This study analyses the interdisciplinary challenges and genre bias present in Ghanaian tertiary music education, specifically addressing music theory, composition, and sound engineering. The study employs a mixed-methods approach with 200 participants, including students, alumni, and instructors, revealing notable dissatisfaction with curricula that favour Western (in theory) and popular genres (in sound engineering) at the expense of other forms. This study, rooted in genre-neutral pedagogy and Freirean critical pedagogy, demonstrates that faculty specialisation, institutional rigidity, and uneven exposure across disciplines lead to structural inequities in music instruction. Quantitative data indicate significant student dissatisfaction, especially among those focused on theory and composition, whereas qualitative findings emphasise the influence of lecturer training on curriculum design. Participants suggested various reforms, such as modular course structures, interdisciplinary teaching teams, faculty development initiatives, and student participation in curriculum governance. The research advocates for a curricular philosophy that integrates global adaptability with local musical traditions. By focusing on student experience and addressing genre hierarchies, Ghanaian institutions can create a more inclusive and dynamic model for music education that aligns with cultural diversity and the practical needs of the 21st-century music environment.
Background: Embracing the influential role of music in education, teachers an cultivate an environment that fosters learners’ curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for acquiring knowledge. The first author, experienced in teaching Intermediate Phase music and mathematics, was keen to explore how to bridge the gap between the educational vision for 21st-century knowledge and skills and current teaching practices through the adoption of active music integration and appropriate pedagogy to full engage learners.Aim: The study aimed to explore how general teachers, with no previous formal music exposure perceived and engaged with the process of correlating concepts and learning experiences in music and mathematics.Setting: The research was conducted over nine weeks in three South African, Afrikaans-medium, middle-class governmental primary schools located in the Tshwane North district of the Gauteng province.Methods: This study employed a qualitative case study research approach and was situated within the pedagogical design of constructive alignment for effective teaching and learning.Results: The results underscore the significance of generalist teachers’ ability to effectively incorporate music into mathematics lessons without extensive musical training or instrumental skills.Conclusion: The article challenges the notion that musical expertise is a prerequisite for integration, highlighting the fact that generalist teachers can successfully incorporate music into mathematics instruction by fostering meaningful connections between the two subjects.Contribution: This article draws attention to the importance of constructive alignment in promoting independent thinking and the practical application of knowledge. These findings offer guidance for the development of pedagogical frameworks and instructional practices that prioritise meaningful teaching and learning experiences.
Vojislav Vučković (1910-1942) was the most prominent Serbian musician of
Marxist orientation in the interwar period. A composer, conductor,
musicologist, music aesthetician, sociologist of music, sociopolitical
worker, he was also engaged in music criticism. He published sixty music and
critical reviews in various daily newspapers and magazines. The study
analyzes his (idiosyncratic) views on individual composers and musical
works, his attitude towards avant-garde music, his final commitment to
socialist realism, as well as the characteristics of his critical approach.
By providing an opportunity for self-expression, music facilitates the reproduction and transformation of identities established in an individual. Having an understanding of the possible musical self residing within the existing self-concept can help us make sense of the time and energy required to become a musician. The present study attempts to understand the qualities or characteristics musicians use to describe their possible musical selves. The sample comprised of 50 participants from the National Capital Region (NCR), India (age range 18–29 years or emerging adults), trained primarily in Indian Classical Music. The data was collected using an open-ended questionnaire (adapted from Oyserman, et al., 2002 ) and analyzed using thematic analysis which is discussed under three themes—the “hoped for selves,” the “expected selves,” and the “feared selves.” Attention was also given to the balance among different elements of possible selves to produce a summary characterization of the possible musical self. The findings from the study have implications for institutions and teachers involved in imparting music education. They may carefully examine the possibilities to review and reconsider present instructions, promoting a realistic vision of future musical experiences to help students envision musical futures by exploring possibilities.
The research introduces ‘Sound Drawing’ as an engaging instructional activity to develop a visual dhol notation system. In contrast to the conventional reliance on spoken language for dhol instruction, this research involves developing a visual notation system that effectively bridges the auditory intricacies of the dhol drum with corresponding visual representations. Through a methodical examination of sound drawings collaboratively generated by participants, this study critically assesses the effectiveness of sound drawing as an active and inclusive pedagogical instrument within the domain of dhol learning. The outcomes demonstrate how participants’ visual interpretations of dhol sounds led to creating a notation system. This system reflects a diverse range of auditory perceptions and offers a new avenue for cultural engagement and learning in music education. By introducing sound drawing as an immersive instructional activity, this research aspires to advance dhol pedagogy, rendering it more accessible to diverse cultures and communities, thus transcending linguistic barriers. This study pioneers the incorporation of sound drawing as an innovative pedagogical activity for the collective development of a visual dhol notation system, thereby instigating a transformation in pedagogical paradigms and fostering cross-cultural engagement within the rich musical tradition of the dhol.
