Critical Listening in the Ensemble Rehearsal: A Community of Learners

Abstract

This article explores a strategy for engaging ensemble members in critical listening analysis of performances and presents opportunities for improving ensemble sound through rigorous dialogue, reflection, and attentive rehearsing. Critical listening asks ensemble members to draw on individual playing experience and knowledge to describe what they hear. Focused discussion revolves around key issues that music directors consider during daily rehearsals: tonal quality, balance, blend, articulation, accuracy of performance, interpretation, musicality, and much more. An important component of critical listening is teacher monitoring of repeated listening exercises: A short listening is immediately followed by discussion and then another short listening. Questions guide the discussion, which becomes richer and more focused as students compare/apply their musical understandings with their aural perceptions and then demonstrate with performance. Though written from the standpoint of a typical public school music ensemble rehearsal, the critical listening concepts can transfer to any musical tradition where listening skills and collective performance are emphasized.

Critical Listening in Higher Education: Insights From Indonesian Efl Learners

“…Nonetheless, despite the importance of critical listening, as stated by Welch & Mickelson (2020) and Bell (2018), teachers did not give teaching listening skills, especially critical listening, the priority it deserved. Other studies have shown that, particularly in higher education, proper planning and adequate attention were not given to developing critical listening skills.…”

Listening: Considerations in Teaching an Invisible Skill

“…As students develop the dispositions and skills needed to listen critically, they build stamina to listen to longer excerpts of music. However, at first it is suggested that teachers select short, rich musical sections (around 30 seconds long) and use those same sections of music for repeated listening (Bell, 2018). It is also suggested that in a classroom where students are co-creators of knowledge, students have input into what pieces of music are chosen for deep listening activities (Beach & Bolden, 2018) (Table 1).…”

“…To evaluate the music being created or performed, students must be able to listen critically and thoughtfully and then articulate what they hear. Evaluating music requires deep, thoughtful listening and this "critical listening" is a skill that needs to be directly taught and practiced in our classrooms (Bell, 2018). Listening is a skill that must be practiced and taught but does not need to take up all of the lesson time to work it in.…”

Effects of employing In-service EFL Teachers Strategy-based Instruction on their Performance of Teaching Listening Comprehension in Amman-Jordan

“…Additionally, most research is conducted to measure the effect of listening comprehension strategies on student achievement (Gilakjani & Sabouri,2016;Bell, 2018;Sary, 2017;Zeng &Goh, 2018 andKrebt &Al-Rifai, 2013). However, little research has been conducted to leverage EFL teachers' performance in teaching listening comprehension (Moradi, 2013).…”