In search of musicianship : a practitioner-research project on pianists' aural-skills education

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to suggest how the learning and education of aural skills can be understood from an action-oriented perspective, which conceives that human cognition is rooted in the interaction between people and their environment. The dissertation comprises a theoretical explanation of the action-oriented perspective on aural-skills learning and a report of a practitioner-research project with pianists.

By introducing the action-oriented perspective to aural-skills learning, I seek to broaden the rather classroom-centred viewpoint that has dominated aural-skills education and to provide conceptual tools for discussing how people may learn aural skills both in formal education and through their broader engagement in music. Central sources are the philosophy of John Dewey and the work of some recent cognitive researchers (e.g. Mark Johnson) who maintain that the human body and mind are inseparable, and that habits of action are fundamental to cognition. When applied to music, this approach suggests that people's 'inner hearing' of music is based on their ability to anticipate consequences to musical actions. Students' inner-hearing skills are therefore highly active and interpretive in nature, and are also diverse in accordance with the students' previous musical experience.

In the practitioner-research project, the author taught two aural-skills courses for students with the piano as their major instrument, involving keyboard activities in the courses. The data consists of twelve students' interviews and learning journals, the teacher's journal, tape-recorded lessons and documents of the students' coursework.

During the aural-skills courses, the students' different learning processes suggested connections with their broader musical experience. The students who were experienced in singing and learning music by ear found it easier to participate and progress during the courses, whereas those students who had mainly learned music through the use of scores faced more difficulties and were not equally able to use their strengths. The keyboard work received positive feedback, but the interviews also suggested that the students had musical needs and interests that could be better connected to aural-skills learning – such as those regarding the stylistic awareness of music, the connection between instrumental technique and aural skills and the connection between emotional and technical aspects of musical practice. From the action-oriented perspective, it is also possible to suggest giving keyboard work a more substantial position in pianists' aural-skills learning and recognising that the ability to perceive and imagine music through one's instrument is a worthwhile musical skill in itself. The results also suggested the need to further develop the practitioner-research design so as to connect the students' development interests to aural-skills practice more effectively, to broaden the documentation and evaluation of the students' learning by increasing the role of open-ended and creative musical tasks, and to support the students' individual needs for musical learning.