Contemporary Music Discourse by Jacob Collier at Schoenberg Hall
Acclaimed six-time Grammy Award-winning musician Jacob Collier graced UCLA's Schoenberg Hall on February 6, 2024, in a captivating event that combined performance and discourse on modern musicianship.
Collier's performance, characterised by his trademark audience choir, saw the audience participating in improvisational parts of his performance. The event concluded with a final audience choir, which, according to attendee Ashley Dao, felt more unified and confident than ever before.
Following his performance, Collier engaged in a discussion facilitated by Lily Chen-Hafteck, professor of music education and special assistant to the dean for curricular reform. The conversation covered various topics, including the role of music theory, cross-cultural collaborations, and the importance of breaking rules when necessary in the pursuit of creativity.
Collier's deep understanding of theory and his willingness to bend its rules were highlighted during the discussion. His innovative approach to music theory and education, which blends traditional theory with contemporary technology, microtonality, and multi-instrumentalism, was a central theme of the event.
Lily Chen-Hafteck emphasised the importance of music's emotional impact and its ability to connect people. Collier's appearance at UCLA was meant to explore ways to bring the curriculum in line with what it takes to be a musician in the twenty-first century.
The line for Collier's performance formed several hours before the event, extending outside the hall. Collier's influence on modern music education was recognised anecdotally by attendees, although no detailed records or transcripts of the talk are publicly available.
UCLA's music environment includes exposure to world-renowned scholars and performers such as Collier, enriching their students' contemporary music education experience. For those seeking detailed content from the talk, contacting UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music or checking their events archives for possible posted lectures or summaries is recommended.
Photos of backstage with Collier were taken by Erica Hou, capturing the essence of an inspiring evening that left a lasting impact on the UCLA community and the world of contemporary music.
Attendee Ashley Dao found the final audience choir in Collier's performance at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall to be more unified and confident, a testament to personal growth and education-and-self-development.
Collier's deep understanding of music theory and innovative approach to its fusion with contemporary technology and multi-instrumentalism, as discussed by Lily Chen-Hafteck, underscores the importance of self-driven learning and personal development, intertwining education-and-self-development with entertainment.
