Music teaching and learning in a regional conservatorium, NSW, Australia

Abstract

This study documents and analyses the environment where music education happens in a regional Conservatorium in New South Wales, Australia. The study aimed to gain insight into the structure, nature and professional practice of a regional conservatorium, and identify innovative pedagogical possibilities. An ethnographic case study was undertaken over one year, with intensity ranging from weeklong immersion schedules to occasional short-term observation of activities. Schwab's (1969) commonplaces of schooling (milieu, subject matter, students and teachers) were applied as a priori themes, providing a scaffold for preliminary classification and exploration of the data. Empirical themes were identified as they emerged through data analysis, and subsequently applied. A dominant finding of the study is the areas of intersection between the commonplaces of schooling: the triangulation of expertise (teacher, performer and musician); a curriculum design that is student centred; mechanisms to enhance the sustainability of a regional Conservatorium; adaptation of pre-established curricula; students need to be prepared for a musical life beyond the Conservatorium; and parental involvement is central for success.