HOW NEUROSCIENCE CAN SERVE MUSIC TEACHING: Insights for viola teachers

Abstract

While Finland is at the forefront of education, art teachers nowadays have seen the scope of teaching possibilities extended through new technologies, crossed-art projects and multidiscipline exchanges. Science has worked its way into art and neuroscience, in particular, is a subject that fascinates many. However, despite the profusion of neuroscience research nowadays, very little a this research has been translated into concrete advice that is of value to music teachers. Leaning on theoreticians’ work of the neuromusic field such as Hodges’ (2008, 2010), Flohr’s (2007, 2009) and Gruhn’s (2004, 2008), this master research project conducted in Finland, investigates the neuroscience findings as it relates to education and the way experienced teachers teach, in order to develop « neuro-based » teaching strategies specially directed to violists. The starting point of this study is the collaboration between a teacher from the Sibelius Academy and her students, and a researcher specialised in cognitive science and music pedagogy through interview sessions and class observations, guided by Denzin and Lincoln idea of qualitative inquiry (1994). The findings suggest that using a multisensory approach and actively looking for meaning through movement and emotion within the music, are valuable ways to ensure natural and efficient learning. This paper concludes by offering several suggestions and tips for teaching viola.