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Pedagogical challenges in folk music teaching in higher education: a case study of Hua’er music in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2016

Yang Yang  and
Graham Welch
Yang Yang
Affiliation:
College of Music, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang’an Avenue, Chang’an District, Xi’an, P.R. [email protected]
Graham Welch
Affiliation:
Department of Culture, Communication and Media, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, [email protected]
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Abstract

Recent literature suggests that traditional approaches in folk music education are not necessarily compatible with the pedagogical conventions of formal music education. Whilst several recent studies have tended to define these non-classical-music learning contexts as ‘informal’, the practice of folk music that was recently introduced into Chinese Higher Music Education appears to be much more complex and fluid, at least in its real world setting. This case study presents a detailed example of the teaching and learning of folk singing in contemporary society in Western China. In this particular context, both ‘informal learning’ and ‘formal’ music practices were observed and compared, based on research data collected from four music lessons and subsequent interviews with the participants. Drawing upon the analytical evidence, the research discusses a possible pedagogical model where two apparently contrasting approaches to learning (i.e. a conservatory model vs. traditional folk learning) could coalesce to ensure more effective learning outcomes of traditional folk music in higher education contexts.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 33 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 61 - 79
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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