Thomas Creasey

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Assessment Task 1
Research Essay Does Classical music and teaching traditional
notation still have a place in the modern Australian Music
Classroom?
Music is a creative subject that allows an expert in a particular
genre to be relatively unskilled in another. For instance, a
comparison of a self-taught garage band style electric guitar player
in many cases would be clueless on how to play a classical guitar
concerto.
A modern day classroom typically consists of a classically trained
teacher, who has developed values and ideas. The aforementioned
guitar player stereotypical of a student, the guitarist undoubtedly
has somewhat of a different set of values in what they think is
important for musical development. Is it the music teachers job to
accommodate to the students genre or popular music of the time? Is
it the guitarists job to shift their perceptions about their genre and
learn the music teachers values of music? Alternatively can an
understanding about the importance of meeting in the middle be
developed between the groups?
Developing the pedagogical approach to engaging students whilst
giving them the most effective music education for their
development must consider these factors. Should a music teacher
teach classical music for more traditional musical development, or is
extending the skill of students in popular music a more relevant
strategy for development and student engagement. The following
will discuss if is there is place for classical music and traditional
notation in the modern day classroom.
An ethnographic study into a high school garage-band, newly
discovered by students music teacher looked into the informal
practices the band practice (Jaffurs, 2004). The study outlined how
the teacher slowly discovered a bias in her teaching style and
material choice away from what these students were demonstrating.
The teacher discovers that by taking total control of the music
choice and not collaborating with the popular style of the room it
made the students feel like outsiders coming into her music room.
Performing the ethnographic study opened the teachers mind to
incorporation of new styles of music. A result was found in the
engagement and enjoyment of the students time in the music
room, giving students opportunity to use music they enjoyed game
them a deeper sense of participation in the class. Again this raises
the question, when we can build and develop material that students
want to engage with and enjoy (popular music or a classs chosen
genre), is there relevance to introduce classical music practices. For
students with such strong focus on informal development
techniques is there relevance teaching classical notation or classical
music techniques. Would these students have benefitted from
learning classical notation, or could that time have been used

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advancing their skills to make their informal practice style more
effective.
During my musical education classical music had a big influence
on me. My saxophone teacher was a classically trained pianist who
studied advanced harmony. My first classroom music teacher was a
classically trained opera singer, my high school band conductor a
classical trumpet player who moved onto playing for the ASO. With
all these influences around me, taking up stereotype as a teenage
adolescent, I hated classical music.
I struggled to engage with classical music, as a 14 year old boy
full of hormones the last thing I wanted to do was sit down and
study how a violin interacted with the oboe to create a call and
response pattern. In contrast if you had talked to me about how
electronic music, how synths and LFOs (low frequency oscillators)
combined to make dance music tracks, I wouldnt have let you stop
talking. This engagement I was ready to give had no-where to go, I
wasnt being stimulated in the areas I felt were important to my
musical education.
Classical music was not something I loved, but it did help me
develop a good skill base in traditional notation. During year 7
music, I was not challenged playing piano or learning notation. This
lead to me being for a lot of the time in class bored or having
completed the work early and wanting to talk to the person sitting
next to me.
In year 8 we started learning the guitar in context of rock music
(the genre I most listened to at the time). The first week we played
guitar in class I went home and learnt another 4 chords. Eventually I
could play any of the chord progressions my teacher would give to
me and could keep up with the guitarists in the class. The change
into rock music and a chance to finally extend and challenge myself
as a musician in a genre that I listened to resulted in large amounts
of development and a new, higher level of engagement.
Students without engagement tend to have lower levels of
achievement (Fredricks, Blumenfeld & Paris, 2004). In my example,
the movement away from classical notation and music study had an
immediate positive effect. Having said this, for a student without
prior musical knowledge it is possible that they would have found a
greater engagement from the lessons. Learning the basic levels of
notation, possibly extended with the excitement of playing the piano
may have been at a different level of music education just as
engaging as I found guitar. For me the movement away from
classical music and classical music notation had immediate positive
affects on my learning, engagement and enjoyment of music.
An intensive look into Swedens music program researched by
Georgii-Hemming & Westvall, (2010) shows an approach similar to
my experience of music class in year 8. There is more of a focus on
informal learning and popular music reproduction; this comes with a

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move away from studying classical notation and western classical
music. The benefits for the style of teaching are the engagement
levels with the students, playing their favourite music with friends
gives a thrill of replication of pieces that students are engaged with
already. The students are given time in music classes unwind and do
something aimed to be enjoyable.
There are several limitations presented to this approach however.
The introduction of new styles of music is somewhat limited in this
approach. A repercussion of the Swedish syllabus being so broad is
that teachers often get hooked on the engagement they attain with
popular music. Therefore in some cases students get exposed to a
reduced amount of music styles during these classes. Students are
therefore are somewhat limited to the style or genre and not
broadening their horizons into different genres and styles. Without
a focus on notation students are also somewhat limited to looking
predominantly at informal learning approaches. This is limiting
especially for periods of music where notation was as of much
importantance as performance, this is applicable to quite a
substantial amount of classical music.
Although musicians skills may be weaker in a technical/stylistic
viewpoint in styles different to their own, a professional musician
will at least be aware of some of the stylistic implications and
techniques in a variety of genres. A benefit to wide listening can
also be the collaboration between genres even to the point of
creating new styles of playing. Imparting this knowledge onto
students helps them to become more flexible and creative
musicians.
The general population of students in a music classroom (with
exceptions towards creative arts high schools etc) often include a
majority of students without musical ambitions or skills. Teaching
these students classical notation, predominantly a skill only used in
a music classroom ask a question of how does this information
advantage these students into the future away from the high school
music class room. Traditional music notation is highly effective for
sight reading pieces, performing music and conveying the
composers ideas for the piece of music presented. A student who
has no aspiration for being an informed musical performer,
traditional music notation arguably has a limited use outside of the
classroom. Considering the limited time frame that music teachers
have with their students (especially in a year 7-8 setting), this again
asks the question, is it still an effective use of time to teach general
population students traditional notation. To develop students into
mature students that will contribute positively to society it could
possibly be a better use of time to teach life skills through the
medium of music.
Acceptance and appreciation of difference of people around us can
be conveyed in the music classroom with an introduction to different
cultures popular music styles. This is where teachers can develop

