Masters Degrees (Music)
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- ItemAbsolute pitch and serial digit recall under irrelevant speech conditions: investigating automatic pitch class labelling through cognitive psychology(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Steingaszner, Severian Geza; Venter, Carina; Ross, Barry; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A serial digit recall experiment was conducted to test for differences in short-term memory (STM) interference in both absolute pitch (AP) and non-absolute pitch (NAP) possessors under irrelevant pitch conditions. Participants (n = 20) all completed a screening test in order to determine AP status, recording both mean semitone deviation (MD) and reaction time (RT). A cutoff of less than 0.5 MD used to determine AP possession and the results of outliers in RT were removed under the assumption relative pitch (RP) skills were being used. The serial experiment required participants to recall visually presented digit sequences of length 7 and 9, and was conducted either under an auditory interference condition or silence. The interference condition consisted of auditorily presented pure tones (sine waves) during both the initial digit presentation retention interval (10 seconds). A significant effect was found for sequence length (p<0.001) and condition (p<0.001), the latter of which replicates the ‘irrelevant pitch effect’ in digit recall found by Jones and Macken (1993); LeCompte, Neely, and Wilson (1997); and Williamson, Hitch, and Baddeley (2010b). However, although it approached significance (p=0.524), no significant interaction effect between AP group and condition was found, contrary to the results found by Miyazaki (2004b). As such, these results do not demonstrate evidence of the presence of innate verbal labels being applied to pitches perceived by AP possessors. Prior to experimentation a comprehensive literature review of verbal STM, STM interference effects, pitch perception, and AP possession was conducted, with a particular focus on the intersection between STM interference effects and STM of pitch.
- ItemDigital gamification in South African senior phase music classrooms: investigating its potential contribution to musical understanding(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Van Niekerk, Karla; Muller, Danell; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many teachers have converted to digital learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The opportunities created throughout the pandemic have opened doors for teachers in all subjects. Some available resources, specifically in music education, help expose the learners to music but do not contribute to the learner’s overall musical understanding. This research investigates the potential contribution of digital gamification to South African senior-phase music learners’ musical understanding. The study explores how music teachers can integrate gamification elements within the context of the CAPS while fostering a positive impact on learner motivation and engagement. This investigation includes achieving specific goals like contextualising South African class music, defining musical understanding, creating practical approaches for enhancing musical understanding, and identifying gamification strategies for the music classroom. The study considers educational and developmental theories like Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Piaget’s constructivism theory to create collaborative learning environments. Digital devices are then included to facilitate gamification strategies. The investigation used qualitative research methods, including online surveys with the participants, my self-observations, and my field diary. In collaboration with 64 Grade 7 learners at a primary school in Cape Town, the data collection phase consisted of four Action Research cycles, with the participants submitting an online questionnaire at the end of each cycle. The findings highlight the potential of digital gamification as an influential tool for time management, classroom management, and learner motivation. Practical recommendations accentuate the importance of addressing challenges like educator training, accessibility and sustainability of portable digital devices, gamification techniques’ applicability, and collaborative learning strategies. Ultimately, the research contributes valuable insights to music education, enhancing musical understanding and fostering a love for music among South African Grade 7 learners.
- ItemThe role of the cantor and Jewish liturgical music in the Cape Town Jewish orthodox community(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Segal, Sandra Renecia; Muller, Danell; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research set out to investigate and document the role of the cantor and his Jewish liturgical musical practices in the Orthodox community of Cape Town. The aim was to document current practices and usage of Jewish liturgical music, allowing comparisons among the cantors working in Cape Town and investigating the emerging trends in other countries. Cape Town has a relatively small Jewish community that appears to be traditional in its Orthodox observances. The research approach was qualitative. The research design was a case study based on primary data. This design allowed for the exploration of opinions and experiences among twelve participants who were interviewed for this study. As the cantor works alongside the rabbi and within his community (and the larger community), the interviewed participants were cantors, rabbis, and Jewish educators. A survey was sent to community members, which gave an understanding of the community’s knowledge and views. The findings of the interviews showed many standard practices and highlighted the differing views of the cantors. The consensus among the cantors is that their role within the synagogue and Jewish liturgical musical traditions remain essential; however, they are willing to embrace new music into the prayer services. The interviews of the rabbis also contained many similarities. Yet, there were valuable and differing opinions on whether the cantor was still required in Cape Town synagogues, and they were less optimistic for the future of the cantorate and Jewish liturgical music. The Jewish educators expanded their educational role in the Cape Town Jewish Day Schools, providing the initial groundwork by equipping the children with the skills, tools and knowledge of Jewish prayers, allowing for future participation in all prayer scenarios. However, they do not see their role as preserving Jewish liturgical traditions. There is a strong sense of tradition within the practices of the Jewish community of Cape Town. Although there is a need to hold onto these traditions, there is also a feeling that Judaism is a living religion and needs to move along with the times. Introducing new song melodies is generally acceptable, but the balance between traditional and modern is continuously scrutinised. Certain aspects of the role of the cantor and Jewish liturgical music are not under negotiation for change, and this was respected amongst all twelve participants.
