Alan Cameron's Edublog Learning in the 3rd Millennium 

Have you ever asked yourself why music has the power to influence or change the way you feel? We’ve all heard of the term ‘mood music’. But why is it that music can lift us, calm us, even make us joyous or sad? Music can evoke memories in us which in turn can have an impact on our mood. But why is it, as human beings, that we like for example, music with ‘a good beat’? Most music (other than some 20th Century atonal or serial music) has an indentifiable pulse or beat, usually grouping these beats in 2, 3 or 4 beats per bar (or measure). Why is it important for us ‘to feel’ a regular beat that we might clap or tap along to or move in time with?

I would suggest it is because to be human is to be musical. Certainly ryhthmical. We all have a body-clock. Our beating heart beat keeps us alive. It beats at a regular pace and when we exercise or get excited it speeds up. When we’re relaxed or sleeping it goes at a steady moderate pace. If we listen actively to lively, fast music our heart beat picks up speed. Music’s calming or stimulating qualities are not only related to the speed of the beat. This can also relate to the texture or timbre of the music e.g. a beautiful solo violin, a heavy rock band, or a film score played by a symphony orchestra. Composers and performers hope that the listener will be stimulated in ways which provoke a variety of emotional responses. Marches for soldiers, lullabies for babies, football chanting crowds, and hymn singing in church all rely heavily on the basic rhythms of heartbeat, pulse, breathing, walking and rocking to create group empathy.

We all like a good beat, because it’s intrinsically how we’re already made. The natural rhythms of human life and indeed the natural patterns of our world have shaped us to be governed by rhythmic patterns and cycles. We enjoy pattern and form and recognise and understand it. A key building block of music is rhythm and pattern, and as humans we’re that already. Is it any wonder we respond so emotively to music with a strong beat? And another thing. Our human body houses the most amazing musical instrument  –  our voice.

4th January 2014, time marches on, last year a distant memory. Well not too distant! On reflection, last year I didn’t blog much, partly because I was too busy. A lame excuse. Perhaps the real reason was that I used twitter much more as it is so immediate and easier to engage with. Writing a blog post requires me to sit down, gather my thoughts and write. But here goes.

So 2013, what did I achieve / enjoy / learn? In some ways it was an amazing year. I embarked in January 2013 on a science project with Professor Heather Reid MBE in engaging kids in primary schools with lessons live via HD video conference. I gave a presentation with Heather at a national education event in Glasgow in March showcasing the work with kids across 10 schools. In April I hosted 24 USA students and their 5 chaperones, a fantastic time of learning from each other and enjoying the company of colleagues from across the Atlantic. In March and September 2013 I hosted Chris Lubbe, personal bodyguard to Nelson Mandela as he shared his story and values with kids across 20 of our schools, a truly memorable and valuable time we had. I now count him as a close friend. In March, April and May, with the help of Professor Stephen Heppell, we rolled out an iPad project in 5 primary schools whereby whole class sets of iPads were provided as additional learning tools to enhance and engage kids in their learning. And following our excellent Schools Music Service summer courses and concerts I was invited to spend almost 3 weeks in Australia speaking at a conference and working with Head Teachers in clusters across the State of Victoria. I also visited several schools in Tasmania and we’ve now started in a very positive way to build partnerships in learning between Tasmanian and Scottish schools. I hosted around 20 Head Teachers from Australia in September as they came on a study tour to the UK. This summer in the UK, we had some lovely weather, and I really enjoyed our holiday time both at home in the garden at the farm and down in Norfolk and Cambridge. And to cap what was an amazing year, I became a Grandpa firstly in October and then again very soon after in November. In no particular order, below are a few pictures from 2013!

A school visit with Pete Lelong in Tasmania

Had an amazing time visiting Sydney Opera House

Interesting meeting with colleagues at Victoria State Education Department

A class set of iPads for kids in Garlieston Primary School

In March I gave a presentation in London at Music Education Expo

Jack, born October 9th

Chris Lubbe, personal bodyguard to Nelson Mandela, was a huge hit in our schools

Inset with Heather Reid was great. Science lessons via video conference direct into schools with Heather from the Glasgow Science Centre

Stephen Heppell in our schools supporting our iPad development work

Wine tasting with Phil Brown near Wangaratta – best wine ever!

Harry, born 4th November

Our house on a hot summer day in July. Who’d have thought our friends Paul and Audrey would have the same car as me?

Mum’s 80th Birthday celebrations!

I took this picture a few years ago when Prince Andrew and Kate Middleton were living here in the town studying at St. Andrew’s University. Even on a cold February day this picture illustrates part of the attraction of living and working in this beautiful part of the world.

Below  –  Kate Middleton at St Andrew’s University on a sunny day!

This past week has brought home to me how my ‘education’ has shaped me in various ways. My school life in Carolside Primary, East Renfrewshire was happy, safe and comfortable. My clearest memory of being inspired by a teacher was my P1-3 teacher, Enid Crawford. Strangely, it was another Enid (Blyton) whose ‘Castle of Adventure’ was read to us by Miss Crawford at the end of each day (a classroom management strategy) who fired my imagination and enjoyment of reading. However, the single biggest influence for me becoming a Secondary Music Teacher and subsequently a Schools Education Officer was what happened in this Clarkston semi-detached house I visited on a weekly basis from the age of 6 until I was 17. I paid a quick visit last week to take a photo of this house, where my piano teacher taught me from 1964 till 1975. If my parents hadn’t paid for these lessons over the years, I would never have become a music teacher, and probably not any other kind of teacher. It is 35 years ago since I set foot in this house, but worth the brief pilgrimage to see again the place I developed my musical skills and give recognition to the sacrifices made by my parents to increase my life chances. Thanks, Mum & Dad.

On the first day of April it’s appropriate to remind music teachers and other educators about the contribution to the world of classical music by the largely ignored Norwegian composer Lipar Olof. Like Edvard Grieg, (famous for ‘Morning’ from the Peer Gynt Suite), Olof also wrote evocative music.

‘Afternoon’ from his rarely performed opera ‘Don’t be a Fool’, is a Norwegian classic, much played on Scandinavian radio drivetime shows.