"Ernie was so comfortable with
the students. He got them up on their feet. They were
really connecting with a form of music that they don't
know they like... and yet so much of the music they
listen to has it's roots in the blues. The kids loved
the music. They loved Ernie. His music grabbed them."
Steve Bailes Capon Bridge Middle School VA
Blues music is a powerful window into our history as Americans.
It carries within it the foundation of every major American
musical form, including jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and
roll, hip-hop, and soul – it truly is the foundation of
American popular music.
But
the blues go far beyond their role in American music. This music offers
a lens through which to view the history of America, from the rural music
that captures the suffering, anguish and hopes of those enduring so many
years as slaves and tenant farmers, through the nation’s urbanization
and industrialization, and our struggles with justice and equality in
the 19th and 20th centuries. The blues can be a
window into this rich and challenging history. The music of Ernie Hawkins
brings to schools the opportunity to experience first hand the artifacts
of that history, through music that will appeal to a wide range of student
learning styles, allowing academic study to be both rigorous and exciting.
Ernie
Hawkins represents the best of the blues tradition. He brings a rare
opportunity for students to experience the expressions of American history
first hand. In his music, we feel the life and breath of those Americans
who have gone before, the hard lessons learned, and the challenges we
still face.
Specific
connections to national educational standards run throughout Ernie’s work.
Schools may choose to focus on some of the following questions for student
inquiry. Connections to national education standards are noted with each,
with the actual National Standards listed below:
What are the
blues? What are the meanings of the blues?
Concepts and topics connecting Ernie Hawkins performances
and residencies to school interdisciplinary study:
American history since the Civil
War, including Jim Crow, the Great Migration, and the Civil
Rights Movement. Analyze the political and social issues
in the African American struggle for equality, using blues
music as primary artifacts. (National Council for the Social
Studies Standards #s I, II, V, VI, X)
Songs as poetry, poetic devices used
in blues music, and prominent themes in blues lyrics. (National
Standards for the English Language Arts #s 2, 3, 6, 8, and
9)
Rhythms and cultural importance
of African drumming, following the threads of African traditions
through blues music and other genres of American popular
music. (National Music Standards, #s 2, 6, and 9)
Industrialization and mass
communication, and how these issues played out in the Great
Migration. (National Council for the Social Studies Standards
#s II, III, V, VII, and VIII)
African American oral traditions,
roots and legacy, modern day oral traditions, and connections
to Africa and blues music. Blues as a form of folklore,
including the language imagery and function. (National Standards
for the English Language Arts #s 1, 2, and 9; National Council
for the Social Studies Standards #s I, II, III, and V))
The blue scale, chord progressions
used in blues music (National Music Standards, #s 2, 3,
4, 5 and 6)
Women in blues: issues of societal
roles and gender equity (National Social Studies Standards
#s II, IV, V, and X)
Cultural protest as it
played out in the Jim Crow era; respect and disrespect (National
Standards for the English Language Arts #s 1, 2, 6, and
9)
Crossroads literature,
and the theme and concept of crossroads in literature and
blues music; decisions made at personal and historical crossroads.
(National Standards for the English language Arts #s 1,
2, and 9)
Blues song form, and places
this form shows up in other musical genres, cultures, and
historical periods (National Music Standards #s 4, 6, 7,
8, and 9)
Middle
School and High School Connections:
Social Studies: National Council for the Social Studies
Thematic Strands:
I.
Culture: Experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural
diversity
II.
Time Continuity and Change: Experiences that provide for the study of
the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.
III.
People, Places and Environments: Experiences that provide for the study
of people, places, and environments
V.
Individuals, Groups and Institutions: Experiences that provide for the
study of interactions among individuals, groups and institutions..
VI.
Power, Authority and Governance: Experiences that provide for the study
of how people create and change structures of power, authority and governance.
VII.
Production, Distribution and Consumption: Experiences that provide for
the study of how people organize the production, distribution, and consumption
of goods and services.
X.
Civic Ideals and Practices: Experiences that provide for the ideals,
principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.
Music: MENC National Standards
4.
Composing and arranging music with specified guidelines
5.
Reading and notating music
7.
Evaluating music and music performances
8.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines
outside the arts
9.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
English Language Arts: National Council of Teachers of
English National Standards
2.
Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres
to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience.
3.
Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate
and appreciate texts.
6.
Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions,
media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critiques,
and discuss print and non-print texts.
8.
Students use a variety of technological information resources to gather
and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
9.
Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language
use, patterns and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic
regions and social roles.
Elementary
School Connections:
Social Studies: National Council for the Social Studies
Thematic Strands:
I
Culture: Experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural
diversity
II
Time Continuity and Change: Experiences that provide for the study of
the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.
III.
People, Places and Environments: Experiences that provide for the study
of people, places, and environments
IV
Individual Development and Identity: Experiences that provide for the
study of individual development and identity
V Individuals, Groups and Institutions: Experiences
that provide for the study of interactions among individuals,
groups and institutions.
VIII
Science, Technology and Society: Experiences that provide for the study
of relationships among science, technology and society
Music: MENC National Standards
2.
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varies repertoire
of music
3.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
4.
Composing and arranging music with specified guidelines
6.
Listening to, analyzing and describing music
7.
Evaluating music and music performances
English Language Arts: National Council of Teachers of English
National Standards
1.Students
read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding
of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and
the world; to acquire new information, to respond to the needs and demands
of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment.
2.
Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres
to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience.
6.Students
apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques,
figurative language, and genre to create, critiques, and discuss print
and non-print texts.
9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity
in language use, patterns and dialects across cultures,
ethnic groups, geographic regions and social roles.
