The Women of String Pedagogy: A Study on Their Importance in the World of String Teaching

Mikaela Lange
Abstract
When it comes to string pedagogy there are many affluent women who helped create
the teaching strategies and paved the way for other women in the world of string music. While
not all of them, many of these women and their contributions are not as widely known as their
male counterparts. Throughout this study, the women that were researched range across all
different types of contributions to string education. Understanding their impact on what makes
string education the way that it is now is the main goal, as well as appreciating the way they
paved for females in the profession. The end goal of this study is to ensure that the world of
female string pedagogues is equal instead of being overshadowed by their male colleagues. This
research is also to give young future educators a chance to study techniques from more than
what is considered traditional teachings.
While exploring the many influential women, the list was narrowed down to 10 women
ranging from public school educators to collegiate professors. The women included in the
research range anywhere from Phyllis Young to Nadia Boulanger. While some of the women are
not inherently string educators, they were still an affluent educators and female musicians. The
goal of this is to understand where these women come from and how they shaped music
education as well as how they shaped string education. Even though some of these women
were not string specific educators, good teaching and characteristics can be applied to any style
of classroom not just the content specific area. These women also span across different
centuries and are not confined to one era which helps show the effect they had on the world of
education.
While one goal was to find ways to grow as an educator, it was also to find common
threads between the 10 women. Not only focusing on how they taught pedagogically speaking,
but the culture they cultivated in their programs. In an era where culture in the classroom is
equally as important, this concept was researched and evaluated across these 10 women. This
research is also focused not only on the pedagogical impacts, but their biographical information
as well.
Finding ways to acknowledge how women have also shaped the world of music
education is important to also help future educators know that there have been people like
them that have paved the way to make their career what it is today. Within the realm of
teaching, we can draw from a plethora of resources so when the scope is not limited to
instrument or gender, we have access to different styles of teaching. As previously stated, good
teaching knows no bounds and with learning about these 10 women the world of string
teaching is accessible to others and can reflect our students in a positive light. Throughout this
study, the women researched have had a major impact on string teaching and it is important to
ensure that that does not go unnoticed.