This book addresses the need to rethink the concept and enactment of professionalism in music, and how such concepts underpin professional higher music education. There is an urgent imperative to enable the potential of professional musicians in our contemporary societies to be more fully realised, recognising both intense challenges that are currently threatening some traditional music practices, and significant scope for new practices to be imagined in response to deep veins of societal need. Professionalism encompasses the conduct, aims, values, responsibilities and ongoing development of a practising professional in the field. Professional higher music education engages both with providing future professionals with relevant education in particular craft skills, and with nurturing their visions for their work as artists in future societies. The major focus of the book is on performance traditions that have dominated professional higher education, notably western classical music.

Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education informs, challenges and evaluates the central practices, policies and theories that underpin the preparation of future music leaders and the leadership of music in higher education. In higher education, it is often presumed that preparing for professional work is the responsibility of the individual rather than the institution. This anthology draws on the expertise of music practitioners to present the complexities surrounding this topic, exploring approaches to leadership development while addressing prevalent leadership issues from multiple standpoints. Leadership is an inherent part of being a musician: from the creative act through to collaborative engagement, it is fundamental to creating and sustaining a career in music. To expect musicians to develop these necessary skills "on the job", however, is unreasonable and impractical. What support might be given to those looking to negotiate a career as a musician? In fourteen essays, contributors from around the globe explore this question and more, questions such as: How might leadership be modelled for aspiring musicians? How might students learn to recognise, appraise and extend their leadership development? How might institutional leaders challenge curricular and pedagogical norms? Effective leadership development for musicians is vital to the longevity of the profession – Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education is a likewise vital resource for students, educators and future music leaders alike.

In higher music education, learning in social settings (orchestras, choirs, bands, chamber music and so on) is prevalent, yet understanding of such learning rests heavily on the transmission of knowledge and skill from master to apprentice. This narrow view of learning trajectories pervades in both one-to-one and one-to-many contexts. This is surprising given the growing body of knowledge about the power of collaborative learning in general, underpinned by theoretical developments in educational psychology: the social dimensions of learning, situational learning and concepts of communities of learners. Collaborative Learning in Higher Music Education seeks to respond to the challenge of becoming more conscious of the creative and multiple dimensions of social interaction in learning music, in contexts ranging from interdisciplinary projects to one-to-one tuition, and not least in the contemporary context of rapid change in the cultural industries and higher education as a whole. It brings together theoretical papers and case studies of practice. Themes covered include collaborative creativity, communities of practice, peer-learning, co-teaching as co-learning, assessment and curriculum structures. Chapters illuminate reasons for enabling collaborative learning, and provide exemplars of innovative practice and designs for collaborative learning environments in higher music education. A central purpose of the book is to scaffold change, to help in meeting the rapid changes in society and to find constructive stepping stones or signposts for teachers and students.

Higher Music Performance Education, as taught and learned in universities and conservatoires in Europe, is undergoing transformation. Since the nineteenth century, the master-apprentice pedagogical model has dominated, creating a learning environment that emphasises the development of technical skills rather than critical and creative faculties. This book contributes to the renewal of this field by being the first to address the potential of artistic research in developing student-centred approaches and greater student autonomy. This potential is demonstrated in chapters illustrating artistic research projects that are embedded within higher music education courses across Europe, with examples ranging from instrumental tuition and ensemble work to the development of professional employability skills and inclusive practices. Bringing together diverse and experienced voices working within Higher Music Education but often also as professional performers, this edited collection pairs critical reflection with artistic insight to present new approaches to curricula for teaching interpretation and performance. It calls for greater collaboration between Higher Education and professional music institutions to create closer bonds with music industries and, thereby, improve students’ career opportunities. Teaching Music Performance in Higher Education will appeal to scholars, performers, teachers, but also students whose interests centre on innovative practices in conservatoires and music departments.

