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2014-‐08-‐25
Group instrumental/vocal
teaching and teaching dynamics
Ian Plaude, Director
Stockholm University College of Music Education,
Sweden
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2014-‐08-‐25
Stockholms Musikpedagogiska
Institut SMI
  “Private” university college (Foundation), providing First
Cycle degree programs in Instrumental and Song Pedagogy,
for a teaching career at a municipal music or arts school.
  Also degree in Logonomy (Voice and Speech Pedagogy)
  84 Full-time student equivalents
  Some strengths –
  Individual and group teaching methodology, also ensemble
  Traditional and “modern” genres (e.g. song – belting, twang)
  Materials and didactics for note-based and aural approaches
  Strong emphasis on practical studies, own teaching, supervision
Music and arts schools
in Sweden
  283 of 290 local council districts
  130- music schools
  150+ arts schools (at least three art forms – but more than 80% of
teaching in music)
  Deregulated, governed by local councils, public employment
(a smaller number of privately-owned subsidised schools)
  Approx. 400 000 children taught by 7 000 teachers.
180 000 music – 60 000 other arts –160 000 in school
  Average fee €80/term (660SEK). Myth about culture cuts. Public
spending on music/arts schools has increased by 50% since 1997!
Approx 62% girls, 38% boys
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Different instruments,
different genres
  50’s-70’s: wind dominated (clarinet and flute), piano next.
  70’s-2010: strings, – down -15% last five years
  2010  Guitars (25 000 in queue)
  Song (10 000) dramatic increase
  Piano (7 000) steady
  “Idol-effect” – even affecting
higher education entry
  Winds disappearing, both
wood and brass
Increased collaboration
with school system
  60% of the music/arts schools also provide teaching in school
  Mostly K-3, then 4-6 and 10-12 (gymnasium), least 7-9.
Approx 500 FTE’s, 40% of total teacher capacity (2 500+).
  Increased demand, a trend fuelled by increased pressure on local
communities to use their expertise effectively and to induce
collaboration.
  Thwarted by the requirement of a compulsory teacher-education
degree accreditation (“legitimation”)
  = challenges to match competency with qualification
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Group teaching – history
  “Stylised” during the 19-20th century through e.g. Dalcroze,
Orff, Kodaly, etc.
  Ex violin:
Shinichi Suzuki (Ja)
Jacques Féréol Mazas (Fr)
Henryk Wieniawski (Ru)
Erich Doflein (Ge)
The Maidstone Movement (UK) –>Albert G. Mitchell (USA)
  Popularised in Sweden in the 1950’s (Carl Bertil Agnestig)
  1960: SMI is founded with group teaching as a signum:
Claes Merithz Pettersson, Vi spelar klarinett
Margareta Strömblad, Pianoraket
Mats Persson, Tigertango
Mats Andersson, Mussecombo
Evabritt Tilling Gratte, stråkklass
Stefan Löfvenius, gitarrorkester
  Growth through study circles, popular pastime courses and new
models for teaching e.g. wind-/string classes, piano-schools etc
Group teaching – history
  Debated in the 1970’s and ‘80’s from a perceived “threat” to
individual teaching:
  One-to-one dominated, originating from conservatory traditions
  Increased democratic and sociocultural perspectives
  Social aspects in music education affected curriculum
  Cost efficiency, reaching a larger number (inclusive)
  1990’s recession rationalized the debate to a matter of
organisation
  21st century: Internet, virtuality, YouTube, digital classroom
  World growth: Currently 7,3 billion on the earth, growing by
approx 140.000/day (http://www.worldometers.info)
  Urbanization: Greater Stockholm reached 2 million 2010 –
growing by 50.000/year. 18% are 14 years or younger. Sweden
at 9,7 million (2014)
- http://www.tradingeconomics.com/sweden/population
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What do we mean by
”group-teaching”?
