Student experiences and entrepreneurship education in a specialist creative arts HEI: a longitudinal approach

A longitudinal study of music students in a specialist higher education institution explored career intentions of students preparing for a career in the music industry. Stage of study had an impact on career goals, with students likely to gravitate away from aspirations for a performance career, towards a portfolio, freelance career. Alumni data supported this, with 80.3% of graduates from the institution currently engaged in a portfolio career. Reasons for changing intentions included gaining awareness of alternatives, personal insights, and negative prospects of the sector. Role models and other sources of inspiration were also key. Early students, especially those holding offers and yet to start, were particularly susceptible to external inspiration, such as advice or experiencing an exciting performance. Alumni were inspired by continuing to learn new skills, and networking with peers. Students were asked to self-rate themselves against generic industry competencies, and were most confident in setting goals and working as a team, and least confident in applying specific business skills such as managing finances. Findings are discussed in relation to the role that entrepreneurship education can play in supporting the needs of students in specialist performing arts, underpinning the need for early intervention and support as students perspectives emerge and are re-evaluated during their studies.

Patterns of verbal interaction in newly formed music ensembles

Ensemble rehearsal in the European classical music tradition has a relatively homogenised format in which play-through, discussion, and practice of excerpts are employed to establish and agree on performance parameters of notated music. This research analyses patterns in such verbal communication during rehearsals and their development over time. Analysing two newly established ensembles that work over several months to a performance, it investigates the interaction dynamics of two closely collaborating groups and adaptation depending on task demands, familiarity with each other and an upcoming deadline. A case study approach with two groups of five singers allowed in-depth exploration of individual behaviours and contributions; results are reported descriptively and supported by qualitative data. The results highlight changes over time that reflect the development of implicit (faster decisions) interactions from explicit (slower decisions). They show a trajectory of opening up and closing down in terms of interactional flexibility, enabling members to significantly contribute to the group, followed by tightening the interaction to establish stability for performance. These findings and novel employment of T-pattern analysis contribute to the understanding of human group behaviour and interaction patterns leading to expert team performance.

A Longitudinal Study of Intonation in an a cappella Singing Quintet

OBJECTIVE

The skill to control pitch accurately is an important feature of performance in singing ensembles as it boosts musical excellence. Previous studies analyzing single performance sessions provide inconclusive and contrasting results on whether singers in ensembles tend to use a tuning system which deviates from equal temperament for their intonation. The present study observes the evolution of intonation in a newly formed student singing quintet during their first term of study.

METHODS/DESIGN

A semiprofessional singing quintet was recorded using head-worn microphones and electrolaryngograph electrodes to allow fundamental frequency (f_o) evaluation of the individual voices. In addition, a camcorder was used to record verbal interactions between singers. The ensemble rehearsed a homophonic piece arranged for the study during five rehearsal sessions over four months. Singers practiced the piece for 10 minutes in each rehearsal, and performed three repetitions of the same pieces pre-rehearsal and post-rehearsal. Audio and electrolaryngograph data of the repeated performances, and video recordings of the rehearsals were analyzed. Aspects of intonation were then measured by extracting the f_o values from the electrolaryngograph and acoustic signal, and compared within rehearsals (pre and post) and between rehearsals (rehearsals 1 to 5), and across repetitions (take 1 to 3). Time-stamped transcriptions of rehearsal discussions were used to identify verbal interactions related to tuning, the tuning strategies adopted, and their location (bar or chord) within the piece.

RESULTS/DISCUSSION

Tuning of each singer was closer to equal temperament than just intonation, but the size of major thirds was slightly closer to just intonation, and minor thirds closer to equal temperament. These findings were consistent within and between rehearsals, and across repetitions. Tuning was highlighted as an important feature of rehearsal during the study term, and a range of strategies were adopted to solve tuning related issues. This study provides a novel holistic assessment of tuning strategies within a singing ensemble, furthering understanding of performance practices as well as revealing the complex approach needed for future research in this area. These findings are particularly important for directors and singers to tailor rehearsal strategies that address tuning in singing ensembles, showing that approaches need to be context driven rather than based on theoretical ideal.