Rehearsing for performance in a Stage 6 classroom highlights the notion of Standard 1.

3:
Students of diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds
(“Australian Professional Standards for Teachers”, 2018) and Quality Teaching Model 2.4:
self-regulation (NSW Department of Education and training, 2006) as explored through this
discussion in relation to the following areas of musical identity, performance presentation,
self- expression and individual-based learning. The performative activities associated with
rehearsal represent the learning experience of performance as outlined within the Stage 1
Music 6 Syllabus. (Board of Studies NSW, 2009).

Rehearsal provides students with the opportunity to interact, experiment and

understand music through the act of self-expression. The simplicity of picking up an
instrument and expressing one-self through musical practice can be contrasted to the strong
experiences gained from the musical experience of listening to an artist. Students undertaking
performance activities often portray a goal in why they perform. Alexander Lamont (2012)
discusses the impact of both positive and negative emotions in relation to performing music
and draws focus on positive psychology to interpret his findings. He suggests that approaches
to student wellbeing is achieved through two different traditions; the hedonic tradition which
focuses on pleasure, and eudaimonic tradition that focuses on living life in a satisfying way.
(Lamont, 2012) He states that both traditions can be approached through two means; these
are the experiences of ‘a sense of engagement’ and ‘search for meaning’ (Lamont, 2012). In
search for happiness and a sense of belonging to a cultural experience, performative activities
provide possibility for students to engage in environments that allow for the inquiry of
meaning based on the background experiences of our own reality.

Considering the two means of student wellbeing as expressed by Lamont (2012)

allows educators to create a connection between AITSL Standard 1.3 (“Australian
Professional Standards for Teachers”, 2018) and the learning experience of Performance
(Board of Studies, 2009). Music is emotive and interacts with the means of ‘engagement’ and
‘meaning’ by playing a significant role in the identity formation of a student’s musical
identity. Identity formation through music is often presented through the ideology of an
augmented reality or “pleasurable life”. (Lamont, 2012) In order of categorising to the music
culture, students must identify what meaning the selected performance repertoire conveys to
them and how they will go about engaging themselves to the performance through expressive
representation. This can be obtained through the reflection of personal experiences from their
cultural, religious or socio-economic backgrounds. Student engagement and direction within
musical practise should improve student’s identity formation by regulating a positive student
wellbeing. Positive wellbeing would be achieved by accommodating to the students’ needs
and providing learning content with reference to background knowledge. Thus creating deep
knowledge towards student’s role in identity formation within their performance.

The rehearsal process encourages the use of self-regulation as a motivation tool to

obtain and encourage students to provide commitment towards creating their own musical
persona. Students are given ample opportunities through learning activities to develop and
reinvestigate attributes of their musical skills and presentation. Rehearsal provides dedicated
time to work on the ideologies of an individual’s background to build resilience, meaning and
connection to a wider audience through the communication of performing within the context
of a particular culture.

The practice of rehearsing is to identify a way to present ourselves within the social
construct of performers. Performance presentation represents the setting in which we present
ourselves within a performance. It’s relates to our values derived from the diverse
backgrounds and social context that individuals decide to engage with creating the meaning
and purpose behind our stories. Rehearsing provides a fundamental learning tool for students
as it allows students to experiment, modify and improvise among their own creations and
modifications of selected repertoire. This means that for students to convey meaning, they
need to engage with the musical works through the use of particular strategies that develops
the identity formation we oppose on ourselves as performers. In relation to Standard 1.3,
rehearsing for music performance provides opportunities for student creativity and self-
regulation through the contributing cultures and backgrounds that enrich the attitudes and
creativity of the student. These attitudes and ideas of creativity are already familiar values
that surround the “practice of music-making and musical reception”. (Green, 2009)

Rehearsing for music performance within music education provides the opportunity
for students to engage and communicate with other students and teachers to obtain the needs
and potential skills required for the learning experience ‘performance’ (Board of Studies,
2009). Rehearsing for music performance is a state of self-regulated learning often devised
through individual-based learning on improving the musical skill of the individual students’.
Students are often provided with “freedom of choice” when it comes to the selection of
repertoire for rehearsal purposes. As identified by Green (2009), students are more inclined to
decide on repertoire that is relatable to the student’s background reflecting on cultural aspects
of popularity and sustainability of upholding cultural status. Although Standard 1.3 supports
student wellbeing, the influence of background knowledge can restrict the students’ musical
ability from the choice of repertoire that may not provoke creativity or explore the
individual’s musical ability. Therefore, students need to be self-regulated to ensure that they
are meeting the performance outcomes as identified within the Music 1 Stage 6 Syllabus
(Board of Studies, 2009). This can be identified through student commitment and motivation
towards the rehearsal process drawing attention to their musical skills and abilities that need
improvement and development proceeding academic and performative goals. Working
towards learning goals involves the interactivity with the selected repertoire to experiment
and develop well-practised skills that students can use in order of presenting an identity that
conforms to the setting and cultural representation of the song selection. A purpose to
rehearsal is to define the interpretation of ourselves as performers and increase musical skills
to create stronger representations of the cultural context behind the song to effectively
communicate our understanding to a wider audience.

A performer needs to be self-efficient in making a conscious effort in the continuous process

of rehearsal to improve their musical skill and ability (McPherson & McCormick, 1999). A
student who can regulate their own learning experience will ‘develop necessary
psychological and physical agility to achieve skills through the practice of performative
activities’ (Payne, 2017). In reflection of an individual’s musical identity, students may draw
on cultural and socio-economic backgrounds as influence in representing cultural forms
within repertoire.







References
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards
Board of Studies NSW. (2009). Music 1 Stage 6 Syllabus. Sydney: Board of
Studies NSW.
Green, L. (2009). Music, Informal learning and the school: a New Classroom
Pedagogy. (pp. 41-66). Routledge.
Lamont, A. (2012). Emotion, engagement and meaning in strong experiences of
music performance. Psychology Of Music, 40(5), 574-594. doi:
10.1177/0305735612448510
McPherson, G., & McCormick, J. (1999). Motivational and Self-regulated
Learning Components of Musical Practice. Council For Research In Music
Education, 141(1), 98-102. doi: 137.154.28.230
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2006). A classroom practice
guide (pp. 34-35). Ryde NSW: NSW Department of Education and Training.
Payne, E. (2017). The craft of musical performance: skilled practice in
collaboration. Cultural Geographies, 25(1), 107-122. doi:
10.1177/1474474016684126






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