Gender, rock and the electrical guitar : A post -structural reading
- Fourie, Jeandre, Potgieter, Zelda
- Authors: Fourie, Jeandre , Potgieter, Zelda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Rock Music -- History -- Criticism , Gender identity in Music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46880 , vital:39721
- Description: Rock ‘n’ roll and, by extension, the electric guitar, is widely considered as a “gendered field of practice” (Leonard 2015: 184), governed by the hyper-masculine ideal (Hartman and Schmid 2014: 60). Both function as extensions of masculinity, representing an ideological binary of male superiority and female inferiority. This manifests concretely in the perceived disparity regarding gender representation amongst rock musicians, particularly guitarists, and often leads to somewhat one-dimensional views about the misogyny associated with the genre (Gracyk 2001: 182-183). However, by applying a post-structural reading and deconstructing the binary according to a theoretical framework inspired by the works of Julia Kristeva -- presented in a Hegelian dialectical model, with additional insight drawn from the works of Jacques Lacan and Sigmund Freud- it becomes apparent that the male claim to, and overrepresentation within,the genre is a multifaceted issue, born of a combination of natural and social constructionist factors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Fourie, Jeandre , Potgieter, Zelda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Rock Music -- History -- Criticism , Gender identity in Music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/46880 , vital:39721
- Description: Rock ‘n’ roll and, by extension, the electric guitar, is widely considered as a “gendered field of practice” (Leonard 2015: 184), governed by the hyper-masculine ideal (Hartman and Schmid 2014: 60). Both function as extensions of masculinity, representing an ideological binary of male superiority and female inferiority. This manifests concretely in the perceived disparity regarding gender representation amongst rock musicians, particularly guitarists, and often leads to somewhat one-dimensional views about the misogyny associated with the genre (Gracyk 2001: 182-183). However, by applying a post-structural reading and deconstructing the binary according to a theoretical framework inspired by the works of Julia Kristeva -- presented in a Hegelian dialectical model, with additional insight drawn from the works of Jacques Lacan and Sigmund Freud- it becomes apparent that the male claim to, and overrepresentation within,the genre is a multifaceted issue, born of a combination of natural and social constructionist factors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Music listening and its cognitive effect on learning
- Authors: Freer, Angela Elizabeth
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Music -- Psychological aspects , Music therapy Cognitive learning Music appreciation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39807 , vital:35462
- Description: This experimental study focuses on the activity of music-listening and its effect on students’ learning and memory. This is particularly relevant today given the ‘sound-consuming culture’ which results from advanced multimedia technologies. To determine music-listening’s effect on students, we examined the cognitive effect that music-listening had on their memory and learning. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit a limited population of 227 male and female participants from three Port Elizabeth high schools between the Grades of 8 and 9. A ‘two group design’ was used with 189 students (54 males; 123 females) completing a word-recall test and reading comprehension test. During the first round of testing all participants completed both tests under the first music treatment condition: silence. During the second round of testing, a second set of tests was provided with the experimental group placed under a treatment condition of self-selected background music while the control group remained under the condition of silence. Independent sample t-tests were used to analyse the data of this study. The results showed that listening to self-selected background music had a negative cognitive effect on students’ memory and learning during the completion of the word-recall tests. However, no significant effect was found in students’ ability to complete a reading comprehension. In addition, this study also showed that female students seemed to have significant negative cognitive effect during the word-recall test. The findings of this study therefore showed that, depending on the task, word-recall tests (but not reading comprehension tests) were cognitively affected by music-listening.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Freer, Angela Elizabeth
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Music -- Psychological aspects , Music therapy Cognitive learning Music appreciation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39807 , vital:35462
- Description: This experimental study focuses on the activity of music-listening and its effect on students’ learning and memory. This is particularly relevant today given the ‘sound-consuming culture’ which results from advanced multimedia technologies. To determine music-listening’s effect on students, we examined the cognitive effect that music-listening had on their memory and learning. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit a limited population of 227 male and female participants from three Port Elizabeth high schools between the Grades of 8 and 9. A ‘two group design’ was used with 189 students (54 males; 123 females) completing a word-recall test and reading comprehension test. During the first round of testing all participants completed both tests under the first music treatment condition: silence. During the second round of testing, a second set of tests was provided with the experimental group placed under a treatment condition of self-selected background music while the control group remained under the condition of silence. Independent sample t-tests were used to analyse the data of this study. The results showed that listening to self-selected background music had a negative cognitive effect on students’ memory and learning during the completion of the word-recall tests. However, no significant effect was found in students’ ability to complete a reading comprehension. In addition, this study also showed that female students seemed to have significant negative cognitive effect during the word-recall test. The findings of this study therefore showed that, depending on the task, word-recall tests (but not reading comprehension tests) were cognitively affected by music-listening.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Portfolio of original compositions
- Authors: Nabal, Ruhan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Composition (Music) Music -- South Africa Suites (Orchestra , Piano music Marimba music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23858 , vital:30630
- Description: This Orchestral Suite was inspired by the art illustrations from Brian Froud’s book ‘Good Faeries Bad Faeries’, where each piece in the suite represents a drawing from his book, portraying three good faeries and three bad and is in many ways a tone poem. Each pieces calls for different orchestration to create individual colour to make each piece unique. Permission was not consented to include the drawings. The line-up is as follows:I. Waters of Wisdom – Overture to the faerie realm (good)II. The Thoughts of the Melancholic Faerie – She contemplates ofpast and present (bad)III. A Banshee Passing – the idea of death as coming unknowingly and going quietly (bad)IV. Introduction to Faerie Lilu – clearing the mist V. The Faerie Lilu – the provocateur of restlessness – she inspires wild dreams, lost fantasies and gives artists their sparks of genius (bad) VI. A Cluster of Hedgerow Pixies – They are very mischievous – in a (good) way.VII. The Dance of the Oboe Faerie – a Finale (good). While he dances, he also sings of the faerie realm.A number of composers inspired me to pursue such a work, and firstly G. Holst has left his mark on me. The first and sixth movement was inspired by the ‘Planets’. The fifth movement is actually in homage to the French composer Frank Martin with the composition ‘Petite symphonie’ where he displays the piano and harpsichord – as I have done. The second and third movements are attempts to portray film music, such as composers H. Zimmerman and D.Elfman. The last movement has many neo-classical elements displayed and I. Stravinsky had a notable influence on this piece. All the composers mentioned here have contributed in more than one piece at some point in time.The theme of the work, the magical theme, always makes me reminisce my childhood where I would in amazement wonder about my grandmothers glorious garden in search of all that is magical, and composing this took me back to that time of innocent, child-like wonder.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Nabal, Ruhan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Composition (Music) Music -- South Africa Suites (Orchestra , Piano music Marimba music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23858 , vital:30630
