scholarly journals Learning to perform

Author(s):  
Jane W. Davidson ◽  
Gary E. McPherson

To perform any skilled activity to expert level requires committed and intensely motivated learning. This chapter explores how musical development, particularly as it applies to learning an instrument, depends crucially on inventive and productive opportunities that coalesce in configurations unique to each learner. It reveals how an obsession with gifts and talents on the parts of researchers, teachers, parents and musicians alike has led to confusion over the nature and acquisition of the skills required for high-level music performance. It traces key theories on family scripts and self-determination to illustrate the ways in which psychological constructs shape belief and thus motivate learning. Environmental catalysts such as practice support and opportunity for creative expression offer additional significant influences. These factors are shown to align with intrapersonal characteristics and are described as syzygies, or inventive configurations, that provide pathways to committed music learning.

2021 ◽  
pp. 147402222110074
Author(s):  
Kelly Bylica ◽  
Sophie Louise Roland ◽  
Laura Benjamins

Formal music performance studies within university settings strive to prepare the next generation of performers and pedagogues for musical engagement beyond university. Yet literature suggests that these spaces of study do not always lead to a sense of readiness for potential professional worlds, due in part to a lack of opportunities for guided, in-depth, critical reflection that helps students connect theory and practice. This article articulates findings from a study that sought to consider the impact of deliberate opportunities for reflection in The Accademia Europea dell’Opera (AEDO), a university-affiliated summer opera intensive experiential learning program. Utilizing a communities of musical practice framework, researchers worked collaboratively to help participants engage in guided critical reflection as they developed high-level musical skills through rehearsals and performances. This article specifically considers the ways in which a ‘broker’ helped participants develop practices of reflection and personal agency both within and beyond this context.


2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R. Ciorba ◽  
Neal Y. Smith

Recent policy initiatives instituted by major accrediting bodies require the implementation of specific assessment tools to provide evidence of student achievement in a number of areas, including applied music study. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of a multidimensional assessment rubric, which was administered to all students performing instrumental and vocal juries at a private Midwestern university during one semester ( N = 359). Interjudge reliability coefficients indicated a moderate to high level of agreement among judges. Results also revealed that performance achievement was positively related to participants' year in school (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior), which indicates that a multidimensional assessment rubric can effectively measure students' achievement in the area of solo music performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 699-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. MacIntyre ◽  
Ben Schnare ◽  
Jessica Ross

Learning the skills to be a musician requires an enormous amount of effort and dedication, a long-term process that requires sustained motivation. Motivation for music is complex, blending relatively intrinsic and extrinsic motives. The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivation of musicians by considering how different aspects of motivational features interact. An international sample of 188 musicians was obtained through the use of an online survey. Four scales drawn from Self-Determination Theory (intrinsic, identified, introjected, and extrinsic regulation) were utilized along with other motivational constructs, including motivational intensity, desire to learn, willingness to play, perceived competence, and musical self-esteem. To integrate the variables into a proposed model, a path analysis was conducted among the motivation variables. Results showed that the intrinsic motives are playing the major role in the maintenance of the motivational system, while extrinsic motives are less influential. Support was found for a feedback loop, whereby desire to learn feeds into increased effort at learning (i.e., motivational intensity), leading to the development of perceived competence, which is then reflected back into increasing desire to learn. Increases in these variables help to create a virtuous cycle of motivation for music learning and performance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horst Hildebrandt ◽  
Matthias Nübling ◽  
Victor Candia

BACKGROUND: Public opinion associates music performance with pleasure, relaxation, and entertainment. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that professional musicians and music students are often affected by work-related burdens. These are closely related to stress and anxiety. OBJECTIVE: Scrutinizing specific health strains and work attitudes of music students during their freshman year of high-level education. METHODS: One hundred five students in three Swiss music universities were part of a longitudinal study using standardized assessment questionnaires. Before and after their first study year, some custom-made questionnaires designed to fit the particular work environment of musicians were used together with the already validated inquiry instruments. RESULTS: Fatigue, depression, and stage fright increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate more study is needed and attempts should be made to minimize the stress level, improve the students’ ability to cope with stress, and otherwise reduce their risk for injury. This appears particularly important considering the long-term negative effects of stressors on individuals’ health as revealed by modern research.


