Research Catalogue

works

• Musicians in the Making: Pathways to Creative Performance (01/01/2017)
  Publication: Book, Oxford University Press, artist(s)/author(s): John Rink; Aaron Williamon, Helena Gaunt
  Edited book. Part of Series “Musical Performance as Creative Practice” developed through the AHRC funded Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice. Features advanced research into the creative development of musicians, presented in an accessible and highly informative manner Explores, traces and models the complex nature of the creative processes experienced by musicians Broadens the notion of creativity to embrace creative processes rather than simply the outcomes of those processes Contains vivid and engaging 'Insights' by internationally prominent performers, music teachers and other practitioners
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  Special Edition of Arts and Humanities in Higher Education (double issue printed edition, accompanied by extended digital edition) with commissioned papers coming out of the Reflective Conservatoire Conference, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, February 26-March 1, 2015 (01/01/2016)
  Publication: Publication, Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, vol 15: 3 & 4, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  We are experiencing a paradigm shift in specialist education in the performing arts: in what it takes to prepare students for professional life, and in the potential for this work to resonate beyond the immediate disciplines. The imperative to respond proactively to the pace of change in the creative industries, and in higher education more generally, needs little rehearsal. Since the rise of the portfolio career in the arts (Bennett and Hannan, 2008; Rogers, 2002) and the advent of the Bologna process bringing widespread awarding of degrees in these practice-based disciplines (EACEA, 2010; Gaunt and Papageorgi, 2010), artistic and pedagogical innovation through reflection, research, collaboration, interdisciplinarity and social engagement have gained momentum. Over the last 30 years significant renewal of our practices in specialist education has become a norm.
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  Collaborative Learning in Higher Music Education (01/01/2013)
  Publication: Book, Routledge, artist(s)/author(s): Heidi Westerlund, Helena Gaunt
  In higher music education, learning in social settings (orchestras, choirs, bands, chamber music and so on) is prevalent, yet understanding of such learning rests heavily on the transmission of knowledge and skill from master to apprentice. This narrow view of learning trajectories pervades in both one-to-one and one-to-many contexts. This is surprising given the growing body of knowledge about the power of collaborative learning in general, underpinned by theoretical developments in educational psychology: the social dimensions of learning, situational learning and concepts of communities of learners. Collaborative Learning in Higher Music Education seeks to respond to the challenge of becoming more conscious of the creative and multiple dimensions of social interaction in learning music, in contexts ranging from interdisciplinary projects to one-to-one tuition, and not least in the contemporary context of rapid change in the cultural industries and higher education as a whole. It brings together theoretical papers and case studies of practice. Themes covered include collaborative creativity, communities of practice, peer-learning, co-teaching as co-learning, assessment and curriculum structures. Chapters illuminate reasons for enabling collaborative learning, and provide exemplars of innovative practice and designs for collaborative learning environments in higher music education. A central purpose of the book is to scaffold change, to help in meeting the rapid changes in society and to find constructive stepping stones or signposts for teachers and students.
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  Preparing for Success: A Practical Guide for Young Musicians (01/01/2012)
  Publication: Book, Institute of Education Press, London University, artist(s)/author(s): Susan Hallam, Helena Gaunt
  This book is a practical guide for young people around the world who wish to build a career as a professional musician. It is a useful resource that will help build a realistic professional vision, support development, and explicate what it takes to make a successful career. As well as providing lots of information, it offers practical tools and exercises to enable you to relate the information to your own situation, and to help realize your potential. The book covers three main areas: * exploring essential aspects of the learning process as a musician such as motivating yourself, setting goals, making the most out of tuition, practising and rehearsing, learning from your experience * nurturing your creativity and expanding your experience and professional horizons * mapping out the professional landscape and outlining vital parts of getting a career started.
• Towards a conceptual framework for understanding ensemble practices in the performing arts (01/01/2017)
  Publication: Article, Teaching in Higher Education, artist(s)/author(s): Danielle Treacy; Patrick Furu, Helena Gaunt
  Ensemble practices are essential to the performing and visual arts. Rich examples have been honed over centuries, yet relatively little research has explored the spectrum across disciplines. Nevertheless there are compelling reasons to do so. First, ensemble practices are increasingly important as they underpin abilities to innovate, respond to rapidly-changing professional landscapes in the arts, and explore inter- and transdisciplinary working. Second, pedagogical developments in Higher Education highlight the need for ensemble, peer and collaborative learning environments to catalyse individual development and nurture new knowledge. Third, ensemble practices have something to offer beyond the arts themselves: research has begun to unpack lessons for other professional contexts seeking to harness creativity and understand interactions within teams. This paper therefore develops a conceptual framework for understanding ensemble practices in the arts, drawing on existing literature, and proposing a series of themes expressed as dynamic continua.
