert halls and in the classrooms but
concert halls and in the classrooms but
concert halls and in the classrooms but it also needs you to be experts who can
it also needs you to be experts who can
it also needs you to be experts who can break through to other people we have to
break through to other people we have to
break through to other people we have to do our best to engage with the many
do our best to engage with the many
do our best to engage with the many different types of people that are all
different types of people that are all
different types of people that are all around us because only then can we help
around us because only then can we help
around us because only then can we help them see the value in the things that
them see the value in the things that
them see the value in the things that we’re so passionate about it’s a tall
we’re so passionate about it’s a tall
we’re so passionate about it’s a tall order i know but you can do it trust me
order i know but you can do it trust me
order i know but you can do it trust me i’m an expert thank
”
Be First to Comment