Department of Music

Permanent URI for this community

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/55

Browse

Browsing Department of Music by browse.metadata.advisor "Blanckenberg, J."

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Didactical perspectives of aural training
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1993-12) Herbst, Anna Catharina; Loeb van Zuilenburg, P. E. O. F.; Ottermann, R.; Blanckenberg, J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research endeavour is to develop an understanding of the general state of Aural Training as presented in Aural Training literature and at a tertiary level. Based on this understanding, recommendations for a theory towards Aural Training are furthermore made. The investigation consists of three main parts. In the first two parts, an in-depth theoretical study, exploring aspects such as the rationale behind Aural Training, teaching ideologies, contents and target group and methodological approaches found in published and unpublished sources, as well as a practical questionnaire-based survey, investigating selected Aural Training aspects as presented on a tertiary level in the Republic of South Africa (RSA), the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), and the United States of America (USA) are presented. A model of an integrated Aural Training approach for children is proposed in the third part. Results from both the theoretical and practical surveys indicate that: (a) the rationale behind Aural Training has not been thoroughly thought through; (b) Aural Training lecturers with sound pedagogical credentials are needed; (c) prospective students are not prepared for their tertiary Aural Training courses; (d) the Aural Training curricula at most tertiary music institutions do not meet lecturers' expectations; (e) more instruction time is needed for classes scheduled in both individual and group tuition; (f) Aural Training literature and teaching methods are still influenced by the Behaviouristic school of psychological thinking, with its emphasis on drill and practice; (g) methods such as Sight Singing and Dictation are more frequently applied than others, possibly because they are readily quantifiable; (h) most emphasis is placed on tonal music; (i) research results in which holistic approaches to Aural Training have been recommended since the early 1980s are not reflected in the majority of Aural Training work-/textbooks and teaching methods; (j) commercially available software is often chosen because of its availability and not because of being based on sound pedagogical principles; (k) there is a growing interest amongst lecturers to re-examine the goals of Aural Training and to apply music psychological principles. Because of the already mentioned problem of improperly prepared prospective music students" and the scarcity of Aural Training approaches to develop children's musical consciousnesses, a model for integrating' Aural Training into the instrumental/vocal music lesson through composition is proposed. This model is based entirely on (a) the conviction that most effective learning takes place through active involvement and creation, and (b) music psychological principles such as Gestalt perception, the developmental theories of Piaget, Gardner and Swanwick-Tillman, and the musical thinking process theories of Prince and Webster. Through the application of this model, Aural Training can be approached by dealing with wholes within a musical context. Structural and perceptual thinking, as well as the mental principles of exploring, applying, problem-solving and critical reasoning can also be developed. It offers a comprehensive approach to learning written theory skills, and the opportunity to apply all other Aural Training methods. Examples of children's compositions are presented to support this model. It is finally recommended that: (a) Aural Training lecturers should constantly re-examine their objectives, contents, teaching philosophies and methods applied; (b) advanced courses in Aural Training should be offered at all tertiary music institutions in order to meet the need for adequately trained lecturers; (c) a compulsory course on the didactics of Aural Training should be offered for all music students; (d) more instruction time should be made available for Aural Training; (e) Aural Training should be treated in its own right in grading policies; (f) holistic approaches to both classroom-based and programmed Aural Training should replace drill and practice; (g) music from all style periods should be included; (h) a wide spectrum of Aural Training methods should be incorporated and not mainly Sight Singing and Dictation; (i) lecturers should inform themselves about recent research results and try to incorporate these into their Aural Training curricula and syllabi; g) Work-/textbooks and computer software based on holistic and comprehensive approaches to Aural Training should be released; (k) Aural Training should be incorporated from the very first instrumental/vocal lesson by applying an integrated, holistic approach through composition.