Research Question
My initial research question was: "Which contemporary sources contain useful information in the guidance and teaching of young students?"
Originally, my plan was to use authentic 18th- and 19th-century texts as a foundation for the information I intended to incorporate into the workshops. These historical sources, such as Gallay1 or Dauprat2, provide valuable insight into pedagogical methods, approaches to music instruction, and performance practices of the time. By examining these texts, I aimed to understand how past educators structured their teaching and what principles remain relevant in modern music education.
While these historical texts initially acted as a significant component of my research, my focus has since evolved into a broader artistic exploration of the key elements and resources necessary for effectively delivering a workshop. This shift in perspective has expanded my investigation to include the logistics of workshop presentation, such as:
- Structuring workshop sessions effectively
- Engaging participants through interactive learning
- Selecting appropriate materials that cater to different learning styles and levels of experience
- Pedagogical Perspectives – Understanding what experienced educators believe makes a workshop successful, including teaching strategies, participant engagement techniques, and workshop dynamics.
- Practical Resources & Tools – Investigating which resources, skills, and tools can enhance the delivery and effectiveness of a workshop.
Additionally, I sought to examine the background of horn players at various stages of their education, including schools, universities, and graduates, to determine whether they had any exposure to the natural horn during their studies. A crucial question I aimed to address was whether students had access to these historical instruments and if opportunities existed for them to explore this area of study. Understanding these factors could provide valuable insights into how historical performance practice is integrated into modern brass education and whether accessibility remains a barrier for those interested in learning the natural horn.
Music Educators Survey
The survey and responses can be found here in the appendix.
To ensure the workshop ran smoothly and effectively, I sought insight from other educators regarding the key elements they prioritize when structuring their own workshops. To gather this information, I designed a survey targeted at both classroom and instrumental music teachers, specifically from Perth. Before formulating the survey, I also consulted the Western Australian music curriculum3 to see if there were any guidelines regarding workshops and the suggest content within them for various year groups. Since I already had a foundational understanding of the educational system in my home city, this geographic focus allowed me to analyse responses within a familiar context.
A notable finding from the survey was that 55% of respondents taught at private (non-government funded) schools as instrumental tutors, while 51% worked in classroom settings, teaching students between the ages of four and eighteen. One of the most consistent themes across the responses was the importance of incorporating games and entertainment into workshops. Nearly all respondents emphasized that keeping students engaged through interactive and dynamic methods is essential. This aligns with my personal teaching experience, where maintaining students’ focus requires creative and varied approaches to introducing new concepts.
The survey attracted a diverse range of respondents, spanning an age range of forty-four years—from the youngest participant at twenty-two, to the oldest at sixty-six. Additionally, their teaching experience varied significantly, from as little as four weeks to an impressive fifty years in the field. This provided a rich and varied perspective on workshop structures and teaching methodologies.
Since I planned to gather feedback from students in my own workshop to refine future sessions, I was also curious about how other educators approached student feedback. My survey revealed that over 60% of respondents incorporated student feedback in some form, whether through quick hand gestures at the end of a session, written feedback forms, anonymous notes, or a simple hands-up method while peers had their eyes closed. This reinforces the idea that feedback is a crucial component of workshop development. Allowing students to share their thoughts, questions, and critiques not only gives them a voice but also enables educators to refine and adapt their teaching strategies for continuous improvement.
Another aspect I explored was whether respondents had pursued external certifications from established music education systems such as Kodály, Orff, and Dalcroze. The results revealed that 46% of participants held certification in Kodály alone, 15.4% were certified in both Kodály and Orff, and 7.7% had Dalcroze certification. Additionally, under the "Other" category, educators mentioned qualifications in Suzuki, Reggio Emilia, and even El Sistema. This highlights the breadth of pedagogical influences among the respondents, reflecting a wide spectrum of teaching philosophies and methodologies.
I was pleased to note that the views of the educators and myself regarding the length of time for a workshop were aligned. I knew from experiences with younger children what their tolerance for these types of sessions can be, and knew that whatever I would plan for a workshop would need to be no longer than an hour.
Students and Community Horn Players Survey
The survey and responses can be found here in the appendix.
The foundation of my research into this topic stems from my personal experiences growing up in the horn world and reflecting on how I was first introduced to the instrument. As I advanced in my own musical education, I became increasingly curious about how my peers and colleagues had been introduced to the modern horn. More specifically, I wanted to explore whether they had been exposed to the early horns at any point in their musical journey. To investigate this, I developed a survey targeting current horn students across primary, secondary, and tertiary education levels. The goal was to determine whether their teachers had ever discussed the historical development of the horn, referenced early horn sources (such as method books and technical manuals), or provided opportunities for students to see or hear early horn performances through videos, recordings, or live demonstrations. I also wanted to ask questions that related to the repertoire used in lessons, as I was aware through my own teaching how little of the opening lessons aimed at beginners uses exercises based on the harmonic series, which is extremely important and useful to know when starting on the horn. While plenty of the early methods base their lessons on this fundamental of the horn, I have yet to see a modern method that incorporates it into what is teaches young students - this instead often comes directly from the teacher as external information.
