Gehooropleiding of gehoorontwikkeling? : 'n Interpretatiewe beskrywing van die sienswyses van agt klavieronderwysers vir beginner leerlinge

Abstract

It is often said that within the piano exams of UNISA or the ABRSM, the aural component is the one component of a beginner’s piano lessons which receives very little attention. This study, therefore, investigates the role of aural in the beginner’s piano lessons. In this study a distinction is made between aural development and aural training. In this study the argument is made that aural training is only one of the sub-components of aural development, the other components being the extra musical component, imaginative component, affective component and physical component (Dunn, 2006). For this interpretative description a literature study on aural in the piano lesson was conducted, as well as interviews with eight piano teachers – teaching beginner lessons – in the Potchefstroom area. Questions to the teachers included how they approach a beginner’s piano lessons, as well as questions regarding the role of aural in general in the beginner’s piano lessons. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data from the interviews were analysed and coded, using the Atlas.ti 7.1.6 programme. The analysis of the data indicated that piano teachers’ lessons for beginners are centred around aural development. Aural is integrated within the piano lesson by means of singing, as well as movement and games. The extent to which a child’s aural skill is developed, is directly correlated with the extent of musicality in performing the piano pieces. Aural training is the one component of aural development which can be assessed, thus the focus is on this single component of aural during piano exams. From the interviews with piano teachers it was clear that this assessment of aural - together with the rest of the piano exam - causes stress for the learners. Aural development, on the other hand, takes place in a more relaxed setting. The conclusion that is drawn is that aural consists of much more than aural training, although piano exams only focus on one aspect of aural development. Due to the large role of aural development – in that it can determine the learner’s musicality – the conclusion is made that music exams place too little emphasis on aural development. The suggestion is made that aural, like theory, needs to be separated from the piano exam. Aural can be divided into different levels, where the learner needs to accomplish one level before moving on to the next. These levels should not however be in the format of an exam, but rather accommodating all the different sub-components of aural development.