Introduction
Incidental music has been an integral part of storytelling, from ancient Greek dramas to modern films, enhancing the audience’s experience and creating memorable moments. Despite its significance, it is often overlooked in music education. This article outlines a new approach to incorporating incidental music into classroom education, allowing students to discover its importance in storytelling and develop a deeper appreciation for the art of music.
The Power of Incidental Music
Incidental music is designed specifically to accompany dramatic works, accentuating emotions, setting the atmosphere, or creating tension. It is the glue that connects different scenes and holds the audience’s attention. With iconic examples such as Jaws’ suspenseful theme or the grand orchestration of Star Wars, incidental music is deeply ingrained in popular culture. It can also be found in other forms of media like video games and theater productions.
Incorporating Incidental Music in Education
Music educators have an opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and real-world applications by exploring incidental music. They can highlight several critical aspects to engage students:
Showcase historical examples: Start with an overview of incidental music throughout history. Discuss how it was used in ancient Greek dramas, operas, ballets, and how it has evolved into modern film scores.
Teach musical theory through practical examples: Incidental music can showcase various concepts, such as tempo, dynamics, melody, harmony, or silence. Use famous film scores to demonstrate these concepts and facilitate class discussions on how they contribute to each piece’s overall effect.
Analyze musical emotions: Dive deep into the emotional aspect of incidental music. Examine how composers create feelings through specific instrumentation choices or the use of particular techniques like leitmotifs.
Foster creativity with student projects: Encourage students to create their own incidental pieces using available resources like digital audio workstations or traditional instruments. This can be done for existing scenes of movies, plays or even for student-generated stories.
Explore technology: Introduce students to composing software commonly used by professional composers, allowing them to experiment and gain practical experience.
Invite guest speakers: Connect with local composers working in the field of entertainment or theater to share their experiences and offer insights into the industry.
Incorporating these elements into a music education curriculum allows students to view music from a different perspective, providing a more comprehensive understanding of its impact on various mediums and industries.
Final Thoughts
Teaching students about incidental music offers several benefits, including a richer understanding of music’s role in storytelling and the opportunity to develop skills in creativity, technological proficiency, and historical comprehension. By acknowledging the power of incidental music in shaping our emotions and enhancing visual storytelling experiences, educators can empower students to appreciate and thoughtfully engage with music outside the classroom.
