Classical Music Education Research Articles

Effects of Traditional Turkish Music Education on Voice Range Profile and Voice Quality

Aim: The aim of this study; to investigate whether traditional Turkish music education is as effective on voice range profile and voice quality as classical music education. Methods: Twenty volunteers in the Conservatory and 10 volunteers the Turkish Amateur Music Choir were included in the study. Digital recordings of the subjects’ voices were obtained before and after 8 months of voice training. Voice recordings were analyzed with the Dr. Speech voice analysis program. Voice analysis results were compared between groups. Results: Voice range profile was found expanded as 3, 2, and 5 semitones in group 1 (29 to 32 semitones), group 2 (30 to 32 semitones) and group 3 (23 to 28 semitones), respectively. The parameters of harmonic component of voice such as HNR, SNR, and NNE improved in all groups after voice training. GRBAS scores were normal in the conservatory group before training and improved following training in all groups, with the amateur group being the most obvious. When the alterations were compared between the groups, no significant differences were observed between the first and second conservatory groups, whereas a significant difference was observed between the amateur group and the first and second conservatory groups in seven parameters (amplitude tremor, HNR, SNR, NNE and GRBAS). Conclusions: This is the first study about the effects of traditional Turkish music education on subjective and objective parameters of the singing voice. Our research shows that traditional Turkish music education improved the singing voice improvements as much as with classical music.

Embodied pedagogy for strings: preparing and performing Ysaÿe’s solo violin sonata no. 2 op. 27 – a journey of unexpected discoveries

ABSTRACT Swiss educator, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze observed over 100 years ago that often music conservatoires focus primarily on the development of technique and repertoire, at the expense of musicianship. His embodied approach to music education aims to connect all our faculties, emotional, corporeal and intellectual, through experiencing music making, in and through movement. This arts practice research addresses how embodiment in classical music instrumental education can be enhanced by an embodied teaching method such as Dalcroze Eurhythmics. The research journey culminated with ‘Dance of Shadows’, a multi-disciplinary, multi-sensorial interpretation of Eugène Ysaÿe’s second sonata for solo violin, opus 27. To document the intrinsic reflexivity of the research, the researcher utilises the tools of artistic research and other arts practice methods. The findings of this investigation revealed not only an enhancement of the researcher’s embodied preparation and performance practice but also a transformation in the experience of engagement for the audience.

Analiza możliwości doskonalenia kompetencji muzycznych studentów kierunku pedagogika przedszkolna i wczesnoszkolna na wybranych uczelniach wyższych w Polsce

The article reviews the subjects of music in the field of pre-school and early school education proposed by selected universities. The characteristics of selected courses with a music profile were carried out, taking into account the number of hours devoted to their implementation, and the objectives and curriculum content included in the course cards were also discussed. Attention is paid to the components of pedagogical qualifications necessary in conducting music education classes – the teacher is the key to the proper functioning of the educational system and the future of the pupils depends on their competences, motivation and personality. Conclusions from the conducted analysis are presented in the end.

Musical Creativity in Autism: Exploring Growth through Collaborative Peer Interaction

ABSTRACT Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have strengths in musical skills and music perception. Some children with ASD may also have better social engagement in music activities, making music a potential strength for interacting with others. Although children with ASD may be mainstreamed into music education classes, there is little known research on the impact of peer support. The purpose of this project was to examine the impact of peer-assisted learning (PAL) on musical creatiFvity and pro-social skills, between neurotypical (NT) and students with ASD. The following questions were investigated: (a) does music making with a peer impact music creativity differently in NT children and children with ASD, (b) does music making with a peer promote pro-social skills differently in NT children and in children with ASD. The sample included eighteen children with ASD and twenty-eight children with no known disability, between the ages of 9–14. Results of this study provide initial evidence that PAL experiences may be mutually beneficial for children with ASD and NT peers. In particular, an increase in pro-social skills were observed for some children grouped with NT peers, while the amount of time in creative music-making was similar between NT and NT/ASD peer groups.

