LIFELONG LEARNING FOR MUSICIANS

Transcription

1 LECTORATE LIFELONG LEARNING IN MUSIC Nrth Netherlands Cnservatire, Grningen and the Ryal Cnservatire, The Hague The Netherlands Lectr, Rineke Smilde LIFELONG LEARNING FOR MUSICIANS CRITICAL ISSUES ARISING FROM A CASE STUDY OF CONNECT Peter Renshaw Adviser t the Lectrate February 2005 lectrate Lifelng Learning in Music

2 INTRODUCTION The aim f the lectrate Lifelng Learning in Music The lectrate, Lifelng Learning in Music, cmprises a fur-year research prject examining the cncept f lifelng learning and its likely cnsequences fr prfessinal musicians. Based in the Nrth Netherlands Cnservatire, Grningen and in the Ryal Cnservatire, The Hague, the prject is addressing the challenges arising frm a rapidly changing wrkplace in which musicians are increasingly expected t shape their wn flexible prtfli career in respnse t new creative and perfrming cntexts and t new pprtunities prvided by crss-arts, crss-cultural and crss-sectr wrk. The aim f the prject is t create adaptive learning envirnments in which cnservatire students can be trained t functin effectively in a cntinuusly changing prfessinal practice (p.5). (Fr details f the research apprach see Smilde, 2004.) By the end f the prject it is intended that the fllwing utcmes will have been achieved: Greater emplyability thrugh the acquisitin f leadership skills, interdisciplinary skills, practical research skills and thse generic skills necessary fr the musician as a lifelng learner. Fr example: basic skills in literacy, numeracy and the use f technlgy; interpersnal skills including cmmunicatin, teamwrk and client-centred entrepreneurship; cnceptual/thinking skills such as the cllatin and rganisatin f infrmatin, prblem-slving, planning and rganising, learning-t-learn, thinking innvatively and creatively, and systems thinking; persnal skills and attitudes such as being respnsible, resurceful, flexible, being able t manage ne s wn time and having strng selfesteem; business skills such as innvative and enterprise skills; scial skills and an infrmed cultural awareness necessary fr wrking in the wider cmmunity. The creatin f well-trained musicians whse practice is underpinned by key supprtive skills and attitudes. Fr example: self-knwledge, knwing ne s strengths and weaknesses; having the imaginatin, flexibility and initiative t explre new avenues and pssibilities in the musical, cultural and educatinal dmains; having a reflective and pr-active attitude t ne s wn practice and t the needs f the market; having the mtivatin t renew ne s skills thrugh a cherent, structured system f prfessinal develpment that is relevant t the changing needs f the music industry. The prject is explring the ways in which several key aspects f lifelng learning can be applied t cnservatire training. Fr example: frmal and infrmal learning in nn-frmal music cntexts; different appraches t learning, including n-the-jb and cntext-based learning; the relatinship between prfessinal and persnal develpment; diversity in learning activities and learning cultures; different frms f wrk-related and cntext-based assessment. Lifelng learning is seen as a dynamic cncept centrally cncerned with establishing different ways f respnding t change (see Smilde, 2004, p.7). The implicatins fr a cnservatire are far-reaching and they pen up new pprtunities fr develpment in such areas as the curriculum, mdes f learning, frms f assessment, appraches t research and the frmatin f cntext-related partnerships. 2

3 It is recgnised that any frm f effective change will be dependent n shifting the culture and mind-set f the institutin. This cnstitutes a majr challenge t leadership bth within the training sectr and in the music industry. Cnnect as a case study One imprtant dimensin f the lectrate is an examinatin f several thery-generating case studies with the aim f explring hw far their principles and prcedures might be applied in different cntexts. With this end in view, the Cnnect prject was selected as ne f the case studies (see Smilde, 2004, p.9). Early in 2004 I was cmmissined by The Paul Hamlyn Fundatin t write a reprt n Cnnect as part f its ambitius special prject, Musical Futures (see Renshaw, 2005). The Reprt, Simply Cnnect: best musical practice in nn-frmal learning cntexts, describes the rich pssibilities that can accrue frm yung peple making and perfrming music in nn-frmal learning cntexts. It highlights the many different pathways that can be created when prfessinal musicians, teachers, music students and parents wrk tgether with yung peple whse cmmn passin is making music. Cnnect has grwn ut f 20 years develpmental wrk in cllabrative arts practice at the Guildhall Schl