Engaging young string players in metacognition

Anne M. Power, Sarah J. Powell

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    9 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This paper is about one focus of a two-year project researching the Penrith (NSW Australia) Youth Music Program offered at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. The Penrith Youth Music Program has been designed to encourage young string players through a program of guided rehearsals and tutorials with mentoring by performers from the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This paper focuses on a part of the research that has engaged the young string players in reflection on their own progress. Eight young string players are the focus here, drawn from the whole study that encompasses 27 instrumentalists. In focus groups they were asked at intervals (at the end of each session of three ensemble rehearsals, spaced approximately six weeks apart) about their learning and about their practice strategies. This paper presents the voices of the eight instrumentalists, as they talk about technical issues, ensemble cuing, issues of balance and dynamic control. It also provides data that benefits in performance were achieved without an increase in the reported time given to practice but rather through thoughtful attention by the instrumentalists to their practice and to the proximity of the expert mentors as role models.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)659-670
    Number of pages12
    JournalInternational Journal of Music Education
    Volume36
    Issue number4
    Early online date3 May 2018
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2018

    Keywords

    • metacognition
    • self-regulation
    • practice
    • string orchestra

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