How Do We Teach Identity Through Music? | Ethan Rubin & John Polit | TEDxYouth@BeaconStreet

hello my name is Ethan and I’m a

hello my name is Ethan and I’m a recovering violinist we talk about music

recovering violinist we talk about music

recovering violinist we talk about music as a form of artistic expression a

as a form of artistic expression a

as a form of artistic expression a creative impulse an emotional release

creative impulse an emotional release

creative impulse an emotional release but the way that we teach instrumental

but the way that we teach instrumental

but the way that we teach instrumental music to young people is actually quite

music to young people is actually quite

music to young people is actually quite rigid I started my classical violin

rigid I started my classical violin

rigid I started my classical violin lessons when I was six years old and my

lessons when I was six years old and my

lessons when I was six years old and my experience was typical I was taught how

experience was typical I was taught how

experience was typical I was taught how to recognize notes on a page and play

to recognize notes on a page and play

to recognize notes on a page and play them accurately on my instrument

them accurately on my instrument

them accurately on my instrument ultimately the goal was to reproduce

ultimately the goal was to reproduce

ultimately the goal was to reproduce music that had been conceived by someone

music that had been conceived by someone

music that had been conceived by someone else it was a decade before I started

else it was a decade before I started

else it was a decade before I started learning about making my own music when

learning about making my own music when

learning about making my own music when we do teach kids how to improvise it’s

we do teach kids how to improvise it’s

we do teach kids how to improvise it’s almost always through jazz and that was

almost always through jazz and that was

almost always through jazz and that was my introduction to improvised music now

my introduction to improvised music now

my introduction to improvised music now jazz instruction is available if you

jazz instruction is available if you

jazz instruction is available if you play the trumpet or the piano but as a

play the trumpet or the piano but as a

play the trumpet or the piano but as a violinist finding a jazz teacher was

violinist finding a jazz teacher was

violinist finding a jazz teacher was almost impossible I ended up taking

almost impossible I ended up taking

almost impossible I ended up taking lessons from a bassist who had played

lessons from a bassist who had played

lessons from a bassist who had played classical violin when he was in high

classical violin when he was in high

classical violin when he was in high school and I learned a lot from him but

school and I learned a lot from him but

school and I learned a lot from him but what I found is that jazz is also

what I found is that jazz is also

what I found is that jazz is also extremely regimented you’re presented

extremely regimented you’re presented

extremely regimented you’re presented with a pre-existing harmonic structure

with a pre-existing harmonic structure

with a pre-existing harmonic structure and taught how to navigate it

and taught how to navigate it

and taught how to navigate it so as a student you’re not so much

so as a student you’re not so much

so as a student you’re not so much drawing as you are coloring inside the

drawing as you are coloring inside the

drawing as you are coloring inside the lines what I do now is that the complete

lines what I do now is that the complete

lines what I do now is that the complete opposite end of the spectrum

opposite end of the spectrum

opposite end of the spectrum after years of learning different styles

after years of learning different styles

after years of learning different styles and playing in different bands trying to

and playing in different bands trying to

and playing in different bands trying to find something that felt right for me I

find something that felt right for me I

find something that felt right for me I now play completely improvised music

now play completely improvised music

now play completely improvised music basically I make it all up as I go along

basically I make it all up as I go along

basically I make it all up as I go along but that doesn’t mean that what I play

but that doesn’t mean that what I play

but that doesn’t mean that what I play springs into existence without a

springs into existence without a

springs into existence without a foundation every piece of music that I

foundation every piece of music that I

foundation every piece of music that I ever learned every album I’ve listened

ever learned every album I’ve listened

ever learned every album I’ve listened to every other musician that I’ve played

to every other musician that I’ve played

to every other musician that I’ve played with is a part of my improvisation when

with is a part of my improvisation when

with is a part of my improvisation when I can achieve the right kind of clarity

I can achieve the right kind of clarity

I can achieve the right kind of clarity and focus and that is a big if pieces of

and focus and that is a big if pieces of

and focus and that is a big if pieces of my musical biography start to surface as

my musical biography start to surface as

my musical biography start to surface as they’re needed and merge into an organic

they’re needed and merge into an organic

they’re needed and merge into an organic and evolving whole as I’m played more

and evolving whole as I’m played more

and evolving whole as I’m played more than anything else I do improvising

than anything else I do improvising

than anything else I do improvising reflects Who I am where I’ve been and

reflects Who I am where I’ve been and

reflects Who I am where I’ve been and what I know now I’m not saying all this

what I know now I’m not saying all this

what I know now I’m not saying all this to bash classical music or jazz I still

to bash classical music or jazz I still

to bash classical music or jazz I still love both and I still play both when I

love both and I still play both when I

love both and I still play both when I have the chance nor am I saying that we

have the chance nor am I saying that we

have the chance nor am I saying that we should do away with music literacy it’s

should do away with music literacy it’s

should do away with music literacy it’s still important to know what a quarter

still important to know what a quarter

still important to know what a quarter note is but wouldn’t it be nice if we

note is but wouldn’t it be nice if we

note is but wouldn’t it be nice if we taught children that sometimes it’s okay

taught children that sometimes it’s okay

taught children that sometimes it’s okay to make it up as you go along wouldn’t

to make it up as you go along wouldn’t

to make it up as you go along wouldn’t it be nice if we allowed young musicians

it be nice if we allowed young musicians

it be nice if we allowed young musicians to use what they learned as a

to use what they learned as a

to use what they learned as a springboard for the authentic expression

springboard for the authentic expression

springboard for the authentic expression of self now I’m gonna play a bit for you

of self now I’m gonna play a bit for you

of self now I’m gonna play a bit for you so you can hear what my self sounds like

so you can hear what my self sounds like

so you can hear what my self sounds like I’m gonna have a friend come and help me

I’m gonna have a friend come and help me

I’m gonna have a friend come and help me with that please welcome John Paulette

with that please welcome John Paulette

with that please welcome John Paulette on the clarinet

on the clarinet

on the clarinet [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] now what we’re about to do is completely

now what we’re about to do is completely

now what we’re about to do is completely unplanned

unplanned

unplanned and unrehearsed we have never played

and unrehearsed we have never played

and unrehearsed we have never played this before and we couldn’t repeat it if

this before and we couldn’t repeat it if

this before and we couldn’t repeat it if we wanted to