This book presents an examination of the applied music studio as part of higher education. Applied music studios are where students learn an instrument or voice in one-to-one settings with high-level musician teachers. This book reconceptualizes this teaching model within higher education, and it provides a critical lens, seated in current research provided by a diverse and highly influential set of researcher authors. It provides expert suggestions for improved teaching and learning practices in the applied music studio for readers who may be teachers themselves. It may also provide direction for leaders, directors, and department chairs who oversee the quality of applied music studio settings in the respective higher education units. The key feature of this book is that each chapter will explore new and relevant research, bringing new knowledge to the reader. Each chapter will also suggest relevant applied music studio practices and opportunities based on this targeted research literature. The primary audience for this book would be applied music studio teachers who engage in teaching within the applied music studio, offering suggestions for higher education and private teaching. A secondary audience would be music education researchers at all levels and who have an interest in contemporary thinking relevant to the applied music studio, as well as those interested in the master-apprentice format for learning in any field. Additionally, directors and chairs of music units globally in higher education would find this book helpful in guiding practice in the applied music studio within higher education settings.

This book challenges the dominant expertise professionalism rationale for music education by responding to the call to develop ‘ecological awareness’ at a time when all professions have a moral obligation to place sustainable and interdependent life at the center. The book aims to expand music education’s professional horizons to acknowledge the responsibility of the music field to contribute to the demands of complex questions of sustainability and identify the ways in which sustainable music education may be strengthened through an activist relational ecological stance. It suggests a radical moral turn by asking: What if music education is recognised as part of the problem of sustaining unsustainability? and What if music teacher education was developed in and through dialogue with a futures perspective? These questions are interrogated through a critical analysis of the historical positioning of music in education and an interdisciplinary application of theories of ecology and professionalism.

This volume brings together contributions from a wide range of international academics and practitioners. It traces innovations within classical music practice, showing how these offer divergent visions for its future. The interdisciplinary contributions to the volume highlight the way contrasting ideas of the future can effect change in the present. A rich balance of theoretical and practical discussion brings authority to this collection, which lays the foundations for timely responses to challenges ranging from the concept of the musical work, and the colonial values within Western musical culture, to unsustainable models of orchestral touring. The authors highlight how labour to meet the demands of particular futures for classical music might impact its creation and consumption, presenting case studies to capture the mediating roles of technology and community engagement. This book will be of interest to scholars and students in the fields of musicology and the sociology of music, as well as a general audience of practitioners, freelance musicians, music administrators and educators.

The notion of care is at times misunderstood in the context of music education--equated simply with kindness or associated with lowered expectations--and is often dismissed without consideration of its full value to music learning. When viewed through a student "deficit" perspective, concepts of care might evoke unnecessary pity or a sense of rescue, thereby positioning teachers and learners in a superior/inferior relationship that may be unhealthy and unhelpful to either person. Furthermore, many well-meaning approaches to care emphasize a unidirectional relationship from teacher to student, discounting the ways in which a teacher also continues to learn and develop. A more empowering conceptualization of care in music education involves sharing--sharing experience, sharing passion, sharing excitement, sharing goals, and sharing humanness. The Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education addresses ways in which music teachers and students interact as co-learners and forge authentic relationships with one another through shared music-making. Concepts of care addressed in the handbook stem from philosophies of relationship, feminist ethics, musical meaningfulness, and compassionate music teaching. These essays highlight the essence of authentic relationships and shared experiences between teachers and learners, extending previous conceptions of care to meet the needs of contemporary music learners and the teachers who care for, about, and with them.

The Sage Handbook of School Music Education stands as an essential guide for navigating the evolving educational landscape in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and the transformative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The handbook addresses philosophical foundations, social justice challenges, the envisioning of a transformative curriculum, and critical issues in music teacher education. Written by a diverse team of leading scholars, this handbook offers a truly global perspective with contributors from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North and South America. The handbook engages with the profound interplay of economic, political, and social forces that shape educational policies. Scholars within this collaborative work delve into what it means to educate in a world undergoing significant changes. This entails an exploration of emerging educational approaches, considerations for societal implications, and the interconnectedness of school music education with broader curricular and global contexts. As a cohesive resource, The Sage Handbook of School Music Education not only addresses the challenges faced by educators but also envisions the transformative potential of music education in fostering creativity, inclusivity, and adaptability. This handbook serves as a compass for students, practitioners and scholars in the field, and all those passionate about navigating the complexities of redefining music education for a new era. Part 1: Foundations Part 2: Struggling for Social Justice Through Music Education Part 3: Curriculum Development Part 4: Teacher Education