In addition to this, I created a separate survey to further investigate the extent to which students and community horn players (players who do not study the instrument through an institution or who play professionally) are educated about the early horns and the broader history of the instrument. From my own experience, I found that these topics are rarely addressed in lower school education, and any detailed exploration typically only occurs when students begin specializing in horn playing at the high school or university level. This observation was largely confirmed by the feedback gathered from participants in the Prototype Workshop, which is discussed later in this exposition.
Interestingly, my survey of current players and students—those who did not participate in the Prototype Workshop—yielded some fascinating results. The respondents, whose ages ranged from eleven to sixty-one, included current students, former students, and professional players. While some participants had only been learning the horn for a few years, one individual had been playing for fourty-four years on and off, which I found particularly impressive. Among the former students, nearly all had learned at least a little about the natural horn. However, when asked whether they would have had access to a natural horn had they wished to study it, only about half indicated they would have had the opportunity through their school or university.
Among the former students, nearly all had learned at least a little about the natural horn. However, when asked whether they would have had access to a natural horn had they wished to study it, only about half indicated they would have had the opportunity through their school or university. Further, when I asked about the use of early horn method books during their studies, a striking 75% of former students revealed they had never explored these texts in any significant depth. This is especially unfortunate, given that many of these early method books contain valuable technical and harmonic exercises that remain relevant to modern horn playing.
The majority of respondents agreed that learning to play the early horn would have positively impacted their modern playing. One respondent even noted that playing the natural horn gave them "a different outlook on [their] playing", particularly in terms of hand positions and the emphasis on air/lip control to produce notes, as opposed to relying on valves. This aligns with my own experience, as I also noticed a shift in my playing when transitioning between the natural horn and the modern instrument.
However, it is worth noting that only just over half of the respondents who also teach the horn incorporate early method books into their own teaching practices. When they do, the use of these materials tends to be limited to warm-ups and technical exercises, a common practice in the horn community. It is also worth noting that when these results were combined with the results of the current students, nearly 80% of responders don't use historical (pre-20th century) methods in any way in their learning or teaching.
This is something I had planned to do with my own workshop, utilizing contemporary methods as an introductory tool for introducing young students to early instruments - especially as so many historical methods are accessible through various online resources.
Overall, the feedback from both the survey and the Prototype Workshop highlighted a gap in education regarding the history and use of early horns, suggesting that there is significant potential to enrich horn pedagogy by integrating early horn materials into the curriculum at various educational levels.
Educational Workshops
During the planning of my prototype, I initially relied heavily on my previous experience as a participant in various workshops to help guide the structure and flow of my own. I thought back to what had worked well for me in past sessions and what had been less effective. However, as I delved deeper into the planning process, I quickly realized that I could gain much more valuable insight into the formulation and execution of a workshop by turning to educational sources specifically designed for educators and workshop facilitators. These resources focus on the theory and practice of designing effective learning experiences, which are crucial to the success of any educational endeavor.
A significant observation I made was the prevalence of workshop materials focused on the corporate or workplace setting. Many of these resources centre on fostering engaging and positive workplace dynamics among colleagues, offering tips on creating supportive, productive environments. While these sources undoubtedly provide valuable insights into the general structure of workshops, they are often more concerned with interpersonal relations, team-building, and motivation in a work context. This was helpful to a degree but did not fully address my needs. What was truly essential to my research was to explore the application of these structures in an educational context, where the focus is more on knowledge transfer, skill development, and fostering learning outcomes.
In response, I turned to journal articles published in educational magazines and academic journals. These resources offered a more focused lens on the educational principles behind workshop design, providing insights into what should be included in a workshop to maximise its educational value. They also helped me identify what to avoid, ensuring that the workshop would remain engaging, relevant, and effective. Some of the literature provided fascinating perspectives on the optimal length and timing of workshops, suggesting that a well-structured workshop should strike a balance between content delivery, participant engagement, and opportunities for reflection and hands-on practise4.
One particularly insightful takeaway from the educational literature was the discussion on the ideal group size for workshops. It became clear that smaller groups tend to be more effective because they allow for individualised attention. This is essential to ensure that each participant feels supported and has the chance to engage with the material at a deeper level5. Larger groups, while potentially beneficial in terms of diversity of perspectives, can lead to logistical challenges and a dilution of personal interaction. This finding prompted me to rethink the number of participants I planned to invite to my workshop, ensuring that I could maintain a manageable group size conducive to meaningful interaction and learning. I was also made aware of the difficulties of documenting the process of a workshop6 and had to think about some way that I could document as much of the process as possible to know what to change in the future.
Another crucial realisation during this process was the importance of the reflection phase in the workshop structure. While I was already familiar with the value of reflection for my personal growth and development, I had not fully appreciated how valuable this phase could be for participants as well. Reflective activities, such as group discussions or individual journaling, give participants the opportunity to consolidate what they have learned, ask questions, and apply the knowledge gained to real-world scenarios7. These activities also promote deeper learning and retention, as they encourage participants to critically engage with the material, connect it to their own experiences, and reflect on how they can implement new ideas in their personal or professional lives.
As I refined my workshop plan, I recognised that an effective workshop must not only deliver content but also create opportunities for participants to reflect, process, and internalise that content. Whether through group discussions, peer feedback, or personal reflection time, the post-workshop reflection phase is vital for ensuring that the learning process extends beyond the duration of the session itself and has a lasting impact on participants' growth.