In a youth orchestra, there are many borders to cross, for example, different competency levels, cultures, languages, socio-economic circumstances, races etc. Another challenge for beginners is learning orchestra music by only following the conductor’s instructions and gestures. On numerous occasions, Eva Nivbrant Wedin, from KMH in Stockholm, has worked with the North- West Youth Orchestra in South Africa, helping them learn their repertoire through eurhythmics. Therefore, this basic qualitative study aims to understand what meaning youth orchestra members ascribed to their experiences of learning orchestra music through eurhythmics. We collected data through interviews, which were thematically analysed. Six themes emerged: social interaction, enjoyment, better understanding, empowerment, expression, and improved performance. Therefore, we argue that eurhythmics can be used to cross borders in youth orchestras, thereby creating understanding between members of different languages, ages, and cultures and improving their musical understanding and performance of orchestral works.
This research considers the synchronous creation of a faculty meta-ensemble emergent in the pivot to online music ensembles in 2021. The unit of study outline for Music Ensemble Performance mandates live ensembles in a Kolb-inspired experiential learning model, seemingly impossible to achieve in a pandemic. Eric Ries advocates for necessary change in strategy, where required, without a change in vision. This was also mandated by the published unit of study outline, which limited change possibilities. In this auto-ethnographic case study, faculty created their own co-teaching meta-ensemble to model collaborative musical behaviours. Keller and Appel (2010) note the importance of live embodiment of collaborative music making for sound synchronicity through shared gestures. It was initially unclear how this could be achieved through exclusive online learning. A necessary course pivot during the pandemic showed 1. Ensemble music making is a unique complex adaptive culture, also possible to create in an online environment; and 2. Faculty can model behaviours and structures that are able to mirror ensemble course outcomes. Instructional designers can also embody the courses they teach. This has implications for other teaching and learning contexts.
The current study endeavors to investigate the preferred English language learning strategies among individuals who self-identify as ambiverts. A mixed-methods research design, comprising a survey questionnaire and follow-up interviews, was implemented to gather data from a sample population of 68 English-major students, of which 22 self-identified as ambiverts. The study aimed to elucidate the influence of the balance between introversion and extroversion on ambiverts’ favored learning strategies and to examine the benefits this balance provides in terms of selecting strategies that are best adapted to their unique needs and preferences. The results demonstrate that ambiverts favored affective learning strategies, such as musical accompaniment and positive self-talk, as well as compensatory strategies, such as deductive reasoning and seeking assistance. Furthermore, ambiverts displayed a proclivity for metacognitive strategies, including the recognition of faults and focusing on specific tasks, and memory-related strategies, including the utilization of color-coding and the integration of images and keywords. The study also revealed that social strategies, such as collaboration with others and seeking clarification, were favored by ambiverts, emphasizing the significance of interaction and engagement in the learning process. These findings have important implications for language educators and may inform the development of more inclusive learning materials that cater to a broad range of learning styles, including ambiverts, and enhance the effectiveness of language instruction.
This study aims to explore the potential benefits and effectiveness of incorporating smart pianos in the piano learning process for children. The research investigates the impact of smart piano teaching on enhancing piano skills among children. The participants of this study consist of students aged 4 to 6 years old, who are enrolled in a piano learning program that incorporates smart pianos. The research examines the students' progress over a designated period, comparing it with a control group using traditional piano instruction methods. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the benefits and limitations of smart piano education in piano education. The results reveal that smart pianos provide interactive learning experiences, including visual feedback, practice assistance features, progress tracking, and individualized learning options. These features positively impact students' engagement, motivation, and overall piano skill development. The implications of this research suggest that smart piano can be a valuable tool in piano education, enhancing students' learning experiences and promoting their overall musical growth. The study calls for further research with larger sample sizes and longer duration to validate and extend these initial findings.
