Music for Cross Cultural Accelerated Learning

The Search for the Right Music

Ever since Georgi Lozonav, the noted Bulgarian physicist and accelerated learning pioneer, conducted his ground breaking studies about the impact of music on learning, trainers around the globe have been trying to find the perfect musical formula to help them connect participants and produce desired results.

When Executive Oasis International formed a strategic alliance with Kuala Lumpur based FIK International to offer seminars throughout Asia, we wanted to ensure that our approach would be relevant to the various cultures in which we would be working. We weren't sure what to expect. Acceptance was a lot easier than we anticipated. Asian audiences responded enthusiastically to accelerated learning with its emphasis on session starters, energizers, colourful visuals, and in-depth practice. Along the way, there were a number of pleasant surprises and unexpected discoveries about the importance of music in training. For the first time, we will reveal a couple of these secrets to you.

Asian Memories: My Musical Journey

In Januray, 2000, I got off the plane at KLIA, loaded my accelerated learning paraphanalia onto a cart and wheeled it out to meet FIK's Mr. T. Saravanan. I immediately realized that I'd be right at home. You see I am Jamaican. The windshield of the car in which Sam Selvaj was waiting for us had a HUGE Bob Marley and the Wailers sticker.

On the way to the hotel we even passed a club called Marleys with a statue of Bob Marley in the front yard. These were the first clues that it was important for us to include some reggae on our accelerated learning playlist. (Little did I know that, 2 years later, I would be chatting with Malaysian Rastafarians selling Bob Marley tee shirts at the night market and sipping sodas until 2 am on the patio of the Reggae Club along Penang's fashionable Batu Ferringghi.) More discoveries lay ahead.

At our first session, attended by 65 delegates at Kuala Lumpur's Regent Hotel, we realized that tucked away in our boxes, we had packed the perfect ingredient to "spice up" our training. We'll give you a hint. It was music by a particular artist. (Before we were introduced to this music, we had experimented with some royalty free music, produced by a training company. While it was well received in the US, reception from our audiences in Canada had been lukewarm. So, we searched until we found music to which Canadian audiences responded enthusiastically.)

Music by this artist, would also make a valuable contribution to our warm reception in Asia. From Bangkok to Bombay (Mumbai) from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur, the results were the same. In fact, 7 trips and over 1000 participants later, this music has continued to generate excitement wherever we have conducted sessions in Asia. The artist is Ron Korb.

Music by Ron Korb: Ideal for Accelerated Learning

Whether we are in Toronto, Singapore or Penang, participants in our sessions always BEG us for more of Ron Korb's music. Music is a universal language. The right music can greatly enhance your training sessions. It can create a warm and inviting environment and build participant enthusiasm. The key is to find the right music and add it carefully to the accelerated learning mix.

A Toronto based and internationally acclaimed, Japanese-Canadian flute virtuoso, composer and music producer, Ron Korb has released 9 CDs including "Japanese Mysteries", "Flute Traveller", and "Celtic Heartland" the newly released "Ron Korb Live" CD and DVD. Ron's music transcends boundaries, representing world music at its best. A tapestry of Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Celtic, and Caribbean influences, blended seamlessly together with jazz, Ron has created a truly original sound. Ron has performed on dozens of CDs, TV shows, movie soundtracks (including Being Julia).

Ron has travelled around the globe studying and collecting over 100 indigenous flutes. In Japan, Ron studied the bamboo flute and Gagaku court music. An award-winning song writer, major artists (including Hong Kong's Alan Tam, Stephanie Lai and Yvonne Lau) have had hits with Ron's music. Ron and his band regularly tour Asia, North America and Europe.

Preparing to use Music for Accelerated Learning

Based on our experience, here are a few tips for trainers and speakers seeking to ensure that their sessions are well received by multi-cultural audiences both at home and abroad. The first should be obvious:

1. Use music,

Music can cross cultural boundaries and linguistic barriers.

2. Always provide a participant profile or learning styles survey for the meeting planner to distribute and collect from participants prior to your session.

Include questions about musical preferences on this survey. Season to Taste: Catering to Diverse Learning Styles from the Spice of the Month Accelerarted Learning ezine describes how to gauge musical and other participant preferences.

3. Let the seminar organizer, client or meeting planner know that you plan to use music during your session. Provide them with direction about obtaining the appropriate license for legal use of music.

Musical Moments: Music for Accelerated Learning goes into detail about how to legally use copyrighted music and how to obtain royalty free music.

4. Create a musical score for your training or presentation and integrate music into various aspects of your sessions.

There are many opportunities for using music during training. Ron Korb's repertoire includes selections for every phase of training, for example:

PURPOSE SELECTION CD GUIDED IMAGERY Flute Traveller Flute Traveller BREAKS The Great East Temple Japanese Mysteries STRECHING Caravan Ron Korb Live ENERGIZER Genji Ron Korb Live

5. If your audience is conservative, modify the manner in which you use music during your training sessions.

For example, during the early stages of your seminar, confine your use of music to breaks.

Check out Conservative Corner: Accelerated Learning for Analytical Learners in the Spice of the Month Accelerated Learning Ezine for details.

