Provoking the muse: a case study of teaching and learning in music composition

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a research project that investigated the nature of the teaching and learning process in music composition. Over the period of one semester, the formal interactions in one-on-one study sessions between an eminent composer-teacher and an experienced graduate student-composer were videotaped. Following the generation of video data, separate interviews were conducted with the composer-teacher and the student-composer in order to probe each of these participants’ perceptions of the nature of the teaching and learning process in which they were engaged. Analyses of observational and interview data were framed within a social constructivist perspective and drew on notions of the zone of proximal development, a problem-finding attitude and creative collaboration. The teaching and learning process in musical composition in this study emphasized problem finding and problem solving by composer-teacher and student-composer within a social relationship characterized by reciprocity and collaborative dialogue in which possible solutions were discussed, negotiated and trialed.

A case study of teaching and learning strategies in an orchestral composition masterclass

“…Due to the short-term nature of the school, the collaborative nature of teacher-student relationships, while present in a limited way, is less evident than in Barrett and Gromko's (2007) study, and there was little evidence of concern for students' developing "voice." The composerteachers in this study regarded their role as technical and cultural guides.…”

“…Building on studies of eminent composer-teachers working one-to-one with students in university settings (Barrett, 2006;Barrett & Gromko, 2007), it moves beyond tertiary training to investigate what many emerging composers regard as the next stage in their professional development: ensemble-based schools in which pieces are workshopped under the guidance of established, expert composers (Dahm & Isaacs, 2011;Gyger, 2014;Love & Barrett, 2014).…”

Understanding the one-to-one relationship in instrumental/vocal tuition in Higher Education: comparing student and teacher perceptions

“…Studies which have focused on the detailed 'reflection-in-action' at Higher Education level between teacher and student made possible in one-to-one tuition, have tended to conceptualise the musical development, professional and personal mentoring evident in this context in terms of apprenticeship (Rosenthal, 1984;L'Hommidieu, 1992;Gholson, 1998;Burwell, 2006;Barrett & Gromko, 2007), in keeping with the model of professional learning premised on collaborative reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action outlined by Schon (1983Schon ( , 1987). Schon's formulation of the dynamics of professional apprenticeship has been extremely influential and captures much of the power of the zone of proximal learning immediately evident, for example, in a musical masterclass.…”

Supporting conservatoire students towards professional integration: one-to-one tuition and the potential of mentoring

“…2 As one-to-one tuition is so often the mainstay of a performer's education, particularly in the field of classical music, there is a strong rationale to consider the potential of mentoring within its practices. Research has suggested that one-to-one tuition may be conceptualised as a creative collaboration incorporating elements of mentoring (Barrett and Gromko 2007;Gholson 1998;L'Hommidieu 1992;Presland 2005). Evidence also suggests that it offers a powerful practical environment for learning and may stimulate reflective and reflexive learning (key elements of a mentoring process) (Burt and Mills 2006;Gaunt 2008Gaunt , 2010Kennell 2002;Purser 2005;Schmidt 1992).…”