Pingree School "Oh, Pierre!" workshop with Paul Scea

Paul Scea was in residence at Pingree School in South Hamilton, MA on March 8 and 9, 2012.  During his stay, he worked with a variety of high school classes and students, with a focus on improvisation and technology.  Paul gave a workshop on 'Oh, Pierre!' to the Pingree Instrumental Ensemble, who have been working with the piece throughout the school year.  Particular attention was given to encouraging students to think, create, and take musical risks that were outside their comfort zones.  Additionally, the ensemble was also encouraged to think around a perspective of creating specific moods or energy.  Below are four audio recordings of 'Oh, Pierre!' performances from that workshop.  Scea gives all the cues on the first two examples, on the third he only gives cues that are requested from the ensemble, and the fourth is prompted by a student.

University of Missouri at 2012 ISIM

I am going to teach Oh, Pierre! to another incarnation of the WVU Big Band on Monday. I'm going to incorporate David Witter's clever cues as Landmarks, ie. "Country," "Metal," & major and minor chords.

"Oh, Pierre!" compositions, stage 1

One of my instrumental ensembles at Pingree has been working on creating music by using the 'Oh, Pierre!' cues.  For this given assignment, they were asked to mentally conceive of an original piece of music and try to outline a sketch of it using the 'Oh, Pierre!' cues.  For this phase of the assignment, they wrote out their order of cues and were given the instruction to intentionally NOT deviate from the cues they predetermined, regardless of the sonic responses provided by the ensemble.  All of the compositions were recorded so students can have a chance to reflect on the music that resulted.  In future phases of this assignment, they will have the chance to deviate from the cues and allow themselves to adapt their 'composition' in the moment based on the music that is unfolding.  Eventually, I am looking toward the goal of their not having any cues prepared in advance and, as is one of the larger goals of 'Oh, Pierre!' of having cues evolve within and through the entire ensemble, trying to break away from the concept of "conductor/prompter" led performance.  There are many levels to the pedagogy and the music evolving here.  Working within 'Oh, Pierre!' allows me (and the ensemble) to get a clearer sense of where the students' 'creative comfort zone' is.  Listening to the first round of recordings (linked below) will help to frame the evolution of their musical/creative/ensemble thinking.

Student #1:


Student #2:


Student #3:


Student #4:



Student #5:

"Oh, Pierre!" influencing Pingree ensemble

Having spent time learning and experimenting with 'Oh, Pierre' in the Pingree School Instrumental Ensemble, I am beginning to see the impact on the students as they improvise in a variety of contexts.  For a concert we have scheduled tomorrow night, the Pingree students are going to play a piece originated by the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble called 'War'.  In rehearsing the 'solo section' of the song, the group started some collective 'jamming' that started to stretch beyond the traditional confines of this three chord groove tune.  They gradually started 'deconstructing' the music, improvising on different ideas inside the song.  At times, I would show a few 'Oh, Pierre' signs in order to suggest a new path in their improvising. I found that giving a cue or two would shift their listening to a more interactive domain.  After signs are given, it somehow puts the ensemble in a frame of mind that then allows for them to listen and interact in ways comparable to when they perform 'Oh, Pierre'.  They have been improvising in a deeper and more empowered way, and seem to be extremely invested in the process.  I am planning to post a link to a recording of the performance they offer tomorrow night.  I am very much looking forward to it.  They've been doing some great work.

The First "Oh, Pierre!" of the Fall 2011 Term in the WVU Big Band

It really went well. The students learned it in a few minutes. Seven of the eighteen people had been involved with the telematic concert last year, that certainly helped the learning curve.

They were beginning to make calls after the first fifteen minutes or so. They particularly enjoy the Landmarks and are pretty clever about it. They gravitate towards the humorous which is interesting. My personal favorite involved making monkey sounds....

I think this piece is now a permanent part of this band's repertoire.

Oh, Pierre! beyond the classroom...

Last Friday evening, I brought a high school sophomore of mine to give a brief performance for a school function. He performed a five-minute improvisation at the piano and did a great job. His performance was well-received and he seemed to feel good about it as well.

Before bringing him over to the performance, we met in the school music room. While there, he informed me that he was really enjoying the 'whole improv thing with the hand signs' we were doing in class. He told me he had been in a rehearsal outside of school with a few other student musicians where there were just jamming together. Looking for their jamming to take on some new life, he taught the group several of the hand signs from 'Oh, Pierre!'. He said this had a great effect on the music of the group and that he really loved using them and was starting to see just how useful they could be in helping his group to communicate musically.

Cool...

A New Year With Cranbury Improv

The Cranbury School Improv Ensemble began their rehearsals just last week. Student volunteers turn out for the ensemble has been wonderfully overwhelming, these kids love their improv!

We have had two rehearsals so far, with some returning members and some brand new, so much of our time the past two rehearsals have been spent reviewing "Oh! Pierre" cues. I have already seen an improvement in the students' ability to listen and react to what is happening in the ensemble, versus playing for playing sake. Students are definitely taking their time to make musical decisions that will influence the piece and are playing as an ensemble, instead of just following cues.

Next rehearsal I hope to have students call cues from the ensemble and possibly have a few student conductors lead. I think the following conversation outlines how important "Oh! Pierre" has become to these middle school students:

Student: Ms. D, I saw on the schedule we don't have a rehearsal in December. Why?

Me: I figured with the winter concert schedule and all of you being in so many ensembles we should have a break. Did I assume incorrectly?

WHOLE ENSEMBLE: Yes!

Student: Can we have an "Oh! Pierre" rehearsal before break? I can't go an entire month

without playing!