Conservatory Students’ Music Performance Anxiety and Educational Expectations: A Qualitative Study

Music performance anxiety (MPA) can seriously and negatively affect musicians’ performance and quality of life—physically, mentally, and behaviorally. In the present study, factors related to the MPA of students receiving classical Western music education in the conservatory in a holistic framework were examined to ascertain the physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms; temporal processes; environmental factors; coping strategies; and educational expectations and desires related to this condition. In addition to investigating causative factors in such a framework, the content analysis method was used on data collected from semi-structured interviews with conservatory students. The results show that the main causative factors of MPA included a jury’s negative evaluation, attitudes, and/or behaviors; their symptoms included trembling, muscle contraction, and distraction. The main coping strategy among participants was positive self-talk; remarkably, they had no theoretical knowledge of positive self-talk. Most significantly, considering that performance is integral to musical education training, students stated that the conservatory needs to integrate into the curriculum a course, counseling, and activities that address MPA.

THE ROLE OF ONE`S NATIVE MUSICAL IDIOM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC ABILITIES AND ACQUISITION OF NEW MUSIC MATERIAL

One’s native musical idiom is of great importance for the growth and development of a child. However, despite the frequent mention of this concept in the methodological literature, we cannot find it clearly defined anywhere. Therefore, in this study, we first defined the native musical idiom through a multidisciplinary approach, then we pointed out its role in the development of the ability to perceive (the melody, harmony and rhythm), the acquisition of songs, rhythmic abilities and music memory, and then emphasized its role in the acquisition of new music material. The ultimate goal of this study is to indicate the necessity of establishing beginner music education classes in elementary schools (first and second grade) on material which represents the native musical idiom of the environment in which a child is growing up.

Effects of Music Self-Perception on Music Education and Nonmusic Majors’ Ensemble Participation

In this study, I examined the relationship between undergraduate music education and nonmusic education majors and their music self-perception, or how they perceived themselves as musicians. A secondary purpose of the research included investigating the relationship between music self-esteem, gender, concentration, year in school, and continued arts participation. Participants ( N = 66) were music education and nonmusic education undergraduate volunteers from one band, one chorus, and four music education classes at a large, public university in the Northeastern United States. The participants completed a shortened version of Schmitt’s Self-Esteem of Musical Ability Scale, along with questions about gender, ensemble participation, major, and instrument. Results indicated no significant difference between music self-esteem in music education majors and nonmusic education majors who participated in college ensembles. There were significant differences in music education majors’ comparison of themselves to their high school peers, self-comparisons over 1 year, and planned future ensemble participation. More years of experience in ensembles predicted higher Schmitt’s Self-Esteem of Musical Ability Scale scores.

Playing With the Past: An Autoethnography

What does it take to become an elite professional performer in the culture of Western Classical music? Successful performers often begin lessons at an extremely early age, and many hours of childhood are given over to practice. The research reveals how an autoethnographic exploration through music, improvisation, composition, and somatic movement enabled the documentation and creation of a new work of artistic expression. This article presents how the research model provided the artist with a range of insights and discoveries that would have otherwise remained uncovered, highlighting the impact and value of autoethnography in producing new knowledge in the field of classical music education.

PRENATALINIS MUZIKINIS UGDYMAS LIETUVOJE: POVEIKIO NĖŠČIOSIOMS EMOCINIS ASPEKTAS

The article focuses on the emotional aspects of programs performed by institutions of prenatal music education (PME) in Lithuania and reveals how the content of this education helps pregnant women to experience positive emotions, especially joy, and overcome the increased nervousness and fear of childbirth. We conducted a study where fourteen respondents were interviewed: six women who during their pregnancy attended music education classes for future mothers (the musical educational health promotion school “Sveikutis”, Vilnius; and the studio of music therapy and meditation “Dabartis”, Klaipėda) and eight women who practiced musicianship independently. The experiences of these fourteen respondents of different age (from 20 to 45 years old at the time of pregnancy) and from different cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Pasvalys and Šiauliai) has revealed that all women who during their pregnancy practiced musicianship had deep and significant experiences and felt the decrease of fear of childbirth. However, the women who attended music education classes had a larger spectrum of opportunities: they could play various instruments, perform additional and useful exercises, and receive more beneficial information, which allowed them to feel positive emotions more often. In addition, the women who attended PME classes claimed to achieve the connection with their unborn child faster and they rated their pregnancy with a higher grade concerning the smoothness of the period. It is significant that PME classes had a positive impact on the husbands of pregnant women as well – the received information encouraged soon to be fathers to communicate with their unborn children. The results of our study confirm that the PME classes in Lithuania promote the pregnant women’s positive emotions, especially experiencing joy, decrease the fear of childbirth, and also have a positive effect on couple’s relationships. KEYWORDS: , , , . DOI: http://dx.doi.org/

