Masters Degrees (Odeion School of Music)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Odeion School of Music) by Advisor "Van Niekerk, Caroline"

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    A critical review of South Africa's curriculum and assessment policy statement grades 10-12 music
    (University of the Free State, 2014-01) Hellberg, Elsabie Petronella; Van Niekerk, Caroline; De Villiers, Frelet
    In 2012 a new curriculum for Grade 10-12, Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), was implemented in South African government schools. This new curriculum applies to all subjects, including Music. Before implementation, concern was raised by numerous music educators regarding the development and content of the curriculum. In reaction to the draft document, several suggestions were submitted to the Department of Basic Education by schools. Despite this, no significant changes were made to the curriculum. In comparison to the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), CAPS’s predecessor, CAPS restricts the stylistic choice to dominantly Western Art Music, Jazz or Indigenous African Music stylistic approach, especially concerning music history. The aim of this study was to critically review Music CAPS in terms of Music curricula of other countries from First, Second and Third World spheres. In addition, data was gathered through questionnaires from five samples (educators, learners, parents, lecturers and one curriculum assessor). The comparison between the different countries' Music curricula revealed that, except for South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago, a correlation exists between the various countries' demographic distribution and the stylistic preference in their Music curricula. Furthermore, South Africa's Music CAPS’s content and contextual framework is, especially regarding Western Art Music, comparable to the Music curricula of First World countries. On the other hand, lack of demarcation in its Indigenous African Music and almost non-existent composition constituent are inconsistent with First World countries. Concerning the questionnaires, several significant findings were made. These include participants' rating of Music CAPS concerning its link with tertiary music education and the music industry, the exclusion of music technology from the curriculum and the omission of Popular Music. Following the results of the study, suggestions are made towards an improved South African subject Music curriculum. Among others, proposals include raising the performance standards; reintroducing music technology; expanding the composition component; adding Contemporary Music; and addressing teacher competence through sustained training. Until now, changes to the South African subject Music curriculum were not research-based. Since this thesis is based on formal research, it will be submitted to the national assessment team who are currently reviewing Music CAPS.
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    The pathway of music acculturation: a duet between parent and infant
    (University of the Free State, 2013-11) Pretorius, Gerda Georgina; Thom Wium, Matildie; Van Niekerk, Caroline
    English: In designing a pathway model of music acculturation, it is proposed that infants are born musical, are ready at birth to process musical information and motivated to take part in musical communication. This position contests views that regard musical development as a matter of biological growth, or musical aptitude as an exclusive talent. My position also challenges the perception that organised music-educational settings offer a complete music acculturation process. Such views pay no attention to the fact that infants learn musics of their culture by way of adapted behaviour which emerges as a result of repeated, spontaneous and arousing stimulating experiences. Due recognition also needs to be given to the fact that the daily absorption of a variety of musical literature, the experience of being sung and chanted to, and the experience of being moved to music, are essential for processes of acculturation as the foundational phase of audiation. Thus, the thesis of this study is that acculturation takes place in an intimate reciprocal relationship. The mother-infant dyad express their emotional bond by means of a non-verbal, musical duet. In experiences of primary intersubjectivity, infants display their inherent musical sensitivity when adapting to the prosodic contour and temporal structure of the mother’s sing-song conversation and multi-modal movement. The intuitive conversation is described as infant-directed speech and identified as a musicalemotional narrative. A secondary form of psychological intersubjectivity (companionship) emerges as a result of the dyad’s growing reciprocal confidence when attuning to subjective experiences of the other by way of intuitive musical behaviour. It is argued that musical aptitude develops by way of early and experience-driven reorganisation of neuronal networks. These networks are activated by way of frequent absorption of and interactive response to music of different musical contexts in the home environment. This situation indicates the parental role in unstructured musical guidance of infants. Applying a bioecological systems approach, this pathway model determines that early competencies, cultural influences and social relations all play roles in foundational processes of music acculturation. Parents should be informed accordingly; therefore basic principles for an appropriate approach towards musical parental guidance (MPG) are extrapolated.