EXPLORING THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF WILLIAM GILLOCK: JAZZ EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PRACTICES IN THE MODERN ERA
(2024)
author(s): Angelina Tarlovskaia
published in: Research Catalogue
This paper explores the artistic legacy of William Gillock through a practice-based lens, focusing on his influence on jazz education and contemporary musical practices. As a composer and educator, Gillock’s work has been instrumental in shaping modern jazz pedagogy.
The study reflects on my own pedagogical practice and its relationship to Gillock’s methods, examining how his compositional techniques and teaching strategies continue to inform my approach to jazz instruction. By engaging with Gillock’s work in practical contexts, I highlight how his contributions foster the development of technical proficiency and expressive artistry among students. This reflection underscores the enduring relevance of Gillock's innovations, as they continue to inspire and shape the growth of the jazz community today, ensuring that his legacy remains central to the evolution of jazz education and performance.
Keys and Cords: A Comparison of Piano and Vocal Teaching Strategies
(2024)
author(s): Renske Luijten
published in: KC Research Portal
The profession of a music teacher has developed over the past years in a way where teachers are required to be more versitale and not focussed on one specific element. A lot of collegues of mine, including myself, work at a music school where they teach children not only their main instrument, but also a secondary instrument, in my case piano. This brings up interesting challanges as a lot of teaching strategies overlap, but there might also be approaches that differ between various instruments.
In this research, we explore how private vocal lessons compare to private piano lessons and what the specific teaching strategies are of these instruments. Following up on this, we analyze how these finding inspire my own teaching practice and how one instrument might benefit from the teaching strategies of the other instrument.
This research includes a dive into already existing literature, interviews with Conservatory teachers who specify in vocal and piano pedagogy and interviews with private school teachers. Additionally, observations were made of multiple vocal and piano lessons given by myself as well as the other teachers mentioned above.
Intention-based Piano Pedagogy
(2019)
author(s): Bastiaan van der Waals
published in: KC Research Portal
This research focuses on the guidance of students of piano methodology ("piano pedagogy") in acquiring didactic skills. More specifically, it aims to support them in understanding and applying research-based educational principles in their internship lessons.
Recent scientific research on motor control and motor skill learning offers opportunities for evaluating current practices in piano pedagogy and coming up with innovative teaching approaches. Based on an extensive review of research results, I have formulated educational principles for achieving pianistic quality. I argue that mental auditory representations of intended musical outcomes ("musical intentions") iniate and steer musical motor control processes. Furthermore, I have summarized several research-supported teaching strategies that promote motor skill learning and presented examples of their practical application in piano pedagogy.
I have applied several interventions aimed at enhancing conveyance of these educational principles to students of piano methodology. In the first place, I have created extensive study materials (booklets, videos, slide presentations) that both explain and show practical applications of these principles in piano pedagogy. Furthermore, I have introduced peer-to-peer learning: students observe and evaluate their own and each other's internship lessons.
Results of this research show that further improvement of the methodology course is required in order to achieve its goals. Both the study material and the peer-learning opportunities have shown to be valuable additions. However, students still exhibit a lack of creativity in finding relevant teaching strategies within their internship lessons. I have formulated several additional interventions for further improvement.