- Description: This Orchestral Suite was inspired by the art illustrations from Brian Froud’s book ‘Good Faeries Bad Faeries’, where each piece in the suite represents a drawing from his book, portraying three good faeries and three bad and is in many ways a tone poem. Each pieces calls for different orchestration to create individual colour to make each piece unique. Permission was not consented to include the drawings. The line-up is as follows:I. Waters of Wisdom – Overture to the faerie realm (good)II. The Thoughts of the Melancholic Faerie – She contemplates ofpast and present (bad)III. A Banshee Passing – the idea of death as coming unknowingly and going quietly (bad)IV. Introduction to Faerie Lilu – clearing the mist V. The Faerie Lilu – the provocateur of restlessness – she inspires wild dreams, lost fantasies and gives artists their sparks of genius (bad) VI. A Cluster of Hedgerow Pixies – They are very mischievous – in a (good) way.VII. The Dance of the Oboe Faerie – a Finale (good). While he dances, he also sings of the faerie realm.A number of composers inspired me to pursue such a work, and firstly G. Holst has left his mark on me. The first and sixth movement was inspired by the ‘Planets’. The fifth movement is actually in homage to the French composer Frank Martin with the composition ‘Petite symphonie’ where he displays the piano and harpsichord – as I have done. The second and third movements are attempts to portray film music, such as composers H. Zimmerman and D.Elfman. The last movement has many neo-classical elements displayed and I. Stravinsky had a notable influence on this piece. All the composers mentioned here have contributed in more than one piece at some point in time.The theme of the work, the magical theme, always makes me reminisce my childhood where I would in amazement wonder about my grandmothers glorious garden in search of all that is magical, and composing this took me back to that time of innocent, child-like wonder.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The evolution of the role of the orchestral conductor
- Authors: Snyman, Grant
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Music , Orchestral music Orchestral music -- Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics, etc.) Conducting
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23153 , vital:30435
- Description: Orchestral conducting is an art form and profession that has existed for over two centuries – but with little detailed documentation. Thus, the core focus of the treatise is to provide a detailed history of the changing role of the orchestral conductor, his role in orchestral music and the future of orchestral conducting as a profession. The treatise describes the periodical history of the orchestra in relation to the need for a conductor that has developed. It discusses four composer-conductors who had a profound and lasting impact on orchestral conducting as a full-time profession. The treatise also highlights two leading international orchestras. These two international orchestras, with the help of their musical directors, were able to reach new musical achievements in the 20th Century. A broad description of the role of the orchestral conductor in South Africa is provided. Moreover, the researcher explores the reasons why classical music, as an established art form, performed by symphony orchestras, has increasingly struggled internationally as a sustainable industry. Finally, the researcher draws on the theoretical framework and his own experience to make recommendations for future development of conductors as well as research in this field.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Snyman, Grant
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Music , Orchestral music Orchestral music -- Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics, etc.) Conducting
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23153 , vital:30435
- Description: Orchestral conducting is an art form and profession that has existed for over two centuries – but with little detailed documentation. Thus, the core focus of the treatise is to provide a detailed history of the changing role of the orchestral conductor, his role in orchestral music and the future of orchestral conducting as a profession. The treatise describes the periodical history of the orchestra in relation to the need for a conductor that has developed. It discusses four composer-conductors who had a profound and lasting impact on orchestral conducting as a full-time profession. The treatise also highlights two leading international orchestras. These two international orchestras, with the help of their musical directors, were able to reach new musical achievements in the 20th Century. A broad description of the role of the orchestral conductor in South Africa is provided. Moreover, the researcher explores the reasons why classical music, as an established art form, performed by symphony orchestras, has increasingly struggled internationally as a sustainable industry. Finally, the researcher draws on the theoretical framework and his own experience to make recommendations for future development of conductors as well as research in this field.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Musical expressivity in choral singing
- Authors: Agenbag, Gustel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Choral singing , Choirs (Music) , Music -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13614 , vital:27257
- Description: This qualitative mini-treatise explores Musical expressivity in choral singing with reference to three High School choirs in the Port Elizabeth area. Singing with emotions is not only a facial expression of some sort. There are so many more aspects which could be applied in order for the choral performance to be of an outstanding nature and not merely a performance. The researcher questioned the possibility of introducing expressiveness into rehearsals and performance through the application of more expressive conducting techniques, more detailed musical aspects and a general sense of unity within the group. The choral conductor plays a primary role and should therefore be considered as the most important link between choir and excellence. Focus is put on specific warm up exercises and suggestions are put forward regarding the development of your own, personalized exercises which suits your own unique setup. Data was collected through open-ended interviewees of the three school choir conductors as well as data from current and past studies on various topics. The perceptions of these conductors were noted and the manner in which they apply Musical knowledge during their rehearsals. Research findings indicate that not enough emphasis is put on expressive singing during rehearsals. More research done by the conductors and attending workshops are recommended for personal growth and development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Agenbag, Gustel
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Choral singing , Choirs (Music) , Music -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13614 , vital:27257
- Description: This qualitative mini-treatise explores Musical expressivity in choral singing with reference to three High School choirs in the Port Elizabeth area. Singing with emotions is not only a facial expression of some sort. There are so many more aspects which could be applied in order for the choral performance to be of an outstanding nature and not merely a performance. The researcher questioned the possibility of introducing expressiveness into rehearsals and performance through the application of more expressive conducting techniques, more detailed musical aspects and a general sense of unity within the group. The choral conductor plays a primary role and should therefore be considered as the most important link between choir and excellence. Focus is put on specific warm up exercises and suggestions are put forward regarding the development of your own, personalized exercises which suits your own unique setup. Data was collected through open-ended interviewees of the three school choir conductors as well as data from current and past studies on various topics. The perceptions of these conductors were noted and the manner in which they apply Musical knowledge during their rehearsals. Research findings indicate that not enough emphasis is put on expressive singing during rehearsals. More research done by the conductors and attending workshops are recommended for personal growth and development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The changing fortunes of the organ: the viewpoints of church organists in the Anglican churches of Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Stone, Justin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organ (Musical instrument) -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Organists -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Church of England -- Organs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23502 , vital:30569
