Trancy Hook and Brightest Fuzz; More to Electronic Music than meets the ear!

Think back to the 1960s (those of you who can remember back that far) and to the days of Moog synthesizers and a hit album called “Switched on Bach." While many may think this was the start of electronic music it actually is a musical form whose origin goes back to the early 1900s.

But back in 1969, became the first high school in America to offer a course in electronic music. Anne Modugno, a then-music teacher at GHS, was approached by the Juilliard School about a class that would combine contemporary composers, music, electronics and general music into a hands-on, applied learning experience for kids. The course was geared towards attracting students to music who did not play any instruments or did not sing, but wanted to create music through use of external devices to create tone.

Roll the clock forward and the mantle of keeping electronic music vitalized and popular at GHS resides with Barbara Freedman, or “Freeds” to her students. She has been teaching music since 1997, and teaching Electronic Music & Audio Engineering at GHS since 2001. When Freedman first started at GHS, she taught in a space which is now her office. Watching her teach, one can realize quickly that this isn’t the "music appreciation"course many of us sat through in high school or college. 

As Freedman explains, teaching music with the use of keyboards and computers is the trend in contemporary music pedagogy. Students learn by creating their own music via a hands-on experience. Music is played on a synthesizer and it is automatically entered into the computer where students can manipulate it and create their own pieces. Her courses focus both on music technology and music composition on the computer. While the course attracts a wide variety of students, on average 35% of the E-Music seniors will continue to major in music on a college level including some who neither play a traditional instrument nor sing. Variants of the GHS Electronic Music curriculum including Audio Engineering, Sound Production, Recording Engineering and Composition are offered as majors at many colleges including Northwestern University, George Washington University, American University, Boston College and Yale University.

Freedman's enthusiasm for her field and her students is evident. As her Honors Electronic Music students walk in, there are cries of “Freeds” and high fives all around. She proudly states that like so many others at GHS, being a part of the faculty is more than doing a job or mastering a subject. It is about making the students feel the joy of learning and experiencing something new.

The popularity of Electronic Music is evidenced by the high number of requests annually by students to enroll in a class, which exceeds request totals for participation in Band, Orchestra or Chorus. Requests for EMusic in 2007-2008 were 353; 424 for 2008-2009: 432 in 2009-2010; 366 for 2010-2011; and 394 for the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year.

Space limits enrollment to only 200 students who can take one of the four EMusic courses, including Honors. Since the Introduction to Electronic Music course intended for freshmen. But it ends up being filled with sophomores, juniors and seniors who have had to wait to get access to the course. So only 6 to 12 freshmen per year are actually admitted. Freedman says that her classroom space is also used for Graphic Arts classes, so she also was looking forward to the new instructional space envisioned as part of the MISA project recently approved by the Town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation. 

The classroom has 20 iMac G5 computers, a wide range of synthesizers, recording equipment, software and even a custom-made sound booth created by Freedman.  Every February there is a Composer’s Showcase where students present their own works, some of which take 4 days to create. Others take 4 months to create. 

The success of EMusic transcends the simple accomplishment of a student listening to their work via headsets. GHS EMusic is heard and recognized nationally. For instance, the Electronic Music Composition Competition  sponsored by MENC and the National School Boards Association (NSBA), recognizes outstanding compositions based on their aesthetic quality, effective use of electronic media, and the power of the composition.

In 2010, the 1st place winner was Ricco Burkhardt for Does Murder Sleep, click HERE for more details and to hear the piece. In 2009, the 1st place winner was Emily Boyer for Gothic Memory Land, click HERE for more details and to hear her piece. The 2008 2nd Place Winner was Kenny Blume for Translation, click HERE for more details and to hear the piece.

Also, the Music Technology program of the Northeastern University Music Department holds an annual electronic music composition contest for Northeast high school composers. In 2010, the 1st place winner was Kanki Suzuki for Rainy Day. Click HERE for more details and to hear the piece.

Freedman says that “technology makes being creative easier and more accessible” and the range of musical experience of the student composers bears this out. Some played instruments in middle school or high school but many are self-taught. When asked why Electronic Music is so popular, Freedman simply says, “It’s really cool."

When you describe the process of creating music as pulling together a Trancy Hook, the Brightest Fuzz and the occasional Velvet Rope Bass it may not sound like traditional music, but as the inspired and enthusiastic students are quick to point out, it is music to their ears.

Click here to listen to what is being produced through the EMusic podcasts, which are samplings of student music composed in EMusic classes. All music is the intellectual property of the composers. You may subscribe to their website and the  podcasts will automatically be sent to your computer. You can also go to iTunes and put Greenwich High School in the search box to find their CDs on iTunes.