Memorisation in piano students: A study in the Mexican context

Abstract

The present study analyses the different types of skills and abilities that piano students use to memorise pieces. During students' education process, it is important to implement different study strategies for the proper learning and improvement of memorisation. Mastering this task is essential to the professional future of students, who must play musical scores by memory in exams, public concerts, recitals, public examinations, and other performances (Bernal, 2009a; Hallam, 1997; Lim & Lippman, 1991). In the Mexican context, a defined methodology for memorisation strategies for piano students has not been identified. Thus, to gather the necessary information for the development of this research, piano students (N = 88; 44 men and 44 women) answered a questionnaire formulated by Mishra (2007) and adapted to our context. This measurement instrument provided information about the type of memorisation strategies used most often by the participants of this research. Most results point towards the use of analytic memory study strategies, followed by aural, kinaesthetic, and visual memorisation. Furthermore, the personal strategy the students used most frequently while memorising was practising their instrument daily. This activity generates greater fluency and confidence when playing a piece from memory.

The Effect of Mental Rehearsal and Imagery on Music Performance Anxiety among Junior High School Students

“…These include the use of "Free improvisation" (Allen, 2011), "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy -ACT" (Juncos & Markman, 2015), and performers' "rituals of separation from everyday life" (Geeves et al, 2019). According to Herrera and Cremades (2014), one other strategy found to be very effective in minimizing MPA among university piano students in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico is daily practical "memorization strategies" that embodies aural, kinesthetic and visual memorization. This strategy is directly related to the experimental strategy, Mental Rehearsal, in this study.…”

Effective Music Practice. Equipping Students with the Tools to Succeed

“…Students can help themselves by using diaries and blogs or simply by writing notes in the score, for these resources promote reflection, foster meta-cognition (Cremaschi, 2012), and favor concentration (Kim, 2008). For example, a careful and, most of all, conscious analysis of the score (Herrera & Cremades, 2014;Nuki, 1984) with the corresponding written annotations (Teixeira-Dos Santos & Hentschke, 2011) may make students aware of the differences between the exposition and the recapitulation of a sonata form, and thus, may prevent them from getting lost during a public performance. Several times the author has witnessed students playing the wrong 'bridge' between the 'thematic group A' and the 'thematic group B' and find themselves finishing the first movement sooner than expected for they have skipped the whole 'development section.…”

Conocimiento acerca de las estrategias de práctica instrumental al inicio del Grado Superior de Música

“…El instrumentista ha de percibir cómo cada sonido resuena en el espacio exterior, efectuando una adecuada autocrítica y siendo ayudado por grabaciones audiovisuales. Barrie, 2007;Bunting, 1999;Burwell y Shipton, 2013;Carlevaro, 2000;Casas, 2013;Coso,1992;Coyle, 2009;Cremaschi, 2012;Daniel, 2001;Eguilaz, 2009;Emond, Vinson, Singer, Barfurth y Brooks, 2006;Foldes, 1992;Galamian, 1998;Herrera y Cremades, 2014;Manresa, 2006;Neuhaus, 1987;Pertzborn, Coimbra, Hallam y Braga, 2009;Pfordresher, 2006;Pozo, Bautista y Torrado, 2008. 6-Lectura precisa tocando con corrección desde la primera vez, aislando la dificultad, analizando su naturaleza y asumiendo un margen de aceptabilidad sin obsesionarse con la perfección.…”