The Proper Education of Musicians and Architects

Author(s): Daniel F. MacGilvray

Source: Journal of Architectural Education (1984-), Vol. 46, No. 2 (Nov., 1992), pp. 87-94
Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the Association of Collegiate Schools of
Architecture, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1425202
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 of Musicians
The ProperEducation andArchitects
DANIEL TexasA&M University
F. MACGILVRAY,
Architectsandarchitecture are oftencomparedto musiciansandmusic.
'Architecture as frozenmusic"andthe "masterbuilderas symphony
conductor" havebeenfamiliarsimilesthroughout the
history.However,
education,fromelementaryschoolthroughuniversity, of architectsand
musicianstodayis quitedifferent.Musiceducationis basedintheory,widely
availableto youngmusiciansin eventhe mostruralareasandsmallest
schools,andrequiresthe studentto developa repertoireof musicalskillsand
accomplishments beforeproceedingto the nextchallenge.Onthe otherhand,
designeducationhas a morehaphazard approach,withunequalopportunities
availableto interestedstudents,dependingon the size of theirtownor school,
theiraccess to a propermentor,theirchoiceof a university program,and
theirpaththroughthe designstudiosof thatprogram.Usingexamplesfrom
myarchitectural teachingexperienceandfamiliarity withsecondaryschool
musicinstruction inTexas,I comparethe twoeducational systemsandoffer
severalwaysin whicharchitectural educationmightbenefitfroma careful
transferof didacticmethodscommonto the worldof music.
Architectureas Frozen Music
THE FIELDSOF LITERATUREAND PHILOSOPHYOF ART OFFER MANY WON-
derfulallegoriesrelatingarchitectureand music.In his discourseon
"Architectureand Music,"MichaelBrightgivesseveralexamples,be-
ginningwith the mythicaltraditionsof AmphionandApollo.These
two aresupposedto havebuiltthe wallsof Thebesand Troy,respec-
tively,by charmingthe stonesto taketheirproperplacein the walls
with the enchantingstrainsof music.This classicideaeventuallyin-
spiredthe poetryof Milton:MulciberraisesPandemoniumto the ac-
companimentof musicin the firstbookof ParadiseLost.
Anon out of the eartha Fabrichuge
Roselikean Exhalation,with the sound
Of DulcetSymphonies,andvoicessweet,
Builtlikea Temple.1
Tennyson's Merlin reports to Gareth upon his arrivalin
Camelot:
Foran ye hearda music,likeenow,
Theyarebuildingstill,seeingthe cityis built
To music,thereforeneverbuiltat all,
And thereforebuiltforever.2
The most familiarcomparison of architectureto music is
Friedrichvon Schelling's,fromhis Philosophie derKunst,whichwas
originallypublished in 1859: as
"Architecture, the musicof the plastic
arts,thusnecessarily followsarithmetical
relationships.... It is music
in space... in a sensesolidifiedmusic."3Goethehad the sameidea,
87
possiblyearlier(1829): "'Ihavefound a paperof mine amongsome
others,'saidGoethetoday,'inwhichI callarchitecture "petrifiedmu-
sic."Reallythereis somethingin this;the tone of mind producedby
architectureapproaches the effectof music.'"4
Madamede Staelprecededthemboth in Corinne(publishedin
1807): "Thesightof sucha monument[St. Peter'sCathedral]is like
continualobligatomusic."5
The Greekphilosophersdevotedwholebooksto music,andof
courseVitruviusincludedmusicas one of the subjectsthat must be
understoodby the architect,"sothat he mayhaveknowledgeof ca-
nonicaland mathematical
theory,"and, incidentally,to better"tune"
militarycatapultsto keepthe courseof projectiles straight.6
St. Augustineexperiencedthe powerof musicand artto evoke
emotionandattemptedto reconcilethosesensuousassaultson the ear
andeyewith earlyChristianfaith.7Therefollowedattemptsto equate
the mathematicsof musicwith architecture, involvingsuchthingsas
traditionalproportions,rhythm,balance,regularity,and harmonic
relationships.SirJohn Soaneexplains:"Theancientwriters... rec-
ommendedthe studyof musicto formpartof an architect'seduca-
tion, conceiving, perhaps,that a relishfor the harmoniesof tone
would induce,by a sortof sympathy,a corresponding tastefor those
of proportion.8
RudolfWittkoweris morecertainof the importanceof music
to Renaissance artists:
Musichada particular attractionforRenaissance artistsbecause
it hadalwaysbeenrankedasa mathematical 'science'.Therewas
an unbrokentraditioncomingdownfromantiquityaccording
to which arithmetic..., geometry. .. astronomy.. ., and
music..., formedthe quadriviumof the mathematical'arts'.
Bycontrastto these'liberalarts',painting,sculpture,andarchi-
tecturewereregardedas manualoccupations.In orderto raise
themfromthe levelof the mechanicalto thatof the liberalarts,
theyhadto be givena firmtheoretical,thatis to say,mathemati-
cal,foundation.This transformation wasthegreatachievement
of 15thcenturyartists.No wonderthattheyturnedto musicas
the only respectableliberal art and studied musical theory
for guidancein grapplingwith theirown problems.A famili-
aritywith musicaltheorybecamethe sinequa nonof artistic
education.9
In his chapterentitled"FrozenMusic,"ClaudeBragdonasserts
that not only architecture, but all of the artsaspiretowardthe condi-
tion of music'sabilityto expressa "universallaw of becoming,"that
is, an expressionof the "creativespiritof man at its freestand finest."