- ItemStations of awakening: musical subject-strategies in the unconscious levels of the video games Kingdom hearts: birth by Sleep (2011) & Persona 5 (2017)(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Stevens, Joshua; Venter, Carina; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the non-diegetic soundtracks of what I dub Unconscious levels: video game representations of the human Unconscious. My aim in this study is to illuminate the inner workings of Unconscious levels as complex interactive representations of character subjectivity, where music plays a meaningful role in the constitution of those representations. The Unconscious levels of the video games Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (2011) and Persona 5 (2017) are chosen as demonstrative examples and interpreted from the perspective of Freudian and post-Freudian psychoanalytic theory. These interpretations aim at detailing the assertions each level makes about the psychology of particular characters and their inner life. The soundtracks of these levels are subsequently analyzed under the rubric of musical subject-strategies, a concept coined by Susanna Välimäki (2005), which refers to instances within a musical text where music represents aspects of (psychoanalytic) human subjectivity through the use of gesture, topic, melody or other musico-semiotic units. In discussing Unconscious levels and their soundtracks as complex interactive representations of character subjectivity, I hope to shed light on a common but relatively undertheorized component of a large number of postmillennial video games and demonstrate how contemporary media representations of subjectivity simultaneously influence and are influenced by popular sociocultural understandings of the experience of human subjectivity as a whole.
- ItemContemporary commercial voice technique, pedagogy, and practices: a scoping review(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Heath, Lyudmyla; Rennie-Salonen, Bridget; Dasappa, Lauren; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Music.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The popularity of Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) continues to grow, yet CCM singers face challenges in receiving appropriate training, academic opportunities, and professional support. The world of CCM performing arts is often discriminated against, and considered less artistic, skilful, refined, and healthy by some institutions and pedagogues who favour Classical Music. Considerable research indicates that CCM singers require specific skillsets and versatile voice techniques to suit the wide-ranging stylistic requirements of diverse CCM genres. Consequently, there is a lack of knowledge and education in CCM voice technique, and a lack of consistency in the recent CCM voice pedagogical methods. Voice pedagogues often lack the necessary knowledge and skill to train CCM singers how to sound authentic in different CCM genres. This impacts the quality of CCM teaching and the safety of style-driven vocal effects. There is a need for more coordinated research on CCM voice techniques, as well as empirical evidence and pedagogical frameworks that support various CCM definitions, theories, methods, and principles, in order to provide practical guidelines and recommendations for practice. Using a Scoping Review method, this study aimed to collate and synthesise current peer-reviewed research to provide an evidence-based foundation for further CCM voice pedagogy and performance development, driven by the main research question, “What is known from the peer-reviewed literature about the pedagogy and stylistic application of CCM voice technique?” The results indicate a lack of adequate and appropriate voice instruction for singers who perform in CCM genres. There is a need for recognition and respect for CCM voice skillsets and common terminology in the field of CCM voice training that would lead to clarity, integration, and improved consistency in teaching and learning CCM voice techniques. The results demonstrate the importance of posture, alignment, and cardiovascular fitness for the singer’s body as their instrument. The findings also acknowledge the potential vocal risks of using various CCM voice qualities; however, these risks are heightened in singers who are not adequately trained or cannot sustain the high muscular energy that different CCM voice qualities demand. The results wrestle with the intricate subject of CCM vocal registration and breathing techniques. The study stresses the inefficacy of a one-size-fits-all pedagogical method and advocates for an approach to CCM voice pedagogy grounded in Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy (Ragan, 2018; Bartlett, 2020). The value of cross-training is recognised, emphasising the pedagogical benefits of training singers across various styles and genres.