- Description: This study investigates the changing role of the organ within the Anglican Church of Port Elizabeth. In this study, the term The Church of England is used to refer to both the Anglican Church in England and the Anglican Church (Church of the Province) of Southern Africa. The organ has over many centuries evolved and risen to a place of dominance within the church. Many factors such as political influence, the increase in technology and the use of the organ within the liturgy of the church have contributed to this situation. Equally evident in practices in modern churches and societies is the diminished role of the organ. Again, many factors such as a change in church liturgy, a lack of organists and a negative bias towards the organ have influenced the decrease in the popularity and use of the instrument. In order to prove the rise and fall of the organ a quantitative study in the form of a literature review was employed to trace the organ‟s claim to power as well as the status it gained and to outline the reasons for its decline in power. To investigate this phenomenon, research was conducted in nine selected Anglican churches in Port Elizabeth, that have pipe organs and which were established by the British settlers, along the traditional lines of Anglican churches. The results are discussed and the narratives of the respondents recorded. Findings from the study show that the organ has lost its authoritative voice in the church. The organ is no longer the preferred and only instrument utilized for music and accompaniment within the average Anglican parish service. An urgent and careful response is needed to promote the organ in church services and in the music life of society.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Stone, Justin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organ (Musical instrument) -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Organists -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Church of England -- Organs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23502 , vital:30569
- Description: This study investigates the changing role of the organ within the Anglican Church of Port Elizabeth. In this study, the term The Church of England is used to refer to both the Anglican Church in England and the Anglican Church (Church of the Province) of Southern Africa. The organ has over many centuries evolved and risen to a place of dominance within the church. Many factors such as political influence, the increase in technology and the use of the organ within the liturgy of the church have contributed to this situation. Equally evident in practices in modern churches and societies is the diminished role of the organ. Again, many factors such as a change in church liturgy, a lack of organists and a negative bias towards the organ have influenced the decrease in the popularity and use of the instrument. In order to prove the rise and fall of the organ a quantitative study in the form of a literature review was employed to trace the organ‟s claim to power as well as the status it gained and to outline the reasons for its decline in power. To investigate this phenomenon, research was conducted in nine selected Anglican churches in Port Elizabeth, that have pipe organs and which were established by the British settlers, along the traditional lines of Anglican churches. The results are discussed and the narratives of the respondents recorded. Findings from the study show that the organ has lost its authoritative voice in the church. The organ is no longer the preferred and only instrument utilized for music and accompaniment within the average Anglican parish service. An urgent and careful response is needed to promote the organ in church services and in the music life of society.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Brain-based learning and music education
- Authors: Viljoen, Jacobus Frederick
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Music -- Instruction and study , Cognitive learning , Music teachers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7359 , vital:21336
- Description: In the theoretical framework he highlights further implications of the Brain-based theory, which are (1) the importance of early development in children, (2) the importance of attention in class, (3) the inclusion of physical education in the learning process and (4) the value of an enriched learning environment. Furthermore, the researcher explores the types of stress found in the ordinary classroom as well as specific types of stress habitual to the music classroom, while also presenting possible solutions to these types of stress using the Brain-based learning theory. In chapter four, the researcher draws on the theoretical framework presented in the study to devise a Brain-based model for the music class. The study concludes with a summary of the literature and a brief concluding statement to music educators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Viljoen, Jacobus Frederick
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Music -- Instruction and study , Cognitive learning , Music teachers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7359 , vital:21336
- Description: In the theoretical framework he highlights further implications of the Brain-based theory, which are (1) the importance of early development in children, (2) the importance of attention in class, (3) the inclusion of physical education in the learning process and (4) the value of an enriched learning environment. Furthermore, the researcher explores the types of stress found in the ordinary classroom as well as specific types of stress habitual to the music classroom, while also presenting possible solutions to these types of stress using the Brain-based learning theory. In chapter four, the researcher draws on the theoretical framework presented in the study to devise a Brain-based model for the music class. The study concludes with a summary of the literature and a brief concluding statement to music educators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Deconstructing Disney's diva: a feminist psychoanalytic critique of the singing princess
- Authors: Potgieter, Liske
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Music -- Semiotics , Disney characters , Feminist music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3379 , vital:20427
- Description: This study contributes to the discourse of the body and the voice in feminist psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic film theory by exploring the currently under-theorised notion of the singing body in particular, as this notion finds manifestation in Disney's Singing Princess. Analyses of musical coding and other filmic tropes follow the trajectory of the Singing Princess across thirteen Disney Princess films - from her first appearance in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) through to her most recent manifestation as Elsa in Frozen (2013) - to reveal deeper insight into what she sings, how she sings and why she sings.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Potgieter, Liske
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Music -- Semiotics , Disney characters , Feminist music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3379 , vital:20427
- Description: This study contributes to the discourse of the body and the voice in feminist psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic film theory by exploring the currently under-theorised notion of the singing body in particular, as this notion finds manifestation in Disney's Singing Princess. Analyses of musical coding and other filmic tropes follow the trajectory of the Singing Princess across thirteen Disney Princess films - from her first appearance in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) through to her most recent manifestation as Elsa in Frozen (2013) - to reveal deeper insight into what she sings, how she sings and why she sings.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2015
Music education in the foundation phase
- Authors: Beer, Luzaan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Music -- Instruction and study -- South Africa , Education -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8525 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020302
