Source 2: Interactive Music Technology Curriculum Project

Source Two: Interactive Music Technology Curriculum Project

Prof. V.J. Manzo, Dr. Rick Dammers . (2010). http://www.imtcp.org. In IMTCP. Retrieved April 10th 2011.

vjmanzo. “IMTCP (Interactive Music Technology Curriculum Project ) (2010) imtcp.org || eamir.org”. (September 5th 2010). Online Video Clip. Youtube. Accessed April 10th 2011.

The fifth source in my New Media Literacies investigation, is IMTCP, the Interactive Music Technology Curriculum Project (Manzo&Dammers, 2010). I have selected this as a source as it demonstrates Media technologies being integrated in mu subject area, and into the music curriculum. This was of particular interest to me. Whilst I always was aware ICT was available as a learning medium for music students, I never suspected it would influence the Music curriculum to a point of altering it, or revolutionize the fundamental learning pathways of potential musicians, composers and musicologists. 

IMTCP was a research project instigated in 2010 as a means to teach music subjects to “non-traditional music students” (Manzo&Dammers, 2010). The experiment required that  subjects learn musical concepts by “engaging with software-based musical instruments”. Students underwent observation for one week in which they learnt composition and harmony  theory, experienced practical based activities, and were called on to compose original musical scores. Subjects selected had either no formal music training or were not part of their schools music program.

Whilst the project was an interesting look at alternative, and probably more culturally attractive, methods in which we might teach music to non-inherently musical students, I found two basic flaws in its foundations. Primarily, subjects only underwent education in music which was, “culturally familiar” (Manzo&Dammers, 2010) to them. That is, Western Music. As a result, the ‘“lessons in chordal changes and harmonic direction”(vjmanzo, 2010) are only applicable in western music education, and more often than not, are only relevant to the past 20-30 years of composition. The second obstacle that would be faced by instituting this program, is the technological demand. iMacs, an instructor computer with projector, a USB midi controller, alternate controller interfaces, EAMIR software and Garageband were all necessities in order for the research to be carried out successfully. Instituting these in multiple socio-economic environments is simply not a feasible task.