Listening our way forward
Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies Annie Booth: Leading by listening.
The familiar phrase “music is the universal language of mankind” is most famously attributed to American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow—but what does it mean?
On Sept. 23, I attended “The Sound of Success: Listen Your Way to the Top,” an interactive presentation co-hosted by the Entrepreneurship Center for Music and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, featuring Associate Teaching Professor of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations Visda Carson and our Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies Annie Booth.
Four of our students—Andy Carson (MME), Milo Lewon (MM Jazz), JJ Mazza (MM Jazz), Mateo Perez (BM Jazz/Leeds double major)—played John Coltrane’s “Mr. P.C.” three times. In the first pass, everyone played their own part well, but without any regard for what the others were playing—resulting in chaos. In the second, they listened a little, but the tempo drifted and each of them remained focused on themselves as the primary voice. In the third, they watched, listened and answered one another, and the music became a unified experience—same notes, same players, entirely different outcome.
Clearly, music is not universal because notes “translate”; rather, music is universal becauselisteningis universal. Booth pointed out that you can land anywhere in the world without a shared spoken language and still build a shared repertoire, communicating in real time. The language isn't the sound, it’s the attention and respect afforded to each member of the exchange.
I believe that connections are what make music matter, and connections are made by listening first. From there, trust, inspiration, cohesion and a spirit of genuine servant leadership can turn a roomful of skilled individuals into an ensemble.
That’s why the College of Music’suniversal musician approach to achieving our mission is more than a catchphrase: We are, in fact, very intentionally educating artists who can perform at the highest levels and also listen, collaborate and lead across disciplines, careers and cultures.
(Left to right) Louilarpprasert, Davis and Bowman: Connections are what make music matter.
Which brings me to Thailand. Last month, along with our Professor of Bassoon Yoshi Ishikawa, I visited the College of Music at Mahidol University outside Bangkok—one of Asia’s premier music schools where some 1,700 music students are studying classical performance, jazz, Thai music, popular music, music ed, composition, music technology, music business and more. I met with Dean Piyawat Louilarpprasert, Associate Dean for International Relations Joseph Bowman and Assistant Dean for Mobility and Exchange Junta Arakawa about how to strengthen our partnership. The campus is impressive and my new colleagues couldn’t have been more welcoming; I listened, and heard curiosity and receptivity.
In an increasingly global ecosystem, internationalization of education and research is paramount to student success, and it begins how last week’s jazz combo demonstrated: By listening, first.
When the world feels uncertain, the instinct is to hedge. I argue the opposite: Let’s push forward on what we’re good at, on what we aspire to be good at and, above all, what we’re hearing from our students. Real listening is the most dependable way forward.
With gratitude,
John Davis
Dean, College of Music