Enacting curriculum ‘in a good way:’ Indigenous knowledge, pedagogy, and worldviews in British Columbia music education classes

ABSTRACT In 2015, the British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Education mandated that local Indigenous knowledge, pedagogy, and worldviews be embedded in all K-12 curricula, but most BC music teachers have been unable to fulfill this directive because they are unfamiliar with Indigenous cultural practices. We designed this multiple case study, informed by Indigenous Protocols and worldviews, to address this gap of knowledge and understanding, so educators might learn how to enact the new curriculum ‘in a good way’ (i.e. in a way that aligns with Indigenous peoples’ ways of knowing). We used document analysis and surveys to identify music educators and Indigenous community members who together had already been successful in embedding local Indigenous knowledge in music classes. We interviewed 51 music teachers, culture bearers, cultural workers, and students to learn how they had done this, and whether they found that such embedding had contributed to fostering cross-cultural understanding and respect. Participants reported that singing and drumming, taught orally in tandem with related stories, were the most prevalent forms of cultural practice, and that establishing relationships and following local Protocols led to greater cross-cultural understanding and respect.

Family and Its Role in the Cultivation and Preservation of Traditional Folk Music at Junior Primary School Age

The cultivation of folk tradition begins in the family, and continues in a systematic and organized way in school as a certainly important task in the education and upbringing of children of junior primary school age. Factors contributing to the realization of this task include: a) school; b) family, and c) other out-of-school factors. Starting from the fact that the cooperation between one’s family and school should be based on partnership, and that learning about traditional folk music requires coordinated action, authors organized a survey aimed at: 1) examining the extent to which the cultivation of musical tradition within the family is reflected on the learning and adoption of related content in music education classes at junior primary school age; 2) determining the extent to which traditional folk music is cultivated in the family by listening to and playing such music; 3) examining the role of family in the process of introducing students to traditional folk music at junior primary school age with regard to other in-school and out-of-school factors. The authors have concluded, teachers believe that cultivating traditional folk music in one’s family is reflected in the form of recognition and improved student motivation for learning content, related to traditional folk music. Students believe that the activity of listening to folk music within family is an insufficiently utilized resource. The survey results confirm the hypothesis that the role of family should be significantly encouraged in relation to other out-of school factors.

Meanings and Difficulties of Korean Classical Music Education recognized by Early Childhood Teachers

Meanings and Difficulties of Korean Classical Music Education recognized by Early Childhood Teachers

Peyk-i Safâ saz semaisi’nin klasik kemençe ve viyolonsel ile icrası bağlamında incelenmesi

Klasik kemence; Klasik Turk Muzigi’nde 18. yuzyildan bugune kadar kullanilmis ve halen kullanilmaya devam etmektedir. Viyolonsel ise; 19. yuzyilda Osmanli’nin Batililasma Hareketleri ile beraber Klasik Turk Muzigi’ndeki yerini almistir. Bu calismada, uc telli klasik kemence icracisi Derya Turkan ve viyolonsel icracisi Ugur Isik tarafindan Petraki Tiryaki’ye ait olan Peyk-i Safâ saz semaisinin gorsel-isitsel kayitlari tespit edilmis, saz semaisinin diktesi yapilmis, icra sirasinda yapmis olduklari nota disi suslemeler ve kullanmis olduklari artikulâsyon ogeleri incelenmis, bu inceleme sonucunda icralar susleme ve artikulâsyon ogeleri basliklari altinda kategorize edilmis ve bulgulara donusturulmustur. Yapilan dikte analizi sonucunda; Derya Turkan ve Ugur Isik’in Peyk-i Safâ saz semaisini “bolahenk nisfiye” akordunda icra ettikleri gorulmustur. Her iki icracinin da glissando, trill, gruppetto, mordan ve carpma gibi teknikleri kendi icra usluplari icerisinde etkili bir bicimde kullandigi tespit edilmistir.

