Contra Dance!

How did it make you feel? How different from a night club? Would you go the event again? Why/why not?

The Contra Dance this past Wednesday was a favorite night of mine. I deeply appreciated the patience of the experienced dancers (around a dancer like me) and the inviting atmosphere of the event. The old-time music was at once iconic of folk activities/life and indexical to me of dancing as a small child to songs reminiscent of the old-time feel. I honestly could not stop smiling, it was like that small child had returned once again for a night. I felt so included, and also happy, which made for a very meaningful experience. Looking back, there are few moments that feel akin to this since entering adolescence.

This dance appears as though it is the polar opposite of a night club scene. From personal experience, at "modern" dances, I feel extremely inward and self-conscious. I don't believe this uncomfortableness stems from a lack of confidence so much as the pressure to match and fit in. For this reason, I rarely ever enjoy dances. In fact, this contra dance was the first dance I had been to in about a year--excluding prom. It's interesting to me how within a contra dance one is "matching" everyone by doing the same movements as well, but has such a different interpretation of the event due to the more participatory and compassionate frame. Because everyone is quite unconditionally included during a contra dance, there is little to no room for feeling this pressure to conform. I also remember thinking as I was dancing how relieving it was that no one was really seeing me miss a step because we were all so busy attempting to do our best. Even though we were focusing on ourselves while first beginning to understand a certain dance, we were also contributing to the partners/neighbors/groups. This dance felt like the proper venue to pay attention to and take care of yourself while simultaneously doing the same for others.

I genuinely want to return to the contra dance. It was an incredible source of enjoyment for me the level of respect incorporated into the dancing, balanced out with the fun of elaborative movements and hilarious mess-ups. My favorite dance movement was the "ladies turn" (which may or may not be the exact name...), and one of my favorite moments from the night was how Tripp and I missed so many steps in the very first dance, but improved a great deal by the end of the it. I learned so much about the few dances I was a part of in the two hours, and I loved every minute of it.

(Thank you Professor McDonald, this class was the best and the contra dance was too awesome.)

-Krista Schaarschmidt

The Punks Are Alright

Assess the role of Punk Music in contemporary religious and political debates in Brasil and Indonesia. (How has this movie changed your perceptions of youth culture in these two communities? In what ways can you relate to the lifeways of the artists chronicled?)

Punk Music is a phenomenal outlet for the frustrations and anger pent up at an unjust society. Before viewing and discussing this topic, I did not understand. I had assumed from my own personal experiences with the punk scene that this community was solely about rebellion, with abandon for reason or calm interactions. I now see how invaluable an art form it is: Punk provides a platform through which those oppressed can speak out--loudly. While this speaking out may not better their situation, or placate their sense of powerlessness, it creates a community and community-feel that supports them both inside and outside of the time during which they participate in their Punk Music. I see in Brasilian and Indonesian youth something that I had not recognized before: hope, and a ferocious drive to change. In a place where I once saw little-no possibility for betterment, I saw in these people the determination and (even extreme) passion necessary for change.

This spark of hope within each youth, through either the banging of a drum or screaming of a lyric, was definitely an inspiring thought. Both of these communities observe what is wrong in their community and aren't waiting for someone else to come along and fix it. They are speaking out and mobilizing themselves to be able to change their own lives and communities.

While religion is such a battleground and catalyst for violence in both communities, Punk seemingly acts as a kind of religion by standing in as a strong belief system of basely positive goals. From what I now understand Punk represents: support of one another, respect for community, and intensity of determination to spread awareness for and make better prevalent issues within/extending beyond the community. Compared to other organized religion, this community-based "faith" brings people together in a pragmatic social manner, as opposed to a dangerous, confrontational one.

Punk Music in particular also promotes the idea of democracy and moving away from capitalism, more-than-sizable debates within Brasilian and Indonesian society. Punk, in attempting to unite the people, helps to identify main goals and beliefs that aid the successful formation of a democratic government. Also, the more each person is viewed and valued as an individual human being (a thought at the heart of Punk), the greater chance for the eradication of capitalism.

I relate to the lifeways of the artists in that I too believe in equality, change, and not just "sitting on the sidelines" waiting for these important movements to take flight. I also rebel in my own ways by either participating in or avoiding certain activities, in an effort to better my life and the lives of those around me. Even though change is slow--such as the around thirty years it took to spreak Punk from Canada to Brasil to Indonesia--it is worth the fight.

