kang mmus final dissertation 20140929

181 Pages·2014·7.24 MB·English

by  Kathryn Ang

Teaching Western classical piano music effectively in
West Malaysia

by

Kathryn Ang (28366507)

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the
degree

MMus (Piano Didactics)

in the Department of Music at the

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

SUPERVISOR: Dr C. R. Panebianco-Warrens
CO-SUPERVISOR: Prof. Wessel van Wyk

October 2013
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My sincerest appreciation and thanks go to:
• Dr Clorinda R. Panebianco-Warrens and Prof Wessel van Wyk who accompanied me
through the research journey with expert guidance and a spirit of excellence to
develop the researcher and writer in me.
• Dr Ella Fourie who inspired me to enter this journey of discovery.

My special thanks go to:
• my parents Luke Ang Guan Kim and Alice Anne Chung who believed in me and did
their utmost to nurture my musical upbringing and encourage my passion in music
throughout their lifetime.
• my sisters: Dorothy Ang-Cheah for her advice and prayerful support and Patricia
Ang-Ngoi for her prayers and practical help especially in transcribing interviews and
creating musical examples.
• my husband Victor Lye for his constant support, prayers and understanding.
• my children Amanda, Anna and Aaron Lye who lovingly supported me though this

journey and untiringly helped me with transcribing interviews, text editing and the

creation of tables, charts and graphs.

Thanks also to:
• my students who participated in this study, in particular, Sheng Wei Yi who helped
me in creating musical examples.
• Dr Shahanum Mohd. Shah for her help and advice in sourcing for an accredited
language editor.
• Dr Habibah Mohd. Salleh for her exemplary editing and proof reading.

Last but not least my deepest thanks to:
• my Heavenly Father for with God all things are possible.

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In loving memory of my parents,
Luke Ang Guan Kim and Alice Anne Chung.

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ABSTRACT

The existing curriculum for piano lessons in West Malaysia is over-reliant on the syllabi of
foreign examination boards resulting in a fragmentary curriculum which denies the student
access to a wider range of musical experiences. The aim of the study was to identify and
suggest solutions to problems by analysing the teaching approaches of piano teachers and to
determine if there are elements which are lacking in the lessons. It also aimed to provide
solutions by establishing a theoretical framework for effective piano teaching with optimal
lesson plans. This study made use of mixed methods research design.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data collection was by self-structured
questionnaires. In addition, interviews were conducted for the qualitative component of this
study. Twenty-five piano teachers with between one to twenty years of teaching experience
were randomly selected to participate in the survey. A further fifteen interviews were
conducted with teachers who were selected from the participants of the survey by purposive
sampling. Interpretative phenomenology analysis was used to analyse the interviews in an
effort to gain a better understanding of the nature and quality of the piano teaching in West
Malaysia.
The study finds that havin g piano examinations with regularity, usually on a yearly basis, has
largely dominated the cur riculum with examination requirements and has resulted in several
elements being missing or absent in a typical lesson. Hence the situation is clearly not ideal
as lessons are too examination oriented. Furthermore, students are generally not exposed to
sufficient opportunities to display their skills and musical achievements. These findings
suggest that Western classical piano music can be taught more effectively in West Malaysia if
teachers re-think their approach to teaching in terms of planning for an optimal lesson. This
would involve having both long-term and short–term goals in which a variety of strategies
and important elements are incorporated seamlessly using the “simultaneous learning”
approach advocated by Harris, Crozier and Ley.

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KEYWORDS

Effective music teaching, Simultaneous learning, Curriculum, Foreign examination boards,
Mixed methods research, Interpretative phenomenology analysis, Western classical piano
music, Approach to teaching, Piano examinations, Optimal lesson.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements................................................................................................................i
Abstract..................................................................................................................................iii
Key words..............................................................................................................................iv
Table of contents....................................................................................................................v
List of figures.........................................................................................................................ix
List of tables...........................................................................................................................x
List of examples.....................................................................................................................xi

