How to Destroy Creativity in Music Students: The Need for Emotional and Psychological Support Services in Music Schools

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-17
Author(s):  
Julie Jaffee Nagel

A decision to pursue a career in the performing arts is a lifelong and complex undertaking. Musicians begin instrument lessons in early childhood, when the ego and talent are developing simultaneously. In these vulnerable years and at any age, music teachers and schools can inhibit the creativity, musical and personal growth, and careers of their students by various common attitudes: e.g., overemphasis on improving technique and winning competitions; stress on prestigious performance careers; denial of the psychological implications of playing-related injury; or failure to promote other professional outlets in music as well as other professions. Sometimes, a musician's career plans are altered or aborted altogether. The author advocates the establishment of psychological and physical interdisciplinary programs and courses in the curriculum as important aspects of healthy music programs as well as career services programs to assist students with both performance and non-performance careers.

Author(s):  
Elizabeth A Clendinning

The book seeks to answer these questions: Why are there more than 150 gamelans (Indonesian percussion ensembles) in North America, and why are more than half of them associated with American colleges and universities? How and why did gamelan ensembles spark the ethnomusicological imagination? What impact have these ensembles had on college music programs, their local communities, and transnational Indonesian performing arts scenes? How does a lifetime of teaching foreign college students shape the lives of non-American music teachers? First providing an overview of gamelan and its incorporation in education in North America, this book uses the story of the career and community of one performer-teacher, I Made Lasmawan of Bali and Colorado, as a case study to examine the formation and sustenance academic world music ensembles. It examines the way students develop musical and cultural competence by learning gamelan in traditional ethnomusicology ensemble courses and analyzes the merits of including gamelan ensembles in studies in percussion, composition, and music education. More broadly, the book argues that beyond the classroom, the presence of these ensembles shapes transnational arts education and touristic performing arts scenes in Bali. Finally, it advocates for world music ensemble courses as a powerful means for teaching musical and cultural diversity and sparking transnational exchanges, both in and outside the classroom.


2020 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
Janet Revell Barrett

Music teachers seek imaginative openings to expand the reach and scope of the music curriculum, particularly by engaging more students in creative production and culturally relevant offerings. This article describes the work of a high school choral music educator who implemented new courses in Hip Hop Production by strategically navigating the policy process for course approval in his school district, informing the proposal with readily available data, consulting with colleagues, and aligning the purposes of the courses with district initiatives. As a case of music teachers’ curricular agency, this story illustrates valuable orientations and principles of change that open up avenues for the expansion of music programs in the context of district-level policy environments.


2006 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanka Bogunovic

In the context of individual musical instrument teaching, pedagogical abilities of a music teacher and the atmosphere he creates, result from his personality traits and can be of crucial importance for the initial and further progress of his students. The paper seeks to: describe the personality of a music instrument teacher, determine the differences in comparison to a group of non-musicians, and determine the position of personal characteristics in the structure of general and professional teacher profile. The sample comprised 60 individuals, teaching various musical instruments in five primary music schools. The research method is explorative and based on the use of the five-factor personality model (NEO PI-R was administered). The findings show that music teachers display a higher level of: openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The degree of congruence with the findings of other research is discussed and certain similarities were found, as well as differences stemming from professional and cultural specificities. Differences are proved to exist in relation to gender, musical instrument, working experience, degree of musical education and active public performance. Compared to non-musical population, it is confirmed that teachers of instrument in musical education represent a distinctive group. There are also differences between teachers who are oriented to pedagogic work only and those who, in addition, actively perform in public. Selection of teachers, according to characteristics which may be connected to students? accomplishment, is a practical implication relevant for the music education.


2021 ◽  
pp. 81-85
Author(s):  
Ke Wang

Problem statement and its relevance. One of the pioneers of Chinese contemporary piano art, whose creative activity certainly contributed to its formation, further rapid rise and recognition of creative achievements on the world art horizon, is a prominent pianist — Liu Shikun, who today has received complete recognition as a brilliant performer, composer and teacher thus marked the beginning of the so­called piano boom in China, and with it — the gradual formation and confident rise of the Chinese piano school. If various aspects of contemporary Chinese performing arts have repeatedly been subjected to musicological discourse in the scientific community, the direct and comprehensive coverage of Liu Shikun’s leading role in the process of forming the foundations of Chinese piano performing arts, as well as careful analysis and representation of his creative achievements and pedagogical fields are still relevant for basic musicological research. The purpose of this article is to highlight and analyze the main vectors of creative activity of the famous Chinese musician Liu Shikun in the context of the development of piano art in China in the second half of the XX — early XXI centuries. The methodology of the work focuses on the principles of historicism and source studies, which provides coverage of Liu Shikun’s musical work in a single context with cultural, historical and artistic phenomena and their interaction. In addition, methods of retrospective, structural­system analysis, interpretation of facts, argumentation and generalization are involved. The results obtained during the achievement of the goal of this work focus on the representation and characterization of Liu Shikun’s creative achievements in the field of concert performance, teaching and composition and the artist’s contribution to the development of Chinese piano culture. The topicality of the article lies in the first attempt in Ukrainian musicology to comprehensively cover the main directions of creative activity of the famous Chinese pianist Liu Shikun in the projection of his influence on the formation of the current state of Chinese piano art. The practical significance of the facts and analysis of the main vectors of Liu Shikun’s creative activity carried out in this work is the possibility of using this material in courses on the history and theory of modern piano art, in particular in sections on the Chinese piano school, as well as for further more thorough research of Liu Shikun’s musical creativity, systematization of scientific information on his contribution to the development of musical art of this country. Conclusions. Summarizing the above given material, it should be noted that the fruitful and multifaceted work of this artist directly influenced the development and professionalization of piano performance in China at that time. This influence was due to the comprehensive recognition of the artist’s creative achievements by the world music community, in particular through numerous concert performances in leading countries (especially in partnership with leading orchestras and outstanding musicians); creation of original samples of concert repertoire on the basis and with specificity of the Chinese traditional melody; organization of a dense network of author’s music schools (art centers) and formation of the foundations of the Chinese national piano pedagogy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos R. Abril ◽  
Julie K. Bannerman