  All pupils are taught on the same or similar instrument
(as opposed to e.g. ensemble, choir, band etc)
  Focus is given primarily to
teaching on a common
instrument (as opposed to e.g.
music theory, eurhythmics etc)
  Activities and materials are
used, adapted and shared by all
or mostly all in real time during
the lesson (as opposed to e.g.
individual tuition or master
class with different repertoire)
Traditional arguments…
… for group tuition
  Cheaper per capita
  Promote social/character
development
  Effectiveness – reach to
larger numbers of pupils
  Broad inclusive approach
to music-making
… for individual tuition
  Exclusivity cannot be
discounted
  Music’s personal
developmental nature
  Instrument technical training
  Excellence as a personal and
individual motive and reward
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Goals for a holistic music
education experience!
  Cheaper per capita
  Effectiveness – reach to larger
numbers of pupils
  Promote social/character
development
+
  Broad inclusive approach
to music-making
  Exclusivity cannot be
discounted
  Music’s personal
developmental nature
  Instrument technical training
  Excellence as a personal and
individual motive and reward
False security trap?
Did your teacher, your learning, appeal to you,
and so you became a music teacher?
We prefer to “teach as we were taught”, in an
ever-conserving spiral that goes back to times
when neither the music, materials nor techniques
were as broadly designed, tested and developed,
as they are today.
Is your profession keeping in time with the
developments of our instruments, our music and
our ever-expanding knowledge of teaching?
Or… Are you holding on to a false
sense of security, inspired by your
own experience and the “norms” of
earlier generations?
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What influences our opinion?
EDUCATIONAL DISCIPLINE
ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE
Low status e.g. schools,
teachers, local focus
High status e.g. performers,
musicians, international focus
Inclusive, varied, broad –
anthropological ideal
Exclusive, pre-determined,
narrow – aesthetic ideal
Pedagogically centred
Performance centred
Promote collaboration, empathy,
solidarity – joy in music-making
Promote self-discipline,
competitiveness, achievement
Requires planning, pedagogical
leadership/delivery and
reflection skills in the teacher
Demanding accumulated skill,
artistic leadership/call and
response skills in the teacher
–
+
What influences our opinion?
EDUCATIONAL DISCIPLINE
ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE
Low status e.g. schools,
teachers, local focus
High status e.g. performers,
musicians, international focus
Inclusive, varied, broad –
anthropological ideal
Exclusive, pre-determined,
narrow – aesthetic ideal
Pedagogically centred
Performance centred
Promote collaboration, empathy,
solidarity – joy in music-making
Promote self-discipline,
competitiveness, achievement
Requires planning, pedagogical
leadership/delivery and
reflection skills in the teacher
Demanding accumulated skill,
artistic leadership/call and
response skills in the teacher
+
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2014-‐08-‐25 Is it possible to move
from this…
… to this,
without losing something?
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Grundtvig project 2009-11
Cesar Cabrera and the group of three (clarinet) – La Palma:
  Group is the child’s naturally interactive,
acknowledged learning environment –
one-to-one is family
  Two is a comparative. Four is a collective.
Three is a reference mark, flexible and
altering between “best”, “worst” and
somewhere in the middle.
  Interaction is personal and flexible – one
playing, two listening, one commenting,
two playing, one demonstrating etc.
Reflection a key element and a productive
tool.
  Attentive (inner and outer) listening,
intonation, phrasing, stability, form (theme,
accompaniment), the development of
chamber music/ensemble rolls, variation
Grundtvig project 2009-11
Cesar Cabrera and the group of three (clarinet) – La Palma:
  Imitation – non-verbal communication,
reacting to hints, insinuations, capacity to
immediate response – open to development
of detail
  Improvisation – collaborative atmosphere,
musical parameters, tension/relaxation,
rhythm, melody, imagery etc.
  Requiring periodic assessment and
flexibility in group alignment – e.g. least
advanced student in group A may be the
most advanced for group B etc
  Diversity within boundaries a potential –
e.g. similar age frame, but not too unified…
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2014-‐08-‐25 A possible way forward…
1 1/0
A possible way forward…
1 4/6
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3 12/18
A possible way forward…
3 12/20
11 2014-‐08-‐25 A possible way forward…
3 10/2
PUFFIMOK – ÖM 2010-11
!   “Professional Development for the Future of Music and Arts Schools in
Mid-Eastern Sweden”
!   European Social Foundation project. €1 000 000. 34 districts.
!   600 “course participants”, approx 17 course days/participant from
the approx 60 courses and 10 conferences on offer. Total 180
courses delivered.
