Alternative Styles Strings School Programs

STRING CLINICS OFFERED BY CHRISTIAN HOWES

These basic clinics are offered by Mr. Howes, with one hour minimum recommended for each of these sessions. Christian can modify his presentation based on your needs and even combine them into one hour sessions.

1) Non-Tonal Improvisation and Composition:

While tonal improvisation techniques such as scales and chords are familiar to many string teachers, there is a world of “non-tonal” techniques available as well. Taking the work of learning scales and chords out of the game makes engaging in improvisation and composition more accessible to players of all levels and styles. You and your students will be improvising and composing by the end of the session.

2) Easy Tonal Improvisation for Classical Musicians:

Through a series of simple playing and reading exercises, participants will learn how to create functional melodies over chord changes. Melodic improvisation and composition are demystified as we discover, through the lens of Pachelbel’s Kanon, how to easily construct melodies easily following three simple rules. Anyone with a 6th grade reading level will learn how to compose melodies, bass lines, counter-melodies in any musical style.

3) Technology Overview for Electric Strings:

Learn the basics for electric strings: amplification, electric instruments, pickups, effects, loop pedals, and more. Teachers will also learn ways to bring this to your classroom.

4) Alternative Styles overview:

Learn the stylistic basics for strings in jazz, folk, blues, rock music and more. These modern styles call for specific articulations and techniques, including strumming, chopping, swinging and more.

CONTEXT:

ALTERNATIVE STYLES STRINGS

With a new mandate to incorporate improvisation and composition into the education of all music students in public schools, traditional teachers often find themselves unequipped to teach these new styles. As a performer and composer with a penchant for sharing and entertaining, Christian is an inspiration to classical string players in the rapidly expanding world of “alternative styles.”

There is an increasing demand among today’s orchestral string players for alternative approaches to music. Classical musicians are often insulated from improvisation-based musical communities and are frustrated with an inability to compose and improvise their own music. Often this discourages the development of their own musical voices.

Says Howes, “as we become more and more educated, we often become more inhibited. I want to encourage students to trust themselves and discover their creative voice. Total musicianship includes the ability to improvise and compose, the understanding of functional music theory, and a basic level of exposure to a wide variety of styles, as well as the cultures from which they come.” Christian’s music and playing reinforces his message, as he performs classical concertos with orchestras and is also fluent in jazz, folk styles, r and b, rock, and more.

 

Christian Howes/ Educator Bio

In 2011 Howes was voted first place in the Downbeat Critics Poll (“rising stars/violin”) and nominated by the Jazz Journalists Association for “violinist of the year”.

At the same time, Christian launched the “Creative Strings Academy” to provide a direct means for teachers to offer improvisation, harmony, and alternative styles online to their students via a comprehensive method and curriculum.

Christian served for three years as an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music after founding his own annual Creative Strings Workshop and Festival in 2003. The annual weeklong conference provides teen and adult string players an opportunity to experience a rigorous schedule of public performances, jams, rehearsals, clinics, all with a focus on improvisational music.

Christian collaborates with string teachers around the world, with the generous sponsorship of Yamaha and D’Addario, to provide workshops and guest performances for k-12 string programs, college, and private studios.

Christian has been invited to present or teach at The New School, Oberlin College, the Cincinatti Conservatory of Music, University of New Mexico, University of Southern California, University of Arizona, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, IAJE, ASTA, NAMM, IMEA, OMEA, KASTA, FMEA, AASTA, the Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp, the Berklee String Fling, Jazz Connections, and hundreds of high schools, middle schools, and private studios throughout the U.S. He has also taught in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy, and China.

“Not since Jean-Luc Ponty has a violinist ranged from pure classical to fuzz tone rock to convincing jazz with such authority”

The Chicago Reader

“As a jazz violinist he has no peer”.

All About Jazz

“Arguably the most intriguing young violinist in jazz”

The Minneapolis Tribune

PAST RESIDENCY ACTIVITIES

Clinician for private studios and Suzuki Schools

Howes graduated from the Suzuki method as a child and has supplemented his own daughter’s Suzuki training since the age of three. He regularly teaches classes in improvisation for Suzuki music students age 3 to 15.

Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series

In 2000 and 2001, Christian performed several concerts in NYC at schools, libraries, and day care centers with Akua Dixon’s Quartette Indigo, in affiliation with Carnegie Hall. He has also collaborated with Lincoln Center’s school programs in conjunction with David Gonzalez during 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Classes is Spain

Since February 2001, Christian has worked in tandem with conservatories, camps and teaching studios in Spain to help introduce improvisation to violin, viola, and cello students. He regularly presents workshops in Madrid and Barcelona

Clinician and Guest Performer with middle and high schools- Christian regularly visits high school and middle schools across the U.S to work with orchestras and string programs. His visits include clinics and performances as guest soloist.

Public School Residencies

In 2010 Christian worked with the Mason School district-the largest string program in the state of Ohio, introducing over 700 string students from grades 6-12 to improvisation, alternative styles, and composition.

In 2007 , 2008 ’09, and ‘10, Howes worked with more than 20 school music programs (each year) in the Columbus, OH, public schools in conjunction with the Jefferson Academy of Music.

Here is a partial list of other public school programs/districts Christian has been a guest performer and/or artist in residence with:

Lexington, KY

Albany, NY

West Genessee (Syracuse), NY

Perrysburg, OH

Columbus, OH

Tucson, Az

Sycamore, OH

Augusta, ME

Minneapolis, MN

Cincinatti, OH

Palm Springs, Ca

Chicago, Il

Napierville, Il

Madison, WI

Norwalk, CT

Stevens Point, Wi

Seattle, Wa

Indianapolis, IN

Miami University (Oh)

Delaware, Ohio

New Albany, Oh

Des Moines, IA

Nashville, Tn

University of Michigan

Potsdam, NY

Williamsport, NY

Long Island, NY

Durham, NC

Milwaukee/Wauwatosa, WI

Kansas City, MO

Iowa City, IA