Hostname: page-component-6d856f89d9-26vmc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-16T04:25:22.103Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

From student to professional: recent conservatoire graduates’ experiences of instrumental teaching

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2020

Luan Shaw
Luan Shaw*
Affiliation:
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
*
Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This research, carried out across 2017–2018, investigated Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) graduates’ experiences of working as instrumental teachers. A total of 31 participants (who graduated across 2012–2016 and studied an optional ‘Further Pedagogy’ module in their final year) responded to a questionnaire, and two were observed whilst teaching, and subsequently interviewed (2018). Results indicate that RBC students who chose to extend their pedagogical training beyond the core provision offered in the third year proved highly employable as instrumental teachers. Graduates considered teaching to be both fulfilling and challenging and were able to use insights gained ‘on the job’ to advise others. Whilst the sample was clearly limited, these findings contribute to an improved understanding of how instrumental teacher education in conservatoires might be further developed to effectively prepare students for the profession.

Keywords

Conservatoire studentsconservatoire graduatesconservatoire alumniinstrumental teachinginstrumental teacher education
Type
Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , March 2021 , pp. 13 - 30
Check for updates
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND. (online). Music education hubs. https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/music-education/music-education-hubs.Google Scholar
ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN CONSERVATOIRES: POLIFONIA WORKING GROUP FOR INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL MUSIC TEACHER EDUCATION. (2010). Handbook – Instrumental and Vocal Teacher Education: European Perspectives. Brussels: AEC Publications.Google Scholar
BENNETT, D. (2012). Life in the Real World – How to Make Music Graduates More Employable. Champaign, IL: Common Ground Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BERA. (2018). Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (4th ed., online). British Educational Research Association. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018.Google Scholar
BURLAND, K. (2005). Becoming a musician: A longitudinal study investigating the career transitions of undergraduate music students. (PhD diss.), University of Sheffield.Google Scholar
BURT, R. & MILLS, J. (2006). Taking the plunge: The hopes and fears of students as they begin music college. British Journal of Music Education, 23(1), 51–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BURT-PERKINS, R. (2008). Students at a UK conservatoire of music: Working towards a “diverse employment portfolio”? In Bennett, D. & Hannan, M. (eds.), Inside, Outside, Downside Up: Conservatoire Training and Musicians’ Work (pp. 49–60). Perth: Black Swan Press.Google Scholar
COHEN, L., MANION, L. & MORRISON, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8th ed.). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
COLES, A. & MCGRATH, J. (2010). Your Education Research Project Handbook. Essex: Pearson.Google Scholar
CONWAY, C. M. (2014). The experiences of first year music teachers: A literature review. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33(2), 65–72.Google Scholar
COX, G. (2008). A tribute. In C. Madsen, G. Cox, S. Tommey, A. Dobson, R. Burt-Perkins & R. Walker (eds.), A dedication to Janet Mills. British Journal of Music Education, 25(1), 5–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CRESWELL, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.Google Scholar
CREECH, A., PAPAGEORGI, I., DUFFY, C., MORTON, F., HADDON, E., POTTER, J., DE BEZENAC, C., WHYTON, T., HIMONIDES, E. & WELCH, G. (2008). From music student to professional – The process of transition. British Journal of Music Education, 25(3), 315–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CREECH, A., GAUNT, H., HALLAM, S. & ROBERTSON, L. (2009). Conservatoire students’ perceptions of masterclasses. British Journal of Music Education, 26(3), 315–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DAUBNEY, A., SPRUCE, G. & ANNETTS, D. (2019). Music Education: State of the Nation. Report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, the Incorporated Society of Musicians and the University of Sussex.Google Scholar
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION. (2011). The Importance of Music: A National Plan for Music Education. Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education.Google Scholar
FAUTLEY, M., KINSELLA, V. & WHITTAKER, A. (2017). Whole Class Ensemble Teaching Research Report. Birmingham: Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University (with funding from Music Mark; Arts Council of England).Google Scholar
FINLAY, L. (2002). ‘Outing’ the researcher: The provenance, process and practice of reflexivity. Qualitative Health Research, 12(4), 531–545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
GAUNT, H. (2010). One-to-one tuition in a conservatoire: The perceptions of instrumental and vocal students. Psychology of Music, 38(2) 178–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GAUNT, H. (2011). Understanding the one-to-one relationship in instrumental/vocal tuition in higher education: Comparing student and teacher perceptions. British Journal of Music Education, 28(2), 159–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GAUNT, H., CREECH, A., LONG, M. & HALLAM, S. (2012). Supporting conservatoire students towards professional integration: One-to-one tuition and the potential of mentoring. Music Education Research, 14(1), 25–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GONZALEZ, M. J. F. (2012). How students learn to teach? A case study of instrumental lessons given by Latvian undergraduate performer students without prior teacher training. Music Education Research, 14(2), 227–242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HADDON, E. (2009). Instrumental and vocal teaching: How do music students learn to teach? British Journal of Music Education, 26(1), 57–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HADDON, E. (2012). Hidden learning and instrumental and vocal development in a university music department. (PhD Diss.), University of York.Google Scholar