2011 ◽  
pp. 857-876
Author(s):  
Chrisoula Alexandraki ◽  
Nikolas Valsamakis

The chapter provides an overview of virtual music communities focusing on novel collaboration environments aiming to support networked and geographically dispersed music performance. A key objective of the work reported is to investigate online collaborative practices during virtual music performances in community settings. To this effect, the first part of the chapter is devoted to reviewing different kinds of communities and their corresponding practices as manifested through social interaction. The second part of the chapter presents a case study, which elaborates on the realization of virtual music communities using a generic technological platform, namely DIAMOUSES. DIAMOUSES was designed to provide a host for several types of virtual music communities, intended for music rehearsals, live performances and music learning. Our recent experiments provide useful insights to the distinctive features of these alternative community settings as well as the practices prevailing in each case. The chapter is concluded by discussing open research issues and challenges relevant to virtual music performance communities.


2020 ◽  
pp. 61-80
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Cassidy Parker

Chapter 3 examines adolescent brain growth, musical thinking, and motivation. Adolescents on music share how they think about music, how they view themselves, and what challenges they have faced in their musical development. Included in chapter 3 is an exploration of Ryan and Deci’s metatheory of motivation, titled self-determination, and Dweck and Molden’s self-theories or mindset. In the middle of the chapter, a brief discussion ensues of adolescents’ experiences as creative thinkers. At the end of the chapter, recommendations are proposed as to how educators’ regular and consistent communication and positive modeling represent critical supports to adolescent musical development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-414
Author(s):  
Calvin KC Lee ◽  
Bo-Wah Leung

In this study, we investigated the factors affecting the motivation of studio-based instrumental learners in Hong Kong. We interviewed a total of 13 participants who learnt the violin and/or the piano. We analyzed the interview data by selective coding accordingly to the three basic needs in the conceptual framework of Basic Psychology Needs Theory, which is one of the mini-theories from Self-Determination Theory. The thematization of basic needs are (1) autonomy, (2) relatedness, and (3) competency. We found relatedness and competence were more related to our participants. This study contributes to the understanding of studio-based, learning-environment characteristics as well as specific motivation factors attributed to the distinctions between the violin and the piano learning environments in Hong Kong. We also discussed the issues of music learning in school and teacher's style of teaching practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josiane Bissonnette ◽  
Francis Dubé ◽  
Martin D Provencher ◽  
Maria T Moreno Sala

Music performance anxiety affects numerous musicians, with many of them reporting impairment of performance due to this problem. This exploratory study investigated the effects of virtual reality exposure training on students with music performance anxiety. Seventeen music students were randomly assigned to a control group (n=8) or a virtual training group (n=9). Participants were asked to play a musical piece by memory in two separate recitals within a 3-week interval. Anxiety was then measured with the Personal Report of Confidence as a Performer Scale and the S-Anxiety scale from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Between pre- and post-tests, the virtual training group took part in virtual reality exposure training consisting of six 1-hour long sessions of virtual exposure. The results indicate a significant decrease in performance anxiety for musicians in the treatment group for those with a high level of state anxiety, for those with a high level of trait anxiety, for women, and for musicians with high immersive tendencies. Finally, between the pre- and post-tests, we observed a significant increase in performance quality for the experimental group, but not for the control group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 239694152094552
Author(s):  
Amanda A Webster ◽  
Susanne Garvis

Background Studies involving autistic adults have often focused on negative outcomes and quality of life ratings. Aims This study provides a different viewpoint by examining the perspectives of autistic men who consider themselves to be successful. Methods Data were gathered from 10 men who shared their experiences and perceptions regarding their journey to achieve success. Self-determination theory provided a useful lens for examining the men’s narratives and understanding the factors that led to their success. Results Analysis of interviews revealed four main themes: (1) being my own self, (2) a competent professional, (3) solving problems in a neurotypical world, and (4) relating and connecting. These themes reflect the men’s perception of their own self-determination including their autonomy, competence, and relatedness with others. Conclusions The men’s sense of success was derived from their ability to achieve competence in their work, act without help or influence from others and demonstrate a high level of self-awareness and self-reflection. Despite this, many continued to experience difficulty in the social areas of their lives. Implications: These findings suggest that self-determination theory may present an alternative and more positive means of enacting support programs for autistic individuals, and males in particular.


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