Page 148 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 13, zvezek 27 / Year 13, Issue 27, 2017
P. 148
SBENOPEDAGOŠKI ZBORNIK, 27. zvezek
In the todays’ music education at the primary compulsory school pupils are introduced to a
great number of art works, develop the ability to experience musical works, listen to music
and learn about music. The question is: is this enough?
Objectives and standard of work in the “Listening to and Making Music” (LMM)
approach
The alternative approach to music teaching which is described in this paper (LMM) is
based on listening to music, as the activity that pupils are familiar with up to a certain
extent, linked to music making. Pupils perceive and understand musical works over those
musical elements which are filtered by their cognitive system, in accordance with their
previous experience and what they already knew about the musical works. Since listening
to music is layed down in the curriculum and determined according to class and grade, it is
easy to detect the level of pupils’ knowledge regarding the recognition of the musical
elements and to improve and further develop their competences.
Contributing to the area of listening to music, Vidulin and Radica (2017, 62) defined its
goal, task and purpose. “The goal of listening to music in school is to form the cultural and
artistic pupils’ world view and to contribute to their aesthetic education. It is realized in a
way that pupils are offered artistic music which meets the prerequisites of quality and
aesthetics. On the other hand, the task of the listening to music in school is to develop and
upgrade pupils’ musical competences. With carefully selected music repertory it is
possible to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills and foster their autonomy, responsibility
and desire for participation in artistic events. The purpose of listening to music can be
observed through the final outcome: encouragement of the pupils’ experience,
understanding and acceptance of (art) music.”
Since pupils are introduced to art music primarily in school, teachers should encourage
pupils to listen to music with reference to different musical-historical periods, types and
styles. It is important that pupils evaluate, comment, compare and express their thoughts
about music. Music teaching contents in compulsory school include: exploring musical
instruments, singing, performing as soloist, and in chamber and large ensembles, musical
forms, instrumental, vocal and vocal-instrumental types, musical and stylistic periods.
A question concerning the realisation of music listening and the apprehension of music is:
How to coax pupils’ attention to be active listeners of art music? The answer lies in the
way tasks are set and arranged. Teachers set guidelines to pupils before listening to a
composition about the characteristics they should pay attention to during the listening. The
tasks need to be precisely defined, because they will guide the pupils through the listening
process and make them aware of important features of certain pieces. The tasks should be
clear and simple, easily recognisable: performers, themes, characteristic rhythm and
tempo, dynamics etc. During listening, the teacher should actively guide pupils through
the course of music, ask short questions and take notes on the board. When the work is
repeatedly listened to from different aspects and with different tasks, this results in better
music understanding. After having listened to the art work it is necessary to talk about it,
148
In the todays’ music education at the primary compulsory school pupils are introduced to a
great number of art works, develop the ability to experience musical works, listen to music
and learn about music. The question is: is this enough?
Objectives and standard of work in the “Listening to and Making Music” (LMM)
approach
The alternative approach to music teaching which is described in this paper (LMM) is
based on listening to music, as the activity that pupils are familiar with up to a certain
extent, linked to music making. Pupils perceive and understand musical works over those
musical elements which are filtered by their cognitive system, in accordance with their
previous experience and what they already knew about the musical works. Since listening
to music is layed down in the curriculum and determined according to class and grade, it is
easy to detect the level of pupils’ knowledge regarding the recognition of the musical
elements and to improve and further develop their competences.
Contributing to the area of listening to music, Vidulin and Radica (2017, 62) defined its
goal, task and purpose. “The goal of listening to music in school is to form the cultural and
artistic pupils’ world view and to contribute to their aesthetic education. It is realized in a
way that pupils are offered artistic music which meets the prerequisites of quality and
aesthetics. On the other hand, the task of the listening to music in school is to develop and
upgrade pupils’ musical competences. With carefully selected music repertory it is
possible to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills and foster their autonomy, responsibility
and desire for participation in artistic events. The purpose of listening to music can be
observed through the final outcome: encouragement of the pupils’ experience,
understanding and acceptance of (art) music.”
Since pupils are introduced to art music primarily in school, teachers should encourage
pupils to listen to music with reference to different musical-historical periods, types and
styles. It is important that pupils evaluate, comment, compare and express their thoughts
about music. Music teaching contents in compulsory school include: exploring musical
instruments, singing, performing as soloist, and in chamber and large ensembles, musical
forms, instrumental, vocal and vocal-instrumental types, musical and stylistic periods.
A question concerning the realisation of music listening and the apprehension of music is:
How to coax pupils’ attention to be active listeners of art music? The answer lies in the
way tasks are set and arranged. Teachers set guidelines to pupils before listening to a
composition about the characteristics they should pay attention to during the listening. The
tasks need to be precisely defined, because they will guide the pupils through the listening
process and make them aware of important features of certain pieces. The tasks should be
clear and simple, easily recognisable: performers, themes, characteristic rhythm and
tempo, dynamics etc. During listening, the teacher should actively guide pupils through
the course of music, ask short questions and take notes on the board. When the work is
repeatedly listened to from different aspects and with different tasks, this results in better
music understanding. After having listened to the art work it is necessary to talk about it,
148
