A loopy education; was:Dripsody

[SketchyJoe@aol.com]

I'm very happy to here that many of us here were exposed to the outer 
edges 
of art at an early age.  The Cubist statement, made me laugh as I just 
exposed some 10 year old kids to Surrealism today.  I will say that as a 
music teacher that attempts to open my kids' minds, the process is not as 
easy as one would assume.  First, I still feel a pressure from my 
colleagues 
and from parents to teach more tradition subject material.  Secondly, 
sometimes the kids are not always willing to experience an art that is 
"outside the box".  Still, I continue : I have a couple classes finishing 
up 
Acid pieces containing their own self-made loops (just to be sort of on 
topic).  

Regardless, I think that we do have a responsibility on some small level 
to 
expose the youth to different modes of thinking that may fly in the face 
of 
what MTV tells them to think.  Plus I think that beating the standard 
notation system (as one example of traditional thought) into the minds of 
kids who don't even play instruments is foolish (my opinion).  It's 
helpful, 
but definitely not the most important lesson these kids can learn.  

I would ask that some musicians here volunteer some time to local schools 
to 
demonstrate the possibilites.  Or for the looping parents here, make sure 
that art and music teachers show as many facets of art as possible.  
Otherwise, music class becomes a sort of a break for kids and their 
teachers 
(ultimately degrading music's value), which is far more damaging than any 
anti-establishment message tha I may preach.  Sorry for the rant.  Just 
how I 
feel.

Later!
Joe