He writes,"All[thearts]aspireto express[thisuniversal]law,but mu-
MacGilvray
sic, beingleastencumberedby the leadenburdenof materiality,ex- The People and Products of Musicand Architecture
pressesit most easilyand adequately.This beingso thereis nothing
unreasonable in attemptingto applythe knownfactsof musicalhar- In extendingthe abovecomparison,it is importantto differentiate
mony and rhythmto . . . architecture... presentedhereas "frozen amongthe variousparticipantsresponsiblefor producingmusicand
music"-ponderableformgovernedby musicallaw."'0Bragdon'sil- architecturebecause,as it will becomeclear,they havesubstantially
lustrationsjuxtaposeelevationsof classicalarcadesandmusicalscores, differenteducationalbackgrounds.
notingthe harmonicandrhythmicrelationships.
Brightmentionsone otheraptnineteenth-century music/archi- Theparticipants:
Musiciansanddesigners
tectureanalogy,thatof G.F. Bodley,who arguedthatarchitecture is The following table parallelsthe various participantsand their contri-
likemusicbecause"itexpressesabstractideas,suchas power,simplic- bution to the production and consumption of works of music and ar-
ity,grandeurandbeauty."" chitecture:
Schelling'sPhilosophiederKunst(1859) and Dessoir'sAsthetik Music Architecture
undAllgemeine Kunstwissenschaft (1906) areearlyattemptsto equate
the artsof musicand architecture, in additionto painting,sculpture, Function Participant Contribution Participant Contribution
Author Composer Score Designer Drawings
and the other"fine"or "performing" arts.Schelling,of course,sug-
Interpreter Conductor Direction Builder Coordination
gested the as
"architecture solidifiedmusic" simile.Dessoirproposeda Performer Sounds Craftsman
Implementer Objects
matrixof interrelationships,showing a closerconnectionbetweenar- Consumer Audience Attention Client/citizen Use
chitectureandmusicthanbetweenarchitecture andpoetryor dance.'2 FinalProduct: Concert Architecture

spacialarts temporalarts
motionlessarts artsof motion Thereis a subtlebut importanttop-to-bottomhierarchy appar-
artsdealingwith artsdealingwith ent in thisarrangement thatsuggeststhat,just as the composermust
images gesturesand sounds be familiarwith conductingandperforming,the designermustknow
the skillsof the builderandthe craftsperson. The knowledgeable con-
reproductive arts
SCULPTURE POETRY sumer must alsobe aware of the intentof the author and be of
critical
figurativearts
artswith determinate PAINTING DANCE boththe interpretation andthe implementation of the author'sidea.
associations The participants in the productionof a pieceof music,includ-
freearts ing creative composers,skilledconductors,and talentedperformers,
abstractarts ARCHITECTURE MUSIC are closely interconnected and mutuallyinterdependent; we referto
artswith all of themby the generalterm"musician." Composers must havean
indeterminate intimateknowledgeof musicaltheoryand the instrumentsforwhich
associations
theycompose;theyprobablycouldbothconductandperformbut are
not obligedto do so skillfully.Similarly,the successfulconductormay
In Nine BasicArts,PaulWeissexpandsthe matrixto includethe con-
neithercomposemusicnor playany instrument(certainlynot all in-
ceptsof timeand"becoming," whichalsoenableshim to differentiate
struments)with greatskill.The performers, whilecreativein theirin-
music composition (what he refersto as "musicry")from perfor-
mance.Once again,architecture is posedas beingmoreakinto music terpretation
and skilledin theirreproductionof the originalworkof
hundredsof composers,mightneverattemptto conductor compose
(bothcompositionandperformance), sculpture,andpaintingthanto on theirown.
story,poetry, dance,or theater.'3 All threeare,however,joinedby theiroriginalstudyof a theo-
artsof space artsof time artsof becoming reticaland historical"commonbody of musicalknowledge"that
artsthatenclosea ARCHITECTURE MUSIC MUSIC binds them togetheras musicians.They went to school together.
createddimension COMPOSITION PERFORMANCE They can communicatewith one anotherin a common,universally

artsthatoccupya SCULPTURE STORY THEATER acceptedmusicallanguage.The workof musicianslong deadis famil-

createddimension
iarand immediatelyaccessible,not only to musicians,but through
musiciansto the generalpublicas well. Eventhe audience,most of
artsthatarethe PAINTING POETRY DANCE whom maylacka formalmusiceducation,bringto the concerta cer-
dimensiontheycreate tainfamiliarity with or at leastan interestin music.

November 1992 JAE 46/2 88

 In contrast,the participants
who contributeto a workof archi-
tectureincludedesigners,builders,andcraftspeople who areintercon-
nected by contractand dependenton one anotherin manyways,
but who areoften not only ignorant,but openly contemptuousof
one another'sways.We cannotreferto all of them, in any sense,as
"architects."In the worstcase,the builderexpectsthe carpenterto re-
ferto the constructiondocumentsas "thefunnypapers,"andthe aes-
theticsensitivitiesof the designernot only lose importbut areoften
trampledin the mud anddebrisof the constructionsite.Architecture
is planned,designed,constructed,and occupiedby peoplewho are
unableto communicateclearlyin a commonarchitectural language
and who are unfamiliar(exceptin a superficialway) with the past
worksof greatplanners,designers,builders,andartisans.