f Music & Drama, Lndn. Its rts g back t 1984 when I initiated an embrynic prject in Perfrmance and Cmmunicatin Skills with Peter Wiegld as Artistic Directr. What was then a radical innvatin has cnstantly adapted itself and evlved in respnse t changing circumstances. Nw under the artistic and strategic leadership f Sean Gregry (Head f Prfessinal Develpment at the Guildhall Schl), Cnnect has extended its reach t include educatin, the cmmunity, the music industry and the wider cultural dmain. The capacity t redefine itself, a hallmark f reflective practice, has been critical t the sustainability f Cnnect, but its cntinuing develpment wuld never have been pssible withut the willingness f the Guildhall t embrace change. Shifting the cultural perspective f any institutin is a majr challenge and Cnnect has benefited frm a gradual prcess f integrating its wrk int the philsphy and practice f the Guildhall. This has helped t give Cnnect its distinctive musical persnality. The wrk f Cnnect has been acknwledged widely bth in the UK and verseas. At a Sympsium munted by Cnnect in January 2004, Tessa Jwell, Secretary f State fr Culture, Media and Sprt, made the fllwing supprtive statement: This gvernment is cmmitted t widening musical pprtunities fr yung peple and the Cnnect prgramme is an exemplar prject. What is s special abut Cnnect is that everyne benefits: yung peple frm the lcal cmmunity are encuraged t explre their creativity in places where they feel cmfrtable and with a supprting team f experienced musicians; Guildhall students and tutrs have the chance t gain valuable experience in passing their musical skills n t thers; and the Guildhall benefits by widening access t its curses. (Sympsium. Cmpare and Cntrast: sharing knwledge within a cllabrative framewrk. Held in LSO St. Luke s n 30 January 2004.) This article intends t fcus n thse critical issues arising frm the Cnnect case study (Renshaw, 2005) that have wider applicability in cntemprary prfessinal practice in terms f lifelng learning. Special attentin will be given t the fllwing areas: frmal, nn-frmal and infrmal learning; musical leadership; quality; self-assessment and reflective practice; prfessinal develpment f musicians. 3

4 FORMAL, NON-FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING In a Research Reprt written fr the lectrate, Peter Mak (2004), a member f the team f knwledge experts, explres definitins f frmal, nn-frmal and infrmal learning in internatinal music practice. With respect t frmal educatin, learning is defined as an intentinal activity leading t predetermined ends in an rganized and structured cntext such as a schl r university. Within the parameters f this kind f frmal learning, scant acknwledgement is given t incidental r implicit learning. Nn-frmal educatin, n the ther hand, refers t any rganised educatinal activity that takes place utside the established frmal system. As the emphasis is n develping a sense f wnership and shared respnsibility, learning activities tend t be participatry and highly cntextualised, with due respect given t the imprtance f tacit r implicit frms f understanding (see Rgers, 2004). One f the mst authritative accunts f infrmal music learning can be fund in Hw Ppular Musicians Learn by Lucy Green (2002). She defines the infrmal as a variety f appraches t acquiring musical skills and knwledge utside frmal educatinal settings (p.16). The emphasis is n musical practices that can be bth cnscius (i.e., fcused and gal-directed) and uncnscius. Learning can als be intentinal (but nt teacher-directed) as well as incidental, where the knwledge gained is bth implicit and explicit. The Cnnect case study fcuses n nn-frmal learning cntexts that is, thse rganised music activities that ccur utside schl hurs (e.g., in the evenings, at weekends, during the hlidays). Sme f these might take place in a schl building, whilst thers will be fund in yuth clubs, centres fr yung ffenders, prisns, cmmunity centres and hspitals. Basically, Cnnect is cmmitted t fstering infrmal ways f learning within a nn-frmal musical cntext, where the apprach t creating and perfrming music is rganised and gal-directed. MUSICAL LEADERSHIP Drawing n the experience f Cnnect, an effective wrkshp leader has t be a multiskilled musician wh can perfrm many diverse rles, including thse f cmpser, arranger, facilitatr, imprviser, perfrmer, cnductr, teacher and catalyst. But fundamental t thse wrkshp cntexts that embrace a wide scial, cultural and musical perspective is having an artistic leader wh can speak a number f musical languages simultaneusly. Bth the skill and eclectic taste f the leader becme critical t the way in which they draw ut and develp the