The experience of first-year BMus music students of a movable do-tonic solmisation programme

Abstract

Sight-singing is one of the indispensable elements of musicianship. Pre-university students at the North-West University start the BMus ear-training course with insufficient sight-singing skills. This is because of inadequate sight-singing training on primary and secondary school levels. However, sight-singing skills can be effectively remediated by the use of the movable do-tonic solmisation programme. In this study the impact of a movable do-tonic solmisation programme on the experiences and the improvement of the sight-singing abilities of first-year BMus ear-training students at the School of Music of the North-West University was documented. Perceptions and experiences of first-year music students were noted and a model that described the interaction between values, attitudes, motivation, performance and experiences for the study is postulated. The main research methodology of the study was action and empirical research. Questionnaires, interviews, observations and assessment data were used. The need to improve sight-singing on secondary school level is pointed out as well as the benefits of the use of a movable do-tonic solmisation programme.