Mahler Is a DJ: Reconducting Classical Music Education

In this paper we reconceptualize general music education as a "classical music education," departing from speculative reflection on the notion of conducting. We constitute this notion as an interpretative axis connecting, on the one hand, a different perspective on what classical music might mean in the context of general education, and, on the other hand, a more dynamic, techno-ecological concept of both music and education. This paper develops these connections by thinking along with a concrete specimen of classical music in the strict sense, Mahler's First Symphony, in order to show exactly how thinking about such works may actually take on an aspect that is classical in a more properly general educational sense. Beyond a dichotomy between aesthetical and praxial appraisals of the classical musical work, with their exclusive emphases on intelligible form and socio-critical praxis respectively, our idea of classical music education implies a dynamic (re)conducting of the works. Through practices of (re)conducting, music education can treat works, not as static monuments of eternal beauty or instances of socio-historical criticality, but as catalysts of self-differentiating, transhuman musical experiences—of playing, listening, composing, and thinking—in which human, instrumental, and other techno-ecological agencies mutually transform each other.

“Kim had the Same Idea as Haydn”: International Perspectives on Classical Music and Music Education

“Kim had the Same Idea as Haydn”: International Perspectives on Classical Music and Music Education

To Love or Not to Love (Western Classical Music): That is the Question (for Music Educators)

In this article, I transpose the word "love" for "be" in Hamlet's existential question in his soliloquy concerning life and death penned by William Shakespeare, "To be or not to be: That is the question." Thinking through the ethical imperatives of love and its ancillary values of friendship, desire, and devotion in Western classical music and music education, I sketch critically the role of love in this musical tradition and its transmission and transformation. I then trace some of the implications of this analysis for musical education.

Playing the white man’s tune: inclusion in elite classical music education

AbstractThis study examined the nature of inclusion for female and black and minority ethnic (BME) young people in elite-level classical music in England. By contrasting the numbers of female and BME students taking part in elite youth orchestras and music schools with the representation of female and BME compositions in the professional classical music repertoire, the study asked whether female and BME inclusion was limited to participation as performers or whether it included adequate representation in terms of the music performed. The survey analysed 4897 pieces from 681 composers drawn from the 2017/18 concert seasons of 10 major English orchestras, 1 week’s play lists from two classical music radio broadcasters and the programmes from the last four London Promenade seasons. The study found that female and BME students were well represented in elite music education, but they were very poorly represented in the professional repertoire, where 99% of performed pieces were by white composers and 98% by male composers. Applying Bourdieu’s concepts of doxa and illusio, the study concluded that inclusion in classical music in England allowed female and BME musicians to play, but structures in the field maintained a repertoire that continues to be white and male and does not recognise the contributions of female and BME composers. This suggests that inclusion for female and BME musicians is limited and the field continues to promote white and male dominance in its cultural values.

The Meaning of Early Childhood Music Education Class Based on Artistic Imagination for Pre-Service Teachers

The Meaning of Early Childhood Music Education Class Based on Artistic Imagination for Pre-Service Teachers

The Meaning of Early Childhood Music Education Class Based on Artistic Imagination for Pre-Service Teachers

The Meaning of Early Childhood Music Education Class Based on Artistic Imagination for Pre-Service Teachers

Notions of Mandate, Knowledge and Research in Norwegian Classical Music Performance Studies

Policy changes and higher education reforms challenge performing musician programmes across Europe. The academisation of arts education means that classical performance programmes are now marked by strong expectations of research paths, publications, and the standardisation of courses, grades and positions. Drawing on interviews with ten teachers and leaders within the field of higher music education, this article discusses notions of mandate, knowledge and research in classical performance music education in Norway. Against the backdrop of academisation, the aim of this article is to illuminate central tensions and negotiations concerning mandate, knowledge and research within higher music education. The problem concerns issues of who should be judged as qualified and who should have the authority to speak on behalf of the performing music expertise community. The study is part of the larger study Discourses of Academisation and the Music Profession in Higher Music Education (DAPHME), conducted by a team of senior researchers in Sweden, Norway and Germany. Through an analytic-theoretical reading of the empirical data, informed by Foucault’s power/knowledge concept, two discourses on mandate are identified (the awakening discourse and the Bildung discourse) as well as three discourses on knowledge (the handicraft discourse, the entrepreneurship discourse and the discourse of critical reflection) and two discourses on research (the collaborative discourse and the ‘perforesearch’ discourse). The latter of the two research discourses pinpoints a subject position as a musician/researcher with knowledge, craft and skills in both music performing and research.