Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance
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[edit] Description
Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance(CMP) is a method of teaching students music that focuses on the relation of musical content towards performance. It is an intradisciplinary approach to music which focuses a concern for constituent parts and how they relate to the whole, such as how a musical content area (i.e. music theory) relates to the overall picture of music. Integration is the concept that underlies the philosophy of Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance. (Heavner 2005)
The Comprehensive Musicianship approach brings balance and focus to the disparate areas of music, allowing students to pursue and explore all aspects of music and their interrelationships. (Willoughby 1971) Overall, Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance is a means of promoting musical performance with an understanding to the students. Students should perform better because they understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. (Pearson)
[edit] Objectives
The primary goal of CMP is to develop a total understanding and competency of all areas of music through the integration of performing, creating/composing, conducting, listening to, and discussing music. In other words, at the same time students are learning skills necessary to perform musical compositions, they are also gaining knowledge in other musical areas. With this said, students should perform better because they understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance develops students to be well-rounded musicians.
[edit] Foundations for Comprehensive Musicianship
The rationale for creating the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance method for teaching was that typically the various content areas in music were studied as separate and distinct areas. In other words, music was divorced into different areas where such areas as performance were not included with music history and vice versa. This was causing students to have a fragmented knowledge of music that prevented them from developing a comprehensive musical understanding. Students did not get the overall aesthetic experience or understanding of music in strictly performance based curriculums. Thus, the idea of teaching comprehensive musicianship started.
In 1965, Music Educators National Conference, now known as The National Association for Music Education, introduced the introduced the idea of CMP through the presentation Comprehensive Musicianship - the Foundation for College Education in Music. Its recommendations were as follows:
- The content and orientation of musicianship training should serve all music degree students regardless of their eventual specialization.
- Comprehensive musicianship training incorporates conceptual knowledge with technical skills to develop the capacity to experience fully and the ability to communicate the content of a musical work.
- The courses in musicianship training should be designed to synthesize knowledge acquired in all other musical studies.
- All musicianship studies should relate contemporary thought and practices with those of former times.
- Musicianship courses should be considered as evolving and open-ended disciplines. The student must be given the means to seek and deal with materials outside and beyond his formal education in music.
- The relevance of musicianship training to professional studies should be made clear to the student. The clarity of purpose may be achieved if musicianship training is based on the student's own musical development and expressive needs.
- Courses constituting comprehensive musicianship training are directly related to each other. The study of any specific subject matter need not be confined to a course but approached in several ways in other complementary disciplines.(MENC 1965)
A conspicuous result of Contemporary Music Project (CMP; 1959-1973), Comprehensive Musicianship (CM), was formulated from the realization that the diverse disciplines of music education were rigidly compartmentalized, too limited to a small part of the total heritage of music, and insufficient to develop creativity. CMP intended to replace this inadequate state of learning with a synthesis of all musicianship courses, the study of a wide variety of musical styles, and a study of common elements in analysis, performance, and composition.
These recommendations and results were the beginnings of the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance model we have today.
[edit] Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Curriculum Model
The Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance curriculum model, as designed by Heavner(2005), is split into five categories that seek to address the development of musical skills and knowledge that are advocated by the approach of comprehensive musicianship. The categories are as follows:
- Concepts – CMP consists of seven basic concepts of music: timbre, rhythm, harmony, form, melody, tonality, and texture. Each concept is introduced on a simple level, and then revisited on a more complex level each time the student studies a new piece of music. The amount of emphasis on each concept depends on the nature of the music.
- Content – The CMP curriculum should span over the following nine content areas: music theory, music history, music literature/style, ear training, compositional techniques, improvisational techniques, performance practices, conducting practices, and music aesthetics. The integration of these content areas allows students to perceive music in its totality and for synthesis of conceptual knowledge and skills from the various areas of music to take place.
- Activities – The goal of CMP is to develop a total understanding and competency of all areas of music through the integration of performing, creating, conducting, analytical listening, and discussing. These activities help relate musical concepts and skills in one area to that of another through interaction and continuity of experiences.
- Instructional Literature – CMP approach encourages the study and utilization of a wide variety of music literature; both western and non-western and from various periods and styles.
- Evaluation – CMP includes assessment in the areas of descriptive competence, performance competence, creative competence, and attitude.
