RE-IMAGINING JOHN CAGE
AN EDUCATOR RATHER THAN A COMPOSER

Re-imagining John Cage - An Educator rather than a Composer

The talk will bring together Tara’s research interests in experimental music and pedagogy and offers a re-imagining of John Cage as an educator rather than a composer. This starts from Cage’s fascination with learning and facilitating and explores his teaching methods, both on a one-to-one level and through extended workshops. Focusing on the idea of teaching as a conversation, she will parallel Cage’s principles with her own classroom practice. The session explores permissive teaching methods and culminates in a practical music making session using Cage’s methods of chance to create composition. Participants are encouraged to bring their instrument along to take part in a short practical session

Tara Gadd

A graduate of Bretton Hall College, Tara was awarded an MA in Music from the University of York for her research in the area of inter-disciplinary studies and performance. She is a distinguished musical oboe/cor anglais player and performs regularly at venues in the south of England; she is also a highly experienced musical director.  Tara is Head of Curriculum for Music and Performing Arts at Brockenhurst College, where she has built up an eclectic curriculum offer and been commended for her work by Osfted.  Tara is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Tara is an assessment specialist and has been an A Level senior examiner for OCR for over 20 years. She is currently a member of the senior team introducing a new syllabus and training materials for the University of Cambridge International Examinations.  She works as a musical director and oboist/cor anglais player in Dorset and Hampshire and is also a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.