The Wolf Magazine

Issue date: 3/12/10 Section: Music and Entertainment

Media Credit: Raven Crane Aubrey Lynne teaches music theory.

Far beyond the sunny shores of California, music industry senior, Aubrey Lynne, gets out the umbrella to battle the dreary New Orleans winter weather.

Despite the weather, Lynne still seems to light up at the discussion of music; the same topic that brought her, like many others, to New Orleans, to pursue a degree. From talking to Lynne you can tell she not only has a passion for music, but a great understanding for the craft. This comprehensive musical knowledge is what led Lynne on her quest to publish books on the subject of music theory, and to start teaching classes on music theory, called Music Foundations at Loyola.

"I originally went to Fullerton College because they have a transfer agreement with Berklee College of Music in Boston," Lynne says. "The whole Berklee experience was very disappointing. I got there and I was unimpressed with everything. After four years of 16 hour school days and train transportation five days a week, I arrived in Boston for my audition, looking at decrepit buildings, an unorganized classroom system, braving harsh weather, and said out loud, 'This? This is it?' I realized that the money they charge does not go back to the students. Life in Boston and Berklee was not the life I wanted."

Lynne was certified to play piano in California and did not originally plan to go to Loyola; however after attending her May interview for the music school, she knew it was a city she belonged in.

For aspiring pianists, Lynne offers words of advice.
"You don't have to start [playing] when you're five," she says.
The classes she offers will be on Saturdays, designed for beginning musicians ages 16 and up. The course will be focused a lot on music theory.

"The reason why a lot of music majors hate theory is because a lot of music theory instructors suffer from what one would call 'the curse of knowledge.' They can't imagine someone not knowing what they know," Lynne says.

The classes will cover beginner music theory such as: chord scales, simple reharmonization of melodies, and the last half an hour will apply theory to piano. Lynne also plans to make the textbook she is writing comprehensive, inexpensive, and catered to adult beginners.

"The book is squat bottom: harmony, arranging, and orchestration," Lynne says. "And it should last students all four years [of college] as well."

Lynne feels that music theory professors hold students back from learning theory because the classes seem so hard for most students that they just give up. Lynne feels these classes and her book will hopefully break down that age barrier, and those misconceptions of theory. She seems to believe it's never too late for someone to learn theory and hopes by holding the classes, she can change the misconceptions about learning music theory.

"This is something I decided to do to give back to the Loyola community," Lynne says. "It is my hope that through this 6 week program, the adult students and residents of New Orleans will have the opportunity to learn something that they have always wanted to do, never could afford to do, and never had the time to do."

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