!   Focus points:
!   Accessibility
!   Extended teacher roll
!   IT
!   Quality assurance
!   Music and arts schools in society
!   Equality and integration
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PUFFIMOK – ÖM 2010-11
  How many courses are not group-focused?
Advanced methodology
Improvisation New song techniques
Conducting/Ensemble
leading
Steelpan for percussionists
Secondary instrument teaching
Piano/guitar “bruks” Class-teaching
Arranging for different levels
Early childhood methodology
Piano ensemble
Updated instrument
Conducting/Ensemble leading Dance to link subject integration
methodology
World music genres
Hip hop
Musical
Instrumental music in general school
Drama
Choreography
Film
Dance genres
Girls 12-20 years Street Theatre
Stage production of music
Ageing dance teacher methods Graffiti
Stage awareness
Circus
Arts in collaboration
Scenography
Manga
Cultural diversity
Studying others
IT in education
Aesthetic learning processes
Digital story telling
Technical developments for music schools
Audio/audio-visual documentation Sound and light design
Storyline
Sibelius
Singing games
Photoshop
Case
study
Computer
proficiency
Band
In
a
Box
Moral ethics
Colleague
Professional coaching
Teacher
reflection
Group
coaching
Evaluation
coaching
methodology
Student influence Communication
Handicaps and Challenged children
and dialogue
Rhetorics
special needs
Storytelling
Equal opportunity equality
Public speaking
Marketing and promotion
Accessibility for all
Copyright
Group-teaching
Kulturskolan Stockholm
  Europe’s largest Arts school? 15 000 pupils, 320 teachers
  Declared that all teaching will be done in groups from August 2011
  New Model for organising group-teaching
  Instrument groups are offered at registration
  “Specialist” centres with equipment and instruments
  Greater collaboration between instrument groups in projects and
common themes
  Parents enrol their pupils to groups via internet to time-slots and
instrument groups that suit.
  Greater flexibility, demanding more planning and preparation for
meeting differing groups of pupils “where they are” and “how they
are”…
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“KULTURSKOLAN 2030”
2013-15
  Expected project outcomes
  Focus on developments changing music and arts schools
  Knowledge about music and arts schools in future society
  Collaboration with other communal enterprises, cultural
institutions and clubs/societies
  Common models for quality evaluation and assurance for all
music and arts schools
  Clarity on the pedagogical and other competencies required by
staff to meet future challenges
  Increase political engagement for the plight of music and arts
schools in an educational-cultural-political context.
“KULTURSKOLAN 2030”
2013-15
  Three aspects of music and arts school:
  Music and arts schools as a free-time activity for children
and youth.
  Music and arts schools’ collaboration with pre-school,
primary and secondary school.
  Music and arts schools’ collaboration
with the professional cultural life.
National Knowledge Centre for
Music and Arts Schools?
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El Sistema
  José Antonio Abreu received the Polar Music Prize 2009
for his initiative “El Sistema”, which reaches to over
500 000 children in Caracas, Venezuela
  Spreading all over the world, Sweden one of the foremost
advocates (established a national foundation)
  Aims to empower people in a social context and to prove the
potential of music as a tool for social, cultural and human
development, strengthen cohesion and enhance the selfesteem and identities of children and youth.
  Connected to the professional cultural world as role-models,
strengthen democratic principles and encourage integration.
Robert Lennon (2013)
”Music Today and Tomorrow”
“It is a commonly held view among educationalists that the real aim of
musical activity is not to create great musicians or professional performers,
but to enable students to develop a wide range of perceptual, affective,
intellectual and personal skills and qualities. It is suggested that a well
planned and effectively delivered group-teaching regime is actually more
capable of achieving this than a series of one-to-one lessons.”
  Motivation (and personal responsibility)
increases in a group context
  Participation – playing – performance
  Music as a communal (interactive) activity
  Increased aural (sensual) awareness
“Music-making in groups has infinite possibilities
for broadening the range of experience, including
critical assessment of the playing of others and a
sense of performance. Music is not only performed
in a social context but it is understood in such a context.” (Keith Swanwick)
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Robert Lennon (2013)
”Music Today and Tomorrow”
Teachers should be able to identify errors and problems within a group
setting, much as a conductor is expected to do in an ensemble. Who
would tolerate a conductor that worked one at a time with the
ensemble members?
