in the Instrumental teaching unit.
I think it will highly relevant again for this years project.
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This theory was touch on in the degree year in the Instrumental teaching unit. I think it will highly relevant again for this years project.
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Adult Learning and Adult Teaching an accessible and practical tool for when working with adult learners. And Looking at how we learn as adults compared to childhood, our learning styles how our expectations as adults are different and our motivations tool. A useful resource to the planning for learning what methods to use and how to review and learn from such learning and teaching. In particular for self reflection and learning from the practice itself. Key Term:
From Pedagogy to Andragogy. My PA is familiar with the teaching of adults and learning styles she mentioned that technical speaking the teaching for adults is a different practice to teaching for kids so as my choir will potentially be for adults only this key term was worth exploring linking me to Dabback. Useful book:
Visualizing Research a guide to the research process in art and design Carole Gray and Julian Malins. Like “looking back over my shoulder” by Mike and the Mechanics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1GkR54wQaM A personal research journey. I have learnt a lot about self. It has been a challenge to keep on top of my log or diary and managing the time effectively. Personal health and circumstances can get in the way and with lots of information to process it has been difficult to manage the exploratory research side of things as this is infinite and requires self control to be selective in what is relevant and not get drawn in or off on other interesting tangents. The course aims for me to me a reflective practitioner in practice at first I did not understand this. It was difficult to comprehend but now that I have a large body of research literature together I now naturally find myself reflecting in order to compile a summary of my work to date. I have had to question, to analysis, to challenge and to clarify. All are evidence of reflecting in order to put my proposed work into practice. Like “looking back over my shoulder” http://joyfulpublicspeaking.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/explaining-hard-ideas-simply-always-is.html Broad general knowhow at first narrowed down to a more specific topic. From Madrigal Knowhow to the topic of teaching music using the madgrical as an example or tool in which to demonstrate my key findings. A model for scheduling for reporting, presenting and communicating plans quickly a Gantt however for accessibility a tactile version is being developed. Kinetic learning for understanding and development of work and what needs to be done and it will also give me a bit of understand of the gantt chart concept itself. Every activity has its own line or brick built on top of each other and or along side each other similar to a wall progress build. Including different colour or textured bricks to distinguish differences categories or elements. These brick at not fixed but linked together easily moved slotted in and out when needed making it a flexible system to work from. iCal and reminders will be used for prompts and a .pdf of my schedule to speak through the timeline. Experimentation - Work in Progress: Gantt chart to be measurable so we can divide up the weeks. Designs as follows: SEMESTER 1 Documents : Purple Oval Foam Proposal: Hexagon. Preproduction: Concept Development: SCORES: Green small moon SURVEY: Blue small triangle Including contingency time . 2 week notches. Exploring the subject of mindmapping This document will Illustrate my active engagement in the preproduction of my project which is entitled “The Personal Accessibility of the Madrigal Form: The influence of Andragogy on singer’s reception of an unfamiliar work”.
I have learnt of and selected key methods and methodologies to plan and concept develop my material into a focused creative practice of ideas. I have also explore new means to the gathering of data itself and creative ways to monitor such progress. My research has informed my practice and the development of such in many ways over the course of this module. The development my blog is supportive evidence. I hope to be able to include some audio/video content in the second semester once the practical component is under way. http://www.businessballs.com/project.htm#project-management-tools
Workflow Tools: Miss O’Callaghan talked about Gantt charts in an earlier lecture. I felt these are not accessible to me therefore I decided to include a schedule table in my proposal. I found two websites that describes Gantt charts and fishbone diagrams clearly. Hence I think I may be able to use one for the project by creating a simple tactile Chart similar to my explorations for mind maps. I looked at project management tools to see if I can come up with a better way of organizing my schedule that is applicable to me. I needed something tactile as a process to work with to breakdown my project into its specification, milestones, key dates and target aims and objective points. The options included: · Brainstorming · Fishbone diagram · Critical Path analysis flow diagram · Gantt Chart Looking at the Fishbone and Gantt Charts: The Fishbone option is used as a fault detection tool and to improve process. Ideal to help gather and organize factors throughout the workflow process also known as “Cause and Effect” Diagrams. As it is shaped like a fishbone I can relate to the shape and function of the diagram. The Bones are the primary elements followed by the secondary elements or factors and the spine to keep it all together. A good way to map out all the key points for the project. key milestones to date: · Identified key words : Accessibility, Madrigal, andragogy, Reception, Choir, Singer, Expert, teaching methods. · Identified resource requirements: Score, Piano, Choir and venue, Libraries, IT, PA support. · Process Tools Find more about Gantt charts here: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_03.htm This is a strategy used for stress management and key to keeping on track of personal wellbeing in relation to my project world. Provided my Abertay's course I have been proactive in responding to needs as the course develops. Delivered by Trisia Williams a counsellor at Abertay University and has proven successful so far. To develop Self motivation Attending a Mindfulness Course on Wednesdays. Taking breaks and reminding myself of the big picture and where you wish to be when you finish out in the community engaged in music practice and teaching The Flora Gave me fairest Flowers is a compilation of Madrigals by John Rutter. I sourced as research but also to help the selection process for me own scores.
