TEACHING EXCELLENCE DATABASE

The main aim of the project “Music in Zoom” was to enable students of the Tbilisi Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatoire Contemporary Music Student Ensemble TMA to rehearse and perform music under the conditions of strict lockdown of the Covid-19 Pandemic using online software platforms. The project was initiated by the Associate Professor of Tbilisi State Conservatoire Dr. Nino Jvania, who, at the same time, is an artistic director of the ensemble. The project was implemented throughout 2 semesters: Spring Semester of 2019/2020 and Winter Semester of 2020/2021. During both semesters TSC was mostly closed for physical class activities and the teaching process was conducted mostly online. This option was problematic in the cases of all music lessons, as music transmitted via the internet loses its quality significantly. Though it was a special challenge for ensemble rehearsals, as sound distortions and delays particularly harm ensemble performances – the more participants, the more audible are all the problems related to sound. TMA consists mostly of 30-60 members that the artistic director breaks into groups to give concerts with various contemporary pieces. Though, it seemed impossible to prepare and perform a regular contemporary repertoire under strict conditions of Pandemic. Associate Professor Nino Jvania, who is also an expert in contemporary academic music, decided to commission contemporary Georgian composers works for TMA that would function in those new and strange conditions; the works to be performed in Zoom. As a result, Professor Reso Kiknadze composed “Metachronous Coronation Mass” for 51 musicians that has to be performed in Zoom, recorded and edited (SS 2019/2020). It exists in the digital version. Associated Professor Eka Chabashvili composed “Buzzing on Zoom” that has to be performed and recorded in Zoom in one session and published without any editing (WS 2020/2021). Sound delays and noises that emerge while 30 microphones of interpreters are on, create an acoustic layer of the piece that becomes an inseparable part of this music. Thus, for two semesters, as TSC was closed for physical classes, we gave two generations of TMA the alternative option to get acquainted with the specifics of contemporary ensemble music performance. At the same time, we contributed to the emergence and development of a new genre that could further evolve, offering new opportunities for self-expression to contemporary composers.

Methodology

When the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020, TMA (Tbilisi State Conservatoire Contemporary Music Student Ensemble) was in the middle of preparing the concert program. TMA was founded in 2013 by the then-rector of the Conservatoire Reso Kiknadze and pianist, Associate Professor, and then-dean of Faculty of Performing Arts Nino Jvania. The ensemble has been led by Nino Jania since 2014. Its setting changes every year, which allows students of different departments of the Faculty of Performing Arts of different educational levels (BA, MA) - singers and instrumentalists who select this course - to get acquainted with the trends of contemporary music performance. Every year the ensemble gives concerts, at which it introduces the listeners to the works of contemporary Georgian and foreign composers of various generations. As this course is one of the most popular courses at TSC, the number of participants varies between 30 and 60. Though under the conditions of the Pandemic and the complete lockdown, there was no chance we could prepare any kind of concert program. Though, we had to prepare a repertoire in order for students to finish the course and to get their evaluations. I was actively following the leading ensembles and orchestras of the world trying to overcome the problems of the lockdown that shut down the concert lives in every country. I witnessed how all of them still tried to perform music using online sources. Online music-making became an inseparable part of our teaching activities as well. Though, unlike some of the leading world conservatories and music academies, we don’t have expensive programs allowing musicians to make music online with a minimum of sound distortion and delays. We had to use WhatsApp, Facebook, Google Meet, and Zoom applications. Music transmitted via those applications, especially when the internet signal quality is not at its best, transforms itself into noise-music to such an extent, that one can hardly recognize it. The process was quite depressing and annoying, not only for students but for us, teachers too. Though, this process still served as a source of inspiration. When I was practicing the prelude by Claude Debussy “Le vent dans la plaine” (The wind on the plain) with my piano class student (see the recording of the session in the application folder) I came up with an interesting idea. The sound distortions caused by online music-making brought this wonderful and beautiful prelude closer to the essence of the wind – it literally became windy. As an expert on contemporary music, I am quite open to all kinds of noises that became a part of music starting from the second half of the 20th century. And I realized that the composer of the pandemic period could also compose music representing the essence of our age, music to be performed only using online resources. Consequently, I commissioned online works first to Associate Professor Reso Kiknadze, later – to Associate Professor Eka Chabashvili – both composers teaching at TSC. As a result, TMA performed two works composed exclusively for online music-making that made all participant students happy and fulfilled in the depressing lockdown period. Above all, Georgian music repertoire was enriched by 2 outstanding works I am especially proud of. Reso Kiknadze’s “Metachronous Coronation Mass” for 51 musicians was composed during March-June 2020, performed, and recorded on June 6, 2020. It is unpublished, as the composer still works on some details of the recording. Though, in the application folder, you can find an excerpt of the recording, as well as the score of the piece. We used Zoom to record the members of the ensemble. Some fragments were recorded separately, with three conductors (among others, me - Nino Jvania) conducting either single performers or groups of interpreters. Later, Reso Kiknadze used separate recordings to create the final version of the piece that exists only in digital format. As for Eka Chabashvili’s “Buzzing On Zoom (aleatoric verses)" which is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaxwSRykit8&t=90s , we recorded it directly using the Zoom application (the piece was composed in August-October2020). The main idea of this aleatoric piece (aleatoric music is music in which some elements of the composition are left to chance, or some primary element of a composed work's realization is left to the determination of its performer) was to make every single member of the ensemble an active participant in the composition process. Chabashvili gives instructions to musicians on how to use the score (see the application folder) to create their own verses that singers later have to recite melodramatically, and instrumentalists have to compose melodies reflecting their own verses. The whole material was rehearsed intensively and then performed in one Zoom session on December 23, 2020, that was recorded and published without even being edited. The most interesting part is that all the sound distortions became an inseparable part of the music. Thus, the most annoying part of music-making served for us as a source of inspiration.