HADDON, E. (2014). Observational learning in the music masterclass. British Journal of Music Education, 31(1), 58–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HENLEY, D. (2011). Music Education in England – A Review by Darren Henley for the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/175432/DFE-00011-2011.pdf.Google Scholar
JOSEPH, D. & HEADING, M. (2010). Putting theory into practice: Moving from student identity to teacher identity. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(3), 75–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JUUTI, S. & LITTLETON, K. (2012). Tracing the transition from study to a contemporary creative working life: The trajectories of professional musicians. Vocations and Learning, 5(1), 5–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KITE, C. (1990). Training music students for a career in instrumental teaching: A conservatoire’s point of view. British Journal of Music Education, 7(3), 263–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KRATHWOHL, D. R. (1993). Methods of Educational and Social Science Research: An Integrated Approach. New York: Longman.Google Scholar
LENNON, M. & REED, G. (2012). Instrumental and vocal teacher education: Competences, roles and curricula. Music Education Research, 14(3), 285–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LATUKEFU, L. & GINSBORG, J. (2018). Understanding what we mean by portfolio training in music. British Journal of Music Education, 36(1), 87–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MACKENZIE, N. & KNIPE, S. (2006). Research dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology. Issues in Educational Research, 16(2), 193–205.Google Scholar
MILLER, J. & BAKER, D. (2007). Career orientation and pedagogical training: Conservatoire undergraduates’ insights. British Journal of Music Education, 24(1), 5–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLS, J. (2002). Conservatoire students’ perceptions of the characteristics of effective instrumental and vocal tuition. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 153/154, 78–82.Google Scholar
MILLS, J. & SMITH, J. (2003). Teachers’ beliefs about effective instrumental teaching in schools and higher education. British Journal of Music Education, 20(1), 5–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLS, J. (2004a). Conservatoire students as instrumental teachers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 161/162, 145–153.Google Scholar
MILLS, J. (2004b). Working in music: Becoming a performer-teacher. Music Education Research, 6(3), 245–261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLS, J. (2005). Addressing the concerns of conservatoire students about school music teaching. British Journal of Music Education, 22(1), 63–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLS, J. (2006). Performing and teaching: The beliefs and experience of music students as instrumental teachers. Psychology of Music, 34(3), 372–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLS, J. & BURT-PERKINS, R. (2008). Early experience as an instrumental teacher: Help or hindrance? In S. Malbrάn & G. Mota (eds.), Proceedings of the 22nd International Seminar on Research in Music Education, Portugal, 13–18 July.Google Scholar
MILLS, J., et al. (2008). Learning to Perform: Instrumentalists and Instrumental Teachers: Full Research Report ESRC End of Award Report, RES-139-25-0101. Swindon: ESRC.Google Scholar
NORTON, N., GINSBORG, J. & GREASLEY, A. (2019). Instrumental and vocal teachers in the United Kingdom: Demographic characteristics, educational pathways, and beliefs about qualification requirements. Music Education Research, 21(5), 1–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PERKINS, R. (2012). Rethinking ‘career’ for music students – Identity and vision. In Bennett, D. (ed.), Life in the Real World – How to Make Music Graduates More Employable (pp. 11–26). Champaign, IL: Common Ground Publishing.Google Scholar
PERKINS, R., AUFEGGER, L. & WILLIAMON, A. (2015). Learning through teaching: Exploring what conservatoire students learn from teaching older adults. International Journal of Music Education, 33(1), 80–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PERKINS, R. (2015). Bourdieu applied in the analysis of conservatoire learning cultures. In Burnard, P., Hofvander Trulssohn, Y. & Söderman, J. (eds.), Bourdieu and the Sociology of Music Education (pp. 99–112). Surrey: Ashgate.Google Scholar
PORTER, S. R., WHITCOMB, M. E. & WEITZER, W. H. (2004). Multiple surveys of students and survey fatigue. New Directions for Institutional Research, Special Issue, 63–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
REID, A. & BENNETT, D. (2014). Becoming and being a musician: The role of creativity in students’ learning and identity formation. In G. Caruthers (ed.), Proceedings of the 20th International Seminar of the ISME Commission on the education of the Professional Musician. July, Belo Horonte, Brazil.Google Scholar
ROBSON, C. & MCCARTAN, K. (2016). Real World Research – A Resource for Users of Social Research Methods in Applied Settings (4th ed.). London: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Google Scholar
SCHREIB, J. W. (2007). Roles, identity, socialisation and conflict: the transition from music student to music teacher (a literature review). Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE) Areas of Strategic Planning and Action (ASPA) on Music Teacher Socialization in the Pre-service Years. Phase II of Action Plan January 2007, 1–68. https://smte.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rolesidentitysocializationconflict.pdf Google Scholar
STURROCK, S. (2007). Today’s Student; Tomorrow’s Alumnus: Cultivating Good Alumni Relationships in Conservatoires. Brussels: AEC Publications.Google Scholar
THE MUSIC COMMISSION. (2019). Retuning Our Ambition for Music Learning: Every Child Taking Music Further. London: ABRSM/Arts Council England.Google Scholar
TRIANTAFYLLAKI, A. (2005). A call for more instrumental teaching research. Music Education Research, 7(3), 383–387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WATSON, A. (2010). Musicians as instrumental teachers: Issues from an Australian perspective. International Journal of Music Education, 28(2), 198–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WELLER, J. (2012). Transitioning to professional life. In Bennett, D. (ed.), Life in the Real World – How to Make Music Graduates More Employable (pp 203–204). Champaign, IL: Common Ground Publishing.Google Scholar