ideas and respnses f the grup. The relatinship between tutr interventin and nn-interventin is extremely subtle in cllabrative frms f musicmaking. Individual and cllective decisins are cnstantly taking place, but the crucial issue is hw the leader uses these decisins fr the benefit f the whle ensemble. Examples f artistic leadership skills Having the skill and judgement t create and frame a prject that will wrk (e.g., making artistic decisins abut the musical language and structure f the prject; delineatin f rles and respnsibilities; managing peple within a cllabrative cntext). Knwing hw t enable the participants t hear, see, feel and understand the cnnectins that are integral t the creative prcess. Encuraging peple t get inside musical experience. Engaging their aural, bdily and emtinal memry in rder t internalise sund, rhythm and musical structure. Creating a sense f shared wnership that generates an energy and spirit which are vital t a cnvincing perfrmance. 4

5 Establishing a sense f high expectatin fr the grup and individual participants, by presenting a clear indicatin f the musical quality that might be achieved. T this end the leader and supprting musicians must be seen as musical exemplars and effective rle mdels. Creating a balance f pace that allws time and space fr artistic develpment and creative mmentum, but des nt prmte bredm. Examples f generic leadership skills Creating an inspiring, enabling envirnment that encurages participants t build n their strengths and acquire the cnfidence and skills t explre new challenges and extend their musical skills. Having the skill and understanding f being able t wrk effectively in different teams. This is critical t cllabrative arts practice as its aim is t fster cllective prblem-slving thrugh wrking tgether in a spirit f mutual trust and respect. Knwing when t intervene within the cntext f shared decisin-making is a subtle prcess fr the wrkshp leader (see Gregry, 2004, p.46). Having the capacity t respect, listen t and act n ther pints f view. Althugh leadership needs t be strng and clear, there is n place fr inflexible assertiveness within cllabrative ways f wrking. It is imprtant t have the penness and genersity t g with the flw f the musical material being generated by the whle grup. The challenge is t ensure that artistic integrity is maintained thrughut this cllective prcess. Having the interpersnal and rganisatinal skills t be able t wrk cllabratively with differing teams and prject managers, n the basis f equality, playing t individual strengths and acknwledging different rles and respnsibilities. Any prject is strengthened by artistic leaders and management wrking clsely tgether, cmbining a mixture f skills and attitudes. Fr example: having strng listening and cmmunicatin skills bth within the team f musicians and utside with the wider cmmunity; having a pragmatic verview f the prject that is inclusive and agendafree when liaising with different rganisatins and individuals; having a clear cnceptin f individual prjects and being able t facilitate their successful delivery; having the cnfidence and knwledge t be able t shape different prjects alng with the management team and strategic partners in the cmmunity. Tgether with the prject management, knwing hw t create apprpriate practical precnditins fr generating quality music experience. Fr example: being able t chse and manage the physical space and aural envirnment; having a realistic timescale fr allwing develpmental wrk; having a pragmatic apprach twards lgistics; ensuring the availability f musical instruments and technical equipment; having an experienced team f wrkshp leaders and supprting musicians; creating pprtunities fr presenting high quality perfrmances; ensuring adequate sustained funding. Leadership and tacit ways f knwing In the Intrductin t the Cnnect case study (see Renshaw, 2005), David Price (Prject Leader f Musical Futures) stresses that questins cnnected t leadership are highly cmplex, especially as they are dependent upn knwledge and skills which are implicit, nt explicit (p.2). This sectin intends t explre the tacit r implicit dimensin f knwing and t illustrate its imprtance in artistic leadership. 5