• Orchestras as “Ensembles of Possibility”: Understanding the Experience of Orchestral Musicians Through the Lens of Communities of Practice (01/01/2014)
  Publication: Article, Mind, Culture and Activity, artist(s)/author(s): Melissa Dobson, Helena Gaunt
  This article examines the professional culture of a UK symphony orchestra and the ways the musicians perceive themselves as a Community of Practice (CoP). The study draws on data from semi-structured interviews. Findings illuminated aspects of a CoP among the musicians, including having a shared purpose, valuing their collective endeavor, and experiencing tension between individual and collective development. These elements provide insights for our understanding of CoP, and highlight critical aspects of musical and interpersonal interactions that emerging professional musicians and advanced students need to develop and skillfully balance if they are to operate effectively within an orchestral CoP.
• Musical and social communication in expert orchestral performance (01/01/2013)
  Publication: Article, Psychology of Music, artist(s)/author(s): Melissa Dobson, Helena Gaunt
  Research on orchestral musicians has predominantly used survey methods to measure stress and/or work satisfaction; studies have seldom used in-depth interviews to ask orchestral musicians to reflect on their own practice and have neglected to elicit musicians’ perceptions of the processes involved in expert orchestral performance. Using semi-structured interviews, this research aimed to investigate 20 musicians’ experiences of working in a major London orchestra, focusing in particular on the skills and qualities they feel are required, and on how they negotiate challenges and sustain their careers. The interviews were analysed thematically using a grounded theory approach. The sample emphasized a set of skills which they considered vital for achieving excellence in the orchestral context, encompassing listening to, communicating with, and adapting to those around them at all times during rehearsal and performance. Strong social and interpersonal skills were also cited as important for orchestral work, with participants stressing the significance of maintaining good social relationships with colleagues in order to foster a conducive environment to achieving excellence on stage. These findings are considered in light of their potential implications for conservatoire training and their contribution to research on co-performer communication and collaboration.
• Understanding the one-to-one relationship in instrumental/vocal tuition in Higher Education: comparing student and teacher perceptions (01/01/2011)
  Publication: Article, British Journal of Music Education, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  The power of one-to-one tuition in Higher Music Education is evidenced by its continuing place at the heart of conservatoire education. The need to examine this student–teacher relationship more closely has been emphasised in the last decades by increasing understanding of processes of student learning in Higher Education as a whole, and in particular the impact which student–teacher relations have on learning. Literature on PhD supervision, for example, has highlighted the depth of applied craft skills made possible in one-to-one interaction, and has also drawn attention to a range of potential difficulties encountered in the supervisory relationship. This paper draws on findings from a study at a conservatoire in the UK, which explored student and teacher perceptions of one-to-one tuition. It analyses student and teacher perspectives on the relationship and considers the match between their perceptions within student–teacher pairs. Findings demonstrate diverse characterisation of the relationship, and varied approaches to extending a social relationship beyond the confines of the lesson. Comparison of student–teacher pairs indicates that the students tended to mirror their teachers' opinions about appropriate social interaction. This was one example of the dynamics of power operating within the one-to-one relationship, although these were rarely discussed explicitly. Such dynamics of power made it difficult in some instances for students to articulate difficulties with learning and to change teacher. There was also evidence of a possible connection between dynamics of power in the relationship and students' reluctance to develop artistic and professional self-direction. The implications of these findings are considered in terms of conceptualising one-to-one tuition, and the need to review the professional framework of its delivery in Higher Music Education.
• One-to-one tuition in a conservatoire: the perceptions of instrumental and vocal students (01/01/2010)
  Publication: Article, Psychology of Music, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  This paper analyses the perceptions of 20 students in a conservatoire in the UK about one-to-one tuition, and forms part of research also investigating the perceptions of the students’ teachers. Findings suggested that these students had significantly different experiences of one-to-one tuition in terms of frequency and length of lessons. Nevertheless all were enthusiastic about their relationship with their current teacher(s), and the individual attention which one-to-one tuition offered. Tension emerged between trust in a single teacher and ways in which having several teachers encouraged students to become more responsible for their own learning. Furthermore, the dynamics of power in this relationship, though rarely discussed, seemed to have considerable impact on the students, at times hampering their development. Those who had experienced difficulties in the past with teachers also expressed anxiety about personal and professional repercussions. Although students had clear aspirations, for example to be professional performers, these were not usually translating into focused strategic efforts to develop work. This was surprising particularly as their teachers were themselves usually active in the music profession. It was clear that the development of planning and reflective strategies relating to either learning processes or career development were rarely prioritized.