-Krista Schaarschmidt

Participatory Community Action: Bloomington Farmer's Market

Map of Farmer's Market:

What observations did you make? What conclusions did you draw?

How might the participatory aspects of the Bloomington Farmer's Market be similar to the participatory aspects of music? (similarities: musical structure and social structure)

In the map pictured above, our group documented the social and performative environment of the Bloomington Farmer's Market. Images representing different produce sold are placed on the rectangles correlating to where they were available during the market. Triangles denote the many families and children present, running all around and enjoying the market's inviting atmosphere, especially in the DIY/crafts section of the marketplace (with the occasional crying child who fell down playing near the spiral fountain).

The bird(s) pictured in more than one place track the movement of a parrot and his owner, who we ran into twice. The owner of this parrot was informing our group of how they have been coming to the market for over 30 years. He had adopted the bird many years ago from quite a sad condition inclusive of missing feathers and an angry demeanor. Through his care, the bird has been greeting and entertaining market-goers for decades. The location of the bird accompanied by a music note on the map signifies the time we met with them for the second time, along with a very friendly ukelele player who had also been attending the market for over 30 years. The various music notes/microphone on other areas of the map identify where the other musicians were that we met, such as the inspiring brother-duo known as "Busman's Holiday" in the top corner to the right (Kerry's favorite band!).

As a group we observed the friendly and familiar interactions of a community that supports each other and, in turn, itself. Outside of our own conversations with locals, happy chatter was everywhere. Many vendors and/or farmers were more than happy to tell us their stories and by-hand processes of production. One potter we met gave us a detailed explanation of how she both made her mugs and decorated them with bikes. There was something so fulfilling in this interaction between market-goers, it took me quite a while to attempt to put it into words. I realized that too often the gaining of gifts that give us energy (such as fruits and other produce, like the quart of delicious green apples I bought!) or gifts that give us happiness (such as those with sentiment, like the matching stamped bracelets I purchased for my sister and I) is a cold and uninspiring happenstance. We miss an immense opportunity for creating and giving meaning to each other... And in doing so, scramble even more desperately to fabricate meaning through separate, more temporary distractions. For while eating an apple or enjoying a musical performance or asking an artist is also a fleeting moment in time, it is much more energizing and sustaining than the synthetic elation that "likes" on a post may bring. These are the people who help supply us with the basics of our lives, and they are us. And, even though it took--seemingly--more energy to walk down to, around, and back from the fair (in the pouring rain!) than to sit on a couch and post, the energy we received back far surpassed any that we had to expend in the process.

There definitely was a kind of lightheartedness, and rhythm, to the way the market flowed around and through us. I was even overwhelmed at one point while listening to Busman's Holiday, eating my crepe lunch, and noticing the rain... I remember saying to Kerry, Mary, and Abbey that "this was happiness". I'm at a loss to describe it other than my heart felt so full from all the fun had and connections made. I truly felt apart of something I had only just joined. To be able to join in a moment or activity with people you've never interacted with before, and still be able to appreciate together the beauty of your collective efforts.

That, to me, is the "magic" within music as well. How too in participatory music you have that only-slightly daunting spontaneity, as well as the togetherness felt when a community spends time with and for each other. There is a greater meaning for all when the meaning can be shared and is translatable across the language of different personal experiences. Everyone, in both a market and musical situation, derives meaning from each other's stories and emotions, allowing everyone to "get something from it". In a way, it seems like a church gathering, where the belief is within the self combined with everyone around. In both situations, all can participate in their own way. In both situations, all are upheld and renewed by the efforts of their community. It is a phenomenon that seems to me to be like a "between the lines" experience: people's conversations/singing/music-making may focus on other happenings, but beneath the words/surface are acknowledging the unspoken support of one another.

-Krista Schaarschmidt

Evolution: Music-Making

The four types of music-making exemplified and explained: Participatory, Presentational, High Fidelity, and Studio Audio Art.

1. Participatory

Group Improvisation with sticks in Kampala, Uganda

Participatory music-making, defined as the type of music-making in which no main soloist or leader is featured, but rather a gathering a people creating music together, is featured above. Some signs to recognize this form: the way this piece of music is both started and ended in a "feathered" manner, where one-few musicians start and others join in, etc., as well as cultural value/expectation for everyone in the room to participate.