- Description: Music education is an essential aspect of education. The South African school curriculum for the Creative Arts combines dance, drama, music and the visual arts. The curriculum uses a combination of the theories of Carl Orff, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and Zoltán Kodály. Each of these music theorists and educationists have their own distinctive approach to teaching music. This study explores the theories of music education of Carl Orff, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and Zoltán Kodály. These theories are applied in a critical analysis of both the South African curriculum and the curriculum of New South Wales. The researcher developed music activities to address the shortcomings of both the South African curriculum and the music texts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Beer, Luzaan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Music -- Instruction and study -- South Africa , Education -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8525 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020302
- Description: Music education is an essential aspect of education. The South African school curriculum for the Creative Arts combines dance, drama, music and the visual arts. The curriculum uses a combination of the theories of Carl Orff, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and Zoltán Kodály. Each of these music theorists and educationists have their own distinctive approach to teaching music. This study explores the theories of music education of Carl Orff, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and Zoltán Kodály. These theories are applied in a critical analysis of both the South African curriculum and the curriculum of New South Wales. The researcher developed music activities to address the shortcomings of both the South African curriculum and the music texts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
(De)constructing the archive : an annotated catalog of the Deon van der Walt Collection in the NMMU Library
- Authors: Buys, Frederick Jacobus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Music -- Bibliography -- Catalogs , Archives -- Catalogs , Tenors (Singers) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8526 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020585
- Description: Deon van der Walt was, at the height of his career, considered the leading lyric tenor of his generation. In a career that spanned more than 25 years he performed in the great opera houses of the world and sang for the leading conductors of the time, sharing the stage with the best singers in the world. He was the first male South African to accomplish the so-called “grand slam” of opera, having sung in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London), Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna), La Scala (Milan) and the Metropolitan Opera House (New York). He was also a prolific oratorio and lieder singer, collaborating with the best artists the musical world had to offer. In addition he left a large recorded legacy, both published and unpublished. His untimely death on 29 November 2005 was extensively reported on both locally and abroad - a fact which again highlighted the importance of his personal and professional contribution to the international opera world.The Deon van der Walt Collection is the single most important key to unlocking the life and career of one of the most successful South African opera singers of all time. It was bequeathed to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Library the Deon van der Walt Trust in 2007. The collection is made up of an arbitrary assortment of books, documents, sound and video recordings that were left in van der Walt’s Zürich accommodations at the time of his death in 2005. It is housed in separate section on the lower level of the South Campus Library of the NMMU. The collection has been partially catalogued by the NMMU Library but left largely unattended for the last 6 years. The compiling of an annotated catalogue of this collection is the vital first step in connecting the dots of an extraordinary musical career that was hailed as one of the greatest of his time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Buys, Frederick Jacobus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Music -- Bibliography -- Catalogs , Archives -- Catalogs , Tenors (Singers) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8526 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020585
- Description: Deon van der Walt was, at the height of his career, considered the leading lyric tenor of his generation. In a career that spanned more than 25 years he performed in the great opera houses of the world and sang for the leading conductors of the time, sharing the stage with the best singers in the world. He was the first male South African to accomplish the so-called “grand slam” of opera, having sung in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London), Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna), La Scala (Milan) and the Metropolitan Opera House (New York). He was also a prolific oratorio and lieder singer, collaborating with the best artists the musical world had to offer. In addition he left a large recorded legacy, both published and unpublished. His untimely death on 29 November 2005 was extensively reported on both locally and abroad - a fact which again highlighted the importance of his personal and professional contribution to the international opera world.The Deon van der Walt Collection is the single most important key to unlocking the life and career of one of the most successful South African opera singers of all time. It was bequeathed to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Library the Deon van der Walt Trust in 2007. The collection is made up of an arbitrary assortment of books, documents, sound and video recordings that were left in van der Walt’s Zürich accommodations at the time of his death in 2005. It is housed in separate section on the lower level of the South Campus Library of the NMMU. The collection has been partially catalogued by the NMMU Library but left largely unattended for the last 6 years. The compiling of an annotated catalogue of this collection is the vital first step in connecting the dots of an extraordinary musical career that was hailed as one of the greatest of his time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A critical study in the management of the female adolescent voice
- Authors: Goosen, Gysbert Jacobus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Voice, Change of , Women singers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3438 , vital:20430
- Description: This treatise is a qualitative study that critically explores a current body of knowledge significant to the development of the female adolescent voice. The female adolescent voice is a field that is relatively under-researched in comparison to the male adolescent voice, although research in this regard has shown an increase in interest in the last two decades (Gackle 2011: 11). However, information related to the male adolescent voice still far outweighs the female adolescent voice. This study, through the use of six secondary objectives, identifies and highlights areas of the female adolescent voice development, where much of the current research lacks depth and insight. It therefore analyses and compares applicable literature in an attempt principally to contribute to a more structured and academic approach in this field. Insight into the auditory effects that occur during physiological mutation is further supported by investigating the functioning of the female voice registers and the respective influences of these on the different phases of vocal development of the female adolescent. The assistance and expertise of the conductor in this process, as well as in common areas such as voice classification, auditioning, voice placement, and repertoire selection are investigated to further consolidate and compare possible interventions for problems pertaining specifically to the female adolescent voice. The study concludes with a summary of the treatise and proposes suggestions for further study in this field.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Goosen, Gysbert Jacobus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Voice, Change of , Women singers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3438 , vital:20430
- Description: This treatise is a qualitative study that critically explores a current body of knowledge significant to the development of the female adolescent voice. The female adolescent voice is a field that is relatively under-researched in comparison to the male adolescent voice, although research in this regard has shown an increase in interest in the last two decades (Gackle 2011: 11). However, information related to the male adolescent voice still far outweighs the female adolescent voice. This study, through the use of six secondary objectives, identifies and highlights areas of the female adolescent voice development, where much of the current research lacks depth and insight. It therefore analyses and compares applicable literature in an attempt principally to contribute to a more structured and academic approach in this field. Insight into the auditory effects that occur during physiological mutation is further supported by investigating the functioning of the female voice registers and the respective influences of these on the different phases of vocal development of the female adolescent. The assistance and expertise of the conductor in this process, as well as in common areas such as voice classification, auditioning, voice placement, and repertoire selection are investigated to further consolidate and compare possible interventions for problems pertaining specifically to the female adolescent voice. The study concludes with a summary of the treatise and proposes suggestions for further study in this field.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Confronting Afrikaans diction challenges in non-Afrikaans mother tongue choirs