Theconception:Musicalscore
andarchitecturalplan
Although there are greatdifferencesbetweenthe people involved,
there are basiccreativesimilaritiesbetweenthe initial productsof
architecture and music.In Weiss'sterms,both "enclosea createddi-
mension":architecture in space,musicboth in time and in "becom-
ing." Both begin with a concept,an ideaor creativeact, which may
then be writtendown usingan acceptednotationsystem.The result-
ing musicalscoreor designdrawingscan be easilyreproduced,and
thus the originalideamaybe communicatedto individualswho are
ableto understandthe symbolsand conventionsof the author.Both
architectural and musicalconceptsremainquiteflexiblethroughout
thisstage,beingeasilyalteredandreproduced. No soundhasyet been
heard,no brickslaid.The composerassuredly hasworkedthroughthe
melody on a piano, and the designermay haveconstructeda scale
model,but the ideais not yet readyforpublicconsumption.Thiswill
requireotherpeopleand the expenditureof relativelylargesumsof
moneyto be accomplished.A greatdealof both musicand architec-
tureget no furtherthanthisstage,andit is here,with the necessary
in-
volvementof additionalpeopleand resourcesbeyondthe creatorthat
the two creativeactsbeginto diverge.
Theopus:Concert
andarchitecture
A symphonyis meant to be performedin concert;architectureis
meantto be builtandenteredor at leastpassedby.Afterrepeatedper-
formances,a symphonycan still be easilyaltered,reproduced,and
transportedthroughboth spaceand time, especiallysincethe inven-
tionsof ThomasEdison,GuglielmoMarconi,and theirsuccessors. A thatwoulddirectlybenefita would-bearchitectin 1960. Thirtyyears
finishedworkof architectureis moreoftenuniqueanduseful,fixedin
time and space,a productof its placeand environment;it maybe al-
terable,reproducible,or even transportable,
but only with consider-
ableexpense.Architectureis morecomplexand moreexpensivethan
a pieceof music.It mayhavea spiritualcomponent,but it provides
89
shelteras well. Althoughthe makersof a concertarenecessarilyall
musicians,as we haveseen,the makersof architecture
areoftenany-
thingbut architects.
The Educationof Musiciansand Designers
The differences betweenthe makersof musicandthe makersof archi-
tectureare due in part to the obvious, unavoidablerealities,men-
tioned above,that separatemusic from architecture.They arealso
due, at leastin part,to the two quite differenteducationalsystems
thatproducethe participants in architecture
and musictoday.'4
Becauseof the importanceof musicto the worshipserviceand
the resultantestablishment of "singingschools"in thiscountryin the
eighteenthcentury, thereexists today a well-organized,universally
availablesystemof musiceducationthatprovideschallengingoppor-
tunitiesfor the seriousprimary-andsecondary-school studentof mu-
sic."5Theseopportunitiesarecertainlyrare,if not totallyunavailable,
to the seriousstudentof architecture(orevenart,whichis, by default,
a startingpointformanywould-bearchitects) at the high-schoollevel.
We havemuchto learnfrommusicians,beginningwith primaryand
secondaryeducationandextendinginto ourcollegesanduniversities.
Theeducation oftheyoungarchitect
I firstbecameinterestedin a careerin architecture aftervisitinga local
architect'soffice (the only one in my hometownof 25,000) on high
schoolCareerDay. I chosearchitecture as one of my careergoalsbe-
causeI wasgood at mathand likedto draw.Manyarchitectswill no
doubthavea similarrecollectionregarding theirinitialcareerdecision;
I havegiven the sameadviceto more than one curioushigh school
studentor parentof a studentwith thosetwo skills.
The localarchitectsgaveme some good adviceon thatvisit to
theiroffice:to takeart in high school in additionto the mechanical
drawingcoursein whichI wasalreadyenrolled.In spiteof beinggood
at art (or at least"likingto draw"),I might not havetakenthat art
coursebecauseit was not listedon the approvedelectivesforthe typi-
calcollege-boundhighschoolsophomore,at leastnot in theyearsjust
afterSputnik.
Those artand mechanicaldrawingcourses,alongwith physics
and mathematics,were the only coursesofferedin my high school
later,sadly,the situationhas not changedmuch, at leastnot in the
publicschoolsin Texaswith whichI am most familiar.A few "mag-
net"schools,suchas Skylinein Dallasor the High Schoolforthe Per-
formingand VisualArts in Houston, offerexcellentprogramsthat
includeartand architectural historyand architectural design(asop-
MacGilvray
posedto drafting).Innovativeprograms,suchas the NEA-sponsored
"Architectsin Schools" program, and the publication of The
Sourcebook by theAIAhavehelpedraisethe awareness of architecture
in thepublicschools,buttheseareat bestscattered effortsandregularly
fadeintoor out of vogue,dependingon localinterestandexpertise.
In the vast majorityof public high schools, art, mechanical
drawing,and, if it is a fairlylargehigh school,architectural
drafting,
arethe only courseson the prearchitecture menu.The lattertwo are
often relegatedto vocationaleducation/industrialartsstatus.That
statementis not intendedto disparage thatimportantpartof ourpub-
lic educationsystem,but ratherto pointout the lackof an acceptable
academicmenu of coursesfor the necessarilycollege-boundyoung de-
signer.
Texashasseverallargeandwell-organized educationalassocia-
tionsthatrecognizeand rewardsecondarystudentachievementin the
performingand industrialarts.Manystateshavethe equivalentof the
TexasMusic EducatorsAssociation(TMEA)and Texas Industrial
ArtsStudentAssociation(TIASA).These organizationssponsoran-
nualcompetitionsfor high schoolstudents;theyarejudgedin local,
regional,and areacompetitions;and the besteventuallyachieve"all-
state"recognition.Patchesandmedalsthatareawardedat the various
levelsof competitionareproudlydisplayedon schooljackets.
