I here enclose a link to my Wiki page where I created a copy of my Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry.
https://laurabapp.wikispaces.com/
Friday 6 January 2012
Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry
DIGITAL PORTFOLIO
Not having been able to attend the first campus session, it took me some times to fully understand the module and to develop a question for my Inquiry. I then started developing a line of inquiry and a great help came through my BAPP community of practice via comments on my blogs and via my personal SIG, which I based it on "Working and/or training in different countries". Thanks to the SiG introduction on the Middlesex University Facebook page, we were able to share similar interests and give each other ideas and opinion on our inquiry. I focused my first questions on the differences in cultures when it comes to training and working in performing arts. (Appendix A) (Appendix Aa). Unfortunately the group has been deleted from Facebook and this generated a loss of important material for us, as the page showed the development of our thoughts and activities through the conversation. I was still able to re-collect most of the data lost, gathering what had been said through blog posts of others and through my journal recordings.
Trying to find another way for discussion, I found and suggested the website Linkedin (Appendix B) who also had a board for discussions. I created one (Appendix Bb) and posted it on my blog (Appendix C), but I didn't receive enough responses and interests from my course mates and, in the end, didn't result to be as useful as I could have been.
With the second campus session we started to look into Ethics, professional and personal, even though I was still working on the development of my inquiry. On the day I further developed my questions with a good help given me by Rosemary and Adesola, academic advisors holding the session, while the others where heading on with the studying of ethics. I accomplished to narrow down my questions further, focusing more on the advantages and disadvantages of working in different environments (Appendix D)).
After getting through the Reader 4 'Developing lines of professional Inquiry', I started answering to the set questions given, starting to analyze what I was capable of and where I was missing something in my training. I then posted my findings in "Identifying knowledge and skills" up in blog post. (Appendix E)).
After considering my interests and the line for inquiry I was working on, I decided on my final rationale for my Award Title. As Musical Theatre is my major but I wanted to keep my professional opportunities open to different areas, I decided on 'BA (Hons) Professional Practice in Performing Arts'. (Appendix F))
Catching up on Reader 5 'Professional Ethics' I started to get a first understanding of how Ethics relates to my area of work posting few tools I discovered through my research and also using my 'visual lens' for learning on what I perceived about Ethics. I then formed my own ideas on code of practice for a performer. (Appendix G))
With the third, and last, campus session we looked at the final part of the module, Reader 6 'Tools for Professional Inquiry'. After the useful slide show that Paula Nottingham and Rosemary showed us, I got a good understanding on what the final reader was about. We also did some exercise among us to understand the tools ofinterviewing and observing, some of the methods we were asked to try out for our inquiry. (Appendix H))
Further reflecting on Ethics I wrote a post on the outcomes obtained (Appendix I)). Also I gathered information of the code of practice of my day job, and compared it to how closely relates in a hypothetical performing job.
Through the development of my questions and with the help given me through my BAPP fellow students and my academic advisor, I achieved a final question for my Inquiry Project (Appendix L)) and I started, from then on, working on the next tasks given on this module.
With the piloting we were asked to try out, I gained a better knowledge on pros and cons this different tools have; observation (Appendix M)), interview, the different ways of doing it and its advantages and disadvantages (Appendix N)) (Appendix Nn)), a Focus Group (Appendix O)) and finally a pilot Survey (Appendix P). I gathered a good expertise on which tool would work best to find material for my inquiry and why.
Via the findings of literatures that relates to my topic, I was able to analyze and study what others have said on 'self-management skills for a successful career for a performer' (Appendix Q), R, S) and further investigate the matter. From these and others literature found I could notice what kind of advices are given from professionals working in different areas of the arts. I then finally booked mark findings and useful websites on Delicious, a website that gathers and organizes the links and pages you want to save. (Appendix T))
Together combined with the existing literatures and personal experiences I had during this module, I now have a good understanding of the tools I can use to help me gather more information, on ethics and code of practice of my professional area of work, and how to be able to further investigate on what it takes for an emerging performer to grow professionally and succeed.