[edit] National Standards for Music Education
The National Association for Music Education's (MENC) National Standards for Music Education were developed from the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance model. They are standard to which music educators are supposed to teach by. They are as follows:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture. (MENC 2005)
[edit] Applications in the Music Classroom
In CMP the teacher acts as a learning facilitator, posing tasks and lines of inquiry for the students that are based on the music being performed. Possible student outcomes are practically limitless, ranging from knowledge of styles, composers, and contemporary history; to elements of form, such as phrase, rondo, or ternary structure; to theoretical concepts such as key, modes, harmony, or counterpoint. (Pontius)
Examples of current music method books that utilize Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance:
[edit] Evidence of effectiveness
In a study by Parkes(1988), Five teachers teaching from ten schools (urban, suburban and rural), and 280 students participated in the 7 month study. Teachers attended five in-service sessions conducted by the researcher, learning about CMP philosophy and strategies. Sessions also included a review of music teaching and learning topics. Concept and literature-related materials were distributed. A teacher attitude survey measuring attitudes toward undergraduate preparation and CM was administered at Session I. A second survey, administered in June 1986 (the conclusion of the field experience), measured teacher attitudes toward their success with CMP. Part II of each survey was a pre/post measure of attitudes toward CM. Teachers experimented with CMP strategies, writing objectives pertaining to the cognitive, psychomotor or affective domains. These were later used in developing criterion-referenced tests designed primarily by the researcher and administered by teachers. Results from a 40-item student attitude survey administered in June, 1986 indicate that students enjoyed many aspects of CMP, especially creative activities such as composing; most thought these helped them to become better musicians. Criterion-referenced test results indicate a wide range of student achievement with success occurring more often in performance than in written tests. Teacher survey results indicate that they valued the in-service instruction, developed confidence and felt their undergraduate preparation was insufficient. They felt comfortable evaluating student achievement through several modes, and began to visualize the practicability of teaching concepts in addition to conducting rehearsals.
[edit] Signed "life experiences," testimonies, and stories
As far as I'm concerned, if you do not teach Comprehensive Musicianship skills to students you are doing them a great disservice. As music educators, we must teach all aspects of music, not just band performance. That way students can transfer all their knowledge and skills to all music and not be limited to a single context.-G. Vigneron
The Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance project is the basis for many of the most successful music programs across the state of Illinois and Wisconsin. I have taught in two school districts that have based their music programs on the concepts brought forth by the CMP. My style of teaching has been adapted to include improvisation and composition on a weekly basis for my students, as well as insights into alternative rehearsal strategies that lead to a better understanding of music performance and history. Another great reference for CMP is Shaping Sound Musicians, by Patricia O'Toole. - William Rank
I have always tried to use the Comprehensive Musicianship ideas in my teaching. I teach music and also have taught humanities. In my performane classes that I taught, I would supplement the rehearsals with music history and the students would respond with many more questions about how the music should be performed. I thought through this approach, music teachers can teach a lot more than just how to play the instrument. - Brandon Correa
While I strive to teach ALL of my classes using a Comprehensive Musicianship philosophy, the class it is most readily obvious in is Music Appreciation. This particular class is a mixture of nonmusicians and musicians of various ability levels. As we study the various genres of music, we discuss it's historical context. They use theory concepts they have learned and use it when completing composition exercises relating to the genre. Whenever possible, I also incorporate performance opportunities for them such as a drum circle. The class also completes assignments and essays on various musical performances. I find using this approach helps all students to learn as it has a great chance of lining up with his or her particular preference of learning style. --Christy Cyrus
I have participated in several clinics with the topic of CMP. Randall Swiggum has led both and he is wonderful. I have felt so inspired and refreshed after those two experiences. CMP can be taught at all levels. One technique that I remember is that instead of referring to each composition by title a director can refer to it in different ways to get the student musicians thinking. Pieces may be referenced by tempo marking, form, composer, key etc. I use this technique with my beginners and it is interesting to see when students figure out the answers. M. Rice
I have always felt that I could do a better job at teaching music in my band program. My students always did well, but we could never break through to be a superior ensemble. I took the CMP course at Drake University this summer and I can honestly say that is has changed the way I look at things. It has revitalized my enthusiasm for teaching music and I can't wait to try it out this fall. I have written a series of journal articles that talk about my experiences with CMP and how it is changing the way I prepare for my classes. --Maestroc 09:03, 21 June 2007 (CDT)
I am not a music educator, but I took band in high school and currently play bass in a cover band. We NEVER talked music theory in band. I only needed to focus on my part and hoped it fit. This approach would have made band a great class and gave meaning to the grade I received. I read this site and I truly am jealous of what I missed out on in my years in band. Good luck to all of you and I wish all of you the best in handling these young aspiring musicians.
MM
[edit] References and other links of interest
Grashel, J. (1993) An integrated approach. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 19. Issue 8.
Heavner, T. (2005) The applied music lesson: Teaching gifted and talented students utilizing principles of comprehensive musicianship. International Education Journal, 6. 170-174
Music Educators National Conference (1965). Comprehensive musicianship: The foundation for college education in music. Washington DC: Music Educators National Conference
Music Educators National Conference (1968). Contemporary music project for creativity in music education. Music Educators Journal, 51 (7), 43-61.
MENC: The National Association for Music Education. (2005) "National Standards for Music Education." http://www.menc.org/publication/books/standards.htm
O'Toole, P. (2003). Shaping Sound Musicians. Chicago: GIA Publications.
Parkes, M.B.(1988) The development and implementation of an inservice course in comprehensive musicianship for elementary band directors: Measurement of teacher attitude shift, student attitudes and student achievement. (Volumes I and II) Digital Dissertations
Pearson, B.Comprehensive Musicianship. http://www.musiceducatorsonline.org/cmplesson/cmplecture.htmlRetrieved November 28, 2005
Pontius, M. COMPREHENSIVE MUSICIANSHIP THROUGH PERFORMANCE: A Paradigm for Restructuring. http://dpi.wi.gov/cal/mucmppap.html Retrieved November 28, 2005
Willoughby, D. (1971). Comprehensive Musicianship and Undergraduate Music Curricula. United States: Contemporary Music Project