I havedirectexperiencewith two of thesecompetitivesystems.
For severalyearsI was a judge at the TIASAstate competition in
Waco;both of my sonsparticipated in the TMEAregional,area,and
statecompetitions.The differencesbetweenthe two competitionsare
astonishingand clearlyrepresentative of the two educationalsystems
thatproducetheworkbeingjudged.
On my firsttripto Waco, I went armedwith some recruiting
materials,includingscholarshiplettersfor our college'sone-week
summerprogramfor highschoolstudents,CareerHorizons.I hoped
to be ableto recognizethe workof outstandingstudentsandto inter-
est themin TexasA&M anda careerin architecture. The workI was
askedto judgewasorganizedinto a totalof thirty-seven differentcat-
egories,including General Drafting(freehand,orthographic, andpic-
torial) and Architectural Drafting(workingdrawings,presentation
drawings,and models).Advancedworkwas organizedinto the same
categoriesbut was separatedfor judgingso that first-yearstudents
would not competewith second-year("advanced") students.Except
by this distinction,it oftenwas impossibleto betweenthe
differentiate
beginning and advanced work. Othercompetitioncategories,judged
by otheroutside"experts," includedbeginningand advancedwood
andmetalworking,electronics,andplastics.
I wasverydisappointedin the qualityof the workI judged;it
demonstrated, almostwithoutexception,excellenttechnicalskillsbut
very little ren-
originalthoughtor creativity.Most of the architectural
November1992 JAE46/2 90
deringswerecopied;somewereobviouslytraced.The samespectacu-
larperspectiveviewsof the samedeveloperhouse,renderedwith the
sameink or penciltechniques,werepresentedby studentsfromhigh
schoolshundredsof milesapart.A set of completearchitectural draw-
ings were prepared for a mundane tract house, with students
required
to presentelaboratedrawingsof foundationdetailsor electricalwiring
diagramswith littleor no attentionto logicalor efficientplanningor
the properuseof constructionmaterials. Modelswerelovinglycrafted
fromthe typeof hobbyshopmaterialscommonlyusedby modelrail-
roaders,not architects.
If the assignmentincludeddevelopinga designfroman archi-
tecturalprogram,it was evident that studentslackedthe input of
competentarchitectural criticism.Littleattentionwaspaidto compo-
sition,functional efficiency,spatialgeneration,or siteplanning.
Some of the mostinteresting workwasproducedin the areasof
graphicsand illustration, where the latestair-brushtechniqueswere
usedto producequiteprofessional renderings. The subjectmatterfor
theseexercises,however,was often reminiscentof the type of black
velvetpaintingsfoundat gasstationartsales.Similarly,in the wood-
workingcompetition,with hundredsof examplesof largepiecesof
furniturefillingan enormoushall,the feworiginal,qualitypieceswere
crowdedout by the banaland preposterous.Once again,expensive
woodsandcarefulartisanry werein evidence,but with no thoughtto
designor originalityin workingwith a givenmaterial.
This criticismis not directedat the students,whoseworkmost
oftenexhibitedtechnicalskilland hoursof dedicatedlabor.Nor do I
meanto be overlycriticalof theirteachers,whomwe, as a designpro-
fession,havefailedto equipwith theirown evenrudimentary educa-
tion in architecturalsubjects.I do mean to criticizea systemthat
permits,let aloneencouragesand honors,the above-mentionedex-
amplesas the highestlevelof achievementin the fewhighschoolsub-
jectsthatmightleadan inquiringyouthinto a careerin architecture.
Theeducationof theyoungmusician
The followingdiscussionis necessarilyanecdotal.It is based,not on
my direct experiencewith music, but on that of my two sons. I
presentthese experiencesas evidenceof the generalhigh qualityof
music educationavailableto the interestedhigh school student in
Texasand,I am sure,in manyotherstates.
My oldest son playsthe piano and has takenprivatelessons
sincethe firstgrade.Pianois not offeredin ourpublicschoolsystem,so
his musichasbeenstrictlyextracurricular exceptfora stintat electronic
keyboardin the highschooljazzband.One summerhe wentto a one-
weekpianocampat BaylorUniversity.I had neverbeforeconsidered
thereto be anyparallelbetweenthe educationalsystemthatproduced
him asa pianistandthe systemwherebya youngarchitectural talentis
developedand nurtured.As I mentionedbefore,though,our college
of architecturehasforthe pastseveralyearsoffereda summerprogram
forhighschoolstudentswho areinterestedin careersin planning,de-
sign, or construction.Naturally,I was interestedin comparingthe
two academicapproaches andstudentaccomplishments.
The firstdifferenceI notedwas thatstudentswererequiredto
competefor a slot in the music camp by submittinga tape of their
work.They alsohad the choiceof severaldifferentsummerprograms
aroundthe state,allof whichwerewellknownto my son'sprivatepi-
ano teacher.In contrast,recruitinghasbeena majorproblemfor our
CareerHorizons program;there is no clearconstituencyof art or
drafting(let alonearchitecture)teachers,no networkof educatorsor
studentsto tap into. We resortto massmailingsto highschoolcoun-
selors,AIA members,and othersand havebeen able to maintaina
relativelystableenrollmentof twenty-fivestudentseachyear.As the
programhas becomeestablished,the recruitingproblemhas eased,
but we are not yet to the point of screeningthe applicantsfor the
qualityof theirwork.In anycase,thatwouldbe unfairbecausemany
interestedstudentswill not havehadthe opportunityto developor to
displaytheircapabilitiesbecauseof theirlimitedhigh schoolexperi-
ence.At best,we couldexpectto receiveportfoliosof copiedrender-
ingsanddetailedbuilderfloorplans.