Tools, equipment, technology used

We used mobile phones and computers, to rehearse and record music employing the software platform Zoom.

Outcomes and outputs, main results

The most important aspect of the project was that it gave the students the opportunity to take their favored course and to finish it despite the quite unpredictable and unique circumstances that actually made it impossible to perform music in an ensemble. I think we managed that. For two semesters, as Tbilisi State Conservatoire was closed for physical classes, we gave two generations of TMA the alternative option to get acquainted with the specifics of contemporary ensemble music performance. I also assume we initiated a new genre, at least contributed to its development. At that moment, I only got acquainted with one piece that was based on a similar idea. “Pandemic for a hundred orchestra musicians in isolation” was composed by Georgian composer Koka Nikoladze for Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and published on YouTube on April 25, 2020, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxOFnuS9Uio – a month after I commissioned Reso Kiknadze. Though, Nikoladze did not use the noises that emerge through music transmission via the internet in his piece of music (apparently working with high-quality technologies). That makes our project (especially the part with Chabashvili’s piece) quite unique. As a result could also be considered two pieces of music that would have never been composed without this particular project. Though, I believe, the main aim of the whole project was to inspire students not to give up in any situation and to show them the ways to transform disadvantages into advantages. I studied at Tbilisi Conservatoire in 1993-1998. This was the time of the Civil War and disastrous economical and political problems in Georgia. The war started in 1991 on the main street of Tbilisi and its symbolic "political center"- Rustaveli Avenue; Tbilisi Conservatoire is located near that Avenue and, consequently, it was in the center of political conflicts, demonstrations following the War until 1995 when the situation more or less stabilized. And still, many musicians of my generation managed to become professionals of quite a high level - my several classmates teach and perform at leading institutions and concert halls worldwide. I, myself, was the first musician to win the DAAD scholarship that enabled me to pursue my studies at Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf (Germany) and later to become the Prize-winner of several International Piano Competitions. I started this project with this idea on my mind, hoping to be an example to my students exactly as my teachers were to me. I hope, I did succeed in that.

Lessons learnt

When several creative people work within one project, everyone has to be open to the new ideas of other participants. As the so-called manager of the project, I initiated and organized it, giving freedom to composers, even in cases I, being a professional musician, did not agree with some of their ideas. I think that is the most important aspect of any project that ends in creative work or act. One should also be ready for a gap between work-as-imagined/expected and work-as-done; in particular, when work is implemented via online platforms.

Adaptability and sustainability of the best practice (for other institutions)

I could recommend this practice to other institutions representing the field of music. Though its variations could be used by institutions specialized in drama, dance, and visual arts - the fields that employ performances, happenings, or other genres related to performance practice and performing arts. My recommendations could be useful considering the fact, that the Pandemic is still not over and right now several concert halls are being closed again. Though, let's hope, these kinds of projects will exist only as interesting options to live music experiences.

Promotion of best practice

I tried to promote the project using social media, sharing the recordings on YouTube, Facebook, and other online platforms. Though, I consider PROFFORMANCE - Higher Education Teacher Award Call 2021/22 as one of the best opportunities for promotion of this particular best practice. I hope, participation in this event will draw the attention of many professionals to the project, inspiring them to implement similar projects in their teaching or creative activities.

Scope and impact

• Course/department level
• Faculty level
• Institutional level
• Cross-institutional level
• National level
• EU/EHEA/International level

This particular good practice could contribute to challenges and goals at all levels listed above, as it is directly related to problems caused by Covid-19 Pandemics which we all still share, be it on the department level of Tbilisi State Conservatoire, cross-institutional or international levels. This practice teaches us, in general, how to turn disadvantages into advantages using creative ways. I believe, this aspect is important for many fields, but especially for the field of education at all levels.

6.1 Digitalization

• Innovative, novel methodology in using digital tools/devices in teaching
• Novel digital solutions (tools, frameworks, devices, tasks to enhance efficiency and motivation)

Reasoning: Digitalization is the most important part of this good practice, as it is fully based on digital technologies - be it computers, laptops, mobile phones, or online software platforms (in this particular case - Zoom).

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6.2 Internationalization

• Outstanding practices of international online collaborative learning
• Developing students' multicultural awareness
• Students engagement in international projects
• Courses implemented in international cooperation (projects, co-teaching, virtual/blended mobility, etc.)
• Other:

  Course offered to international multicultural students online.

Reasoning: The current project was not international. Though, the given good practice could definitely be used for international online collaborative learning, enabling music (art) academies representing various countries with different technological development levels to implement cooperative creative projects. This, of course, would contribute to the development of students’ multicultural awareness, and inspire them to engage in various international projects.

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6.3 Inclusion and diversity, universal design

• Other:

  Alternative course for students with special needs

Reasoning: Although Inclusion was not present particularly in our project, the course on contemporary music ensemble based either completely or partly on the idea of online music-making could be helpful for those mobility impaired students who still want to regularly and actively rehearse and perform contemporary music in ensembles.

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6.4 Sustainability

• Teaching material contains profession related sustainability aspects

Reasoning: "Music has a critical role to play in the transition towards a culture of sustainability. Music is essential to human survival and human development. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not an ‘add on;’ instead, it is the life-blood of culture and individual and collective identity and strengthens our bio-culture. " These words of Sara J. Wolcott attributed to music could be assigned to the given project and good practice that attempted to "save" music in times especially difficult for the field.

3.3 Public contact datas

Name	Email address	Website
TMA - Tbilisi Conservatoire Contemporary Music Student Ensemble	tma@tsc.edu.ge	https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAykFSBGPKgK-FSZPmVfz_g