paul pavey

Music for Contemporary and Modern Dance Class Volume 3

paul pavey — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:44:50 +0000

” you scratch my back…I’ll scratch yours ” is my third album of music for contemporary and modern dance class now available as a digital download.

Here is a link with an example track ( if you follow it, the entire album can be heard).

Albums 1 and 2 will be uploaded soon, followed by a few others no doubt!

Feedback is always welcome,

All the best !

Prix de Lausanne 2012 Day 2 – contemporary class

paul pavey — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:17:42 +0000

Three days have passed accompanying this 2012 Prix de Lausanne. Its been an absolute pleasure working together with Todd Williams who is a wonderful teacher.

Warm-Up Exercise, Prix de Lausanne 2012

paul pavey — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:23:52 +0000

So it was day 1 for Contemporary Classes at the Prix de Lausanne and my first classes with a great teacher and choreographer Todd Williams. Here follows a short clip of me playing for a ‘warm-up’ exercise into some ‘drop-swings’. I,m sorry not to add any dancers but its a copyright thing……I,m sure you understand.

http://youtu.be/8nwG3RDyscY

and here’s a trailer for the 2012 Prix.

Prix de Lausanne 2012 Trailer

Contemporary Classes at the Prix de Lausanne

paul pavey — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:12:39 +0000

Next week I am going to be accompanying the Contemporary Classes at the Prix de Lausanne which I have done this last fifteen years (with one or two exceptions). It is one of the worlds foremost ballet competitions, here`s a link to it

www.prixdelausanne

In recent years they usually film many aspects of the contest ( blogs etc.)for the internet and `dub` music over the clips……..Although the filming is pretty good, this year I intend to film and finally have a record of myself playing class…Of course, I will not be able to film any of the dancers etc. but you can view them on the web site.

Here`s a blog following Philip Handschin from a previous year who now dancers with Ballet am Rhein, there`s even a few notes of mine here and there to be heard !

Where it all started…………..

paul pavey — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:57:45 +0000

music for a dance improvisation class part 2

paul pavey — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:59:08 +0000

` Visual and Aural Counterpoint `. In Part 1, the previous blog, I covered my approach to commencing a dance improvisation class. This is the continuation where I will attempt to write about the use of counterpoint between what you see and what you hear.

Whereas in a technique class, the musical accompaniment supports and follows the movement sequence, in an improvisation class the music may take on a compositional aspect. I always look for opportunities to play some `visual and aural counterpoint` which may increase the effect and experience of any given situation. For example; open atmospheric sounds against fast frenzied movement or happy and jolly musical themes against melancholy or aggressive movement.

Only using counterpoint may prove less effective than if it is used after a period where the music has followed either movement or a narrative. Counterpoint is neither easily understood by children or inexperienced dancers/ performers and can lead to confusion. I would usually avoid it when playing for those type of classes.

Here is a clip of Foofwa d’Imobilité interviewing Merce Cunningham discussing a point that music and dance do not always noticeably `fit` together and how and possibly why an audience is now accepting of that.

I think that aural and visual counterpoint increases the effect upon a third party/ audience providing it is used with purpose. Definitely an effective tool in the creative box!

music for a dance improvisation class part 1

paul pavey — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:47:33 +0000

There may be an exercise during a dance class or indeed an entire class dedicated to movement improvisation. Here are some ways that I approach music for this environment.

Possibly, whoever is leading the improvisation may give a specific musical direction for the music.

Quite often, the dancers are given a brief form of direction and the musician is then asked to `play when ready`. My first response in this case, is to wait and envelope the ambience of the room listening to the general environment for sounds. It is a very rare occasion that you will ever find silence (don`t think I ever have). I usually begin to play quietly and attempt to blend with the environmental sound scape attempting not to affect any one particular person in the space. Whatever the instrumentation, I am looking to create as varied a timbre as possible.