How the world wags is mainly ballad and ayr, which is a subform of Madrigals. Key questions:
· Availability · Travel · Experience with another charity teaching and performing Fiesta · Experience of challenges to overcome · Key needs for training – to be a workshop leader, to expand my knowledge on different disabilities because I had touched on a few with my previous work and I think I need to get more aware. If I am working with the Linburn Choir I will need to know how to pitch and teach at the right level. By being able to work with a wide variety of abilities at Drake it will boost my confidence for the teaching element of the project. · Also to further inform me about different technologies so in way the general admin needed for smooth running of event or training. · I posed a question to Drakes asking how should I deal with a medical emergences. Teachers role and responsibilities. A duty of care. I have been browsing the internet for relevant articles. Specific to choral teaching and established choirs and their conductors. This yielded interesting clips and articles on The Sixteen and Harry Christophers. I have heard The Sixteen on radio and CD so know their style. They have a self-titled YouTube channel which has several video clips around their education program and workshops. This was informative about the Conductor (Christophers), Associate-conductor (Eamonn Dougan) and the Animatuers (Sam Glazer) ways of working with singers. This clip also gives us several of the singers experiences of the workshops. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyrnXFpZ_Rs&list=UUTWBXmgr1YUartTXG-kEdvQ&index=7 Google Scholar yielded a few sample dissertations with content on music teaching as well as a text title, English Ways: Conversations with English Choral Conductors, Sanborg J. & Rutter J. 2001, Hunshaw Music Inc. Sadly, I have yet to find this in a library catalogue so plan to request it through inter loan if possible. Other Directors/Conductors of note which came up in my search were: John Eliot Gardiner; Simon Halrey and Stephen Cleobury. Yesterday I had an interview for the Developing Potential traineeship with Drake Music Scotland. There are two positions available funded by The Youth Music Initiative, under Creative Scotland.
The result of this being I have now obtained one of these traineeship positions. This is a dream come true for me! My interview was successful and is a big boost to confidence in helping me achieve my aims and objectives for my Honours Project proposed earlier this month. I will have an initial meeting with the other appointee, Claire, and Pete Sparkes of Drake Music on Monday 8th December where I can then align it with my practice for my Honours Project. Essentially i gets me into Practice again where I am most confident and 2nd Presentation: Progress to date
Meeting with James Scanlon to present my developments of my project. James has a background in Games development so I needed to be clear in my approach with key terms. Overall it went well, partly because I learnt what to have ready in advance and the idea was really fixed in my head. Where have I taken inspiration from? Research books along the subjects of Madrigal, Teaching methods, Accessibility all the key words and in a way they have come together to highlight what is key for me as an individual. Emotion. The design of the proposal was important in making sure I am motivated to carry out the workload in the new year. My knowledge of the Madrigal from previous experience together with acknowledging what teaching experience I do have from over the years make the task less scary. Like klling two birds with the one stone. I really feel more comfortable now that the plans or what we think will happen are now set out for review. Where ideas came from: What key figures have been doing research on the Madrigal? ….(Fellowes, Ongaro, Owens and Scott) What key figures have been doing research on accessibility? What key figures have been doing research on the teaching adults (andragogy)? Everything has to work: My plan helps outline or iron out any issues that may occur but by linking with expertise and knowing my weaknesses I can make sure there are backs up in place. Mapping out all the variables. All the things that influence what is to happen all the key factors to bare in mind help give a better idea of what is to come. Jamie speaks of being fully immersed in the flow of the Project. The background research, primary and secondary as well as being engaged in learning about research techniques has made me fully immersed in the project to a state where several elements can change if need be. He talks of a Collaborative Project.
