Improvisation, Diversity, Consciousness, Change: Performance and Transformation in the 21st Century Academy
Speaker Ed Sarath Professor of Music, Interim Director, Center for World Performance Studies Director, Program in Creativity and Consciousness Studies
Professor Sarath's statement:
As the Center for World Performance Studies (CWPS) moves into its new home in the Residential College, a unique opportunity arises for two visionary units to generate a transformative impact that extends throughout and beyond the academy. As the newly appointed interim director of CWPS, I explore in this talk a number of potential themes that might be pursued in the coming year as galvanizing agents for this partnership. Improvisation is a primary consideration, with recent years seeing increased attention in the ability to spontaneously create, interact, and adapt to unexpected developments as important not only across the arts but in the sciences and humanities as well. With improvisation playing a prominent role in jazz and much African American music, direct connections open up to a second area—diversity—at a moment when conversation and action on this topic carry particular urgency on our campus, and education and the world at large. I will share reflections from a chapter called “Black Music Matters” in a forthcoming book that juxtaposes the powerful tools African American music offers musicians for global navigation with the continued marginalization of black music in music studies. Linkages are also explored with the burgeoning academic areas of contemplative and consciousness studies, in which education moves from conventional emphasis on exterior learning modalities to engagement with practices that probe the interior dimensions of the learner. Whereas improvisation embodies outer performance, meditation and other contemplative methodologies can be viewed as kinds of inner performance.
I close with a look at cutting-edge consciousness research that stretches the boundaries of how the educational world typically views the human being and human potential; the point is not to critique these findings but rather to illustrate further ways an expanded view of performance can inform how we approach radical ideas that challenge existing assumptions. The ability to step outside our comfort zones and entertain new worldviews is perhaps the most important form of performance to be cultivated.
The talk will begin with a brief performance with RC faculty members.
Sponsored by RC Faculty Talks Series
As the Center for World Performance Studies (CWPS) moves into its new home in the Residential College, a unique opportunity arises for two visionary units to generate a transformative impact that extends throughout and beyond the academy. As the newly appointed interim director of CWPS, I explore in this talk a number of potential themes that might be pursued in the coming year as galvanizing agents for this partnership. Improvisation is a primary consideration, with recent years seeing increased attention in the ability to spontaneously create, interact, and adapt to unexpected developments as important not only across the arts but in the sciences and humanities as well. With improvisation playing a prominent role in jazz and much African American music, direct connections open up to a second area—diversity—at a moment when conversation and action on this topic carry particular urgency on our campus, and education and the world at large. I will share reflections from a chapter called “Black Music Matters” in a forthcoming book that juxtaposes the powerful tools African American music offers musicians for global navigation with the continued marginalization of black music in music studies. Linkages are also explored with the burgeoning academic areas of contemplative and consciousness studies, in which education moves from conventional emphasis on exterior learning modalities to engagement with practices that probe the interior dimensions of the learner. Whereas improvisation embodies outer performance, meditation and other contemplative methodologies can be viewed as kinds of inner performance.
I close with a look at cutting-edge consciousness research that stretches the boundaries of how the educational world typically views the human being and human potential; the point is not to critique these findings but rather to illustrate further ways an expanded view of performance can inform how we approach radical ideas that challenge existing assumptions. The ability to step outside our comfort zones and entertain new worldviews is perhaps the most important form of performance to be cultivated.
The talk will begin with a brief performance with RC faculty members.
Sponsored by RC Faculty Talks Series
| Building: | East Quadrangle |
|---|---|
| Event Type: | Lecture / Discussion |
| Tags: | Culture, Diversity, Free, Inclusion, Lecture, Music, Scholarship |
| Source: | Happening @ Michigan from Residential College, Center for World Performance Studies |
The Center for World Performance Studies sponsors and cosponsors several special events throughout the year, including performances, public lectures, demonstrations, and roundtables. Our events are announced on our website, and through email and flyer distribution. Please contact us at CWPS.Information@umich.edu if you would like to be on our mailing list or if you would like more information on any of the following events.
