Beyond the cover version : encouraging student performers to produce original interpretations of popular songs

David Brackett's notion of musical codes, discussed in his book Interpreting popular music (2000), offers tertiary music students an opportunity to think about interpretation and performing, about what is conveyed through performing, and connections with extra-musical factors. This article discusses comments made by a class of tertiary music performance students about three different performers' interpretations of Nature Boy by Eden Ahbez. Using Brackett's musical codes as a listening guide, students noted a high proportion of off-the-score issues (including vibrato, vocal timbre and vocal register), which supports Davies' description of 'thin' works with few determinative properties in his book Musical works and performances: A philosophical education (2001). Brackett's musical codes also stimulate recognition and consequently encourage discussion of the different ways a musical performance is constructed. The musicological frame of Brackett's codes can help students see musicology as a relevant and informing part of their practice.