D15. The "Magic" of Music Literacy: Sound-to-Symbol

In your life, have you ever taken music lessons on a string, wind, or percussion instrument (such as the piano or xylophone)? If so, when given music/music notation from your teacher to practice, could you first sing, hum, or whistle the melody accurately prior to playing it on your instrument? Or, conversely, did you need to play it to know what the melody sounded like? If this latter question, and its answer, resonates with you... then this class is for you! And yes, it’s also for those of us who have never played a musical instrument.  Many instrumental method books do not reflect the way people naturally learn language - a process that begins with learning to speak, and only then moves on learning to read. This is often called sound–to–symbol because it emphasizes oral and aural recognition as precursors to theoretical knowledge and reading skills.

Instructor: Mitchell Lutch is Wind Band Director at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he directs the concert band and chamber ensembles, and teaches music theory, performance, and appreciation. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Washington and earned his Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory (NEC). His Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education is from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Conducting appearances and research presentations include concerts and conferences throughout the United States, Quebec, London, Japan, The People’s Republic of China, the former Soviet Union, Luxembourg, Prague, and Mexico.