6. Before you play, a selection of music, briefly identify the composer, the artist and the title of the selection.

7. Involve your audience.

Even if it's just a 1 day session, you can give the group a chance to select their favourite selections towards the end of the day. We sometimes give the opportunity to select the music for the next break as a reward for a mildly competitive exercise or trivia questions.

8. Add a personal touch to your training by sharing your own culture with participants through your musical selections.

For example, drawing on my Jamaican heritage, I have reggae breaks. I have taught delegates as far way as Kuching (Malaysian Borneo) to dance. Draw on music from your own cultural heritage, incorporate it into you presentations and seminars and it will help you cross cultures as you travel around the globe.

© 2005 Executive Oasis International - All Rights Reserved

Reprint Rights: Ezine publishers may reprint this article, as long as the following information is included:

- the summary about the author and her company (see below)
- all links are active
- all key words above the links below are included as part of the active link when you publish it on your site

This permission does NOT extend to trainers, speakers or consultants with competitive services or companies that want to place articles on their intranet. Contact us directly for permission.

Anne Thornley-Brown is the President and founder of Executive Oasis International and their sister company The Training Oasis, Inc., accelerated learning and team building experts and publishers of the Spice of the Month Accelerated Learning Ezine. Through a strategic alliance with Kuala Lumpur based FIK International, Anne has toured Asia 7 times and offered seminars to over 1000 executives, managers and HR professionals in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and India. Petronas, Malaysian Airlines, Digi, Mobil/Exxon, and Dell Computers are among the organizations that have sent delegates to her sessions in Asia.

For more accelerated learning tips, check out: Spice of the Month Accelerated Learning Ezine - http://www.thetrainingoasis.com/ezine.html

For More Information about Ron Korb and his music: Ron Korb, Flutist and Composer, Jazz and World Music (Celtic, Latin, Japanese Music) - http://www.ronkorb.com

FIK International, Seminars and Conferences in Asia - http://www.fikintl.com

---

Radio - What?s Happened To It?

Remember when radio stations played great music?OK, before you accuse... Read More

George Winston and New Age Piano Playing

The first time I heard George Winston play back in... Read More

How the Internet Helps Musicians

Everyone talks about the negative impact of the Internet on... Read More

The Future for Independent Record Labels

Small independent record labels are facing a different fight today... Read More

Art of the Recording Engineer: From Michael Jackson to Mutant Radio, Matt Forger Speaks Out

Interviewed by Scott G (The G-Man)G-Man: When people think of... Read More

Getting Rhythm - Three Tips for Guitar Beginners

If you are just starting out learning guitar one of... Read More

Singing: The Tonic of Life

Most people these days would associate singing with the popular... Read More

How Any DJ Can Increase Their Gigs and Profits By This Simple Strategy

The DJ industry is very competitive. There are many DJ's... Read More

How to Compose Your Own Music Using 8-bar Phrases

Some people think composing is this miraculous thing that only... Read More

Shut Up And Sing

What is it with these performers and their politics? Do... Read More

Improvisation and Musical Form

Do you ramble on endlessly with your improvisations? If so,... Read More

Would Chopin Have Passed A Music Quiz?

Q. My children are very interested in playing music. Is... Read More

Health Insurance for Creative Artists -- A Multi-Talented Health Investment

For the Creative Artist -- Good Health Insurance is Truly... Read More

Piano Music - How to Begin and End a Piece

How do you begin a piece of music? That's a... Read More

Piano Lessons Can be Fun!

There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note... Read More

The Secrets of Correctly Stringing Your Guitar

Why do you care about stringing your guitar you may... Read More

Music Downloads: Free & Low Cost Ways For Musicians To Get Their Music Known All Over The World

Music downloads are highly compressed audio files transferred onto a... Read More

Arranging for New Age Piano

A while back, I wrote an article that compared flower... Read More

Home Run Gigs

Are you still playing your heart out to small audiences... Read More

Getting the Best Performance From Your Artist

So now you've decided to record your songs. Good for... Read More

Born into musical family, Michael Jackson is as big as ever today

Michael Jackson was born Michael Joseph Jackson on August 29,... Read More

How Many Songs Are In Your Pocket?

The portable MP3 player continues to be the hot item... Read More

How to Create Hip, Mature and Lush Harmonies

Rarely is a chord played with its tones contained in... Read More

Learning to Play the Piano with Chords Part 2

Do you want to learn how to play chords on... Read More

Origins of the Mathers Family

Eminem's roots can be found in Scandinavia through his mother... Read More

Is the Mainstream Ready Once Again for Dance Music?

Not since the heyday of Dance/Pop Artists like Taylor Dayne... Read More

Music Making as Spiritual Experience

If you've been playing piano for some time, you may... Read More

Is it Possible to Download Music Legally Anymore?

Throughout the past few years downloading music on the internet... Read More

What All Do I Have to Know to be a Really Good Piano Player?

Many students ask me a question that goes something like... Read More

Music Licensing

Music licensing can be a very confusing subject. My... Read More

Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes - When Improvising

Mistake #1 - Thinking about what you're going to playA... Read More

Piano Chords and New Age Music

There are basically two ways you can compose a piece... Read More

Where To Download Music On The Internet

Virtually all of you have probably heard of the RIAA's... Read More