Once acceptedto piano camp, studentswere askedto come
preparedwith two or threepiecesof musicfromtheircurrentreper-
toire.Thesepiecesbecamethe focalpoint of theirtutorialexperience,
were practicedand critiquedthroughoutthe week, and were per-
formedat the closing concert.Otherwork includedmusic theory,
sight-reading,and improvisation, a chanceto displaycreativityaswell
as technique.The closingconcertwas astonishing;eachstudentper-
formedfrom memorya difficultclassicalor contemporarypiece. I
could not help but comparethis experiencewith our own summer
high schoolgroupsof youngdesigners.The rawtalent,the diligence,
and the commitmentto taskwereperhapsthe same,but the prepara-
tion did not beginto compare.It wasas thoughwe wereofferinga pi-
ano camp to studentswho had neverseen a piano. If we had asked
our high-schoolers to bringtheirprepared"piece,"I wonderwhatwe
wouldhavereceived.We havea closingexhibit,too, with lots of work
to showparents.It is alwaysamazingwhatthe groupcan accomplish
in a week, but the qualityof both designand artisanryis what one
wouldexpect:clumsy,naive,superficial, self-conscious.
In vocalmusic,trainingis begunin the fifthor sixthgrade;seri-
ous studentsthushavesix or sevenyearsto developtheirskillsin the
publicschool system.Musictheoryand historyaretaught;students
aregivenincreasinglydifficultmusic,arerequiredto transposecom-
pletescoresto reflectchangingvoiceranges,andareintroducedto the
greathistoricalworks.Knowledgeof severalforeignlanguagesis intro-
91
duced, often extended beyond mere pronunciation,as works are
translatedand interpreted.It is not uncommonforsmallhigh school
choirsto singin fouror fivelanguages,farbeyondthe scopeof course
offeringsin the sameschool'smodernlanguagesdepartment.
Studentsareableto enterinto solo,ensemble,andchoralmusic
competitions.Piecesareperformedfrom memory,with or without
accompaniment,and studentsarejudgedby panelsof musicianson
voice quality,musicianship,and technique.Studentsmay be given
thirtysecondsto sight-readandsing,withoutaccompaniment, a piece
of musictheyhaveneverseenbefore.In short,theyarechallengedto
stretchtheirmusicalskillsandtheoreticalunderstanding; theydevelop
confidence,a competitivespirit,anda senseof accomplishment. This
is wheremusicmajorsareborn.
Everyyear,the TexasStateHigh SchoolChoir is madeup of
the 256 best male and female vocalists in the state, chosen from
TMEA-sponsoredcompetitionsat the regionaland arealevel. In
1989, the choir,directedby RobertShawand accompaniedby the
SouthernMethodistUniversityOrchestra,sangthe BrahmsRequiem
in German.The two solo partswereperformedby professionals, not
becausethe studentsdid not havethe talentto handlethe material,
but to avoidsinglingout two voicesfromthe group.In otheryears,
theyhaveperformeddifficultselectionsin English,Latin,French,and
Slovak.In Texaseachyear,thereis a similarperformance by the two
stateorchestras, two symphonicbands,and the statejazzband.High
schoolmusicians,led by nationallyor internationally
renownedcon-
ductorsperformdifficultselectionsfrom the classicaland modern
music repertoire.
The leadingschoolsof music acrossthe countryfollow such
performances with greatinterest.The musiciansarerecruitedlikeath-
letesor nationalmeritsemifinalists,theirmailboxesfilledwith cata-
logs,brochures,and applications,theirtelephonesringingwith offers
to visitcampus.Thereis simplynothinglikethisforthe talentedhigh
schoolstudentinterestedin a careerin architecture.The TIASAcom-
petition was describedpreviously; some student artworkmaybe dis-
playedlocally at a bank or community center.Once a year,some of
the bestworkmightbe chosenby the artteacherto sendto Houston
for a regionaljudging,in which everypiece submittedcomes away
with a white, red,or blue ribbon.This eventis not reallya competi-
tion. It does not serveto challengea young mind, and it serveslittle
purposein relationto a futuredesignor architecture profession.
Apologistsfor the differencesbetweenthesetwo systemsargue
that the high schoolsareonly producingcompetentviolinistsor so-
pranos,certainlynot conductorsor composers,and that the parallel
expectationin architecturewould be to producecompetentwood-
workersor masons,not buildersor designers.I agree,but they miss
the most importantpoint: By developingskilledyoung performers,
MacGilvray
the worldof musiccreatesa largepool of musicaltalentfromwhich
to drawnot only a few futureconductorsor composers,but alsofu-
ture audiences.The world of architecturehas no similarpool of
young talentto tap for its futuredesignersor constructorsor, even
moreimportantly, knowledgeable clients.
Teaching Architecture
My purposeis not simplyto identifyproblemsand raisequestions,
but to identifysomesuccessfulprogramsand to offersuggestionsfor
expandingand improvingour systemof architecturaleducationat
boththe secondaryandthe collegelevel.