6 In his seminal wrk The Tacit Dimensin, Michael Planyi (1966) pens his analysis f knwledge by claiming that we can knw mre than we can tell (p.4). He highlights the pint that practical knwledge, the kind f knwledge that is central t arts practice, relies n the pupil s intelligent c-peratin fr catching the meaning f the demnstratin (p.5). Basically, sme knwledge cannt be put int wrds. Tacit knwledge, that is hidden r latent knwledge, is central t the prcess f cming t knw experientially. Eching Planyi, the creative energy r spirit embedded in tacit knwledge can nly be caught and nt taught. In effective wrkshp practice the leader creates space in which all the musicians becme ttally engaged in the spirit f the music in the mment. This is caught thrugh the act f ding and it remains unspken. Althugh Planyi is nt writing in the cntext f music and the perfrming arts, he bserves that in the area f tacit knwing we incrprate it in ur bdy r extend ur bdy t include it s that we cme t dwell in it (p.16). Thrugh ur direct engagement with music, thrugh really getting n the inside f musical experience, we internalise the cllective energy f the music-making, we absrb the subtle nuances f the music and we feel the music thrugh ur whle being. What Luis Arnaud Reid (1969) calls a deeply felt persnally-embdied experience f meaning (p.149) in the music. Withut this enriched feeling f tacit knwledge, the musician is discnnected frm his r her creative surce and has little t say t an audience r t fellw musicians. Experienced musical leaders are well aware that they have t create an envirnment that is cnducive t fstering tacit frms f learning. Leading by example between peple at all levels f experience, becmes critical in an effective learning prcess. Learning will then take place thrugh watching, listening, imitating, respnding, absrbing, reflecting and cnnecting within that particular musical cntext. Guy Wd, ne f the Cnnect musicians, described the prcess f picking up these tacit ways f knwing as rather like a subliminal transfer f infrmatin. Hwever ne describes the prcess, it is clear that it results in a strng frm f knwing and understanding. Chris Branch, anther Cnnect musician, expresses it this way: There cmes a pint when yu are trying t explain a technical prcess t a yung persn. Yu then stp and say just listen t me. And then yu d it and they listen and this wakes up sme kind f tacit knwledge in them. Just by watching and listening, the visual and snic stimuli can enable smene t play the music themselves. The cmments prvided by music leaders engaged in wrkshp practice illustrate the imprtance they attach t fstering tacit ways f knwing. They recgnise that leaders need t understand the crucial relatinship between explicit knwledge, in which targets can be measured in quantifiable, mechanistic terms, and tacit knwledge, which is mre intuitive, reflexive and learned in very particular situatins (see Renshaw, 2005). The Animarts investigatin int the skills and insights required by artists t wrk effectively in schls and cmmunities prvides a useful analysis f the kinds f implicit knwledge used by the wrkshp leader in practice (see Animarts, 2003, pp.38-44). QUALITY Quality music experience in different cntexts The current shift in interest twards nn-frmal learning sharpens up the need fr music leaders and teachers t develp a cherent framewrk fr evaluating quality in their respective fields f respnsibility. Such an analysis wuld help t infrm and ensure effective practice within nn-frmal learning cntexts. In Creating a Land with Music, the Reprt fr Yuth Music (2002), Rick Rgers bserved that: 6

7 It is increasingly recgnised in the prfessinal arts cmmunity that n single immutable standard f excellence can exist. Any valid view f excellence has t be defined in relatin t cntext and fitness fr purpse. All musical activities must strive fr excellence, but the criteria used t judge this will vary depending n the aim and cntext (p.11, para.4.3). An urgent task, therefre, is t prduce a cmmn framewrk fr evaluating and assessing quality that accrds with diversity f need and purpse acrss all music genres (p.11, para.4.4). T reiterate, the tw ver-riding principles fr determining quality music experience are: fitness fr purpse; relevance t cntext. Music activities can nly be judged fairly by the apprpriateness f their aims and the way in which they make meaningful cnnectins t their particular cntext. Fr example, qualitatively different judgements wuld be whlly valid in the fllwing cases: a music therapist wrking with an autistic child in a special language unit; a vilinist perfrming a cncert in a cncert hall; a master drummer leading a drumming wrkshp in a cmmunity cntext; a cllabrative arts wrkshp in a yung ffenders unit; an pen-access ensemble perfrming a genre-free cllabrative cmpsitin in a club fr yung peple; the experimental wrk f a sund and image lab fr yung musicians, visual artists, singers, DJs and prgrammers. Althugh there are similarities when judging quality at the level f the frm f varius music experiences, differences have t be taken int accunt when regarding the aim, cntent and cntext f the particular