The German term, Liederkreis, translated as a song cycle, refers to a group or cycle of individually completed songs, designed to be performed in a sequence as a unit. This paper employs a bibliographic strategy, seeking to trace the evolution of this musical genre, and determine its implication for music pedagogy, premised on the theory of contiguity. Saturated data, collected through document review, were subjected to thematic-textual analysis. Findings suggest that song cycles emerged, towards the end of the Classical period and rose to their highest point in the Romantic period, with Beethoven having the credit for pioneering the genre. The study also revealed that in Leiderkreis, key relationship is important and plays a coherent role by making the songs an organic, composite whole in a manner which could be either formal or dynamic. It was concluded that Liederkreis has rich pedagogical prospects due to its focus on the strengths, talents, abilities of every student. The study recommended deliberate and adequate use of Liederkreis in the music classroom. By doing so, students could learn to value each other’s uniqueness in strengths, abilities, and competencies thereby promoting a community of learners where music teaching and learning becomes simplistic and organic, allowing all to grow and bloom. Future research will examine the extent to which Liederkreis has been employed in various music instructional contexts.
Statement of the problem. Controlled anticipation is a conscious process of fore sighting an upcoming event, preparing for its fulfillment, and taking full control over its course. Extrapolation of this universal model to the professional activity of a pianistconcertmaster allows to schematize the psychological foundations of the performance process. The distinctive feature of Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Major is demonstrating the incompatibility of violin and piano declared by the composer. The main task of the concertmaster is to create an ensemble integrity, within which he should cover the musical material of all the parts of the ensemble. In the context of this Sonata, the pianist resolves a paradoxical contradiction – to combine into a single integrity what is deliberately polarized at the compositional level. This study was based on scientific works in the field of psychology, in particular, the researches of Ukrainian scientists (Batrachenko, 2010; Nikolenko, 2014) and the studies revealing the problems of performing Ravel’s Violin Sonata (Baer, 1992; Kaminsky, 2004; Beavers, 2010, 2016, 2020; Lefèvre, 2013). Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is to highlight the general principle of controlled anticipation and to argue their importance in the work of a pianist-concertmaster. For the first time a theoretical substantiation of anticipation as a controlled psychological process in the field of music is proposed and the research attention is focused on the performance problems of the concertmaster, who is responsible for the unifying function in the ensemble in Ravel’s Sonata in G Major for Violin and Piano. The research methods are determined by attracting the psychological theory, which considered the concept of anticipation; an activity approach aimed at applying theoretical knowledge from the field of psychology in the preparatory work of a pianist-concertmaster, as well as the methods of deduction and induction in their direct interaction were used. Research results and conclusion. Controlled anticipation allows to solve effectively a wide variety of tasks and it is a universal model for working on any kind of music. The specificity of the concertmaster’s activity lies in the fact that he is obliged to embrace the soloist’s part with his consciousness in addition to his own material. It needs to correlate each structural element of the text with the partner’s capabilities. Controlled anticipation as a psychological instruction is aimed at helping both in the rehearsal and concert practice of a pianist-concertmaster. Moreover, in the course of a stage performance, the use of controlled anticipation reduces the problem of excitement to nothing.
In this paper, the territorial frameworks are set with the aim of forming a
regional historical synthesis dedicated to the creation of art music in
Vojvodina, a synthesis that differs from those offered in previous music
historiographies. It can be said that the composers who greatly contributed
to the development of the musical life of the Vojvodina communities in the
interwar period have made modest contributions to the “local type” musical
modernism. In the second half of the 20th century, they were involved in
determining the place of “new music” within modernism and realism in the
Cold War period. The Serbian National Theatre, the Association of Composers
of Vojvodina and the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad gave support to
compositional practice in Vojvodina after the Second World War.
Creativity and innovation are important for sustaining the relevance of schools in the changing world. Although innovation is a significant aspect of school improvement, we do not know how teachers perceive the experience of making innovations to instruction. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to reveal how teachers experience making innovations to their instruction. The research questions for this study are as follows: (1) What key themes emerge as teachers describe their experiences making innovations to instruction? (2) What key themes emerge as teachers describe the environmental factors that influence the innovations they make to instruction? (3) What key themes emerge as teachers describe the leadership that influences the innovations they make to instruction? Principals and a school district administrator were asked to identify English, math, science and social studies teachers in three high-performing suburban high schools who demonstrate the characteristics of innovative teachers based on existing research. The researcher administered the Reisman Diagnostic Creativity Assessment (RDCA) self-assessment and Dweck's mindset questionnaire to 21 high-school teachers. Most teachers in the study self-assessed themselves as having a moderately high to very high level of creativity and a growth mindset. The researcher conducted focus group and individual interviews with 14 of the high school teachers. Transcripts of the interviews were coded and the following major categories emerged: (1) Innovative Processes; (2) Personal Feelings; (3) Risk Taking; (4) Teacher Motivation; (5) Limited Collaboration; and (6) Leadership. These categories were synthesized into five themes that are presented as the results of this research study: (1) Teachers Make Innovations to their Instruction for Professional and Personal Reasons; (2) Teachers Need to Feel Secure Before Taking Risks; (3) Teachers Make Innovations to their Instruction with Limited Collaboration; (4) Leaders Can Increase the Likelihood that Teachers Make Innovations to their Instruction; and (5) Creativity and a Growth Mindset are Associated with Innovative Teaching. This study suggests the need for teachers to understand their students' experiences and be motivated to overcome barriers in order to make innovations. It also suggests the need for school leaders to encourage innovation and create conditions where it can take place.
