This thesis explores the experience of studying taught music master’s degrees by observing both student and higher education perspectives. Little is currently known about the career transitions of taught postgraduate students, as until recently research has tended to focus upon undergraduates and research postgraduates. Additionally, much of the research on musicians’ career transitions has considered music education and performance students. The current thesis focuses upon musicology and music psychology degrees which were non-vocational and lacked compulsory music-making course content. A two stage study was conducted. Stage one involved longitudinal interviews with sixteen student participants who were all enrolled at three English institutions at the beginning of the study. Participants took part in four semi-structured interviews at six month intervals. The aim of these interviews was to observe the students’ experiences during and after their master’s study. Alongside this, stage two aimed to explore the higher education perspective by interviewing course tutors and careers advisors attached to each of the students’ courses. Qualitative analytical methods were used and a social psychology perspective was taken when considering the student experience. This approach highlights the reciprocal interaction between the self and the social environment. The career transition involved a period of personal and vocational development during which individuals were transformed through learning. Participants were motivated to realise a greater sense of personal fulfilment by pursuing their interests and achieving personal goals. The participants’ confidence in their professional practice increased and they developed greater self-awareness which was beneficial when deciding upon career plans. However, students’ coping methods and the extent of their exploration impacted upon their experiences of studying and the career transition. The results highlight the need for clear pre-enrolment information and flexible course structures in order to support students’ developing professional identities.

This thesis investigates Digital Tabletop Musical Interfaces (DTMIs) in the context of music education. Digital tabletops have emerged in recent years, surrounded by much enthusiasm, and have found applications in a diversity of fields – from museum installations to engineering applications, from information systems, to music making. In particular, their ability to create a link between the physical and virtual world makes the digital tabletop an excellent way for beginners to approach music making. By allowing users to “touch” music, and experience it through various visual representations, in addition to its aural representation, digital tabletops provide an intuitively approachable way of making music that supports both beginners and experts, and allows them to collaborate and exchange knowledge and ideas. However, we still know little about the challenges and opportunities that DTMIs present, particularly their role in supporting music education. This thesis explores the challenges and opportunities presented by a bespoke DTMI in supporting people of different levels of musical experience in learning about some fundamental musical notions, and in learning how these can be used to compose music in an intentional way. This thesis covers three exploratory studies. In the first one, the notion of melodic contour, and its role as a visual metaphor for describing music, were explored by participants. A music composition task to describe a painting with music was presented to participants, and the ways in which participants described and composed music, in relation to melodic contour, were analysed. In the second study, the notions of melodic similarity and contrast, and their role in suggesting narrative, were explored by participants. Through a series of discussions and practical exercises, participants developed their understanding of melodic similarity and contrast, and learned how to use these notions to suggest narrative in melody. The third study followed directly from the second one, exploring again melodic similarity and contrast, but this time in a group setting. Groups of participants explored the musical notions using the DTMI as a discussion mediator. In these last two studies, the ways in which participants discussed the notions, and used them to compose music that suggested a narrative, were analysed. The findings suggest that it is possible to appropriately design a DTMI that can be used by both musically experienced and inexperienced people in order to create music in a way that is graspable for the novice, yet expressive for the expert, so that the two can discuss music with equal ease, and learn more about it.

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The central aim of this research is twofold: first, to examine the relationship between university music students’ aural ability as measured in examination marks and overall success on a music degree programme; and second, to investigate current university music students’ views on aural and its importance in a music degree programme. Previous research indicates that aural skills are vital in developing musical expertise (see Karpinski, 2000a), yet the precise nature of those skills and the emphasis placed upon them in educational contexts merits attention. An extensive review of literature provides an introduction to terminology as well as a framework with which to understand research perspectives on aural, specifically to address aural in practice and aural as process. Two empirical studies are carried out as part of a case study investigation in this thesis: Study 1 compares aural test scores with overall marks obtained in a music degree so as to investigate their potential correlation; Study 2 analyses the views of current undergraduate and postgraduate music students from the same institution via focus groups about aural alongside their response to the data obtained in Study 1. Findings indicate that there are positive correlations between students’ aural test marks and overall degree results, although these are not always significant. The views of current students about aural reflected shifts in understanding from undergraduate to postgraduate level, with the former offering specific ideas about what it entails and highly subjective attitudes towards it, and the latter providing abstract and broad appreciation of aural in music practice. The students provided tentative remarks about the findings of Study 1. Related issues that emerge within the research, including the students’ views on training, singing, and the role of module choice in gaining a music degree, are debated as part of the thesis.