activity. Fr instance, the criteria used fr evaluating a creative prject in a nn-frmal setting are determined as much by the wrkshp/perfrmance cntext (e.g., schl classrm, hspital ward, prisn, yuth club, shpping mall) as by the shared values and expectatins f the participants and their leader. As Sean Gregry (2004) pints ut, even cnventinal terms such as playing (r singing) in tune r in time, have different cnntatins accrding t the physical and human resurces at hand (p.44). Fr the purpse f this analysis, a distinctin will be drawn between: generic criteria that apply t judging quality acrss all frms f music experience; specific criteria that apply t quality music-making (including prcess, prject and perfrmance) in particular cntexts. Generic criteria Examples f the criteria that might be used fr judging quality acrss all frms f music experience wuld include: fcused listening t the music and ther musicians in the grup; penness t the spirit f the music and the perfrmance; capturing an authenticity f sund, where the sund reflects the cnnectin between a persn s inner listening, musical intentin and past musical experience; cnveying the meaning f the music by shwing an understanding f its inner cnstructin (this is relevant t bth interpreting and creating music); demnstrating strength f cnvictin, inner cnfidence, engagement, risk-taking and an independent spirit in perfrmance; displaying an apprach t music-making that reveals curisity, integrity, hnesty, humility and a clear musical intentin. 7

8 Specific criteria In a cnservatire, fr example, where the emphasis is n striving fr excellence in the cntext f perfrmance within the Western classical traditin, judgements regarding quality wuld refer t the abve generic criteria, but they wuld als include the fllwing specific criteria that are especially pertinent t assessing high level instrumental perfrmance. Fr example: mastery f the instrument, achieving a balance between technical and interpretative skill; technical cntrl f the instrument and medium in rder t cnvey the expressive elements, emtinal cntent, pwer and passin f the music t an audience (e.g., balance and fcus f sund prductin, intnatin, dynamics, tautness f rhythm and grve); having smething t say and having the technical ability t sustain freedm f expressin and a creative respnse t the music; accepting persnal respnsibility fr ne s artistic psitin. This is by n means an exhaustive list, but it is clear that these specific criteria make sense in certain perfrmance cntexts rather than in thers. In nn-frmal learning cntexts n the ther hand, in additin t the generic criteria, different specific criteria need t be adhered t when judging quality music-making. Als, any framewrk fr making judgements has t make a distinctin between the wrk f the participants and that f the music leaders. Fr the purpse f illustratin, the fllwing frame f reference applies t judging quality in the area f cllabrative creative wrkshp practice. Participants demnstrating a practical understanding f the knwledge and skills entailed in being a resurceful musician thrugh imprvising, cmpsing and perfrming; cmmunicating the feel f the music by demnstrating an understanding f hw its structures and layers wrk thrugh the direct experience f making the piece; presenting a strng cnvincing perfrmance that cnveys an engagement in the music due t an aural, physical and emtinal understanding f the creative prcess; displaying a sense f individual and cllective wnership in which the vices f the participants are heard and acknwledged. Music leaders the effectiveness f the leader in managing and understanding the variables arising frm the prfile f the participants (e.g., age, numbers, experience, range f instruments, materials generated) and frm the scial and cultural cntext; the effectiveness f the leader in planning, structuring and prviding the artistic leadership in all the intercnnected elements f a creative wrkshp i.e., warmups; interpretatin; instrumental skills; cmpsitin; arranging; imprvisatin; perfrmance; listening; evaluatin; the effectiveness f the leader in having a brad, infrmed scial, cultural and musical perspective and in being able t speak a number f musical languages simultaneusly; 8