- Authors: Botha, Charlotte
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Choral singing -- Diction , Afrikaans language -- Diction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8529 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020956
- Description: This study is an initial attempt to identify the most common Afrikaans diction challenges experienced by non-Afrikaans mother tongue speaking choirs, and to explore means of confronting these challenges. No dedicated source exists for choral diction in Afrikaans as a foreign language. This study reviews personal views and literature from various fields that would inform several key elements necessary for the creation of such a source. The primary data for this study was collected through study questionnaires, completed by expert choral conductors who are highly regarded for their success in teaching and performing Afrikaans diction in non-Afrikaans mother tongue speaking choirs, in performance settings such as the ATKV-Applous Choir Competition. Through its proposition of methods for the improvement of Afrikaans diction practices in the non-Afrikaans choral setting, the study promotes the prolific composition of Afrikaans choral literature, and its ubiquitous inclusion in choral repertoire both in South Africa and abroad.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Botha, Charlotte
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Choral singing -- Diction , Afrikaans language -- Diction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8529 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020956
- Description: This study is an initial attempt to identify the most common Afrikaans diction challenges experienced by non-Afrikaans mother tongue speaking choirs, and to explore means of confronting these challenges. No dedicated source exists for choral diction in Afrikaans as a foreign language. This study reviews personal views and literature from various fields that would inform several key elements necessary for the creation of such a source. The primary data for this study was collected through study questionnaires, completed by expert choral conductors who are highly regarded for their success in teaching and performing Afrikaans diction in non-Afrikaans mother tongue speaking choirs, in performance settings such as the ATKV-Applous Choir Competition. Through its proposition of methods for the improvement of Afrikaans diction practices in the non-Afrikaans choral setting, the study promotes the prolific composition of Afrikaans choral literature, and its ubiquitous inclusion in choral repertoire both in South Africa and abroad.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Portfolio of compositions
- Authors: Simpson, Wayne Charles
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7385 , vital:21343
- Description: This essay will address the evolving nature of, and diversity, in method types of musical analysis. It will explore the connection between methods and approach types to musical analysis and related conceptions of what constitutes meaning in music. These methods will be largely understood as operating inside given parameters of musical meaning. Following a short history of some of the developments concerning structure in music from the 17th to late 19th century, I will discuss some of the dominant analytical methods and aim to highlight common features between them. I will discuss the different approaches these methods employ and highlight areas where a given method might be seen as using more than one approach. I will then investigate some approaches to composition that fall outside the conventional view of musical meaning and ultimately suggest the application of an eclectic model to musical analysis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Simpson, Wayne Charles
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Composition (Music) , Music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7385 , vital:21343
- Description: This essay will address the evolving nature of, and diversity, in method types of musical analysis. It will explore the connection between methods and approach types to musical analysis and related conceptions of what constitutes meaning in music. These methods will be largely understood as operating inside given parameters of musical meaning. Following a short history of some of the developments concerning structure in music from the 17th to late 19th century, I will discuss some of the dominant analytical methods and aim to highlight common features between them. I will discuss the different approaches these methods employ and highlight areas where a given method might be seen as using more than one approach. I will then investigate some approaches to composition that fall outside the conventional view of musical meaning and ultimately suggest the application of an eclectic model to musical analysis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, and the discursive arena between (re)composition and performance : the case of Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata, opus 36
- Authors: Maritz, Gerhardus Petrus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rachmaninoff, Sergei, 1873-1943 , Horowitz, Vladimir, 1903-1989 , Sonatas (Piano) , Piano music , Concertos (Piano)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8527 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020784
- Description: This treatise aims to uncover possible reasons as to why composers rework their compositions. In attempting to answer questions regarding musical and extra-musical (referential) criteria, surrounding conditions and the role performers play in acting as conduits of the aforementioned, the study focuses on three versions of Rachmaninoff’s second Piano Sonata, opus 36. The first of these was composed in 1913, the second constitutes the composer’s revision of this work in 1931, and the third, a subsequent amalgamation of both previously mentioned versions by pianist Horowitz in 1943. The research is grounded in the theoretical ideas of organicist musical structuralism and thematic/motivic transformation (Reti), musical hermeneutics and phenomenology, musical forces (Larsen) and authenticity in musical performance (Taruskin). In addition this study explores methods of critical reading that may be used to disclose the conflicting yet complementary demands of “conciseness” and “drama” contained within the parameters of the three aforementioned versions of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata Op. 36. An introductory chapter is followed by one in which a historical context provides the intertextual matrix against which the musical personae of Rachmaninoff and Horowitz, as well as the three versions of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata Op. 36, may be understood. The chapter thereafter provides a concise overview of the history of musical analysis and the Tendenzwende which signified the change from a purely positivistic analytical approach to a post-modernist perspective on musical critique, against which background a motivation is provided for the analytical approaches applied in this treatise. Chapters 4 and 5 present detailed readings of the sonata from the perspective of “conciseness” and “drama” respectively. In conclusion, the final chapter reflects on findings made and conclusion drawn, with particular reference to the authenticity debate in current musicological discourse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Maritz, Gerhardus Petrus
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rachmaninoff, Sergei, 1873-1943 , Horowitz, Vladimir, 1903-1989 , Sonatas (Piano) , Piano music , Concertos (Piano)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8527 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020784