Not having been able to attend the first campus session, it took me some times to fully understand the module and to develop a question for my Inquiry. I then started developing a line of inquiry and a great help came through my BAPP community of practice via comments on my blogs and via my personal SIG, which I based it on "Working and/or training in different countries". Thanks to the SiG introduction on the Middlesex University Facebook page, we were able to share similar interests and give each other ideas and opinion on our inquiry. I focused my first questions on the differences in cultures when it comes to training and working in performing arts. (Appendix A) (Appendix Aa). Unfortunately the group has been deleted from Facebook and this generated a loss of important material for us, as the page showed the development of our thoughts and activities through the conversation. I was still able to re-collect most of the data lost, gathering what had been said through blog posts of others and through my journal recordings.
Trying to find another way for discussion, I found and suggested the website Linkedin (Appendix B) who also had a board for discussions. I created one (Appendix Bb) and posted it on my blog (Appendix C), but I didn't receive enough responses and interests from my course mates and, in the end, didn't result to be as useful as I could have been.
With the second campus session we started to look into Ethics, professional and personal, even though I was still working on the development of my inquiry. On the day I further developed my questions with a good help given me by Rosemary and Adesola, academic advisors holding the session, while the others where heading on with the studying of ethics. I accomplished to narrow down my questions further, focusing more on the advantages and disadvantages of working in different environments (Appendix D)).
After getting through the Reader 4 'Developing lines of professional Inquiry', I started answering to the set questions given, starting to analyze what I was capable of and where I was missing something in my training. I then posted my findings in "Identifying knowledge and skills" up in blog post. (Appendix E)).
After considering my interests and the line for inquiry I was working on, I decided on my final rationale for my Award Title. As Musical Theatre is my major but I wanted to keep my professional opportunities open to different areas, I decided on 'BA (Hons) Professional Practice in Performing Arts'. (Appendix F))
Catching up on Reader 5 'Professional Ethics' I started to get a first understanding of how Ethics relates to my area of work posting few tools I discovered through my research and also using my 'visual lens' for learning on what I perceived about Ethics. I then formed my own ideas on code of practice for a performer. (Appendix G))
With the third, and last, campus session we looked at the final part of the module, Reader 6 'Tools for Professional Inquiry'. After the useful slide show that Paula Nottingham and Rosemary showed us, I got a good understanding on what the final reader was about. We also did some exercise among us to understand the tools ofinterviewing and observing, some of the methods we were asked to try out for our inquiry. (Appendix H))
Further reflecting on Ethics I wrote a post on the outcomes obtained (Appendix I)). Also I gathered information of the code of practice of my day job, and compared it to how closely relates in a hypothetical performing job.
Through the development of my questions and with the help given me through my BAPP fellow students and my academic advisor, I achieved a final question for my Inquiry Project (Appendix L)) and I started, from then on, working on the next tasks given on this module.
With the piloting we were asked to try out, I gained a better knowledge on pros and cons this different tools have; observation (Appendix M)), interview, the different ways of doing it and its advantages and disadvantages (Appendix N)) (Appendix Nn)), a Focus Group (Appendix O)) and finally a pilot Survey (Appendix P). I gathered a good expertise on which tool would work best to find material for my inquiry and why.
Via the findings of literatures that relates to my topic, I was able to analyze and study what others have said on 'self-management skills for a successful career for a performer' (Appendix Q), R, S) and further investigate the matter. From these and others literature found I could notice what kind of advices are given from professionals working in different areas of the arts. I then finally booked mark findings and useful websites on Delicious, a website that gathers and organizes the links and pages you want to save. (Appendix T))
Together combined with the existing literatures and personal experiences I had during this module, I now have a good understanding of the tools I can use to help me gather more information, on ethics and code of practice of my professional area of work, and how to be able to further investigate on what it takes for an emerging performer to grow professionally and succeed.
References:
Appendix A: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/10/developing-lines-of-enquiry.htmlAppendix Aa: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/10/task-4b-develop-sig.htmlAppendix B: http://www.linkedin.com/Appendix Bb:http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Interested-in-sharing-ideas-thoughts-93013.S.82081311Appendix C: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/linkedin-eureka.htmlAppendix D: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/10/campus-session-2.htmlAppendix E: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/10/identifying-knowledge-and-skills.htmlAppendix F: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/task-4d-award-title-proposal.htmlAppendix G: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-glance-at-ethics.htmlAppendix H: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/campus-session-3-09-11-11.htmlAppendix I: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/campus-session-3-09-11-11.htmlAppendix L: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/inquiry-question-final.htmlAppendix M: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/wicked.htmlAppendix N: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/pilot-interview.htmlAppendix Nn: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/re-evaluation-of-my-pilot-interview.htmlAppendix O: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/pilot-focus-group.htmlAppendix P: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/pilot-survey.htmlAppendix Q: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/6c-literature-1.htmlAppendix R: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/12/literature-review-2_30.htmlAppendix S: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2012/01/literature-3.htmlAppendix T: http://laurasinigaglia.blogspot.com/2011/11/delicious.html
Tuesday 3 January 2012
6d: Delicious
I wanted to share my Delicious's link with everyone and see if someone is interested on following me and share their links with me... especially people interested in the same subjects as me for our project.
