The Role of Improvisation in Music | Ethan Rubin & John Polit | TEDxBeaconStreet

Ethan and John discuss the role of improvisation in music, creativity, teaching, and learning. Ethan Rubin is a “recovering violinist” and an English teacher at Roxbury Prep High School. He has played in bands and ensembles across multiple genres, including punk, soul, metal, jazz, and Middle Eastern folk. Ethan graduated from Boston University with an undergraduate degree in philosophy and Spanish and went on to work at YouthBuild Just-A-Start, where he taught construction and employment skills to at-risk urban youth. He attended the University of Cambridge on a Gates Scholarship, where he obtained an MPhil in Educational Leadership and School Improvement. Ethan also has a passion for the outdoors, and recently spent a summer backpacking and rock climbing in the Wind River Mountains with the National Outdoor Leadership School. He now teaches in a charter network dedicated to social justice and racial equality, and plays his fiddle at every opportunity. John Polit is a Data Scientist and Musician based in Cambridge, MA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx