Electronic Music School

Electronic Music School: A Contemporary Approach to Teaching Musical Creativity is a practical blueprint for teachers wanting to begin teaching music technology to secondary age students. Will Kuhn and Ethan Hein inspire classroom music teachers to expand beyond traditional ensemble-based music education offerings to create a culture of unique creativity and inclusivity at their schools. Part One offers an overview of the philosophical and institutional aspects of starting a music technology program, with a particular focus on the culture of electronic music surrounding digital music creation tools. Part Two dives deep into curricula for music lab classes, including several lesson examples and techniques. This section also includes abbreviated project plans for teachers who have fewer contact hours with their students. Part Three discusses how music technology courses can grow into a larger media creation program, how such a program can contribute to the broader school culture, and how project-based music learning effectively prepares students for careers in media. Electronic Music School also includes narratives from music technology students themselves, who often have an intuitive understanding of the future directions music technology programs can take.

Will Kuhn is the Department Chair and Music Technology instructor at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Ohio. In 2006, he designed an innovative Music and Media Tech curriculum focused on amateur music production, which now enrolls over 350 students annually. Nationally, he gives clinics and workshops on revitalizing school music programs for the 21st century. His book, Interactive Composition (OUP, 2015, with VJ Manzo), has become a widely used text on Ableton production and he serves as an educational advisor for Ableton's education initiative. He currently serves as the President-Elect of TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators). Ethan Hein is a Doctoral Fellow in music education at New York University, and an adjunct professor of music technology at NYU and Montclair State University. As a founding member of the NYU Music Experience Design Lab, he has taken a leadership ro le in the development of various technologies for music learning and expression. He has written for publications like NewMusicBox, Slate, and Quartz.

Preface: The Music Class at the End of the World Acknowledgements To the Reader Part One: What You Need to Start Your Own Electronic Music School 1. Towards a Creative Music Curriculum 2. An Art Class for Music 3. Understanding What a School Really Wants 4. Tech You'll Need For Your Program 5. Ableton Live And Push Part Two: Creative Electronic Music Projects for the Masses 6. Designing Creative Music Projects for All Types of Students 7. Teaching Recording and Sampling with Audio Projects 8. Teaching Songwriting with MIDI Projects 9. Teaching Creativity with Outside-the-Box Projects 10. Common Issues For Students In Music Lab Lessons 11. Assessing Music Lab Projects 12. Futureproofing, Extending and Moving Beyond Music Lab Projects Part Three: Community Music Culture and Extracurriculars 13. Live Performing and Afterschool Groups 14. Understanding Student Led Groups 15. Virtual Electronic Music School 16. A Rising Tide Index