‘If you can’t describe it, we can’t play it’
Professional conductors’ verbal feedback in rehearsals
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21458770 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Esa Virkkula (0000-0002-2215-660X, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 19-32 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Studies in Continuing Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0158-037X • E-ISSN: 1470-126X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0158037x.2023.2224231 |
| OpenAlex | W4380574759 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 38 |
This article explores the work of conductors to develop an understanding of verbal feedback in the context of professional-level big band orchestras. A big band conductor must have strong musical and social skills to guide a big band to the performance level. This qualitative study is based on Vygotsky’s theory of learning as a social process. The collaboration between conductors and big band musicians is understood as a pedagogical relationship in which the conductor supports the musicians in practising the repertoire through different scaffolding tools (e.g. verbal feedback). The scholar analysed conductors’ work in three cycles according to the clarity and conciseness of their feedback, how a positive working atmosphere is built, and the big band musicians’ participation. The results demonstrate how the conductors gave direct one-sided instructions to refine the musicians’ playing. The data also revealed the musicians’ occasional involvement in music-related problem-solving through positive interactions. The article contributes to the discussion on the social skills of conductors to be utilised by, among others, professionals in music, conducting education teachers and students
Acoustics · CLARITY · Music education · Musical · Pedagogy · Repertoire · Visual arts · Diverse Music Education Insights · Psychology · Reflective Practices in Education · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Dialogic Inquiry
Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice
Thinking in Jazz
Content Analysis
The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers
Scaffolding in Teacher–Student Interaction
Case Study Research
The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving
Taking a step back to move forward
Deconflating the ZPD and instructional scaffolding
Once more, with feeling
Feedback encounters
Rethinking models of feedback for learning
A Comparison of Expert and Novice Music Teachers' Preparing Identical Band Compositions
The zone of proximal development as an overarching concept
Qualitative research methods for the social sciences
Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |