Exercises Using Musical Instruments
Bruce Adolphe · 2021
Abstract This section requires the use of musical instruments for all the exercises, some for soloists and others for ensembles of various sizes. All of these exercises are improvisations, yet the focus is not on the idea of improvisation itself, but on specific dramatic or emotional goals. Improvisation in this chapter may signify dramatic rather than musical improvisation. Several of the exercises address the art of interpretating existing music and require spontaneity and imagination but do not ask for the participant to improvise music. Acting techniques, such as those developed by the Group Theater, are here repurposed for musicians in order to address aspects of memory, emotion, and imagination and to inspire new ways of thinking about performing, such as playing with the actor’s concept of subtext or gibberish from a musician’s perspective. New exercises included here are inspired by sampling and robots, plus a new series of exercises in this edition includes the improv comedy techniques of Nichols and May as a template for musical spontaneity.