Scaling My Way to the Top?

Let me preface this all by saying that this is a mostly viola related posting.  Or technically, a string instrument related posting.  Don't say I didn't warn you, ok?

Anyways, in my life, I have a few key interests: viola, yoga, reading,  cooking, making things, Buddhism, etc...and each of those interests rotate in level of prominence in my life.  (For example, I was really focused on viola and Buddhism in February, and I read a ton in March, and I crafted a bunch last summer).   Currently, I'm in the reading and viola (with a hint of crafting) modes, and what that sometimes means is that I get really into technique.  String technique, that is.  (Of course, not the technique of reading.  That would not be as interesting at all.  Give me a book.  Read it.  If it's bad, maybe I won't finish it.  If it's really good, I'll finish it quickly.  That's the technique.) Ahem, so string technique.  I've gone in and out of being fascinated by technique, technical studies, the role of studies in practicing and growth, etc.  I have this obsession roughly once a year for 1-3 months, and I eventually get bored, and slim 2 hours of technique down to a half hour.  (Although for most of junior year, I did 1-2 solid hours of technique/scales/etudes a day for the whole year.  So points to me for that).  Rather than explain my entire technical theories and agenda, let me address an issue that I occasionally grapple with when I'm feeling pedagogically erudite...scales.

Now let me preface this section by saying that I have always done my scales.  Flesch.  Since high school.  Absolutely every day, at least some representation of scalar/arpeggiation action.  Double stops and chromatics...not so much, but certainly and basics.  (Although mind you, my weird keys are a little dubious...F sharp minor, and for some odd reason C# minor).  Ahem, anyways, they are mostly in tune, and I can do some nice bow patterns and things with them.  

So I was reading articles from Strings Magazine (yes, that was very dorky of me) and I came upon this one, by Atar Arad.  In the article, Arad argues for nontraditional scale material, saying that learning a pattern by rote is useless at a certain point.  He also says that there is no musical context for scales (i.e. you don't make music out of a scale.  at least not unless Danny Heifetz asks you to.)  The questions that Arad asks are:

1) Why repeat scales over and over with a fixed set of fingerings?...Fingerings should be chosen with a musical consideration.

2) Why limit our scale work to major and minor modes while, for quite a number of generations, most composers have not?

3) Why limit our scale work to symmetrical patterns, when most of the music we play is...farm from being symmetrical?

He has a number of other relevant and interesting points in this article, some of which I agree with and others that I don't know how to solve.  However, I am not in a possession of pedagogical leadership to totally get rid of scales.  What he argues for is that students collect chromatic, scalar, and other types of passagework, and assemble them into a book to make etude-like work most productive.  I think that's a sweet idea, but I haven't totally converted from my scale loving ways.  I can safely say that doing Sevcik and Dounis and Flesch have really helped my technique, both left and right hands, and I'm not ready to fling them to the abyss.  They're my old grumpy men teachers, who are telling me, with a deep European accent, "Moooore.  You must practize Moore.  And zis exercises...vill solve all your troubles."  But I do sometimes long for a fresher teacher.  Maybe someone born after 1920?  

         I'm getting sidetracked.  As long as I'm in school, I have to do scales.  But it never specifies which ones, does it?  Like I can do a pentatonic scale?  Or practice the modes?  I think so.  I do agree with teachers who say that scales and arp. can really boost intonation and facility.  But I also agree that playing the same major and minor scales for your whole life, when music in the last 150 years has long since left that language (except for special exceptions, such as minimalism, cheesy neo-romanticism, and bad film music). The solution?  "Accidentals Happen!"

Yes, that is the title of this book.  But I actually think it will be a super cool summer project.  It has all of the modes, pentatonic, hungarian scales, hindu, arabic, augmented, blues and bebop and some other things.  I do think that scales are super useful...but once you've got the gist of it, it gets boring.  Yes, I'm sure I could play more in tune in my normal scales, but why not try a different set of patterns?  In conjunction with my Sevcik and other things, it can't go astray.  (I do however believe that you should be able to play the normal ones in all the keys and not crash and burn.  I feel like I can do that.)  And it's not like I'll forget how to play normal scales, so when C-rod inquires, I can reply that I did my scales.  MY being the key word.

*In other news, I am having a nice break so far.  I will discuss that next.  Also, if any of you sporadic readers care to contribute a bit of pedagogical wisdom on the scale business, feel free.  I'm always interested.  I'm also going to Boston next week, and I'm very excited to do so.  I'm also reading lots of books, and am open to suggestions.  See goodreads to check out what's on booklist for life.  

Currently listening to: things I've gotten from the Brighton library- Ra ra riot, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, etc.