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary music teachers’ perceptions of factors impacting their music programs and teaching positions as well as the actions these teachers take in response to those factors. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What factors are perceived to impact music programs and teaching positions? (2) What is the nature of these factors? (3) How and within what socioecological levels do teachers act on behalf of their programs or positions? (4) To what degree are specific actions, people, and/or groups thought effective in impacting music programs? U.S. music teachers ( N = 432) responded to a survey designed to answer these questions. A socioecological framework was used in the design of the survey and analysis of the data. Results suggest that teachers perceive micro-level factors (school) to have a substantial impact on their programs. Teachers’ actions were mostly focused on the micro level although many teachers considered meso-level (school district) engagement to be vital for maintaining or improving music programs in a given school district. Besides music-specific policies, macro-level issues (state and national) were not viewed as impacting programs in substantive ways. The further removed a factor from the micro level, the less impact was felt and the fewer actions were taken.


Author(s):  
Paola Savvidou

This chapter provides an overview of wellness theories, along with a profile of the challenges facing music students today, and a brief background of performing arts medicine. The multidimensional nature of wellness is introduced as the basis for the explorations that follow in this book. The top impediments to academic performance faced by college students are identified and grounded in national surveys and research. Some of these challenges include stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and depression. A discussion specific to music students points to additional challenges, such as performance-related musculoskeletal injuries, isolation, competition, and performance anxiety. The toolkit at the end of the chapter provides eight assessments for each dimension of wellness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Carlos R. Abril ◽  
Brent M. Gault

Music educators have experience working in education environments governed by shifting policies and mandates. How can music educators become agents empowered to shape, interpret, and design mechanisms for putting policy into practice? This article describes ways to understand policy and options for responding and contributing to its development and implementation. We examine how music educators have responded to two policy areas that have had a significant impact on music programs and teachers in recent years: (1) learning standards and (2) evaluation of student learning as a component of teacher evaluation. Examples in this article are meant to serve as a case in point for how music educators can become more responsive and actively engaged in policy matters.


2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Woody ◽  
Danni Gilbert ◽  
Lynda A. Laird

For music teachers to be most effective, they must possess the dispositions that best facilitate their students’ learning. In this article, we present and discuss the findings of a study in which we sought to explore music majors’ self-appraisals in and the extent to which they value the disposition areas of reflectivity, empathic caring, musical comprehensiveness, and musical learnability orientation. Evidence from a survey of 110 music majors suggested that music education students possess and value the dispositions of reflectivity, musical comprehensiveness, and musical learnability orientation more highly after they have matured through their college careers. Additionally, based on their responses to music teaching scenarios, it appears that senior music education majors possess greater empathic caring than do their freshman counterparts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-92
Author(s):  
Jennifer Walden

This article provides music educators with practical ways to (a) build school community through culturally diverse music and informal performances and (b) inculcate global perspectives into music programs (including concert band and choir) through culturally diverse music. In an autoethnographic style, the article tells a story that spans 2 years in a challenging situation: an international school in a country wrought with political and economic instability. It examines community building and inculcating global awareness from four perspectives. The first perspective reviews engagement in cultural diversity in music education through the lens of recently completed PhD research. It looks what scholars are writing about culturally diverse music education and how these ideas subsequently look in practice. Second, 30 years of personal experience teaching culturally diverse music are tied in, including ideas for student engagement in music classes. The third perspective includes practical ideas: how culturally diverse music can be integrated to broaden a program and rejuvenate interest in music. Finally, the fourth reveals responses from students experiencing learning through culturally diverse music. Examples, transcriptions, and recommended resources are included, leaving music teachers with useful, sustainable approaches for culturally diverse inclusivity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arielle Bonneville-Roussy ◽  
Emese Hruska ◽  
Hayley Trower

According to self-determination theory (SDT), the learning experiences of music students can be explained partly by the autonomy-supportive style adopted by their music teachers. To provide the first in-depth understanding of how music performance teachers support the autonomy of their students and how this support is related to students’ well-being, we adopted SDT and the PERMA model of well-being. We provide answers to three fundamental questions about teacher-student relationships in music: (1) Do music performance teachers support the autonomy of their students in higher music education? (2) How do students perceive this support? and (3) How does autonomy support affect music students’ well-being? Music performance teachers ( n = 35) and students ( n = 190) were recruited from higher music education institutions in the United Kingdom. Analyses included mean comparisons of teachers’ and students’ answers to survey questions, correlational analyses of teacher-student dyads’ responses on measures, and qualitative analyses of open-ended questions. Results showed that teachers and students mostly agreed that teachers provide autonomy support to their students. Teachers’ transmission of passion for music and autonomy-supportive behaviors were related to students’ well-being, whereas controlling behaviors hindered well-being. Qualitative results showed that although students put well-being at the core of their concerns, music teachers seemed unaware or ill-prepared to face those concerns.


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