Lauren's Partner Intro

Lauren is working on her Masters in Flute Performance. Music is a very important part of Lauren's life, and a large part of the reason she is taking this class is to understand the cultural context behind the music she loves.

Aside from music, there is a theme that seems to run through Lauren’s introductory blog: tradition. The picture she provides, that of an old man and a young girl playing instruments together, gives us an image of the idea her words convey through the rest of her blog. It is a traditional image of a paternal figure, such as a grandfather, taking part in teaching or passing something on to a young child. The poem Lauren picked, one written by Patrick Pearse, also seems to have much emphasis on generational links and traditions.

Traditions are very important to Lauren, not only simply as traditions, but also as a way to understand origins. For Lauren, art and music are important mediums through which traditions can be glimpsed, whether the traditions of a particular person or family or of a larger cultural group. Furthermore, she considers an understanding of the culture behind an artwork or piece of music to be critical to a proper appreciation or performance of that art.