I may react and make a dialogue with any one of the environmental sounds and have found that this opens the ears and encourages sensitivity, inspiring fellow protagonists to create their movement from yet another dimension.

This clip shows Michael Schumacher in the process of developing a student choreography, a fantastic performer, choreographer and teacher of Improvisation.

To be continued.

to accompany the `warm down` of a modern/ contemporary dance class

paul pavey — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:12:39 +0000

There may not be so much to play for the warm down of a dance class. If it is the first class working together with a teacher then look for signs of how much or rather how little music there needs to be. I would usually play this part of a class as calm as possible. It depends upon how the class has gone and what mood everyone is in ( as an accompanist, you need to have a sense of the general mood swings of your fellow protagonists). If the mood appears quite clinical with a simple stretching exercise, a straight forward calm piece of music will do fine. If however, everyone in the class has just `given it their all` then it may be appropriate for the music to take a slightly emotive direction.

Here are some instruments I use for accompanying a dance class.

music for a modern / contemporary dance class – accompanying jumps and travelling exercises

paul pavey — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:13:42 +0000

Given the underlying beat, phrasing and atmosphere have now been covered in previous blogs, the important aspect to grasp playing for jumps and travel exercises is Impulse.

While a clear downbeat needs to be played, very often it`s the upbeats that are the impulse for jumps. Syncopated upbeats work well though not played in a heavy manner.

It is very important when playing for jumps not to watch or listen to the thuds of the dancers ( sorry, did I say `thuds`.. I meant sounds..) otherwise keeping the tempo will be a struggle. I keep the meter buzzing in my head and in my body while playing, if I`m still having difficulty holding on to the beat then I sing to myself (occasionally to the entire class).

Travelling exercises (dancers moving across the floor) need to have a driving feel, not racing car style, just confident and motivating. As in jumps, do not play in a heavy manner but rather in a percussive style with clear uncomplicated rhythms (what ever the instrument of choice). I do fall into the trap myself sometimes and forget that it`s not a percussion solo with unnecessary complex patterns. Getting a nice-`groove`(dance-feel) to the music makes all the difference. Do watch the dancers in travel exercises and check that they are not `chasing the beat` or falling behind the music, keep a nice steady driving groove with nothing too decorative in the melody.

accompanying center exercises for a modern / contemporary dance class

paul pavey — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:14:32 +0000

`Support` is a key word as far as musical accompaniment goes, especially for the center exercises of a dance class. Here the dancer is building strength while working at both core stability and flexibility requiring secure musical accompaniment.

Given that the correct meter and underlying rhythm for the exercise is known (guidelines found in the previous blog), it is then important to gauge the amount of lightness or heaviness that each exercise requires within the music. This may well be determined from the voice of the teacher as they show the exercise or deliver the introduction. Here are a few rules of thumb (avoiding dance and music terminology where possible) that I generally apply when figuring out what to play for an exercise in the center.

exercises focusing on feet: Music that is light and precise with clear rhythms. Avoid using too many notes or complicated cross-rhythms.

exercises with lunging movements: Music that has a good strong downbeat with both lighter and driving recovery beats.

balancing exercises (legs in the air etc.): Music with a steady and continuous rhythmical pattern. A simple melody can help to `ease the dancers strain` over a full, rich harmonic progression (though not too heavy-handed).

floor rolling exercises: Keep a clear beat to the music. A drawn-out swing beat works well as it has both an underlying 2 and 3 within its rhythm. Not too loud and more harmonic than melodic in approach.

leg and body swing exercises: Music that has both a driving upbeat feel and a strong downbeat. The upbeats can be slightly syncopated.

twist and tilt exercises: Music that has a good clear beat and a supportive continuous rhythmical pattern.

It is worth remembering that while music for a dance class exercise is not a composition, it is a piece of music that someone is both listening and dancing to. So, once you have figured out the underlying rhythm and tempo, the meter, the phrasing, the atmosphere and how many times the movement will repeat, enjoy it!