International Journal of Music Education current issue

Editorial

Cheung, J., Brophy, T. S. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

Can improvisation be 'taught'?: A call for free improvisation in our schools

Hickey, M. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

The purpose of this article is to present the idea that the music education profession’s current drive to include improvisation in school music is limited in its approach, and that teaching improvisation, in the traditional sense, is not possible. These beliefs are based on an examination of current methodologies and texts in light of the historical evolution of both improvisation and the teaching of improvisation. The article provides an examination of Jeff Pressing’s historical conceptions of improvisation as a continuum model and then briefly looks at the short history of improvisation in American music education in the 20th century. Current methods are examined in light of free improvisation techniques. This leads to a final argument for more free improvisation in school music balanced with the current skills approach used in the USA. The conclusion of this article examines the issues and realities for current practices in music education in light of the beliefs set forth.

Facilitating musical composition as 'contract learning' in the classroom: the development and application of a teaching resource for primary school teachers in the UK

Clennon, O. D. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

Despite national initiatives in the UK such as Creative Partnerships, an organization formed in 2002 for exploring creative approaches to learning in the classroom, there is still a gap between aspiration and practice. This is especially evident in the teaching of musical composition in primary schools, partly because there seems to be a profound fear of music, especially for many primary school teachers who are not music specialists, and a lack of knowledge of participatory practice. This article describes the development of a resource for facilitating compositional processes using classroom management skills, as adapted from Knowles’s ‘contract learning’. I will also highlight the creative tensions raised by the sometimes conflicting approaches of instruction and facilitation.

Orff and the 'ivory tower': fostering critique as a mode of legitimation

Locke, T. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

This article begins by recounting the development and implementation of a unique, mutual agreement between the School of Education at the University of Waikato and Orff New Zealand Aotearoa (ONZA) to develop three master’s-level courses in Orff Music Education: Theory and Practice. The rationale for this project is detailed and related to changing conceptions of postgraduate study and debates about continuing ‘professional learning’ for teachers. It is argued that at the heart of the exercise is a problematic around theorization. How can an approach to pedagogy such as Orff Schulwerk be incorporated into a programme that demands critical reflexivity? A number of ‘solutions’ to this problematic are provided. A case is made that involves teachers (as practitioners and prospective researchers) in addressing this problematic and will have positive consequences for Orff Schulwerk in New Zealand (and beyond), and for debates about classroom pedagogy in general.

Communicating and accentuating the aesthetic and expressive dimension in choral conducting

Durrant, C. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

This article considers the issues that are involved in effective choral conducting from an aesthetic dimension. Drawing upon research, theories and practice, it provides some insight into the nature of communication and the significance of gesture on vocal outcome as well as qualities of leadership concomitant with such musical activity. The article also reports on a research study that investigated the professional development of students and teachers in the area of choral conducting, focusing on their attitudes, skill acquisition and the importance attached to reflection on practice. The findings reveal that consideration of what counts as effective conducting gesture and communication skill can promote better conducting and, consequently, better, more expressive singing. In addition, the positive impact of self- and peer reflection on progress (both face-to-face and within a virtual learning environment) was also acknowledged. Certain suggestions for promoting effective musical leadership in the area of choral conducting are provided, in order to ground theoretical perspectives in practice.

'I'll sing with my buddies' -- Fostering the possible selves of male choral singers

Freer, P. K. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

The stories of three high school boys about their experiences in school-based choral music provide the framework for a discussion of the role music educators can play in retaining male singers. The ‘possible selves’ construct (Markus & Nurius, 1986) is explored alongside research-based implications about specific steps toward developing boys’ identities as choral musicians. Possible selves are future conceptions of the self that are either positive (hoped-for) or negative (feared). The changing of the adolescent male voice occurs at approximately the same time as major social, academic, and other physical changes. It is thought that these issues coincide in a manner that discourages boys from participation in choral music (Freer, 2007). Drawing upon a successful non-musical model, the author proposes a variant of the ‘Possible Selves Program’ (Hock, Deshler, & Schumaker, 2006) for use in music settings.

Music practices and teachers' needs for teaching music in public preschools of South Korea

Lee, Y. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

The present study aimed to investigate the current music practices and teachers’ needs for teaching music in public preschools of South Korea. The data were obtained from the public preschools in South Korea, where 66.7 percent (n = 606) of the total sample (N = 908) responded. The online survey consisted of 42 questions: Likert-type scales, single and multiple-choice responses, and four open-ended questions. Focusing on the current music practices of public preschools, the 42 questions were divided into seven categories according to question content. The majority of teachers stated that their lesson plans included group music activities more than twice a week, lasting less than 30 minutes on average. The most important reason for including music in the curriculum was ‘enjoyment and recreation’. Almost all teachers planned their music curriculum with a weekly theme, and they chose songs to complement the theme. Singing with finger play (a song, game or chant with finger action) was reported to be the most popular activity in public preschools. The teachers taught songs with piano accompaniment or a CD, and several common CD collections for music activities were employed. Although rhythmic percussion instruments were the most accessible in a music center, the piano was the most frequently used by teachers during circle time in the classroom. Teachers identified the difficulty of the lack of ideas for music activities in preschools. The majority of the participants requested more applicable and thorough preservice and inservice music education programs for preschool teachers.

Reflective practice: a tool for measuring the development of generic skills in the training of professional musicians

Brown, J. E. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:15 PST

The 2006 ISME Commission for the Education of the Professional Musician (CEPROM) provided a unique forum for a number of important debates surrounding the preparation of young musicians for a professional career in the performing arts. One such debate considered the imperative of ensuring young professional musicians graduated from tertiary music institutions with skills beyond those of just performance practice: the more general or ‘generic’ skills that can be transferred into the many types of work situations they will inevitably face after their formal studies have been completed. Driven by the new imperatives surrounding work and changing careers, this debate dominated many of the discussions at the 2006 CEPROM. Building upon this debate, this article outlines a case study on the use of reflective journal writing as a curriculum tool to encourage music students to develop the generic skills of critical, creative and self-regulated thinking. Within the context of an Australian university landscape that is increasingly placing more emphasis on generic graduate outcomes, this article draws on the work of a number of educational theorists to provide a theoretical underpinning and rationale for reflective journal writing as a tool for embedding these generic skills in the music curriculum. The article concludes with some discussion of further research challenges and implications for curriculum design in tertiary music.