• One-to-one tuition in a conservatoire: the perceptions of instrumental and vocal teachers (01/01/2008)
  Publication: Article, Psychology of Music, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  One-to-one instrumental/vocal tuition forms a core part of the professional education offered to undergraduate and postgraduate music students in a conservatoire. However, whilst anecdotal evidence is plentiful, there is little research underpinning its practices. This article provides an analysis of the perceptions of 20 principal study teachers in a conservatoire in the UK about one-to-one tuition, its aims, processes and context. Findings emphasized the isolation of these teachers in their practice, and suggested that this might be problematic particularly given the intensity and complexity of the relationships formed between teacher and student. Furthermore, tension was evident between teachers' aspirations of facilitating student autonomy and self-confidence in learning and the processes of teaching they described, where the transmission of technical and musical skills, largely through teacher-led reflection-inaction, was often paramount. In this context, the dynamics of power invested in the one-to-one relationship suggested that whilst the potential of detailed shared reflection-in-action in one-to-one tuition was great, the relationship could also inhibit the development of self-responsibility and of an individual artistic voice, both of which were so prized by the teachers.
• Supporting conservatoire students towards professional integration: one-to-one tuition and the potential of mentoring (01/01/2012)
  Publication: Article, Music Education Research, artist(s)/author(s): Andrea Creech; Susan Hallam, Helena Gaunt
  This paper reports on qualitative research undertaken at a conservatoire in the United Kingdom, exploring students' perceptions of how they were supported in realising their aspirations as professional musicians and making the transition to professional life. In particular, the research explored students' perceptions of the role played by their instrumental/vocal teachers in this process of professional development. Data were analysed using a conceptual framework of mentoring proposed by Renshaw. Mentoring, as a concept and practice, has rapidly gained currency in a wide range of professional contexts as a powerful tool underpinning innovation and talent development. Within music education, mentoring has begun to find a place, particularly in relation to talent development and professional integration. In the context of conservatoire training in Higher Education, there has also been some indication that one-to-one tuition may provide a fruitful mentoring environment. However, the term has been loosely used, and distinctions between mentoring, coaching, advising, counselling and instructing have not always been clear. Findings from this study indicated that in many cases the students felt the student–teacher relationship generated key characteristics of a mentoring environment. However, the teaching interactions they described tended towards modes of coaching, advising and instructing rather than mentoring. Instances that came closer to a mentoring approach were appreciated by the students. In addition, it was evident that the majority of students were having some difficulty in finding ways to connect their passion for music to real-world contexts and the development of a professional path. This issue underlined the potential importance of developing mentoring approaches further. It was also evident from the data that students' collaborative learning experiences played an important part in supporting students' professional development. These should be considered further in relation to supporting students' professional integration and could be conceptualised within a framework of peer co-mentoring.
• Learning and teaching breathing and oboe playing: action research in a conservatoire (01/01/2007)
  Publication: Article, British Journal of Music Education, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  This paper presents findings from action research in a conservatoire (the Guildhall School of Music & Drama) which focused on teaching and learning effective breathing in playing the oboe. A range of approaches and techniques emerged from a literature review. These were implemented in practice with oboe students at the Guildhall School, and changes in their practice and perceptions of breathing were analysed. Participants' responses to the approaches used were diverse, emphasising individual learning styles. Considerable changes in their breathing practice as oboists were observed, and in addition it was noted that in several cases their approach to learning became more reflective and self-directed.
• Breathing and oboe playing: playing, teaching and learning (01/01/2004)
  Publication: Article, British Journal of Music Education, artist(s)/author(s): Helena Gaunt
  Breathing and breath control are central to playing the oboe, yet few detailed educational resources are available to support their teaching and learning. This paper presents a review of existing knowledge and expertise in the field. It highlights common ground and points of controversy, and indicates some key areas for consideration. It points to the need for further research to establish both a more detailed picture of the anatomy and physiology of breathing practices in playing and effective teaching and learning strategies.