The Role of Improvisation in Music | Ethan Rubin & John Polit | TEDxBeaconStreet

Ethan and John discuss the role of improvisation in music, creativity, teaching, and learning.
Ethan Rubin is a “recovering violinist” and an English teacher at Roxbury Prep High School. He has played in bands and ensembles across multiple genres, including punk, soul, metal, jazz, and Middle Eastern folk. Ethan graduated from Boston University with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and Spanish and went on to work at YouthBuild Just-A-Start, where he taught construction and employment skills to at-risk urban youth. He attended the University of Cambridge on a Gates Scholarship, where he obtained an MPhil in Educational Leadership and School Improvement. Ethan also has a passion for the outdoors, and recently spent a summer backpacking and rock climbing in the Wind River Mountains with the National Outdoor Leadership School. He now teaches in a charter network dedicated to social justice and racial equality, and plays his fiddle at every opportunity.
John Polit is a Data Scientist and Musician based in Cambridge, MA.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@danielmontealegre566]

This is what I’m talking about!! It should come from the heart! Music lessons tend to be so rigid that they forget to focus on creativity and inspiration!

[@modernmusicstudio303]

THIS IS SO TRUE! Jazz imporvisation has way more structure than people think. It gets so hard to improvise when you are constantly worrying about staying in the set key and such. You can be so much more creative when you don't have to follow rules within improv.

[@abcrx32j]

I would say it's way easier to get creative when playing with others when there's a structure everyone can follow instead of waiting for someone to go to a weird place out of the blue and hope for the rest to get it right away.

[@TheZealousNobleman]

THE GREATEST TED TALK EVER! Not even lying. Such an important lesson; THIS WAS A LESSON FOR ‘LIFE’ ITSELF! Ya “dig” what I’m saying? 😉 You sounded phenomenal.

[@jackd105]

I am learning to improvise on accordion

[@gracie99999]

he explained it almost perfectly the process

[@Notthatguy23]

This is what ive been doing for years on my nylon guitar. I mostly combine classical blues and spanish in various scales. Fun stuff

[@gabrieldauz9396]

when improvising you got to have a calm mind in my situation my childhood issues hinder me. my dad kept shouting and cursing at me which made it difficult for me to express myself. you got to heal yourself first before attempting improve.

[@gracie99999]

idk about that..have come along way and long to go sondont let that stop u by the way seems we need healing throughout this phase, so not doing nothin?

[@jagrell]

Brilliant! I did the same 2000-2021 in improvising concerts; I would introduce myself as a "recovering classical musician." I had a semester course (U of Iowa) during that time "Improvisation for Classical Musicians" - I wish I would have had this video to show them. Improv (making your own decisions about what to play) should start the first day a child gets their instrument and be a part of their musical life from then on. It should be Sound Before. Symbol, not the way it is done now - starting with notation. Start with sound, start with making music. Add notation interpretation later, just as we do with learning to speak before learning to read. Thanks so much, Ethan and John!

[@spsworld...6701]

Nice and lovely video brodas ❤. Thank you very much for this video and best wishes for the coming years. And take care all of you brodas 👏🙏❤🎵👌👍🙂

[@gracie99999]

glad to run into this and have given some thought unclearified st least on the verbal but you you mention before playing I agree and good way of putting it I’ve also been actively looking for something like this again explanation bonus though improve, it seems that there is a piece there with all notes and etc this my experience going with you guys I’m there with future notes present ahead and all movement