The Veblen article about community music was quite enlightening to me as someone who almost exclusively partook in Formal and Non-formal music training. The chart on page 246 was an interesting way to gain insight into how the different styles of learning differ from each other, and I was thus able to correctly view the styles of learning I was accustomed to wherever there were potential grey areas (for example, an unofficial violin teacher versus a paid Royal Conservatory of Music teacher). I was very interested to see how the practice of informal music training was different from my preconceived perception of it, having only ever received non-formal and formal training myself. I realized that some of my favourite types of music, namely traditional fiddle music, had come largely from an informal teaching background, something I had not known prior. I now have a new perspective on the way that music can be taught, and to think twice before making negative assumptions about informal musical training, as it was not as I initially thought. There are additional innovations that can be made through the use of informal music: an example that stood out to me from this article in that respect was the anecdote about the lessons from the Bulgarian piper: where one had to eschew all previous concepts of melody et cetera to focus on playing the flute. Such an insight may not have occurred with the highly structured and sometimes standardized methods of formal teaching. In response to one of the overarching subjects of the paper, I have always been of the belief that it is never too late to begin learning music, and that anybody can begin to learn so long as they have the drive and desire to become musicians. In response to the reflection question four at the bottom of the essay, I think that we should devote just as much, if not more energy to the teaching of music to those who have gone past childhood. Adults will often have the drive to strive and continue to improve their abilities, and, while not having the advantage that children have, are quite capable of achieving great lengths with sustained effort.
Veblen, K. K. (2012). Adult Music Learning in Formal, Nonformal, and Informal Contexts. Oxford Handbooks Online. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199928019.013.0017
Hi James,
Thank you for your response. In the beginning of your response, you refer to possible negative assumptions you used to have surrounding informal music learning. Where do you think these negative assumptions possibly stemmed from? And do you think they are similar to assumptions that many people have who have engaged in formal and nonformal music learning? In response to your final answer to the reflection question, why do you think adults tend to have more of a drive to continue to improve their abilities? What are some ways we could reach these adults who haven’t previously engaged in musical training? And why do you think they would begin? What would motivate them? It would be interesting to contrast this idea with your own experiences in formal and nonformal music learning.
Thanks,
Laura
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