9 the effectiveness f the leader in being able t perfrm the diverse rles f cmpser, arranger, facilitatr, imprviser, perfrmer, cnductr, teacher and catalyst; the effectiveness f the leader in being able t demnstrate the generic and artistic leadership skills referred t earlier. Again, this frame f reference is nt exhaustive. What this analysis indicates is that if all these generic and specific criteria are adhered t, high quality creative wrkshp practice is a cmplex artistic activity that can hardly be accused f dumbing dwn traditinal views f musical excellence. It is just qualitatively different. Basically, like has t be cmpared with like. SELF ASSESSMENT AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE The need fr self-assessment Music leaders, like teachers, are nw perating within a system f public accuntability that is increasingly shaped by benchmarks, targets, perfrmance indicatrs and the whle apparatus f Quality Assurance. These mechanistic appraches t cntrlling and managing knwledge may succeed in erecting a mdel fr assuring that Quality systems are in peratin, but at wrst, they effectively fail t ensure that quality music-making is taking place. Within this current system it is nly t easy fr cultural and educatinal institutins t becme discnnected frm the heart f their artistic life. In the light f these grwing demands it is imperative fr music leaders t have a clear, infrmed understanding f what cunts as quality music experience in the different cntexts in which they functin. The previus sectin aimed t sketch an embrynic map fr defining quality in nn-frmal cntexts. But by itself, an external frame f reference is insufficient. It has t be underpinned by a cmmitment t reflective practice in which each music leader engages in a cntinuing prcess f self-assessment. A framewrk fr a self-assessment prfile The fllwing categries culd act as a basic frame f reference fr a self-assessment prfile. The pririties placed n different elements within each categry are likely t vary depending n the aim and cntext f the prject. Fr example: quality f prcess, prject and perfrmance using generic and specific criteria fr judging quality; quality f leadership skills artistic, generic and thse skills that fster tacit ways f knwing; quality f cmmunicatin skills; quality f interpersnal skills; quality f management skills; quality f creative skills imprvising, cmpsing and arranging; quality f perfrming skills; quality f evaluatin skills; quality f wn persnal develpment. Self-assessment prcesses What might this lk like in practice? Nt surprisingly, there is n ne template fr framing self-assessment because the way it is apprached must be determined by the purpse and nature f the particular activity. Nevertheless, three prcedural principles might act as a useful guide: recrding: keeping a diary, fr example, t describe and recrd the thughts, reflectins, bservatins, feelings and respnses experienced by the leader during the prject r activity; self-assessment: at the end f each prject t cmplete a prfile that reflects n the effectiveness f the prcess and prduct; 9

10 cllabrative assessment: a sharing f the self-assessment bservatins and cmments with clleagues, mentrs, c-wrkers and participants invlved in the prject. These prcesses nt nly help t determine the effectiveness f ne s wn practice, but they als prvide an pprtunity t reflect n the quality f the prject and n the ways in which bservatins might help t infrm the cnceptin, preparatin and executin f any subsequent prject. This feedback lp is central t enhancing the quality f future practice. Such an apprach t self-assessment wuld nly be effective in practice if music leaders are prvided with the apprpriate cnditins fr their wn musical, persnal and prfessinal develpment. Opprtunities have t be created fr different frms f cntinuing supprt and develpment that will challenge the leaders bth artistically and prfessinally with the aim f raising the effectiveness f wrkshp practice in nn-frmal cntexts. The key t the future lies in the quality and prvisin f prfessinal develpment fr musicians. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MUSICIANS The need fr prfessinal develpment The issues identified in the previus sectins demnstrate nly t clearly that music leaders need t engage in cntinuing prfessinal, artistic and persnal develpment if they are t prduce wrk that is effective and f a high standard. The challenges cnfrnting musicians wrking in nn-frmal cntexts are increasingly cmplex, whilst the grwing demands arising frm crss-sectr cllabratins are pening up new pssibilities. By widening the scpe f music leaders, pprtunities fr their nging develpment have t be built int their career prtfli. The seriusness f this need was recgnised by Sund Sense (2003) in its prfessinal develpment and research prgramme, Twards a Yuth Music Makers Netwrk. One f the key utcmes f the research was acknwledging the need t strengthen cllabratin between the frmal and nn-frmal sectrs. Yet, althugh the need fr the cntinuing prfessinal develpment f artists is nw mre widely accepted (as is reflected in the purpse f this Lectrate), there is still a lng way t g