I 'm already following Stephanie's stak ... very useful networking tool, now more than ever!
My link:
http://www.delicious.com/stacks/view/N3XnpB
Monday 2 January 2012
6c Literature 3:
Why is Acting in Song So Different?
The last piece of literature I found is an Academic Journal written by Dr. Matt Bean, Professor of Musical Theatre and Voice, and Co-Director of the BFA Program in Musical Theatre at Western Illinois University.
I found great interest in this article as it relates to my major, musical theatre, and talks about the differences of the 'rules of music-theatre' and the 'rules of-theatre' (Bean, 2007).
Straight acting versus singing-acting; this is what the writer focuses his article on, comparing just speaking to what it takes to act when music is added to the speech.
He states how 'singing is bigger than speaking' and, therefore, acting. Singing comes when simply speaking is not enough to express what you want to say, he cites Ibid when he writes that 'music is justified once speech is no longer sufficient, “because there is an abnormal, heightened need to communicate." '
Music gives speech a greater dynamic (Linklater) and it's what singers need when what they have to say is more urgent and they need to express a higher level of emotions, otherwise, he explains, if the singer doesn't need to express what he "wants" more than an actor does, he may as well just talk instead of sing.
He then carries on giving explanations on how, for him, the music gives to the singer notes and variations to the text than normal speech don't have, dynamics, notes such as p, mp, f, mf, crescendo, intonations, melody, time extensions, tempo, melody, rhythm, none of the which are given in an monologue or script.
A 'blessing and a curse' at the same time as he values the freedom of interpretation for the actor but highly values the great help the singer gets with the designed parameters of the music written by a composer.
A very interesting point of the article is made about the Challenge to expressing text on a foreign language; he advises 3 level for communication when singing in a foreign language (this is mostly related to Opera that almost always is sung in Italian even for English speakers). The lowest level, where the singer doesn't know the meaning of the words he/she is singing and vaguely act them out, a second middle level where the singer has a general understanding and knowledge of the words and translate them back and forth in his/her mind, or the highest level where the language is well know by the singer that can actually think in the foreign language and therefore act the words sung at its best.
He then talks about the Need for concentration, as the words in singing are stretched out and the thought process goes faster than the words sung. This require a great level of concentration not to loose the meaning of what's said while singing.
Also Text repetition is a key in singing; he already pointed out that when someone sings is because it's 'the most important thing in our lives right then', and what happens when something is so important? We obsess about it and therefore the thought keeps coming back to our minds. That's the reason why text repetition is a fundamental part of a song, to show how important what we are singing about is.
Bean believes that Spontaneity is another hard task for singers has it's never real in a song, as it probably has been rehearsed many times, nonetheless the song has to remain natural and the singer should sound and look spontaneous throughout the song.
Last but not least, he speaks about Synergy, derived from the Greek syn-ergos, meaning to work together (Balk). He writes how 'Opera and music theater are the most collaborative of all art forms in the way they seek to combine music, drama, design, and movement to create something new. As singers learn to integrate acting and singing, they likewise have the unique chance to create synergy, that wonderful artistic state where the singing and the acting begin to feed off each other and unite to take the performance to a new and higher level.'
Reading this journal, I strongly appreciated Bean's knowledge in musical theatre, especially in the works of Stephen Sondheim, American composer an lyricist for stage and film (Wikipedia, 2011). The examples he used within the text to explain the reason for repetition in a song, where extracts from Mozart and Sondheim's work, and having studied and performed in one of Sondheim's musicals Into the Woods, gave me a very clear understanding of the text and its meaning.
In conclusion I believe the point that then author wanted to make, is how singing and acting together is a very difficult but very effective way to perform and how acting on his own give a way more freedom interpretation to the actor.