This research seeks to explore the knowledge and beliefs of university music performance students, and to see whether any pattern(s) or framework(s) of theory can be postulated. The research also considers the impact on this framework of the educational context, especially the performance assessment element. Relatively little is known about students’ views of music, including its performance, and how these views are affected by experiences of higher education (see Hallam, 2006; Mills, 1996; Pitts, 2002). The project forms a case study of second/third year music students at the University of Hull in the academic year 2007-8. The study is situated within the field of music education, although I will be drawing on and appealing to other research paradigms in my account of the data, including ethnographic accounts of musicians in various contexts (e.g. Cohen, 1991; Finnegan, 1989), and sociological theories of cultural work (e.g. Willis, 1978; 2000). The findings will contribute to music education, to the philosophy and psychology of music within the broader field of musicology, and to sociocultural studies. Ethnographic methodology was used to elicit accounts of students’ experiences and thoughts through interviews, informal discussions, participant observations of rehearsals, and nonparticipant observation of lessons and classes. Specifically, the aim was to investigate the students’ understandings of the phenomenon of music performance, and of their roles as performers; and to ascertain their views of the ‘culture’, or the ‘world’, of performing music, especially within the educational context of the university. Data gathering took place early in the study; analysis of data then began formally, and preliminary findings began to emerge, while relevant literature in the field of music education, music philosophy, ethnography and ethnomusicology was examined, with a view to contextualising the study amongst investigations within and outside the musicological domain. The findings sit within the relatively recent corpus of research known as critical musicology. Although the intention of the research is not necessarily to inform future practice, either within the institution in which the fieldwork took place, or in other music education establishments, the empirically-derived, grounded theory emerging from this study may be considered sufficiently interesting to have the potential to influence policy in such institutions as aim to provide music education.

The thesis presents a study of the ‘relationship’ between teacher and student in one-to-one tuition in UK conservatoire vocal studies education. Predominantly vocationally focused, the teaching of musicians in conservatoires is organised around the linking of one student with one principal teacher in an on-going relationship. This pedagogic model has been dominant in conservatoire education, yet has been relatively under-examined. Only recently has it become subject to external evaluation, monitoring and research (Carey et al., 2013; Gaunt, 2011). Taking an interpretative phenomenological and contextualist approach, the study comprised two strands of investigation. One strand involved in-depth case-studies of teacher-student pairs and data were gathered through video-stimulated reflective interviews. Analysis produced highly nuanced in-depth constructions of the experiential life-worlds of particular dyads. The second strand examined perspectives of individual teachers and students across a wider range of cases and institutions; data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The study found that qualities of relatedness, power relations and teacher self-reflexivity were key factors in influencing the teaching and learning experience, process and outcomes in one-to-one tuition. I argued for student autonomy and capacity to effect change as both individual and relational achievements. Troubling emotions and relational tensions were discussed as inevitable and indicative of the process of learning, however evidence of a threshold of tolerance beyond which the relationship was experienced as harmful was found. Findings suggest a need for systematic provisions in conservatoires that provide reflexive support, mediation and monitoring, to enable teachers and students to navigate the complexities of the ‘relationship’ that were identified in this pedagogic context. Inter-disciplinary in approach, this research is situated within the fields of music psychology, music higher education, dynamic psychology and relational psychoanalysis. A relational and intersubjective rendering of findings offers a unique contribution to knowledge in this empirical field.

This thesis explores the extent to which curriculum content and pedagogy in current secondary music education can be understood as gendered. The study is situated primarily within a qualitative paradigm whilst also possessing some quantitative aspects. It consists of a mixed-methods investigation into the practices and beliefs of music teachers and their pupils via a) a survey across 78 co-educational, non-selective and non-denominational English secondary schools; and b) detailed case-studies of three purposively selected music departments of contrasting complexions. The research springs from, replicates and extends that conducted for L. Green’s early study (1993) concerning gender and music and its findings are examined in the light of a range of historical and theoretical concepts that underpin this domain including Green (1997), O’Neill (1997), Paechter, (2000, 2009), Harrison (2009), Legg (2010), Abramo (2011), Armstrong (2011) and Bjork (2011). Throughout the thesis I compare and contrast three data sets (L. Green’s survey, the modern-day survey and the present case studies) in order to explore similarities and differences between the thoughts and behaviours of both past and current respondents. In addition I aim to extend existing theoretical paradigms by identifying how particular aspects of curriculum and pedagogy can be defined as feminine-gendered’ or ‘masculine-gendered’, (regardless of the sex of the teacher) through the development of a framework of descriptive criteria. In particular I review data emanating from the case studies in the light of this, examining how gendered practices and approaches affect pupils’ responses. Despite evidence of change concerning gendered participation in school music nowadays (such as boys’ improved involvement in 14+ examinations) I show how wide-ranging, complex and deeply-embedded historical constructs continue to govern the dynamics of the music classroom. These reveal themselves, both overtly and covertly, via the expression of a broad range of beliefs and behaviours which usefully elucidate and illuminate the concepts expressed throughout this study.