befre arts rganisatins and higher arts educatin institutins begin t develp training prgrammes that substantially affect the quality f prfessinal arts practice in educatin and the wider cmmunity. There is an urgent need fr musicians t be given the pprtunity, supprt and funding t participate in training prgrammes that extend them artistically and persnally, as well as pedaggically. A mre develpmental apprach, in which there is an emphasis n creating and making music tgether in an envirnment that encurages critical reflectin, wuld be ne way f guarding against the trap f musicians falling back n well-wrn recipes and frmulae. A practice-based mdel fr prfessinal develpment By cmmn cnsent the biggest challenge arising frm the grwth f nn-frmal musicmaking is in ensuring that there is an adequate supply f high-quality music leaders t meet the demand. Within Cnnect a prfessinal develpment framewrk has been designed fr the Prfessinal Apprentices wrking n the Cnnect prgramme. The scheme is aimed at music leaders interested in develping creative appraches t perfrmance and cmmunicatin acrss all music genres. Experienced Cnnect tutrs mentr the apprentices whse needs and interests are taken int accunt when shaping their prgramme. Practical wrkshp experience, underpinned by structured tutrial supprt, aims at enabling all participants t acquire the fundamental skills fr sustained persnal, artistic and prfessinal develpment. Whilst the mdel presented here is nt put frward as a template, there are a number f principles underlying this particular apprach t prfessinal develpment fr music leaders which shuld infrm training develpment in bth the frmal and nn-frmal sectrs. They can be summarised as fllws: 10

11 the need t fcus n artistic, persnal and prfessinal develpment; an emphasis n creating, making and perfrming music in different educatinal and cmmunity cntexts; a cmmitment t develping generic, artistic and tacit leadership skills; a belief in self-assessment and critical reflectin as tls fr raising the quality f artistic and educatinal practice; an understanding f the centrality f cllabrative practice e.g., crssarts, crss-cultural, crss-sectr, frmal and nn-frmal cntexts; the need t establish infrmed dialgue thrugh mentring circles invlving music leaders, teachers, c-wrkers, students and apprentices; an increasing cmmitment t wrking twards a labratry apprach t cllabrative arts practice and prfessinal develpment. New develpment prgrammes culd include the fllwing elements: Skills training Vice, bdy and percussin; Imprvisatin; Ensemble wrk: grup cmpsitin and creative practice; Perfrmance and cmmunicatin skills; Leadership: intrductin t wrkshp-leading skills, including prject c-rdinatin and administrative skills. Practical implementatin Trainees shuld be expected t plan and lead the fllwing activities, mentred by either peers r mre senir music leaders: Wrkshps; Infrmal presentatins; Seminars; Prject r curriculum planning; Rehearsals; Perfrmances. As part f the mentring prgramme, trainees culd be asked t identify what areas and skills they wuld like, r feel the need, t develp as in the self-assessment framewrk utlined in the previus sectin. It is hped that these principles and prcesses may serve as a check-list fr thse seeking t change their appraches t prfessinal develpment in rder t encurage the infrmalising f music learning. Widening pprtunities fr the further develpment f teachers This is nt the frum fr discussing the initial training f music teachers, but all the principles articulated abve are equally applicable t the cntinuing develpment f instrumental and classrm teachers. If they were put int practice, this wuld help t strengthen the links between the nn-frmal and frmal music educatin sectrs, and prvide greater cherence between the ways f wrking f music leaders, class teachers and instrumental tutrs. In this way, all the elements f the nn-frmal, that are the backbne f Cnnect, wuld interact with the frmal. The success f such an apprach is dependent n establishing effective partnerships between the training sectr, schls and apprpriate cmmunity rganisatins. The challenge is t bring ptential partners tgether and fr them t devise lng-term creative prgrammes that are cmmitted t fstering the artistic, persnal and prfessinal develpment f music leaders, class teachers and instrumental tutrs. By prviding cnditins that wuld enable them t wrk tgether in an artistic labratry, the emphasis wuld be n their develpment and nt circumscribed by the demands f pedaggy and the frmal curriculum. Because the fcus is n artistic and persnal develpment, it wuld generate a creative energy that wuld feed back int their teaching and artistic practice. 11