I found a good part of what is stated in this article, a synthesis of what I learned in college when taking Musical Theatre classes. The whole construction of a song and its text is a great help that the composer gives to the singer/actor, but unless you don't really learn them and understand why they are in a particular point in the song, the work becomes useless. Bean himself states how much improvements students get when starting to sing "acting" the emotions that the given notes generates and fully understanding the choices that the composer makes.
References:
Bean, M., Nov 2007. Why is Acting in Song So Different?, Journal of Singing [e-journal] 64(2) pp. 167-173. Available through: Ebscohost database. [accessed 23 Dec 2011].
Wikipedia, 2011, Stephen Sondheim [online]. Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Sondheim> [accessed 02 Jan 2012].
I found great interest in this article as it relates to my major, musical theatre, and talks about the differences of the 'rules of music-theatre' and the 'rules of-theatre' (Bean, 2007).
Straight acting versus singing-acting; this is what the writer focuses his article on, comparing just speaking to what it takes to act when music is added to the speech.
He states how 'singing is bigger than speaking' and, therefore, acting. Singing comes when simply speaking is not enough to express what you want to say, he cites Ibid when he writes that 'music is justified once speech is no longer sufficient, “because there is an abnormal, heightened need to communicate." '
Music gives speech a greater dynamic (Linklater) and it's what singers need when what they have to say is more urgent and they need to express a higher level of emotions, otherwise, he explains, if the singer doesn't need to express what he "wants" more than an actor does, he may as well just talk instead of sing.
He then carries on giving explanations on how, for him, the music gives to the singer notes and variations to the text than normal speech don't have, dynamics, notes such as p, mp, f, mf, crescendo, intonations, melody, time extensions, tempo, melody, rhythm, none of the which are given in an monologue or script.
A 'blessing and a curse' at the same time as he values the freedom of interpretation for the actor but highly values the great help the singer gets with the designed parameters of the music written by a composer.
A very interesting point of the article is made about the Challenge to expressing text on a foreign language; he advises 3 level for communication when singing in a foreign language (this is mostly related to Opera that almost always is sung in Italian even for English speakers). The lowest level, where the singer doesn't know the meaning of the words he/she is singing and vaguely act them out, a second middle level where the singer has a general understanding and knowledge of the words and translate them back and forth in his/her mind, or the highest level where the language is well know by the singer that can actually think in the foreign language and therefore act the words sung at its best.
He then talks about the Need for concentration, as the words in singing are stretched out and the thought process goes faster than the words sung. This require a great level of concentration not to loose the meaning of what's said while singing.
Also Text repetition is a key in singing; he already pointed out that when someone sings is because it's 'the most important thing in our lives right then', and what happens when something is so important? We obsess about it and therefore the thought keeps coming back to our minds. That's the reason why text repetition is a fundamental part of a song, to show how important what we are singing about is.
Bean believes that Spontaneity is another hard task for singers has it's never real in a song, as it probably has been rehearsed many times, nonetheless the song has to remain natural and the singer should sound and look spontaneous throughout the song.
Last but not least, he speaks about Synergy, derived from the Greek syn-ergos, meaning to work together (Balk). He writes how 'Opera and music theater are the most collaborative of all art forms in the way they seek to combine music, drama, design, and movement to create something new. As singers learn to integrate acting and singing, they likewise have the unique chance to create synergy, that wonderful artistic state where the singing and the acting begin to feed off each other and unite to take the performance to a new and higher level.'
In conclusion I believe the point that then author wanted to make, is how singing and acting together is a very difficult but very effective way to perform and how acting on his own give a way more freedom interpretation to the actor.
I found a good part of what is stated in this article, a synthesis of what I learned in college when taking Musical Theatre classes. The whole construction of a song and its text is a great help that the composer gives to the singer/actor, but unless you don't really learn them and understand why they are in a particular point in the song, the work becomes useless. Bean himself states how much improvements students get when starting to sing "acting" the emotions that the given notes generates and fully understanding the choices that the composer makes.
References:
Bean, M., Nov 2007. Why is Acting in Song So Different?, Journal of Singing [e-journal] 64(2) pp. 167-173. Available through: Ebscohost database. [accessed 23 Dec 2011].
Wikipedia, 2011, Stephen Sondheim [online]. Available at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Sondheim> [accessed 02 Jan 2012].
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