Practiceled research in classical music has tended to deal with specific and
limited case studies, examining in detail the ways in which one musician’s
individual responses to a work or genre can lead to a new understanding of
that object, and assessing the different forms of knowledge generated. This
project discussion however deals with a complete corpus created over one
composer’s lifetime, Bach’s works for clavier, and looks at the very many
different aspects of musical understanding - including pedagogy, technique,
compositional practice, performance practice, attribution studies and
organology - that can be enriched by hands-on engagement with a substantial
and high-quality repertoire.
Russian-Serbian cultural connections in a broader sense, represented through
direct parallels in Russian and Serbian sacral painting, architectural
decoration, sacral interior design and phenomenа in court art canons of the
last Romanov’s and Karađorđević’s dynasties are insufficiently researched.
By using the concrete monuments, mostly in Russian style, Russian symbolism
and Art Nouveau, but also the court canon at the turn of the century in
Russia through the works of Russian emigrants after the October revolution
in Serbia during the 1920s and 1930s, the use of Russian pictorial features
and cultural models adapted to Serbian demands is going to be demonstrated.
Reconocemos a la improvisación en el Jazz, entre otros géneros musicales, como una práctica que implica la creación espontánea en el transcurso de la performance. La psicología de la música nos brinda diversas explicaciones sobre la improvisación; algunas propuestas se focalizan en el estudio de ciertos procesos cognitivos individuales que tienen lugar en la mente con base en el cerebro, mientras que otras se centran en cómo interactuamos involucrando el sonido y el movimiento expresivo de nuestros cuerpos. En el marco de una idea post-cognitivista y a partir de la consideración ontológica de la música como performance contrastamos estas propuestas con la propia investigación empírica sobre el tema. Revisamos de manera crítica los abordajes más relevantes atendiendo sus aportes y reflexionamos sobre los aspectos relativos a la corporeidad y la interacción social en la improvisación jazzística. Como parte de esta reflexión se propone a la improvisación musical como un espacio donde ‘encontrarnos en la performance’. Este encuentro se establece como el lugar principal a partir del cual construimos las diferentes capas de significado musical inherentes a la improvisación.
Music and books on Music, Musical instruction and study
Carlos Eduardo Pascual Pérez, José María Peñalver Vilar
La motivación del presente estudio nace de nuestra preocupación docente ante el estado actual de la relación entre el sistema de acceso a Enseñanzas Superiores de Música en nuestro país y su fase antecesora; las Enseñanzas Profesionales de Música. Este estudio aborda la falta de correspondencia curricular y competencial existente entre dichas enseñanzas, agravado además por la transferencia competencial autonómica de la legislación vigente en España, la cual genera mayor desigualdad geográfica. La realidad de un espacio superior artístico que oferta diferentes líneas de estudios en Grado (interpretación, pedagogía, jazz, música antigua, dirección, sonología, etc.) está siendo enfocada previamente mediante una línea única –interpretación- en las enseñanzas profesionales, que no necesariamente capacitan ni para las competencias requeridas en el acceso ni en el currículum. Como objetivo principal planteamos una diversificación en los itinerarios mediante el uso de metodologías y determinación competencial específica respetando el currículum actual de las enseñanzas profesionales.
Music and books on Music, Musical instruction and study
En la actualidad la tecnología se ha abierto paso tanto en el ámbito educativo general, como en el específico de la educación musical. Este documento revisa el uso que de ellas se está haciendo en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la música en la etapa obligatoria en la última década en España. Se examinan aquellos referentes de buenas prácticas en relación con el aprendizaje, la labor docente, el centro y el contexto que con mayor énfasis se están trabajando y aquellos que deberían ser abordados en mayor profundidad; resaltando la importancia de la evaluación, la difusión y la formación didáctica docente.