Summary
Philosophies of Work in Instrumental Music Education
In this article-based dissertation I discuss the research question: What philosophies of work
are expressed through thematic narrative analyses of instrumental music teachers´ practices,
and what implications might these have for basic thinking in music teacher education? The
purpose of the dissertation is to enrich basic thinking in music teacher education, by
articulation and discussion of three-, different instrumental music teachers’ philosophies of
work. These three instrumental teachers are named the jazz pedagogue, the music teacher and
the French horn pedagogue, because analyses of the data material identify these as titles that
the research participants mainly use about themselves. The following summary provides an
overview of the different parts of the thesis:
The embracing text contains four chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction presenting the
purpose, research question and my motivation for this work. In this chapter I position the
research project within a many-faceted music education landscape in society and school,
where each music educator’s understanding of his/ her own mandate and expertise has great
impact on their practice. Chapter 2 elaborates the theoretical frame of the thesis, which has
developed in dialogues with professional theory, as well as existing research in music
education from the Nordic area. The core concept in the thesis, “profesjonsforståelse”
(Norwegian), is translated into “philosophies of work”, and means each music instrument
teacher´s understanding of his/ her work, mandate and expertise. The main aspects of this
term are power, identity and knowledge. In Chapter 3 I discuss the reflexive methodological
frame in the thesis, and the thematic narrative approach chosen for the three studies. I also
reflect upon the challenges and choices that have been made through the process. Finally, in
chapter 4 I discuss the research question, and summarize the contributions of this thesis to the
related research field(s). I also point out new questions and further research that this work
encourages.
Article 1 is titled Being and power. About experiences and understandings of instrumental
music teaching. This article is a philosophical discussion about what insights may be
articulated in research about instrumental teaching practice, depending on whether the
researcher selects a hermeneutical-philosophical perspective inspired by Heidegger’s
thinking, or a discourse-oriented perspective, inspired from Foucault’s work (Heidegger,
2000; Foucault, 1999). In the first two parts of this article, Heidegger’s philosophy, that seeks
an authentic being within art, and Foucault’s discourse-oriented philosophy, are seen as two
contrasting standpoints (Heidegger 2000, Foucault 1999). For example, Heidegger provides
an existential reflection on the art experience, which has its place in instrumental music
education. Foucault, on the other hand, offers a view to consider how music pedagogues’
practices are formed through social and cultural mechanisms. In the third part of the article
dichotomised reasoning and similarities in Heidegger’s and Foucault’s work are discussed,
especially emphasising Foucault’s later writings. Inspired by Derrida (1976), and Latour
(2005, 1996), juxtaposition of Heidegger’s and Foucault’s philosophies through a narrative
approach is suggested, which crosses between, and intersects academic borders and
philosophical standpoints, such as the concepts of Being and Power.
Articles 2, 3 and 4 are examples of the type of research proposed in the conclusion of article
1. I have asked the same research question to three different practices. These three articles have the
same form, with an introduction that motivates the discussions, a presentation of the research
participant and his/her context, a discussion about the research design and the data material, a
researcher´s narrative from the practice, and finally a theoretical and philosophical discussion about
the identified themes, or pivots, in each study.
Article 2 is titled Music education as dialogue between the outer and the inner. A jazz
pedagogue’s philosophy of work. The jazz pedagogue in this study is nationally and
internationally recognized as a performer and educator, and is honoured for his work of
bringing jazz education into the system of higher music education in Norway. Analysis of the
various data material denotes three binary pivots, indicating a practice embodied as an
existential dialogue between inner and outer aspects of music and human beings. The
identified pivots are named tradition/person, music as heard/music as not-heard, and
teacher/performer. Insights form this study are presented in a researcher´s narrative, and
discussed with inspiration from Heidegger’s’ philosophy about the arts and human beings
(Heidegger, 2000), Small´s notion of “musicking” (Small, 1996, 1987), and Pio`s discussions
about musicality (Pio, 2007, 2006). The discussion relates to formal intentions for basic music
education in Norway.
Article 3 is titled A music teacher’s philosophy of work: Bridging performance, society and
education. In this article I discuss the philosophy of work of an instrumental music teacher
with multiple tasks in basic music education in Norway. This teacher is positioned in a small
community school of music and art, which has been honoured for manifesting a `best
practice` for such schools. Through thematic narrative analyses of the data material, three
pivots are identified in this teachers practice; cultural life, school, and artefacts. After the
researcher’s narrative: The Music Teachers’ Every day, these pivots are discussed in a
theoretical frame inspired by the thoughts of Gadamer, Heidegger and Small (Gadamer, 2010;
Heidegger, 2000, Small, 1987, 1996). Finally, insights from this discussion are directed
towards the processes of professionalization in the field of performer-teachers.
Article 4 is titled A French horn pedagogue’s philosophy of work. From beginner to expert,
with teacher education as a terminal point. This article is a discussion of the philosophy of
work in a French horn pedagogue´s practice, positioned in a community school of music and
art that is renowned for its talent programme. This French horn pedagogue´s practice relates
to professional norms for being a musician, and the pivots identified in her teaching practice
are: French horn player, strategies, and reconciling. After the researcher´s narrative, the
didactopographer, these pivots are discussed within a theoretical frame inspired by
Gadamer´s thoughts about Bildung, sensus communis and eloquentia (Gadamer, 2010). In
conclusion, the discussion relates to music teacher education, stressing the necessity to
emphasise the basis of existence for being a music pedagogue.