- Description: This treatise aims to uncover possible reasons as to why composers rework their compositions. In attempting to answer questions regarding musical and extra-musical (referential) criteria, surrounding conditions and the role performers play in acting as conduits of the aforementioned, the study focuses on three versions of Rachmaninoff’s second Piano Sonata, opus 36. The first of these was composed in 1913, the second constitutes the composer’s revision of this work in 1931, and the third, a subsequent amalgamation of both previously mentioned versions by pianist Horowitz in 1943. The research is grounded in the theoretical ideas of organicist musical structuralism and thematic/motivic transformation (Reti), musical hermeneutics and phenomenology, musical forces (Larsen) and authenticity in musical performance (Taruskin). In addition this study explores methods of critical reading that may be used to disclose the conflicting yet complementary demands of “conciseness” and “drama” contained within the parameters of the three aforementioned versions of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata Op. 36. An introductory chapter is followed by one in which a historical context provides the intertextual matrix against which the musical personae of Rachmaninoff and Horowitz, as well as the three versions of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata Op. 36, may be understood. The chapter thereafter provides a concise overview of the history of musical analysis and the Tendenzwende which signified the change from a purely positivistic analytical approach to a post-modernist perspective on musical critique, against which background a motivation is provided for the analytical approaches applied in this treatise. Chapters 4 and 5 present detailed readings of the sonata from the perspective of “conciseness” and “drama” respectively. In conclusion, the final chapter reflects on findings made and conclusion drawn, with particular reference to the authenticity debate in current musicological discourse.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
An investigation of community music in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth :a case study of five community bands
- Tobias, Michael Charles Peter
- Authors: Tobias, Michael Charles Peter
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Community music -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Bands (Music) -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8528 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020949
- Description: The Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth are mostly comprised of the so called “Coloured” community and is vibrant in tradition and musical activities. Community music in the form of marching bands, brigade bands, wind bands and brass bands form a central part of the music activities in this area. The non-availability of music education in schools combined with the multitude of social challenges creates a cultural and moral vacuum. Children are not exposed to the finer arts and music in particular and without these bands and groups probably never will. This study will explore five community bands/groups and the role they play in the lives of people and especially the children and the youth. The impact and influence music has on the social upliftment of under-privileged children in this area has never been studied. The study shows the big impact these bands/groups have on the children and the communities they serve and highlights the dedication and good work of those band managers working with these groups. The study concludes with a proposal that an art/music centre be established in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Tobias, Michael Charles Peter
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Community music -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Bands (Music) -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8528 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020949
- Description: The Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth are mostly comprised of the so called “Coloured” community and is vibrant in tradition and musical activities. Community music in the form of marching bands, brigade bands, wind bands and brass bands form a central part of the music activities in this area. The non-availability of music education in schools combined with the multitude of social challenges creates a cultural and moral vacuum. Children are not exposed to the finer arts and music in particular and without these bands and groups probably never will. This study will explore five community bands/groups and the role they play in the lives of people and especially the children and the youth. The impact and influence music has on the social upliftment of under-privileged children in this area has never been studied. The study shows the big impact these bands/groups have on the children and the communities they serve and highlights the dedication and good work of those band managers working with these groups. The study concludes with a proposal that an art/music centre be established in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
A critical study of voice teaching method, with specific reference to solo singing, choral singing and vocal health for the teenage singer
- Authors: Olivier, Madelie Charlotte
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Singing -- Instruction and study , Voice culture -- Exercises , Singing -- Methods
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8523 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019926
- Description: This dissertation presents a critical study of voice teaching method as this pertains to the high school learner studying voice within the South African educational environment, with learning outcomes determined for subject music within the GET (General Education and Training) and FET (Further Education and Training) bands of the Department of Basic Education at each school grade level, as well as by external examining bodies such as Unisa (University of South Africa), Trinity Guildhall and ABRSM (Amalgamated Board of the Royal Schools of Music). Emphasis is placed on the methodological principles applicable in the case of the Western classical music solo vocal repertoire, but reference is also made to the applicability of this method in other vocal genres and, in particular, in the case of choral music participation. Special attention is given to the subject of the vocal health of the developing teenage voice, which includes an overview of vocal disorders and suggestions for rehabilitation and remedial programmes where necessary. Triangulation of research results is achieved in this study through inclusion of: - A thorough survey of selected pertinent bibliographic sources - Description of and engagement with the researcher’s own numerous phenomenological encounters in this field - Interviews conducted in Port Elizabeth with Jill Nock, voice teacher, on the subject of voice teaching method, and with John Black, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist, on the subject of vocal health. The researcher concludes that there is a need for continued education and training of music educators in the South African high school environment, many of whom are not trained voice specialists, in order to cater for the growing number of high school music learners who choose to specialise in voice. Although educator networking can go a long way towards creating an informal support system to address this need, it is ultimately the responsibility of the Department of Basic Education to address this in a formal and all-encompassing fashion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Olivier, Madelie Charlotte
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Singing -- Instruction and study , Voice culture -- Exercises , Singing -- Methods
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8523 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019926
- Description: This dissertation presents a critical study of voice teaching method as this pertains to the high school learner studying voice within the South African educational environment, with learning outcomes determined for subject music within the GET (General Education and Training) and FET (Further Education and Training) bands of the Department of Basic Education at each school grade level, as well as by external examining bodies such as Unisa (University of South Africa), Trinity Guildhall and ABRSM (Amalgamated Board of the Royal Schools of Music). Emphasis is placed on the methodological principles applicable in the case of the Western classical music solo vocal repertoire, but reference is also made to the applicability of this method in other vocal genres and, in particular, in the case of choral music participation. Special attention is given to the subject of the vocal health of the developing teenage voice, which includes an overview of vocal disorders and suggestions for rehabilitation and remedial programmes where necessary. Triangulation of research results is achieved in this study through inclusion of: - A thorough survey of selected pertinent bibliographic sources - Description of and engagement with the researcher’s own numerous phenomenological encounters in this field - Interviews conducted in Port Elizabeth with Jill Nock, voice teacher, on the subject of voice teaching method, and with John Black, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist, on the subject of vocal health. The researcher concludes that there is a need for continued education and training of music educators in the South African high school environment, many of whom are not trained voice specialists, in order to cater for the growing number of high school music learners who choose to specialise in voice. Although educator networking can go a long way towards creating an informal support system to address this need, it is ultimately the responsibility of the Department of Basic Education to address this in a formal and all-encompassing fashion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the efficacy of digital real-time noise control techniques in evoking the musical effect
