educational applications of scientific research on music performance richard parncutt university of...
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Educational applications of scientific Educational applications of scientific research on music performanceresearch on music performance
Richard Parncutt
University of Graz, Austria
Invited presentation at the International Symposium on Psychology and Music Education (PME04), Padova, Italy, November 2004
Some issuesSome issues
Academic pressure on music academies Changing demands on musicians/educators Flexibility of job markets Cost efficiency versus structural conservatism Communication education psychology Intuitive versus logical thinking
AimAim
Improve efficiency of music education
Efficiency = output / inputInput = students‘ time and effort; costsOutput = musical or educational quality
Some inadequately taught topicsSome inadequately taught topics
Improvisation Expression Performance anxiety Music medicine Physics, physiology, psychology of performance (own
instrument) Efficient practice Student-teacher interaction
Common Objections and AnswersCommon Objections and Answers
O: We never learned or needed that stuff!
A1: Our students will be even better than we are.
A2: Beethoven had no Bachelor‘s degree.
O: Foreign ideas interfere with teaching!
A1: It‘s about ideas, not “truth”.
A2: Communicate with other teachers.
O: Analytic thinking inhibits spontaneity!
A1: Music theorists are music lovers, too.
A2: Analytic thinking is confined to practice.
ApproachApproach
Survey of practically promising research Practical and political issues
– why not currently taught?– anticipated effect of introduction– strategies to encourage introduction
Sound before sign (Jost, McPherson) Sound before sign (Jost, McPherson)
Psychology of speech acquisition– hear, understand, imitate, improvise, write, read, share– successively & interactively
European history– improvisation died out in the 19th century
Modern teachers– feel inadequate, don’t convince parents or play with students
“Sound before sign”– start early (plasticity), one skill at a time, improv. against
accomp., notate improvs., multiple representations
Teaching improvisation (Lassnig)Teaching improvisation (Lassnig)
Order– imitate improvise notate transcribe
Balance– group / individual improvisation
Approach– set limits (dynamics, articulations, pitches, durations)– expression first: syntax through semantics– combine structural elements with musical skills
Psychological theory of creativity– knowledge, risk, evaluation, motivation, flow
Structural communication (Friberg)Structural communication (Friberg)
Students can‘t describe how they express! Structure: phrasing, meter, melody, harmony Good theories: simple and applicable Expression and accentuation Immanent versus performed accents Principle: performed reinforce immanent Meaningful analysis of repertoire
Emotional communication (Juslin)Emotional communication (Juslin)
Students have little analytical knowledge of: Cues
– size/variation of: tempo, dynamic, articulation (attack / duration), timbre, durational contrast, intonation/vibrato
Redundancy and ambiguity of message Relation to structure Effectiveness of feedback training
Performance anxiety (Wilson)Performance anxiety (Wilson)
High incidence, low awareness / treatment: Optimal arousal versus panic Personality, mastery, situation Perfectionism and control Treatment
– physical (relaxation)– cognitive (realism, desensitization, restructuring)
Yoga, hypnotherapy, Alexander technique
Music medicine (Gasenzer, Erlitz)Music medicine (Gasenzer, Erlitz)
High incidence, low awareness / treatment: Common problems
– chronic tension, reduced elasticity of muscles– pelvis, lower spine, back of neck– specific to instrument, technique, repertoire, physique
Student musicians need:– knowledge (relevant anatomy, physiology)– strategies (exercises, sport, nutrition)– treatments (active interventions, avoiding overload)– information specific to children
Why important for students?– Prevention is better than cure!
Physics, physiology and psychology Physics, physiology and psychology of piano (Troup, Holming)of piano (Troup, Holming)
Students know surprisingly little about: Relevant mechanics, acoustics, physiology Timbre
– key velocity, noise, pedals, balance, onset timing
Fingering – constraints: physical, anatomic, motor, cognitive– dependencies: expertise, interpretation
Structural and emotional communication– with limited expressive possibilities
Efficient practice (Barry)Efficient practice (Barry)
Diversity of approaches: Study and analysis of scores Mental and physical practice Metacognition, organization, goal orientation Intrinsic motivation Listen to recordings and concerts Many short sessions with breaks
Student-teacher interaction (Painsi)Student-teacher interaction (Painsi)
Research– child’s, teacher’s, parent’s attributions of success and failure
Results– teachers don’t discuss failures or feel responsible– girls attribute more than boys to uncontrollable factors
Strategies– attribution training, self-efficacy, stress management,
motivational feedback
Aims– realism, confidence, motivation, progress
Analytic versus holistic thinkingAnalytic versus holistic thinking
Brandler & Rammsayer (Psychol Mus 2003): Musicians
- verbal memory; holistic/intuitive
Nonmusicians- series, classifications, matrics, topologies; analytic/logical
Nature/nurture- unclear, irrelevant
Implication: Musicians need support in analytical thinking
Implications Implications
Compulsory units for all students: improvisation expression performance anxiety music medicine physics, physiology, psychology of performance (own
instrument) efficient practice psychology of music teaching
Bachelor‘s: 3 ECTS/unit = 12% of course
Aims of individual unitsAims of individual units
Formulate musically relevant aims, e.g.: Physics, physiology, psychology of piano
– minimize cognitive and physical load– realistically achieve interpretive goals
Changing the systemChanging the system
Politics: majority rules or minority rights?- Musicology: historians versus systematic, ethnomusicologists
- Academy: performers versus academics, theorists, composers
How did it get like this?- Musicology: 19th-century faculties of humanities
- Academy: performance as genius
Solution: arguments not opinions- Cite research
- Quality = focus plus diversity
Example- Musicology in Graz (planned): 6 modules
Getting academic staffGetting academic staff
Change curriculum New units: temporary staff Success of curriculum new permanent staff Quality & international orientation of staff:
may teach in English or French
Musical interdisciplinarityMusical interdisciplinarity
Humanities Sciences Practice
Necessary:- specialism
- openness, respect, curiosity
Not necessary:- specialist knowledge outside specialism