This Monday took me to a meeting of Ryerson’s Music Series, a set of discussions to talk about different aspects of the musical arts. It’s a small and intimate group, which gives off a vibe of extreme passion for their art.
Talking was Dr. Pete Johnson, whose topic of choice was the importance of improvisation in the musicians of London, England. After spending the 2006-2007 academic year researching this topic on-location, he shared his ideas with the group, debating improvisation’s finer points and caveats. His findings included the reasons that people improv their music, as well as its cultural impact.
It’s interesting to step outside your normal frame of thinking when it comes to a subject you think you know so well. My music is important to me, but I can say that I hadn’t thought of many of the points the members of this group brought up.
While the thought of debating music might seem a bit intimidating to some, this group provides a more comfortable environment to explore music, and where it’s heading. I can’t lie: finger foods and coffee tend to have a relaxing effect on most.
Interested parties can contact the Music Series’ organizer, Dr. Kim Chow-Morris, at kmorris@ryerson.ca.
