Is Musical Knowledge Aesthetic or Social? A Pilot Study of Knowledge Formation in Music.

Abstract

This paper discusses different theories of musical knowledge, using the concept of competence as a possible definition. A prestudy of quality criteria in music performance is presented which draws on the distinction between 'know-how' and competence . The aim was to study teachers' working theories of quality by mapping out the vocabulary they use, and investigating the functions of these working theories during auditions. The method used Kelly's repertory grid technique to explore teachers 'personal construct systems. Five teachers were interviewed and five auditions involving 10 students were videotaped. A first analysis revealed three dominant bipolar constructs, between instrumental skills, and expressive modes, creativity, and interpretative modes respectively. A further analysis revealed two further conceptual distinctions between personality and interpretation, which constitutes a continuum between the interpreter and the music from the perspective of values, and between instrumental and communicative skills, representing social and technical know-how. These distinctions lead to a conceptual model which enables us to identify quality criteria which form the basis of four major working theories of musical knowledge.

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