Strings, Kansas!

In fall 2006, as Director of CRATEL (WSU’s Center for Research in Arts, Technology, Education, and Learning), I launched a new initiative called Strings, Kansas! A distance-learning-enhanced program, Strings, Kansas! connected WSU School of Music string students with 4th and 5th graders in communities without string programs.

Strings, Kansas! was based on a community learning model. As part of their own learning, WSU string students created, designed, and implemented the curriculum for the 4th and 5th graders. Interaction was facilitated through distance technology such as videoconferencing, blogging and email.

Sponsored by The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall and by Kan-Ed, Strings, Kansas! was based on the premise that active communication between these Kansan communities and WSU’s thriving music community would provide inspiration and motivation to support music for youth throughout our state.

Digital Puppetry

I worked with a team of colleagues, community members, and urban youth. Our intention was to help the youth learn in a playful environment, find personal self-expression, and have their voices heard by communities in Boston. To do this, we adapted commercially available technology to provide a unique medium: digital puppetry.

String Improvation

In 2001 I founded Wichita State University’s String Improvisation Department and established WSU’s yearly String Improvisation Day each year, an introduction to string improvisation for string players who had little or no experience with improvisation. I then expanded our String Improvisation program with a new grant-funded initiative: Sharing Music Sharing Culture (SMSC) which connected The Irish World Music Center students and faculty with WSU.

SoundBlocks

SoundBlocks is a tangible environment where youth connect blocks to describe network dataflow. The environment explores digital sound manipulation as a personal, meaningful and fun artistic endeavor, rather than as a venture into mathematical, electronic or networking relationships.

BETA Competition

WSU Students from complimentary disciplines submit ideas which integrate the arts with technology and have commercial viability. Up to $7,000 in prizes.

Mark O'Connor with Frankie Gavin and WSU string students Videoconference with the Irish World Music Center

Sharing Music Sharing Culture

Through four grants, I headed Sharing Music Sharing Culture (SMSC), a Wichita State University (WSU) initiative exploring how global learning can integrate with the current WSU music curriculum to transform both what and how we learn about music and culture.

Introduction to Audio and Video Synthesis

I taught a course called Introduction to Audio and Video Synthesis which introduced a variety of classic synthesis techniques, digital signal processing, and audio production. Additionally, students were exposed to important class and contemporary electronic works.

Strings, Kansas!

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