An investigation of the mentorship programme of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra : a case for the adoption of an experiential learning model
Loading...
Date
2008
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The National Cadetship Programme (NCP) is part of a comprehensive Education and
Development Programme within the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (KZNPO).
The NCP offers promising young South African players focused coaching and first hand
experience of playing in a professional orchestra. One of its main aims is to increase the
number of South African musicians in the pool of present and future orchestra musicians.
However, though the NCP has been in existence for just over ten years, the demographic
representation of the KZNPO remains largely unchanged. This research investigated
whether it is necessary to make changes to the NCP in order for it to be more effective. It
began by revealing the intended overall structure of the Programme through interviews
with the orchestra management, comparing it to what is actually happening, and
discussing the implications that this has for learning within the Programme. It also
obtained the expectations of the various participants of the NCP regarding the educational
process, and evaluated the level at which these expectations were being met. Further, it
analysed the reasons why these expectations were or were not being met in terms of
experiential learning and programme development, and discussed the implications for the
Programme. The research found a lack of clarity amongst the mentors and cadets about
the structure of the NCP and the roles expected of them. It also revealed that the formal
assessment and feedback procedure needed to be improved in order for it to be more
educative, and that the cadets needed to be given more performance opportunities. The
research concluded that it would be beneficial to the NCP for experiential learning to be
formalised within the Programme with the systematic adoption of an experiential learning
model.
Description
Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.
Keywords
Music--Performance--KwaZulu-Natal., Mentoring in the arts--KwaZulu-Natal., Theses--Music.