Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications
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ItemPlaying an Instrument(Oxford University Press, 2016)Learning to play a musical instrument is one of the most widespread musical activities for children. While much research in the past century has focused on the assessment of musical abilities and the content of their lessons, more recent research has focused on children’s interactions with their social environments and how these interactions impact their ongoing ability and motivation to learn and play music. This chapter explores these social and cognitive developments starting with how children and their parents select an instrument and negotiate the commencement of formal music learning, through to the task related cognitive strategies children use to overcome the difficulties associated with learning and practice, and the ways they may eventually become able to integrate an identity as a musician with their own sense of self. Aspects of self-regulation and self-determination theory are discussed.
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ItemMusical prodigies: Early manifestations, development and outcomes( 2016-06-18)Presentation to the Mozart and the Mind symposium. Continuing Medical Education (CME) symposium, sponsored by Mainly Mozart, June 15-18, 2016.
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ItemUnderlying mechanisms and processes in the development of emotion perception in music(Oxford University Press, 2015)This chapter proposes a spiral model to explain the development of the perception of emotion in music from infant to adolescent. Development begins with a “schematic” processing style (related to “absolutism”) which links emotion and music via automated responses to the environment, such as a startle to sudden loud sounds or attraction to infant-directed speech. The young child then moves into a period where veridical/one-to-one music–emotion connections are formed (related to “referentialism”) primarily as a result of exposure to cultural norms. The spiral then winds back toward an emphasis on schematic links, where children draw on their repertoire of musical experiences, and react at adult levels of emotion perception in music. The period of adolescence sees the spiral move back to a more individualized veridical processing focus, where pressures to become young adults and develop a personal identity drive the desire to form links with individual pieces and/or performers.
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ItemApplying self-determination and self-regulation theories for optimizing music performance(Peter Lang Publishing, 2016-04)In this chapter, we explain research related to motivation and practice quality as a means of outlining our thoughts on how musicians are able to develop competence and acquire the skills necessary to perform under pressure. We start with motivation as viewed through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT). Since the 1970s, SDT has become a major approach to the study of human motivation. The theory rests on the assumption that humans naturally seek growth through interactions with their social environments. This growth is nourished by the fulfilment of three basic psychological needs (Deci & Ryan, 2000): the need to feel effective in interacting with the social environment (competence), the need to feel accepted by others (relatedness), and the need to feel that one’s actions are aligned with one’s interests and sense of self (autonomy). Practice quality is viewed through the lens of self-regulated learning (SRL; Zimmerman, 2000), a social-cognitive theoretical framework that is used to understand students’ strategic behavior as they work through problems. Thus, self-determination theory helps us conceptualize how musicians of all ages are able to build the resilience and personal attributes necessary to cope with the demands of performing, particularly in stressful and demanding situations as often can occur in the competitive environments in music programs and in the professional lives of musicians.
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ItemMusical prodigies: Interpretations from psychology, education, musicology and ethnomusicology(Oxford Press, 2016-09-10)What makes a prodigy? Although child prodigies can be found in various disciplines such as music, mathematics, chess, and art, the origins of exceptional talent remain highly controversial. Some have dismissed the notion of innate talent, arguing that prodigies benefit from strong parental, cultural, and environmental influences that help them develop their extraordinary abilities. Others emphasise the role of genetic influences on musical development and cite evidence that exceptional abilities are supported by inborn predispositions. And what role do cognitive processes, from memory to the use of imagery and language, play in such rapid and early talent development? The notion of prodigy reaches to the heart of questions about creativity, intelligence, development, and the relationship between nature and nurture. This ground-breaking book presents the first scientific exploration of musical prodigies, bringing together research from psychology, neurobiology, genetics, education, musicology, and ethnomusicology, to provide a thorough exploration of prodigious talent. With fascinating case studies of prodigies and their often complex transitions into adolescence and adulthood, this is a unique investigation of a remarkable phenomenon, for anyone interested in child development, music, and the arts.
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ItemMusical prodigies within the virtual stage of YouTube(Oxford University Press, 2016-09-10)This chapter examines YouTube as a medium for accessing the videos of young music performers. Comparisons of the characteristics of prodigy performances in the past and present are explored, and the challenges of young performers described in terms of the vast number of competing high-level performances that are currently available on the internet. Issues addressed include historical notions of the ‘Mozart-figure’, notions of popularity and commercial success, adult conceptions of child rearing practices and what is considered a “normal” childhood, and the degree to which prodigies can be conceived by adults as being able to perform emotionally and expressively at adult levels. The chapter explores some of the stereotypes and myths of the “music prodigy” phenomenon, and comments on the stark difference between how the general public typically classifies and defines music prodigies as opposed to scientific explanations of giftedness and talent.
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ItemAnalyzing musical prodigiousness using Gagné's Integrative Model of Talent Development(Oxford University Press, 2016-09-10)We survey three interlocking talent development models: a) the Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT), the Developmental Model for Natural Abilities (DMNA), and their merging into a Comprehensive Model of Talent Development (CMTD). The authors use the CMTD framework to analyse the phenomenon of musical prodigiousness, defined as a quantitatively extreme level of talent (T component). We then explore the gifts (G component) that contribute to musical prodigiousness, as well as its typical developmental process (D component). Two types of catalytic causal influences are explored: intrapersonal characteristics (I component) and environmental influences (E component). Within each section, we briefly discuss the biological foundations of the various constructs. We finally integrate these five analyses into a dynamic developmental perspective and propose a tentative answer to the key question: “Which causal influences better ‘explain’ the early manifestation and development of musical prodigiousness?” In other words, “what makes a difference?”
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ItemProcesses of musical identity consolidation during adolescence(Oxford University Press, 2016-08-31)
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ItemExploring the academic and psychosocial impact of El Sistema-inspired music programs within two low socio-economic schools(Taylor & Francis (Routledge), 2016)
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ItemVideoconferencing for teaching and learning using highly interactive pedagogy(School of Engineering, Deakin University, 2015-12-06)