An unfortunate characteristic of this style is how more a handful of more skilled musicians are hindered from adding greater complexity or creativity for the sake of the group as a whole. Another drawback is that while the people in within this gathering may be having a great experience, the onlooker who cannot participate, either in person or virtually experiences the music in a completely different way (the affect of the togetherness is most likely not communicable outside of the situation).

However, positives about this form of music-making abound! The bond forged in collectively improvising and creating sound together is a strong and encouraging one. The group mentality these musicians are exposed to opens their minds as "performers" with each other. These musicians also learn from each other in the process, and support each other's learnings and creativity.

2. Presentational

Rachmaninov: Slava v vishnich Bogu

Slava v vyshnikh Bogu, i na zemli mir,
v chelovetsekh blagovoleniye.
Gospodi, ustne moyi otverzeshi,
i usta moya vozveztyat khvalu Tvoyu.

Russian to English: "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, goodwill among men.
O Lord, open thou my lips and my
mouth shall proclaim thy praise."

Presentational music-making is much less "open" than the previous style, as it is much more seriously rehearsed and prepared-for, as well as "presented" to a group of people. This presentational form means that not every person--in fact, most people--do not perform, and instead are expected to look on and quietly appreciate any given piece during its performance. This non-participatory setup is one major negative side to Presentational music-making, as the experience of music-making is rarely improvisational and inclusive of all attending. Another negative side the chance for the audience to miss the emotion or meaning in a piece. This miscommunication is due to the audience member's expected place that does not allow them to connect physically/musically in the moment. (I performed the example piece with the 2014 Western Division ACDA Honor Choir in Santa Barbara. After performing, I was describing how the concert went with my Mom, and spoke to the immense sadness and beauty of this piece--which was my favorite of the concert. My Mom expressed in turn that she hadn't seen the piece from this point of view, because she didn't know its meaning or felt its emotion like she had with the others. This was an example to me of how vastly different a perception can become between the performers and the audience).

The positive qualities of this performance style are the refinement and professionalism brought about by knowing ahead of time the intentions and direction of the piece performed. The ability to have the piece understood and mapped out to perform is a powerful tool. With this form in mind, the performers have the potential to enhance an audience's listening experience through the communication expression can deliver.

3. High Fidelity

Asia: Bury Me in Willow

High Fidelity music-making is the first of two styles to involve the recording arts. In this form, artists record their separate tracks to create one cohesive song. The piece embedded above, "Bury Me In Willow" is one such song, recorded by the band Asia in 2012.

High Fidelity encourages preservation of new innovative ideas, captures the skill of any one musician/group, and dramatically increases the spread of music in its ease of accessibility. The cultural values of a people who largely prefers this type of music are that of "talent" and the skill required to become famous though a recording. The expectation of this performance type is that an audience only buys in and listens. However, the genuine awe and connection inspired by any type of live performance is lost beginning in this form. Because this type of music-making is more synthetic and available to edit, less people will experience an accurate, in-person representation of the abilities of a musician/group.

4. Studio Audio Art

Enigma: Eppur Si Mouve

Eppur Si Mouve

Latin to English: "And Yet It Moves"

This piece is from an German/English "music project" known as Enigma. This project does not perform, but instead experiments with new musical ideas in sound. Its audience is expected to again, buy in and listen, but also be adventurous and open enough to sounds potentially never heard before. Because Enigma does not perform and exists purely on a ground-breaking, creative basis, their music belongs in the "Studio Audio Art" style of music-making.

The benefits of this style definitely include innovation and interesting developments, as well as the ability to convey messages in ways not done before... adding an air of mystery and possibility. Studio Audio Art does have nearly-identical negative sides to that of High Fidelity music-making. This form may also feel too foreign as it draws from sounds made/combined by computers. Because of this unfamiliarity, people may have a more difficult time connecting emotionally to music that may not even sound "human". The cultural values in this music are mainly existent in the drive to move forward and perpetually reinvent what is "modern".

This song, while possessing certain human elements such as vocals, spoken word, and vague reminders of instruments, still remains a Studio Audio Art in its experimentation.

-Krista Schaarschmidt

Musical Moments: Big White Room

Semiotics of a Song: a time when music profoundly changed/shaped my emotions.

Jessie J: Big White Room

Once whilst in my room--having my music on shuffle--I came across this "Big White Room". It's a moving description of being caged within four white walls, remembering what once was and dreaming of what could be.

