Ethel

In 2014/15, string quartet ETHEL became Denison University’s first Ensemble-in-Residence. Embedded on campus and the surrounding community, ETHEL works across disciplines, using music as an entry point for engagement and life-long learning. Residency activities employ the principles of music practice and collaboration to enhance learning in the liberal arts. Based on deep relationships with faculty, students, administration, and community partners, the project increases access to, and understanding of music, improving its integration into communities. The residency sparks discussion and challenges segregated disciplinary pedagogy on and off-campus. In conjunction with Denison partners, the project’s successes have created programming that employs the components of musical activity to inform, cohere, and inspire learning, creativity, and cooperation. The program taps creative energy by contrasting knowledge and experience within a specific discipline with the knowledge and process of real-time creation in music. Mindful listening, collaboration, improvisation, and non-verbal expression are fundamental to fruitful interaction in myriad disciplines. Identifying and discussing these aspects of knowledge benefits students of all subjects as well as life-long learners. Students and faculty in seemingly disparate liberal arts fields are drawn out of their comfort zones of “silo-ed” expertise and encouraged to explore alternate ways of approaching academic material. A deeper understanding of musical practice and of music itself promotes cross- and multi- disciplinary collaborations, and opens doors to mutual understanding and team playing.