Chapter 1. Introduction....................................................................................................1
1.1 Background to the study.........................................................................1
1.2 Personal motivation................................................................................3
1.3 Statement of the problem.......................................................................4
1.4 Research question...................................................................................4
1.5 Aim o f the study.....................................................................................5
1.6 Metho dology..........................................................................................5
1.6.1 Selection of participants...............................................................6
1.6.2 Data collection strategies.............................................................7
1.6.3 Data analysis and interpretation...................................................7
1.6.4 Ethical considerations..................................................................7
1.7 Literature overview................................................................................8
1.8 Chapter overview...................................................................................8
1.9 Delimitations of the study......................................................................9
1.10 Value of the study...................................................................................9
Chapter 2. Literature review............................................................................................10
2.1 Introduction............................................................................................10
2.2 An overview of the historical background of Malaysia:
race, language and politics.....................................................................10
2.3 Literature related to
music in West Malaysia.........................................................................11
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2.4 Music teaching in Malaysian government schools.................................13
2.5 Role of music in Malaysian mass media and public education..............18
2.6 Literature related to Western classical music in West Malaysia............19
2.6.1 Western classical music teaching in West Malaysia....................20
2.6.2 Piano teaching in Malaysia..........................................................21
2.6.3 Piano examinations in West Malaysia.........................................25
2.7 Theoretical framework for this study.....................................................26
2.7.1 Simultaneous learning..................................................................26
2.7.2 Lesson plans.................................................................................29
2.7.3 Lesson plans by Harris and Crozier.............................................29
2.7.4 Analysis of a group lesson using simultaneous learning.............33
2.8 Summary................................................................................................35
Chapter 3. Methodology..................................................................................................37
3.1 Introduction............................................................................................37
3.2 Research strategy...................................................................................37
3.3 Selection of participants.........................................................................41
3.3.1 Ethical issues................................................................................41
3.3.2 Quantitative data collection.........................................................42

3.3.3 Qualitative data collection: interviews.........................................44

3.4 Data analysis and validation procedures................................................46
3.5 Summary................................................................................................50
Chapter 4. Data results and discussion............................................................................51
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................51
4.2 Quantitative data.....................................................................................51
4.2.1 Detailed description of the sample...............................................51
4.2.2 Lesson content.............................................................................55
4.2.3 Musical activity and
performance experience...............................................................59
4.2.4 Self-assessment of teachers..........................................................60
4.3 Qualitative data.......................................................................................60
4.3.1 Experience of piano teaching........................................................62
4.3.2 General aims and specific objectives in piano teaching................64
4.3.3 Philosophy regarding piano examinations....................................66
4.3.4 Lesson Content..............................................................................67
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4.3.5 Approaches to teaching specific elements.....................................70
4.3.6 Performance objectives.................................................................75
4.3.7 Self-assessment of teachers...........................................................76
4.4 Discussion..............................................................................................77
4.5 Analysis....................................................................................................80
4.5.1 Types of students...........................................................................80
4.5.2 Challenges.....................................................................................81
4.5.3 Aims of teaching...........................................................................83
4.5.4 Specific objectives of teaching......................................................85
4.5.5 Teachers’ attitude toward piano examinations..............................86
4.5.6 Parents’ attitude toward piano examinations.................................88
4.5.7 Lesson content...............................................................................89
4.5.8 Repertoire......................................................................................98
4.5.9 Performance opportunities for students.........................................100
4.5.10 Reflective practice.......................................................................102
4.6 Discussion on emergent themes...............................................................103
4.7 Suggestions for future research................................................................106
Chapter 5. Recommendations for optimal piano lessons................................................107

5.1 Introduction............................................................................................107

5.2 Optimal lessons based on solid theoretical
foundation...............................................................................................107
5.3 Suggestions for optimal lessons based on this study..............................113
5.3.1 Developing critical listening skills...............................................113
5.3.2 Expanding the student’s listening repertoire................................117
5.3.3 Developing the inner ear..............................................................118
5.3.4 Developing greater understanding of the
composer’s intention....................................................................122
5.4 Suggested lesson plans and discussion...................................................123
5.4.1 Elementary level..........................................................................124
5.4.2 Intermediate level.........................................................................126
5.4.3 Advanced level.............................................................................128
5.4.4 Discussion....................................................................................134
5.5 Summary.................................................................................................134
Chapter 6. Conclusions and recommendations...............................................................136
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6.1 Introduction............................................................................................136
6.2 Restatement of aims of research.............................................................136
6.3 Summarising the findings.......................................................................136
6.3.1 Answering the research questions................................................138
6.3.2 Integrating the elements in
developmental phases..................................................................141
6.4 Significance of the findings....................................................................141
6.5 Limitations of the current study.............................................................142
6.6 Recommendations for further research..................................................142
Bibliography..........................................................................................................................143
Appendix A............................................................................................................................154
Appendix B............................................................................................................................155
Appendix C............................................................................................................................160
Appendix D............................................................................................................................162
Appendix E............................................................................................................................165
Appendix F.............................................................................................................................168

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1: Explanatory mixed methods design....................................................................37
Figure 3.2: Sequential Designs..............................................................................................39
Figure 3.3: Concurrent Designs.............................................................................................40
Figure 4.1: Topics covered in a lesson...................................................................................56
Figure 4.2: Topics not covered in a lesson............................................................................57
Figure 4.3: Musical activities and performance experiences.................................................59

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