Even though this research phase has been difficult I can now see that once I get into the doing part and eventually produce my seminal work or output It will be a great achievement. James’s initial interpretation so far from what I presented:
Further research into this area in general outside the context of Madrigals would be of benefit. Some of my current strategies for learning such as recording, documentation and note taking techniques can be applied to my testing methods with ease. Thinking about the output: A guide PDF for publication online made available to the masses. The content of which will be determined through the action of doing the practice element of the project. James asked what is a Madrigal? I need to expand on making sure the basics are clear to all exposed to my work. Extended techniques In Madrigal Singing? What are the elements? Any video clips or audio files for reference? Getting feedback from a second opinion was valuable. Highlighting the importance of turning your Original Concept into your constructed idea. To justify how far you have got at this stage. “I cant imagine anything scary from a Madrigal Choir?” James says with regard to the Ethics approval. Venue – think of doing a Risk assessment. I had already planned to include this as my previous community music work has made me very aware of the need for this. “Sounds like you’ve got a good grasp of the subject..Keep going." (James) I do not feel I got the project concept across clearly enough in this session. What I should have conveyed was that even though I was fixed on the subject of the Madrigal before, having read a lot around research methods and my key words I see that it is not about the Madrigal that is important for me but the teaching and how people react to music of new or old forms such as the madrigal. This was a breakthrough for me because I now see how this project will benefit me and develop my ability to work in the community. It has changed its structure in a way that will benefit me in the future. (update reflection to post 01.12.14) Creative Scotland’s The Youth Music Initiative – A good network of where new opportunities become availability.
http://www.creativescotland.com Reference: Kings Singers Madrigal Mystery tour
Popular Songs. First Hits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-JIZ_FhtYI&list=PL7E79555CB8F1F7FC&index=1 1968 (Founded The Kings Singers) 1984 (produced the madrigal mystery Tour) Alastair Hume and Simon Carington narrated, presented, and sang in Madrigal History Tour, it was a six part BBC series about the madrigal history in Western Europe. The name was a play on the album from the Beatles album The Madrigal Mystery Tour from 1967. The Kings Madrigal Mystery Tour https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7E79555CB8F1F7FC The Beatles magical Mystery Tour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnrsqf33MXA After weeks of lectures from Kenny and Simone I have begun to understand the different building blocks required to plan and write the proposal for my project. This is a distillation process and I am gradually pulling together the pieces of a more defined idea still involving the use of the madrigal. However I will now be focusing on this as a tool through which I shall be testing the effect of aspects of teaching a group of singers given chosen works as new repertoire. I want to try and gauge their reaction through short surveys and possibly some personal interviews. I will be approaching this from the viewpoint of the individuals reception (perception) of the songs. I have been reading about different levels of accessibility and this has helped me decide that Level II accessibility, i.e. Personal/Receptive, is the level at which I can attempt to measure for this study. We have been made aware of the tight time schedules. We only have one semester to complete a project including planning and executing the practical component, doing the evaluations and write up along with completing extensive research and a dissertation. Following on from last week I emailed Jim Kelly with a question regarding sample size. I was looking for conformation that my planned sample frame would be better suited to survey or interview as I will not have sufficient numbers to warrant designing a questionnaire for the project. I am grateful to Jim for a prompt and helpful reply confirming this would be the case. Following on from the feedback from Kenny McAlpine my research is more focused on choral teaching and its effect on a persons reception of a new work.
Internet research between library visits has yielded information on teaching and choral singing networks. Today keywords for this search in the EUL were andragogy or adult learning and choral singing. There is a whole shelf dedicated to this. I need to decide which aspect of the field I want to examine in order to spend my time wisely. I will read further the text by Scott on Madrigal singing and choose the aspects to look at in the context of current practice. As promised, today I received Kenny's feedback on my ideas. This was very helpful as he has posed several questions which are helping me to distil my idea further. I cannot deny that this is a difficult process but creating something is seldom easy. The advice we are getting from both tutors appears sound and gives us a roadmap to the process to follow, we just have to have the ideas! |
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April 2015
AuthorAmy Moar is a Scottish music student who is working towards her BA Hons Music Performance. Amy has worked professionally both in community music projects and as a performer. Categories |