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maturity in students as well as include a variety of techniques to
accommodate the needs of Aboriginal, Torres Straight Islanders and
students in ESL programs. Giving way to time spent with developing
classical music notation skills with students could possibly lead to
positive differences for these students.
Indigenous, and students in ESL programs often have culturally
significant ties to music. These students music backgrounds have
emotional and spiritual links to their cultures, these can often
become quite special links between the student and their family.
These music traditions are often passed down orally and these
students can be quite skilled by the time they enter the high school
music class at learning music from informal teaching practices. A
review of the literature published about students from an Aboriginal
background states that these students tend to do better in-group
situations. The review goes onto explain the effectiveness of
incorporating cultural influences and examples into teaching
students from Aboriginal backgrounds (Lloyd, Lewthwaite, Osborne
& Boon, 2015).
Teaching Aboriginal practices and music is often done through
word of mouth. Working with the Indigenous students strengths
using group work, informal techniques are most appropriately used.
This shares similar values to teaching the garage band style playing
discussed earlier. This style of teaching moves away from individual
study of the classical notation system and classical music. With
evidence leaning more strongly towards informal learning tools to
teach not only music that students are passionate about (popular
music) but also music of students cultural background, moving
away from traditional music pedagogy is arguably a stronger
pedagogical choice.
Information stated thus far has mainly referenced time constraints
and the relevance of a student not aspiring to develop music skills
outside of the classroom. In these settings, for the reasons stated
prior, classical music could in theory, effectively be put to the side
with some students benefiting from this move. In a high school
setting for years 7 and 8 music I believe this to be true. Elective
music however, where students have chosen to pursue furthermore
their study, teaching classical music and notation becomes
important.
Classical music is often victimised by prejudice as similar to a
game of cricket, someone looking in from the outside is not going to
appreciate the intricate aspects of the performance. In cricket the
captain is always choosing the field placement trying to lure the
batsman into making a tricky shot and getting a wicket. In an
orchestra the conductor is showing the musicians expression and
shaping the performance into how they envision the piece to be
played inside their head. To someone looking in at either of these
examples without knowing these small details both can easily

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labelled boring. These small intricacies can be taught so that
enjoyment can be found in classical music (or cricket). The amount
of detail and skill in classical playing is immense. In an aim therefore
for developing musicians to achieve technical prowess as
demonstrated by classical music, this style does and should always
have a place on the bandstand for these elective students. Walker
writes how the technical difficulty and the skills achieved in playing
classical music give learning this material, large amounts of
educational value (2009). Walker continues to write that any
feelings about enjoyment regarding classical music should be put to
the side; the technique learnt is to high a value.
With this information it does seem for students who do want to
pursue music important to learn and appreciate classical music. A
student electing to do musical study should be aware and
understanding that their skills will develop effectively whilst learning
classical music. General population students in non-elective courses
dont necessarily share this value.
Students all have different strengths needs and wants. To put
classical music in front of every student and expect him or her to
enjoy it or attain value from the music alone would be a waste of
time. Classical music certainly has a place in music education but
for classroom music in a non-elective setting, classical music can
often be a non-engaging use of time in the classroom. There are
better ways to engage and develop students than by using classical
music in a non-elective setting. Using popular music or music that
your class has a preference towards and expanding their listening
can be more beneficial to engagement, enjoyment and relevance for
these students. Being aware of your students cultural influences
can also be useful for engaging with students prior knowledge and
making your classroom culturally inclusive and a more positive
environment.
Year 7 and 8 music classes, for the reasons presented, I do not
think that studying classical music has any higher value than
contemporary popular music styles. I would argue also that learning
classical notation could be time better spent working on different
and possibly more engaging tasks for students. Older students who
have elected to study music should undertake in both classical
notation and music studies.

References

Thomas Creasey
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Fredricks, J., Blumenfeld, P., & Paris, A. (2004). School Engagement:
Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence. Review Of
Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Georgii-Hemming, E., & Westvall, M. (2010). Music education a
personal matter? Examining the current discourses of music
education in Sweden. Brit. J. Music. Ed., 27(01), 21.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0265051709990179
Jaffurs, S. (2004). The impact of informal music learning practices in
the classroom, or how I learned how to teach from a garage band.
International Journal Of Music Education, 22(3), 189-200.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0255761404047401
Lloyd, N., Lewthwaite, B., Osborne, B., & Boon, H. (2015). Effective
Teaching Practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students:
A Review of the Literature. AJTE, 40(40).
http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n11.1
Walker, R. (2009). Beethoven or Britney. Strawberry Hills, N.S.W.:
Currency House.