First,we must developprogramsand offerdegreesin design
educationat both the bachelor'sand the master'slevel.Thesedegrees
mightinitiallybe offeredasa separatespecializationby a collegeor de-
partment of or
architecture as a dual degreein collaboration with a
of education. The ACSA's Guide to Architecture Schools in
college
NorthAmericalists ten "specializations within an architecturalde-
gree,"rangingalphabeticallyfrom computer-aideddesignto urban
design;severaldozenadditionalspecializations(suchas professional
practice,built formand culture,minimumcost housing,and small-
town design)arementionedin the Other category,but thereis no
mentionof any specializationin architectural or designeducationat
of the more than one hundred schools of architecturein the
any
UnitedStatesandCanada.
In contrast,Petersons Guideslists 340 graduateprogramsin
musicand 211 programsin musiceducation.Of the latter,162 (77
percent)arehousedwithina school,department,or collegeof music.
The other49 (23 percent)areofferedby a collegeor departmentof
thatdo not haveanymusicpro-
education,20 of theseat universities
gramotherthanmusiceducation.Thus,just under50 percentof all
the professionalschoolsof musicalso offerdegreesin musiceduca-
tion;only 29 universitiesthathavea collegeor departmentof music
chooseto separatethe musiceducationdegreefromthe musictheory,
performance, andconductingdegrees.16
Not onlydoesa degreein musiceducationactas a backstopfor
thoseunableto succeedin the highlycompetitiveperformance, con-
ducting,or composingworlds,but it alsopopulatesour society with
trainedmusicteacherswho areableto transmittheirknowledgeand
loveof musicthroughtheirteachingto the nextgeneration.We have
no similarcapabilityto nurturea young interestin architecture.We
dependinsteadon particularly motivated parents or the chance con-
nectionof a youngtalentwith a suitablementorfromthe professional
architectural world.The chancesof thathappeningin New Yorkor Summerinstitutefor teachers
Houston arenot high, and it will not happenat all in thousandsof Severalschools of architecturein Texas and around the country cur-
smallercommunities.A smalltown maynot havean architect,but it rently conduct summer programs to introduce high-schoolers to the
November1992 JAE46/2 92
will certainlyhave a piano teacheror a churchchoir directorwho
probablyhasa degreein music.
The developmentof degreeprogramsin design education
wouldbe meaningless withoutthe paralleldevelopmentof a compre-
hensivesystemof designeducationat the secondary-school level.Our
high schoolsshould offercoursesin history,theory,basic
architectural
and
design, creativity in additionto mechanical drawingandarchitec-
turaldrafting.A coursein artand architectural historywould intro-
duce studentsto designers'contributionsto the civilizedworld, as
theyarenow routinelyintroducedto theworksof Bachor Brahmsin
music.A physicscurriculumthatusesarchitectural modelsfor prob-
lems in acousticsor heattransferor structuralbehavioris as validas
one basedon musicalor mechanicalor engineeringexamples.
These two areratherobviousand facilesuggestionsto make.
They are,however,simplein conceptonly;theywouldbe difficultto
executeandwouldinvolvethe cooperationof powerfulbureaucracies,
long periodsof time, and the expenditureof largesums of money.
Certainly, the AIA and the NEH, through such projectsas The
Sourcebook and the Architects-in-Schools program,whichhavebeen
aroundfor morethana decade,havebegunthe process.Now it is up
to the ACSA,NAAB, and NCARB to follow this lead;indeed,the
impetusat the nationallevelmustcome fromthesebodiesif thereis
to be anythingmorethanthe scatteredresultsreportedto date.17
Everyuniversityproposingto offerthe new degreesand their
respectivefaculties,administrators,governingboards,and statecoor-
dinatingboardswould eventuallybe responsiblefor proposingand
approvingthe new degreeprograms.In addition, state education
agenciesor boardswouldhaveto considerthe educationaladvantages
of a proposeddesigneducationprogramat the secondarylevel,justas
they mayhaverecentlydone for sex educationor computerliteracy.
and governingboardsof everyschooldis-
Teachers,administrators,
trictthatconsidersadoptingthe newarchitectural coursesor curricula
wouldhaveto weighthe budgetary, personnel,andfacilitiesimpactof
theirdecisions.
These things will take time; a ten- or twenty-yearhorizon
mightwell be requiredbeforewe see anymeaningfulresultsfromthe
new secondaryschool coursesor universitydegreeprograms.Are
theresomethingswe cando in the meantime?I suggesttwo immedi-
atedirectionsforarchitecturaleducatorsto consider:
* Teachingelementary andsecondary teachersaboutarchitecture.
* the
Introducing concept of the or "setpiece,"for
repertoire
studentsof architecture.
fieldsof architecture,planning,anddesign.Thesehavebeenmodestly
successful,at least TexasA&M, in attractingsome good students
at
into architecture,althoughmanyof the studentsmighthavechosen
thatdirectionin anyevent.As mentionedpreviously,oureffortsto re-
cruitstudentsinto theseprogramshavebeenfrustrated by the lackof
a contactpoint at the high school campus.We havealso been chal-
lengedby the lackof designawareness,let aloneskills,thatthesestu-
dentstypicallybringto the programfromhighschool.
The next logicalstep is to developsummerprogramsfor el-
ementaryand secondaryteachers,thus extendingthe conceptof de-
signeducationinto the schoolroomat manylevels.This is a sureway
to providethe design"mentors" missingin smallerschoolsand towns
aswell as to introduceteachersof suchsubjectsas drafting,construc-
tion, art,or socialstudiesto the worldof architecture.This is not a
new idea;it has alreadybeen piloted by AIA chaptersin Missouri,
Oklahoma,andseveralotherstates.18 However,liketheArchitects-in-
Schoolsprogrammentionedearlier,the ideahas not beenwidelyor
consistentlyapplied,norhasit everbeencriticallyevaluated.