- Authors: Warneke, Andrew Travis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music -- Acoustics and physics , Signal processing -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8524 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020158
- Description: This study sought to determine whether or not it may be possible to evoke ‘the musical effect' – the emotional response perceived by music listeners – using white noise as a sound-source and real-time digital signal processing techniques. This information was considered to be valuable as in a world driven by technological progress the potential use of new or different technologies in creating music could lead to the development of new methods of – and tools for – composition and performance. More specifically this research asked the question 'what is music?' and investigated how humans – both trained musicians and untrained people – perceive it. The elements of music were investigated for their affective strengths and new fields of research explored for insights into emotion identification in music. Thereafter the focus shifted into the realm of Digital Signal Processing. Common operations and techniques for signal manipulation were investigated and an understanding of the field as a whole was sought. The culmination of these two separate, yet related, investigations was the design and implementation of a listening experiment conducted on adult subjects. They were asked to listen to various manipulated noise-signals and answer a questionnaire with regard to their perceptions of the audio material. The data from the listening experiment suggest that certain DSP techniques can evoke ‘the musical effect’. Various musical elements were represented via digital techniques and in many cases respondents reported perceptions which suggest that some effect was felt. The techniques implemented and musical elements represented were discussed, and possible applications for these techniques, both musical and non-musical, were explored. Areas for further research were discussed and include the implementation of even more DSP techniques, and also into garnering a more specific idea of the emotion perceived by respondents in response to the experiment material.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Warneke, Andrew Travis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music -- Acoustics and physics , Signal processing -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8524 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020158
- Description: This study sought to determine whether or not it may be possible to evoke ‘the musical effect' – the emotional response perceived by music listeners – using white noise as a sound-source and real-time digital signal processing techniques. This information was considered to be valuable as in a world driven by technological progress the potential use of new or different technologies in creating music could lead to the development of new methods of – and tools for – composition and performance. More specifically this research asked the question 'what is music?' and investigated how humans – both trained musicians and untrained people – perceive it. The elements of music were investigated for their affective strengths and new fields of research explored for insights into emotion identification in music. Thereafter the focus shifted into the realm of Digital Signal Processing. Common operations and techniques for signal manipulation were investigated and an understanding of the field as a whole was sought. The culmination of these two separate, yet related, investigations was the design and implementation of a listening experiment conducted on adult subjects. They were asked to listen to various manipulated noise-signals and answer a questionnaire with regard to their perceptions of the audio material. The data from the listening experiment suggest that certain DSP techniques can evoke ‘the musical effect’. Various musical elements were represented via digital techniques and in many cases respondents reported perceptions which suggest that some effect was felt. The techniques implemented and musical elements represented were discussed, and possible applications for these techniques, both musical and non-musical, were explored. Areas for further research were discussed and include the implementation of even more DSP techniques, and also into garnering a more specific idea of the emotion perceived by respondents in response to the experiment material.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An exploratory study of South African choral identity with specific reference to three regional children's choirs
- Authors: Swart, Jan-Erik
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Children's choirs , Cultural pluralism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8519 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013205
- Description: This qualitative mini-treatise explores how South African choral identity is perceived by three regional children’s choirs, facing challenges of representing cultural diversity against the background of an ongoing process of social transformation. The study proposes that choirs from South Africa project a distinctly South African “choral” identity which they themselves have constructed by fabricating a mental representation of themselves, and which they project outwardly by means of a range of musical and extra-musical elements observable in the cultural product and artifacts generated over time. The researcher has analyzed a selection of cultural products and artifacts of the Eastern Cape Children’s Choir, the Cantare Children’s Choir and the Tygerberg Children’s Choir, in order to identify common practices among three subject choirs which sustain their continuity, in terms of Richard’s definition of identity (in Torres 2008: 3): “to name a set of practices which subjects may adopt in sustaining both the individual and, to varying degrees, collective continuity”. Research findings indicate that subject choirs are perceived, and project their choral identities, according to their musical ability to communicate and interact with other world-class choirs. Recurring practices undertaken by each subject choir, in order to maintain their international perspective, are identified as key to sustaining their continuity. Choral identity is furthermore strongly influenced by the choral tradition of the choir and the role of the conductor in developing their choral tone. This study is significant to regional children’s choirs seeking to overcome challenges of renegotiating cultural identity, as well as sustaining and expanding choral singing as an art form in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Swart, Jan-Erik
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Children's choirs , Cultural pluralism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8519 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013205
- Description: This qualitative mini-treatise explores how South African choral identity is perceived by three regional children’s choirs, facing challenges of representing cultural diversity against the background of an ongoing process of social transformation. The study proposes that choirs from South Africa project a distinctly South African “choral” identity which they themselves have constructed by fabricating a mental representation of themselves, and which they project outwardly by means of a range of musical and extra-musical elements observable in the cultural product and artifacts generated over time. The researcher has analyzed a selection of cultural products and artifacts of the Eastern Cape Children’s Choir, the Cantare Children’s Choir and the Tygerberg Children’s Choir, in order to identify common practices among three subject choirs which sustain their continuity, in terms of Richard’s definition of identity (in Torres 2008: 3): “to name a set of practices which subjects may adopt in sustaining both the individual and, to varying degrees, collective continuity”. Research findings indicate that subject choirs are perceived, and project their choral identities, according to their musical ability to communicate and interact with other world-class choirs. Recurring practices undertaken by each subject choir, in order to maintain their international perspective, are identified as key to sustaining their continuity. Choral identity is furthermore strongly influenced by the choral tradition of the choir and the role of the conductor in developing their choral tone. This study is significant to regional children’s choirs seeking to overcome challenges of renegotiating cultural identity, as well as sustaining and expanding choral singing as an art form in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Evaluating the efficacy of training programmes for secondary school music teachers at higher education institutions in the province of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Rademan, Carika
