“Conducting is Everywhere!” A Case Study of the Development of Preservice Music Teacher Occupational Identity in a Beginning Conducting Course

Abstract

Research on pre-service music teacher occupational identity often highlights two competing identities: performer and teacher (L"Roy, 1983;Roberts, 1991;Pellegrino, 2009). Of the many factors that contribute to the occupational identity of the pre-service music teacher (Woodford, 2002), conducting has the potential to integrate performer and teacher identities. Previous research indicates that high school and college ensemble conductors have an influence on the occupational identity of the pre-service music teacher (L"Roy, 1983;Bauer & Berg, 2001;Isbell, 2008), yet little is known about how socialization to the norms of a conducting community influences the development of pre-service music teacher occupational identity. The present investigation used qualitative case study methodology (Stake, 1995) to describe the status of pre-service music teacher occupational identity at one institution during a first-semester beginning conducting course. Using a community of practice framework (Wenger, 1998), I examined the following questions: (1) how does conducting instruction influence the development of pre-service music teacher occupational identity; (2) how does a student"s perceived trajectory relate to their approach to conducting instruction; (3) how does a student"s previous and current socialization impact the awareness and participation in a conducting community of practice? Data analysis suggested four primary themes: (a) conducting as teaching; (b) conducting as performing; (c) participants learn by watching others conduct; (d) participants seek to assume the role of the expert. Findings suggest that a pre-service music teacher"s occupational identity is affected by their perceived trajectory (Wenger, 1998) as they interact in or move through a community of practice.

Conducting and Rehearsal Skills in Preservice Music Education: A Review of the Literature

“…Diverse gestures may influence the musical response and perceptions of ensemble musicians. PMEs in Johnson’s (2014) study were surprised by how a subtle gestural conducting change could elicit such a different sound from a performing ensemble. In Montemayor and Silvey’s (2019) study, college musicians rated seven measures of teaching effectiveness higher for a gesturally and facially expressive conductor than a non-expressive conductor.…”

“…Kelly (1999) found that beginning and secondary students improved their musical skills and responded more appropriately to conducting gestures when they understood relationships between visual cues and their musical performance. In a different study, Johnson (2014) investigated conducting classes and motivational variables associated with band directing success and found that observing ensemble conducting influenced undergraduate perspectives.…”

Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Undergraduate Conducting Curricula: A Review of Literature

“…Boardman (2000) noted that conducting instructors believed observations of other experienced conductors were important, or even essential, to conductor preparation. Likewise, Johnson (2014) found that undergraduate conducting students learned from observation and stated that music education students may see their ensemble conductors as sources of learning if they perceive conducting as integral to music teaching. Haston and Russell (2012) also found critical observation of teachers enabled students to analyze various teaching methods and to evaluate their effectiveness.…”

“…Battisti and Garofalo (1990) stressed the importance of holding similar standards of prior preparation and accountability among conductors and ensemble musicians, and the findings from Manfredo (2008), Silvey (2011a, 2011b), and Silvey et al (2016) may suggest that both conducting teachers and conducting students place high value on score study and preparation. In addition to the development of conducting technique and score study strategies, researchers have suggested that undergraduate conducting courses may play an important role in the occupational identity development of preservice music educators (Johnson, 2014; Silvey, 2011b; Silvey & Major, 2014). Understanding how conducting coursework may affect the occupational identity of preservice music educators may assist conducting teachers in designing their courses to be more integrated with the larger music education curriculum.…”

“…Undergraduate conducting students often perceive teaching and conducting as synonymous. Johnson (2014) explained that preservice music educators may identify as conducting students throughout their teacher preparation, and he suggested that conducting, studied either privately or through undergraduate conducting courses, is a contributing factor in preservice music educators’ occupational identity development. Silvey and Major (2014) found that students in undergraduate conducting courses may struggle taking on an identity as a leader within the context of the class itself.…”