These four- to six-weekprogramscan introduceteachersto
such thingsas creativeproblemsolving,the designprocess,planning
concepts,and environmental designand canprovidea briefoverview
of architecturalhistory,basicbuildingmaterials,and nonanalytical
structuralconcepts.The formatshouldincludemaximumuse of stu-
dios andworkshopsto emphasizehands-oninvolvement,gameplay-
ing, and "conceptualblock-busting," as opposedto the moretypical
lecture/studiocombination.Architectureschoolscurrentlyoffering
master'sdegreeprogramsto nondesigncareer-change bachelor'sde-
gree-holders could tailor their or
existing "leveling" introductory
coursesforthispurpose.
Thearchitectural
repertoire
Finally,in developingthis paper,I havebecomeintriguedwith the
concept,commonin musiceducationandperformance, of the reper-
toire, the groupof "setpieces"my son was askedto bringto piano
campto develop.Whatis the parallelin architecture?Designstudents
arerequiredto preparea portfolio,but they do that afterthe design
studioexperience.Only in the mostsubconsciousway-to the extent
that they have a recordof studio and other life experiencesupon
which they must inevitablybase their next design-do they bring
their portfolios into the design studio. What if we turned that
around?
A longitudinaldesignexperimentis proposed.Froma classof
first-yeardesignstudents,pick a randomgroupthatwill be assigned
to the samedesignsectionsforthe nextfour(orfive)years.The sizeof
the groupwill depend on expectedattrition:an entrygroup large
enoughto yielda cohortgrouplargeenoughto makea fulldesignsec-
93
tion (10 to 15 students)in the lastyearis required.Thus two or three
first-yearsections(30 to 45 students)oughtto be planned.Thesestu-
dentswouldbe givena two-weekdesignprojectwith a fairlycomplex
program-say,a housefora carefullydefinedclient.Restrictions as to
allowablematerialsand geometriesmightalsobe required.The stu-
dentswould then be assignedthe identicaltwo-weekprojectin every
succeedingdesignstudio,fora totalof eightto ten iterations.
Ideally,no otherstudentin the programshouldeverbe given
the sameproject,thoughthey mightof coursebe familiarwith it as
theywouldbe with anyassignedprojectin a neighboringdesignstu-
dio. In the finalsemesterof the program,the assignmentshouldbe
given to a sectionof those studentswho had neverhad the project.
Theirsolutionscouldthen be comparedto thoseof the experimental
group. My thesis is that the design solutions of the experimental
group,as a whole, would be measurably"better"than those of the
groupexposedfor the firsttime to the two-weekproject.It wouldbe
interestingto compareindividualperformancesas well, perhaps
througha comparisonof designgradeexpectationsas indicatedby
previousgrades.
Variationsof the experimentcouldincludethese:
* Givethe assignmentto the "outside"
comparisongroupat the
end of the secondor thirdaswellas the fourth(orfifth)year.
(Atwhatleveldoesthe experimental groupbeginto excel,if at
all,with the design?)
* Allowmoretimeto the comparisongroup.(Canthe differ-
encesin quality(if any)be explainedbecauseof the lengthof
timethe designershaveto workon the project?)
Insteadof the assignmentof an iterativedesignproject,another
variationwould be to assignin the firstyeara limited repertoireof
materialsor geometricformswith which the studygroupmustwork
on a givennumberof theirdesignprojectsin theirfouror fiveyears.
(Theywouldbe freeto designwith whatevermaterialstheychoseon
their remainingprojects.)The comparisonwith the controlgroup
would be on overalldesignqualityin projectsusing the designated
materialor geometry,not specificallyon the student'sfacilityof use
(orlackthereof)of thatparticularmaterialor geometricform.
Conclusion
Whatis suggestedhereis intuitivelyobviousto both the designerand
the designeducator.As recognizedby W.R. Lethaby,a nineteenth-
centurypioneerin designeducation,good designis the resultof an it-
erativeprocess:"Usuallythe best method of designinghas been to
improveon an existingmodel by betteringit a point at a time."19
Good designemergesfrom a reasonedapplicationof the designer's
MacGilvray
pastknowledge,and good designershavean easilyrecognized(often 9.RudolfWittkower,Architectural Principlesin theAgeof Humanism(New
York:W.W. Norton, 1971), p. 117.
quitesimple)repertoireof materialsand formswith whichthey rou- 10. ClaudeBragdon,TheBeautifulNecessity:SevenEssayson Theosophy and
tinelywork.Historicexamplesabound:Kallikrates and Iktinosper-
Architecture, 2d ed. (New York:AlfredA. Knopf,1927), p. 101.
fecting the Greek temple form;Gothic master masons approaching 11. G.F. Bodley,"Architectural Studyand the ExaminationTest,"quotedin
the heavenswith stoneandglass;MiesvanderRohecombiningsteel Bright,CitiesBuilttoMusic,p. 277, note 17.
detailsandrectilineargeometryin praiseof the machine;LeCorbusier 12. Quoted in LewisRowell, ThinkingaboutMusic:An Introductionto the
sculptingbuildings from concrete;Aldo Rossiworkingwith stuccoor Philosophy ofMusic(Amherst:Universityof Massachusetts Press,1983), p. 22.