Digital technology has revolutionised music composition over recent years and continues to develop at a rapid pace. It has become increasingly accessible providing creative opportunities for, not only a wider society of users, but also music education contexts. However, recent evidence suggests that the full creative potential of digital technology for music composition is not being fully utilised at Key Stage 3 (KS3) music education in England and this has been the case for some time. This research implements a mixed methods approach in music departments in the North of England, UK. It provides fresh insight into how digital technology is currently being used in the KS3 music curriculum, if it’s full creative potential is being utilised in KS3 classroom composing and shows how it’s creative potential could be further realised in classroom composing activities. The findings suggest that KS3 pupils can learn alternative approaches to music composition through using digital methods of sound sampling, sound manipulation and sound structuring as part of a creative thinking cycle in ways rarely seen in music educational studies at this level. Music teacher education and training needs addressing to help teachers develop specialist knowledge and expertise in integrating digital technology in their music teaching. This might help facilitate teachers to explore new methods of composition and thinking about sound in the music classroom. The original knowledge, specialist software and pedagogic resources from this research are therefore intended as Continual Professional Development (CPD) materials aimed at KS3 music teachers and the broader international community concerned with this emerging field of digital technology, composing and music education research in the 21st century.

Methods and ideas for the creation of ‘transparent’ music in the classroom The aims of this port-folio are as follows;  To provide a coherent sequence of pieces and methods which can be used to create music in an educational context and also encourage students and teachers to develop their own creativity.  To provide pieces which develop student’s confidence in their own ability to create music in a variety of ways including composition, improvisation and creative leadership.  To provide exercises and pieces which help to develop the listening and appreciation skills essential for ensemble musicmaking.  To provide methods that enable the creation of ‘transparent music’. This is music in which the some, or all, of the decision making involved in the creation of a piece is accessible and apparent to an audience during its performance. This submission consists of a teaching book containing thirteen pieces/exercises, instructions giving guidance on their possible use in a teaching context and recorded examples. Also included are separate instructions where appropriate for the use of pieces in a concert or other non-educational setting and two essays giving context and background information on the ideas behind the pieces.

Das Thema Interkulturalität ist aus Debatten um Bildung und Erziehung nicht mehr wegzudenken. Auch in der Musikpädagogik hat dies Veränderungen in Schule, Musikschule und Lehrer*innenbildung zur Folge. Jenseits tagespolitischer Fragen geben grundsätzliche Überlegungen zur Neuausrichtung musikpädagogischen Handelns Anlass für die Auseinandersetzung mit Interkulturalität. Der Tagungsband bietet ein breites Spektrum an Zugängen: Wie arbeiten Musiklehrer*innen, Instrumentalpädagog*innen, Theaterpädagog*innen, elementare Musikpädagog*innen, Wissenschaftler*innen und Hochschul- lehrer*innen zu interkulturellen Themen? Auf welche Konzepte und Theorien beziehen sich Forschung, Lehrer*innenbildung und Unterrichtspraxis? Welche empirischen, didaktischen, systematischen und historischen Erkenntnisse liegen zur interkulturell orientierten Musikpädagogik vor? Wo steht die deutschsprachige Diskussion im internationalen Vergleich? (Verlag) / The theme of interculturality can no longer be ignored in debates around education and upbringing. In the area of music pedagogy this is also leading to changes in schools, music colleges and teacher training. Aside from current political debates, basic considerations about a reorientation of music pedagogy offer an opportunity to engage with interculturality. This collection of conference papers offers a broad spectrum of approaches. How do music teachers, and practitioners and experts in instrumental teaching, theatre studies and music teaching in schools, higher education and research work on intercultural themes? What concepts are used in research, teacher training and classroom practice? Which empirical, didactic, systematic and historic perceptions are available for interculturally oriented music pedagogy? Where does the discussion in the German-speaking countries stand in comparison with that of other nations? (publisher)