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music in universities and colleges -- South Africa , Music teachers -- Training of , School music -- Instruction and study , Teacher effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8522 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019925
- Description: Frequent changes in the school music curriculums in South Africa necessitated changes in teaching music in schools. Music teachers in secondary schools who are responsible for teaching music as a subject have been confronted with the challenges presented in such a changing educational climate and often found that their pre-service teacher training did not sufficiently prepare them for changing syllabi. The quality of teaching in schools is directly linked to the quality of teacher training at universities and when institutional policies prohibits pre-service teachers from qualifying themselves sufficiently for their in-service careers, frustration and disillusionment sets in. This study explores the perceptions of music teachers of the effectiveness of their pre-service training. It also explores the content of university music degree courses and whether it is in line with school music curricula. The study addressed the research questions through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The finding suggested that there is a need for teacher training courses to be adapted and contextualised so that there is continuum between university and school curriculums. This research also exposed the policies barring music graduates from fully qualifying themselves as teachers and raised important issues that music teacher educators need to address in order to ensure that music graduates are adequately prepared for classroom music teaching.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Rademan, Carika
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music in universities and colleges -- South Africa , Music teachers -- Training of , School music -- Instruction and study , Teacher effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8522 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019925
- Description: Frequent changes in the school music curriculums in South Africa necessitated changes in teaching music in schools. Music teachers in secondary schools who are responsible for teaching music as a subject have been confronted with the challenges presented in such a changing educational climate and often found that their pre-service teacher training did not sufficiently prepare them for changing syllabi. The quality of teaching in schools is directly linked to the quality of teacher training at universities and when institutional policies prohibits pre-service teachers from qualifying themselves sufficiently for their in-service careers, frustration and disillusionment sets in. This study explores the perceptions of music teachers of the effectiveness of their pre-service training. It also explores the content of university music degree courses and whether it is in line with school music curricula. The study addressed the research questions through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The finding suggested that there is a need for teacher training courses to be adapted and contextualised so that there is continuum between university and school curriculums. This research also exposed the policies barring music graduates from fully qualifying themselves as teachers and raised important issues that music teacher educators need to address in order to ensure that music graduates are adequately prepared for classroom music teaching.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Effects of selected modes of digital distribution on music consumerism, with reference to the album format
- Authors: Du Preez, Liska
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sound -- Recording and reproducing -- Digital techniques , Music -- Technological innovations , Music and the Internet
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8504 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1427 , Sound -- Recording and reproducing -- Digital techniques , Music -- Technological innovations , Music and the Internet
- Description: In this digital age many listeners of music now purchase albums from online digital music stores instead of buying a physical album from the record store. This has created a concern with many regarding the future of the album as a physical medium. This study investigates the impact of the possible death of the album on certain listening habits, the activity of record collecting, the creation of large-scale musical works, music consumerism, and its implications for the creative process on music as art and sound-recording quality. Three realisations have led to the problem statement. Firstly, the album might not have a future in the digital age. Secondly, downloadable songs might not be able to recreate an album experience. The third realisation is that the possible death of the album could create new, exciting challenges to artists as they strive to create art. This study is exploratory in nature - and no hypothesis was generated. The research necessitates qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual approaches. Furthermore, the investigation has led to the collection of mostly new data, constituting a “primary data design” through the implementation of qualitative listening experiments and a focus group, using full-time NMMU students between 18 and 25 years of age. It is herein argued that digital distribution might possibly have an effect on the perception of the album format and might possibly still be a relevant listening experience, valued by young people. Singles and albums are collectable; and good albums are considered artistic and comparable to the large-scale musical works of the past. If the concept of an album does not die out, then high fidelity formats should be able to re-invent the album experience. Listening experiences other than the album experience do exist, and they could generate new ways for artists to create musical art.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Du Preez, Liska
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sound -- Recording and reproducing -- Digital techniques , Music -- Technological innovations , Music and the Internet
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8504 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1427 , Sound -- Recording and reproducing -- Digital techniques , Music -- Technological innovations , Music and the Internet
- Description: In this digital age many listeners of music now purchase albums from online digital music stores instead of buying a physical album from the record store. This has created a concern with many regarding the future of the album as a physical medium. This study investigates the impact of the possible death of the album on certain listening habits, the activity of record collecting, the creation of large-scale musical works, music consumerism, and its implications for the creative process on music as art and sound-recording quality. Three realisations have led to the problem statement. Firstly, the album might not have a future in the digital age. Secondly, downloadable songs might not be able to recreate an album experience. The third realisation is that the possible death of the album could create new, exciting challenges to artists as they strive to create art. This study is exploratory in nature - and no hypothesis was generated. The research necessitates qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual approaches. Furthermore, the investigation has led to the collection of mostly new data, constituting a “primary data design” through the implementation of qualitative listening experiments and a focus group, using full-time NMMU students between 18 and 25 years of age. It is herein argued that digital distribution might possibly have an effect on the perception of the album format and might possibly still be a relevant listening experience, valued by young people. Singles and albums are collectable; and good albums are considered artistic and comparable to the large-scale musical works of the past. If the concept of an album does not die out, then high fidelity formats should be able to re-invent the album experience. Listening experiences other than the album experience do exist, and they could generate new ways for artists to create musical art.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011