The master-less studio: An autonomous education community

Abstract

In recent times, it has become difficult for even the best conservatorium graduates to achieve the traditional goals of concert performance or secure orchestral positions and this has profound effects on the work practices of musicians. There are important implications for teaching in a conservatorium, in terms of providing a learning experience that prepares for the changing circumstances graduates can expect to encounter. The development of abilities to be self-monitoring and self-directing, multi-skilled and adaptable should be included along with the traditional goals of a conservatorium education. This paper focuses on one conservatorium of music that has begun to accommodate alternatives to the prevailing one-to-one studio practice, the central learning experience of most programs. The paper describes an alternative learning design process within that conservatorium. It is a pedagogical design that relies on the recording process to enable separation of performance from critique. Interest is in how critical reflection on the process and product of creative work is enhanced through self-and peer-assessment, and the development of these skills as an explicit goal of the design. Objectives This paper describes an alternative learning design for music education. In this model, the creative practice of popular music is developed largely through the provision of recording facilities rather than through being taught in the master/apprentice one-to-one studio lesson format that prevails in the study of music in most higher education environments. Students are selected for strengths in a range of skills used in the creation of popular music; they form a community of practice in which the collective abilities of the students and staff form a valuable resource for learning. This is often a continuation of students' prior informal learning experiences. Autonomous, intrinsically motivated and self-directed learning, including peer learning and assessment, is common in popular music in the broader community. The recording process performs one of the functions of the master in the master/apprentice model, that of providing a potential for meaningful and well-founded feedback. The paper does not propose that all expert input should be denied to students, but it does provide examples of practices that could be adopted with positive outcomes in creative practice environments.