Upon hearing this song on my shuffle, I was aware of an index that took me back to the tears I cried when first hearing it... in my own room of four white walls. (My frame for this entire blog post is in fact my old room in California, where both of these moments occurred.) The object(s) brought about by this index were those tears, with the interpretant of me immediately becoming saddened and introspective. I also remember thinking during the performance that so many of Jessie J's vocal inflections/ornamentations mimicked the actual emotion I understood through the song... Such as the "oooo" that is an icon for the object of hesitance, as it sounds hesitant/fearful following the words "I feel young, broken, so scared". This icon's interpretant elicits the same glimmers of of fear.

One particular lyric is a powerful sign to me: "Everybody's looking at me, everybody's staring at me. What do I do now? Smile." As words, it is a symbol for the object of empowerment amid duress, causing the interpretant feeling confident.

-Krista Schaarschmidt

IFS: An Introduction

Introducing myself through four songs, representing my life and personal experiences thus far. Who am I? Where am I from? What kind of life do I lead? What do I value?

1. Kansas: Miracles Out Of Nowhere (live)

I am a person of many questions... I love the idea of knowledge and the ability not only to acquire, but utilize it. Learning is my favorite activity.

"Here I am just waiting for a sign, asking questions, learning all the time," was a line that caught my attention from the first time I ever listened to this song. What is even more striking to me, however, is the phrase "it's just love, and miracles out of nowhere".

These past few years I have especially struggled with the idea of meaning and universal truth. This piece, I believe, is as close as I can get to agreeing on a universal truth...  I identify with the notion that all life, from any culture or place or time, is bound in the love shared throughout its lifetime. Familial love, the love of friends, romantic love... It all touches in a place much deeper than the surface.

Love gives each life that accepts and recognizes its presence a purpose:

to love and be loved. For it is through this love that worth is found, understanding is founded, and care is birthed.

And what else is life other than our own sentiments and memories and dreams intermingling with the occasional miracle out of nowhere?

2. Prague Philharmonic: Leaving Hogwarts

I come from good books, old friends, nights of card games and music-making, being alone but not lonely... And as an ongoing story myself, I come from stories.

This is one of my favorites. This piece reminds me of the first magical moments of belonging, having a family beyond my own. A family discoverable in words and the spaces between them.

Moving from Indianapolis, IN to Dublin, CA at the age of seven seems not quite that momentous, but it was a defining time in my life. This was a time when I learned how vital to my survival mere markings of ink on a page would be.
This was also a time of loss of innocence.

"Leaving Hogwarts" as a piece is two things to me: a preservation of that untainted joy and acknowledgement of its passing. It is all at once a memorial and a hope to discover this joy in new ways. I live by attempting to reincarnate the happiness that once was, for me and all whose stories I am graced to encounter.

3. The Civil Wars' live cover of The Smashing Pumpkin's: Disarm

No matter what amount of passion/happiness one carries themselves with, there will always be those who do not understand and react not in kind, but with vicious intent. Much of my life has involved time with the aforementioned type of people, and I am not naïve enough to expect them to one day disappear. A darker, more serious part of myself I have those people (genuinely, I mean this) to thank.

I am not as trusting as I once was, but I personally believe that any sadness in life deepens one's capacity for happiness and understanding. This song was--and is--such an emotional piece for me to experience. The Smashing Pumpkin's original lyrics moved me to tears when I first heard this with the more sensitive ears of a young adult. The haunting harmonies added by Joy and and John of The Civil Wars only add to the potency of the words sung.

"I used to be a little boy, so old in my shoes," was a line that felt as though I'd written it (minus the "boy" description x). As well as "the killer in me is the killer in you, my love / I send this smile over to you", which I interpreted to mean that each person has the power to wound, to kill, but the importance is what is done with that power. Relating to a separate quote... "The great charm of all power is modesty," from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. The great charm of any power is to use it with humility, considering the selves and feelings of others.

4. The Four Tops: Sugar Pie Honey Bunch (Can't Help Myself)

This is a song from one of the oldest memories I have... Just being happy, dancing around as a three/four-year-old with my Dad... And this song, no matter when or where I hear it, brings me back to that memory. Not only is the sound of this song a powerful index for me, but I feel it represents the part of myself that is joyful, inquisitive, and hopeful. I value lives lead through positivity such as this, I admire and look up to it immensely.

While my life has not always been encouraging or happy, this song is at the core of who I am, because it embodies the best of where I've been.

Who I am is more than these four songs, but the combination of the four hand-in-hand: happy to sad to broken to hopeful, is a holistic approach as an introduction.

-Krista Schaarschmidt