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From student to professional: recent conservatoire graduates’ experiences of instrumental teaching

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2020

Luan Shaw
Luan Shaw*
Affiliation:
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
*
Corresponding author. Email: luan.shaw@bcu.ac.uk
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Abstract

This research, carried out across 2017–2018, investigated Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) graduates’ experiences of working as instrumental teachers. A total of 31 participants (who graduated across 2012–2016 and studied an optional ‘Further Pedagogy’ module in their final year) responded to a questionnaire, and two were observed whilst teaching, and subsequently interviewed (2018). Results indicate that RBC students who chose to extend their pedagogical training beyond the core provision offered in the third year proved highly employable as instrumental teachers. Graduates considered teaching to be both fulfilling and challenging and were able to use insights gained ‘on the job’ to advise others. Whilst the sample was clearly limited, these findings contribute to an improved understanding of how instrumental teacher education in conservatoires might be further developed to effectively prepare students for the profession.

Keywords

Conservatoire studentsconservatoire graduatesconservatoire alumniinstrumental teachinginstrumental teacher education
Type
Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , March 2021 , pp. 13 - 30
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2020

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