12 Cnnect prvides a useful mdel fr this apprach t prfessinal develpment. One f its strengths is that all its ensembles include musicians with different levels f experience and backgrund. Cnnect tutrs, supprting musicians, Prfessinal Apprentices, Yung Apprentices and yung musicians wrk tgether t create, make and perfrm music. It is my view that teachers and instrumental tutrs wuld benefit enrmusly by participating in this kind f cllabrative music-making with experienced music leaders and yung peple. This labratry apprach wuld prvide a crucible fr engaging in creative prcesses and different frms f perfrmance practice. The framewrk underlying such a develpmental prgramme culd be based n the principles that guide the Cnnect ensembles. Fr example: Key elements include: knwing hw t wrk musically in a grup that incrprates any instrument brught t an ensemble by the yung musicians; knwing hw t wrk effectively in mixed grups varying in size, age, technical ability and musical experience; knwing hw t make music in a genre-free ensemble, where its musical material reflects the shared interests f the leaders and the participants; knwing hw t engage in music-making virtually withut ntatin; knwing hw t create music cllabratively. Key activities include: cmpsing and imprvising; experimenting with different sund wrlds; explring the relatinship between acustic sunds and technlgy; examining the purpse f using circle-based activities away frm the instrument fr develping cncentratin, grup awareness, self-awareness, cnfidence and spntaneity; demnstrating the cnnectins between these exercises and music learning; mnitring individual prgress thrugh ne-t-ne caching and mentring; cllabrating with visiting perfrming artists; perfrming in a variety f venues; building up an archive f musical material and recrdings; prviding a seedbed fr practical research; develping leadership skills e.g., knwing hw t allcate rles within an ensemble at the apprpriate level f skill; knwing hw t read the participants musical interests; knwing hw t respnd creatively t these musical interests; knwing at what pint t extend each individual s musical experience; knwing hw t structure and shape musical material s that it resnates with the whle ensemble; knwing hw t enable a grup t build up a cllective sense f musical expectatin and aspiratin. Fundamental t this apprach is the idea f teachers and instrumental tutrs being given the pprtunity t create and perfrm music with ther prfessinal clleagues and yung peple. Nt nly wuld this strengthen the cllabrative wrking practices f music leaders, teachers and instrumental tutrs, but by invlving yung musicians in the prcess, it wuld ensure that the music-making resnates with cntemprary living culture as defined by yung peple. In the lng-term, cllabrative frms f prfessinal develpment that are rted in actin within a lcal cntext, culd make a significant impact n the quality f bth frmal and nn-frmal educatin. 12

13 BIBLIOGRAPHY ANIMARTS (2003) The Art f the Animateur ( CONNECT (2004) Cmpare and Cntrast: sharing knwledge within a cllabrative framewrk (Lndn, Guildhall Schl f Music & Drama) ELLIOTT D. (1995) Music Matters (New Yrk, Oxfrd University Press) GREEN L. (2003) Hw Ppular Musicians Learn: A Way Ahead fr Music Educatin (Aldersht, Ashgate) GREGORY S. (2004) Quality and Effectiveness in Creative Music Wrkshp Practice: an evaluatin f language, meaning and cllabrative prcess (M Phil Thesis, Ryal Cllege f Art, Lndn) MAK P. (2004) Frmal, Nn-Frmal and Infrmal Educatin/Learning: a cnceptual analysis (Nrth Netherlands Cnservatire Grningen and Ryal Cnservatire, The Hague; POLANYI M. (1966) The Tacit Dimensin (New Yrk, Dubleday & C) REID L.A. (1969) Meaning in the Arts (Lndn, Allen & Unwin) RENSHAW P. (2005) Cnnecting Cnversatins: the changing vice f the artist, in M. MILES (Ed) New Practices: New Pedaggies (Lndn, Rutledge, Taylr & Francis Grup) RENSHAW P. (2005) Simply Cnnect: Best Musical Practice in Nn-Frmal Learning Cntexts (Lndn, The Paul Hamlyn Fundatin) ROGERS A. (2004) Lking again at nn-frmal and infrmal educatin twards a new paradigm, in The Encyclpaedia f Infrmal Educatin ( SMILDE R. (2004) Lifelng Learning in Music: Research Apprach (Nrth Netherlands Cnservatire Grningen and Ryal Cnservatire, The Hague SOUND SENSE (2003) Twards a Yuth Music Makers Netwrk: the cntinuing prfessinal develpment f musicians and managers wrking n music educatin prjects with children and yung peple ( WILLIS P. (1990) Mving Culture: an enquiry int the cultural activities f yung peple (Lndn, Caluste Gulbenkian Fundatin) YOUTH MUSIC (2002) Creating a Land with Music. The wrk, educatin and training f prfessinal musicians in the 21 st century ( 13