The key to success in a group-teaching situation is undoubtedly
involvement. Listening and appraising is a key element. This can be
targeted, e.g. to listen for accuracy in
rhythm, intonation, tone or a technical
aspect like a hand position, bow grip or
embouchure.
The development of positive feedback
and constructive criticism skills assists
the development of attitude in collective
music-making contexts.
Robert Lennon (2013)
”Music Today and Tomorrow”
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Robert Lennon (2013)
”Music Today and Tomorrow”
Hans Sjögren, SMI (2014)
  Det finns varken samband eller motsättning mellan
gruppundervisning och skapandet av “nya Rubinsteins” och för
övrigt finns det inget givet system som gör det heller. Unika
artister skapar sig själva i samspel med omgivande miljö.
I den bästa av världar är väl en kombination av enskild
undervisning och gruppundervisning att föredra.
  Min uppfattning är att eleverna med gruppundervisning lär sig
mer om musikens strukturer och byggstenar. När man lägger till
spelstämmor i olika register eller bara leker med materialet blir
musiken i sin originalform tydligare.
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Hans Sjögren, SMI (2014)
Vad kan man vinna med gruppundervisning?
  Längre lektionstid
  Att ständigt sätta sitt spel i ett sammanhang (träna olika
funktioner som: melodispel, kompfigurer, spelstämmor,
ackompanjemang, improvisation…)
  Att musicera tillsammans
  Att inspirera och bli inspirerad av varandra
  Social samvaro
  Växelspel mellan att lyssna och spela
  Förövningar inför kammarmusikspel
Hans Sjögren, SMI (2014)
Hur gör man? Ett exempel på upplägg:
  Gemensam uppvärmning (etablera tonart, repertoarrelaterade
tekniska övningar etc)
  Gemensam instudering: Vid instudering betraktar jag ofta
gruppen som en individ
  Vi går gemensamt igenom: (melodifraser, tonart, fingersättning,
harmonik, kompfigurer, form, funktionsanalys…)
Efter varje instuderingsmoment musicerar vi över det en stund där
läraren och/eller elever fyller ut. Elever kan lära ut moment till
varandra.
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Hans Sjögren, SMI (2014)
När instudering är klar fungerar gruppen som en ensemble:
Vi delar upp musiken där eleverna tar hand om olika funktioner
(melodi, harmonik, ackompanjemang, olika spelstämmor, polyfoni etc)
Vi improviserar över harmoniken fritt eller exempelvis spelar
melodins rytm med andra toner, vilket på ett naturligt sätt skapar
struktur i improvisationen.
Vi gör rytmiska improvisationer med utgångspunkt från harmonik
eller melodi. En improvisation kan vara strukturerad i fraser eller
at man orienterar sig upp och ner i en tonart eller ackord.
Mats Persson, SMI
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Mats Persson, SMI
Mats Persson, SMI
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Lena Lidström, SMI (2014)
Some key factors to explore
  Practicum, Degree projects, Research and Exploration. Get
the academic profession behind the school!
  More collaboration over borders – art forms, professional
culture life, museums, theatres etc etc. Culture is life and is
all around us!
  Flexible methodologies individual/group/ensemble –
1+1+1 = ??
  Peer-coaching – older teaching younger, “alumni”. Coaching
techniques, tutorship training etc. “A critical
friend” (Learning Studies) – we have expertise that we aren’t
sharing! Are we too proud/scared/shy to learn to teach our
teaching better?
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Some key factors to explore
  More flexible teaching structures – project weeks, themes,
getting out of the “once a week” routine! How can we create
varying situations that promote motivated musicianship?
  Parents need to be involved, engaged, devoted and
committed! Compare to amateur youth sport…
  Portfolio method, action research, reflection, planning,
preparation! Strategy – teaching the profession of teaching!
  IT technology – Playalong! Important: DIDACTICS for IT.
It’s impressive (maybe) but how do I use it? Demands a
change in how we plan and teach from the start!
Username: musik
Password: spielen
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Thank you for listening!
[email protected]
+46 8 611 3865
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