13. Ibid.,p. 22.
stone,squarewindows,andgableroofs. 14. This paperis limitedto a discussionof the educationof architecturalde-
Today'sdesignstudentsmaybe taughtjustthe opposite.They signersas comparedto musicians,who may be composers,conductors,or perform-
may bounce fromstudioto studio,fromguruto guru.They mayex- ers. Parallelconstructsthat might be proposedfor the education of buildersand
perimentwilly-nillywith materialsand forms.They maybe expected artisanswill becomeapparentbut areleft for futuredevelopment,basedperhapson
to adoptandconformto the latest"-ism"with enthusiasm.Theymay the pioneeringworkof architect-educators likeW.R. Lethabyin EnglandandWalter
Gropiusin Germany.My point that the educationof creativecomposersproperly
emergefrom severalyearsof design educationwith no beliefs,no beginsin the rudimentsof musictheoryand performanceis paralleledfor the educa-
soundtheoreticalbasis,no repertoire. tion of architectsby Gropiusin a rhetoricalquestionposed in his Scopeof TotalAr-
In contrast,musiceducationis a reasonablyunifiedsystemthat chitecture (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1943), p. 11: "What training
progresseslogically from kindergarten post-graduatework.This
to establishments mustwe createin orderto sift out the artisticallygiftedpersonand fit
conductors,and composersas him by extensivemanualand mentaltraining[italicsadded]for independentcreative
systemroutinelyproducesperformers, work?"
well as musiceducators(andinformedaudiences),and it providesan
15. A. Harold Goodman, Music Education:Perspectivesand Perceptions
excellent examplefrom which much should be borrowedfor the
(Dubuque,IA:Kendall/Hunt,1982), p. 2.
propereducationof designers,designeducators,and citizen/clients 16. PetersonsAnnualGuideto GraduateStudy,Book2: Humanitiesand Social
aboutdesign. Sciences(includesmusic and art) and Book6: Business,Education,Healthand Law
(includesmusiceducationand arteducation)(Princeton,NJ: 1990). At fouruniver-
sities (Lamar,Long Island, Smith, and South Florida),a student can apparently
choose to take a degreein music educationfrom eitherthe college of educationor
Notes the collegeof music.Althoughno architectureeducationor designeducationdegree
programsare found in Peterson's, 156 art educationprogramsarelisted.These, like
1. Quoted in MichaelBright, CitiesBuilt to Music:AestheticTheoriesof the musiceducation,maybe offeredeitherby a college,department,or schoolof art (51
VictorianGothicRevival(Columbus:Ohio StateUniversity,1984), p. 83. percent)or education(40 percent);the remainingthirteendegreeprograms(9 per-
2. From"Garethand Lynette,"quotedin Bright,CitiesBuiltto Music,p. 83. cent) arestand-alonedepartmentsof arteducation(ten such) or joint art/education
3. F.W.J.Schelling, ThePhilosophyofArt, trans.and ed. DouglasW. Stott programs(Drakeand Temple).IndianaUniversityofferstwo master'sdegreesin art
(Minneapolis:Universityof MinnesotaPress, 1989), p. 165. Schellingdefines or educationthat maybe takeneitherfromthe Collegeof Art or the Collegeof Educa-
positsotherpossiblearchitecture/music relationships,including"architecture = mu- tion.
sic"(p. 164), "[architecture is] the musicwithin the plasticarts"(p. 163), and "ifar- 17. The interestedreadercan referto severalnewsarticlesthatdescribesome
chitectureis music,then it is concrete music"(p. 166). of theseprograms,such as AaseEriksen,"Architectsin the Elementaryand Second-
4. JohannW. von Goethe, Conversations of GoethewithEckermann and Soret, arySchoolroom,"AIAJournal65/11 (Oct. 1977), pp. 66-67; and "Childrenas De-
trans.John Oxenford(London:J.M. Dent and Sons, 1951), p. 303. signers,"InteriorDesign51/3 (Mar. 1980), pp. 252-55. See also "AnEarlyCrackat
5. MadameAnne LouiseGermainede Stael, Corinne,or Italy,trans.Avriel Architecture," ALAJournal67/12(Nov. 1978), p. 30; "ToolsforTeachingaboutthe
H. Goldberger(New Brunswick,NJ: RutgersUniversityPress,1987), p. 59. Some Environment,"AIAJournal,71/4 (Apr. 1982), p. 87. Unfortunately,no critical
translators substitute"stationary"for "obligato." evaluationof the impactof any of theseprogramshas been completedto my knowl-
6. MarcusVitruvius Pollio, The Ten BooksofArchitecture,trans. Morris edge.
HickeyMorgan(New York:Dover, 1960), pp. 8-9. 18. Nora RichterGreer,"TeachingTeachersto Teach aboutArchitecture,"
7. St. Augustinebeganan encyclopedicwork,Libridisciplinarum, to include Architecture 76-7 (July1987), p. 22.
studiesof dialectic,grammar,geometry,arithmetic,and philosophy,and he finished 19. Quoted in TheresaGronberg,"WilliamRichardLethabyand the Cen-
five of six booksentitledDe Musica. tral School of Arts and Crafts,"in S. Brackenmeyerand T. Gronberg,ed., WR
8. SirJohn Soane, "Lectureon Architectureat the RoyalAcademy,1832," Lethaby, 1857-1931: Architecture, Design and Education, (London; Lund
quotedin Bright,CitiesBuilttoMusic,pp. 276-77, note 14. Humphries,1984), p. 19.

November1992 JAE46/2 94