Do or do not, there is no try

This week's forum was our first open forum, in which we pondered the possible multiplicitous, fractured nature of music technology within Universities in general and ours in particular. Mark Carroll illustrated this by constrasting our divergent goals with a performance degree in violin, where the outcome is clean, obvious, mutually understood and desired by violin student and University. 1 (Figure 1: ah for the simple life of the violin student)

Allusions were made to the distinct possibility that in the fullness of time, all things adding up to more than equal and planets being fully aligned, proudly embracing multiplicity could potentially have some implication for how the unit thinks about its courses, at some unspecified future date and in some unspecified future way. (Well OK, for the pedants amongst my readership, Stephen didn't say this exactly, I'm taking some justifiable license with, "to change...is obviously a complex process, but it might be worth it" I can't quote the tone though, which thoroughly belied any enthusiasm or commitment the written quote suggests.2)

So far it's all sound and fury signifying nothing.

If only Stephen had heeded Yoda's wise counsel. "Do or do not, there is no try."3












Maybe time will prove me wrong. If the time does indeed arrive, and the faculty of music tech is ready to start using the force, what better way to start, than canvassing live students? Perhaps I could get in early and offer my two bob now? Consider broadening the bestowal of credit beyond the traditional proof of equivalent study at University to proof of skills. That might be a lovely way to acknowledge the multiplicity of student experience, skill and interest, whilst deftly increasing the relevance of the course for individual students. Here are some thoughts from our country cousins, tafesa who do exactly this...

http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au/students/a8_publish/modules/publish/content.asp?id=18003&navgrp=568

On the positive side, I did enjoy Mark's lovely vocabulary, and is it any wonder? What an erudite fellow he turns out to be. http://www.anu.edu.au/NEC/auen_markcarroll.php


1. Mark Carroll, Forum on Music Technology, University of Adelaide, 6 March 2006
2. Stephen Wittington, Forum on Music Technology, University of Adelaide, 6 March 2006
3. http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/yoda/