Page 124 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana: Jakob Jež (1928-) Tokovi sodobne zborovske glasbe, leto 14, zvezek 29 / Year 14, Issue 29, 2018
P. 124
SBENOPEDAGOŠKI ZBORNIK, 29. zvezek
of singing and of the quality of singing. Since the beginning of the 21st century, a
renaissance of singing (Göstl 2011) can be observed in the German-speaking countries. A
number of indicators identify this renaissance: more and more choir courses are being
offered in public and private schools throughout Austria and Germany and many
institutions as well as committed people have developed a series of attractive choir
initiatives; the number of competitions for children´s and youth choirs has increased as has
the establishment of children´s and youth choirs at theaters and opera houses. These
activities can be seen as a result of a new understanding of the value of singing in society
and are based on the work of a certain group of pepole: children´s and youth choir
directors at all levels, music teachers, educators and committed people who sing with
children and adolescents. The aim of this article is to explore the set of competences,
abilities and characteristics these persons need for their work. It is based on the
dissertation project by Helmut Schaumberger (2018), who studied the professionalisation
of children´s and youth choir directors. The first pillar of this research project, –the
literature analysis–is aimed at the competences of children´s and youth choir directors. For
this purpose, a series of German-language practical handbooks for singing with children
and adolescents was taken into consideration. In addition, a number of existing
competence models in the fields of music pedagogy and teacher training were examined
for their applicability to the field of children´s and youth choirs. On the basis of these, a
competence model for children´s and youth choir directors was developed. This
competence model subsequently served as the basis for the contrastive curricula analysis
of existing special training programs in Austria and Germany and, finally, for the
development of quality criteria.
Competences in Practical Handbooks for Children´s and Youth Choirs
Since the 1990s, a series of practical handbooks for working with children´s and youth
choirs as well as handbooks for children´s and youth voice pedagogy have been published
in Austria and Germany. Their authors summed up the basic knowledge of children`s and
youth choir directors based on their own practical experience and their own research.
These practical handbooks were written by are Manfred Ernst (2008), Christiane Wieblitz
(2007), Karl Peter Chilla (2003), Rainer Pachner and Volker Barth (2001), Robert Göstl
(1996) and Gerd-Peter Münden (1993). The fundamental works in the field of children´s
voice pedagogy were written by Paul Nitsche (2001) and Andreas Mohr (1997). In
addition to, selected essays were reviewed (Holland-Moritz 2010, Göstl 2008, Deutsche
Chorjugend 2007 and 2008) that contain recommendations for the training of children´s
and youth choir directors. In analyzing the handbooks and essays via comparative content
analysis, 15 competence fields could be identified (see ).
124
of singing and of the quality of singing. Since the beginning of the 21st century, a
renaissance of singing (Göstl 2011) can be observed in the German-speaking countries. A
number of indicators identify this renaissance: more and more choir courses are being
offered in public and private schools throughout Austria and Germany and many
institutions as well as committed people have developed a series of attractive choir
initiatives; the number of competitions for children´s and youth choirs has increased as has
the establishment of children´s and youth choirs at theaters and opera houses. These
activities can be seen as a result of a new understanding of the value of singing in society
and are based on the work of a certain group of pepole: children´s and youth choir
directors at all levels, music teachers, educators and committed people who sing with
children and adolescents. The aim of this article is to explore the set of competences,
abilities and characteristics these persons need for their work. It is based on the
dissertation project by Helmut Schaumberger (2018), who studied the professionalisation
of children´s and youth choir directors. The first pillar of this research project, –the
literature analysis–is aimed at the competences of children´s and youth choir directors. For
this purpose, a series of German-language practical handbooks for singing with children
and adolescents was taken into consideration. In addition, a number of existing
competence models in the fields of music pedagogy and teacher training were examined
for their applicability to the field of children´s and youth choirs. On the basis of these, a
competence model for children´s and youth choir directors was developed. This
competence model subsequently served as the basis for the contrastive curricula analysis
of existing special training programs in Austria and Germany and, finally, for the
development of quality criteria.
Competences in Practical Handbooks for Children´s and Youth Choirs
Since the 1990s, a series of practical handbooks for working with children´s and youth
choirs as well as handbooks for children´s and youth voice pedagogy have been published
in Austria and Germany. Their authors summed up the basic knowledge of children`s and
youth choir directors based on their own practical experience and their own research.
These practical handbooks were written by are Manfred Ernst (2008), Christiane Wieblitz
(2007), Karl Peter Chilla (2003), Rainer Pachner and Volker Barth (2001), Robert Göstl
(1996) and Gerd-Peter Münden (1993). The fundamental works in the field of children´s
voice pedagogy were written by Paul Nitsche (2001) and Andreas Mohr (1997). In
addition to, selected essays were reviewed (Holland-Moritz 2010, Göstl 2008, Deutsche
Chorjugend 2007 and 2008) that contain recommendations for the training of children´s
and youth choir directors. In analyzing the handbooks and essays via comparative content
analysis, 15 competence fields could be identified (see ).
124
