Tertiary Music Education

This research project assesses the factors, both on and away from the instrument, contributing to musculoskeletal pain among current tertiary drum kit players in Australia. Whilst performing arts medicine continues to grow as a research field, a lack of information and primary research exists for drum kit players wanting to take better care of their health and prevent playing-related injuries. Two new methods of data collection have been created, the Drummers’ Health and Pain Assessment Questionnaire and the Summary Index of Participants Self-Reported Pain, in order to assess the current state of health and injury prevention awareness within both drum kit majors and percussion majors who regularly play drum kit. Specifically, these methods generate new data concerning playing habits, the prevalence of PRMDs, injury history and treatment, most affected pain regions, internal/external pressures, general health, and stress levels.

Factor analysis has been undertaken along with a deconstruction of the questionnaire responses, and the researcher’s autoethnographic reflections geared towards optimal performance preparation in order to reveal emerging trends, patterns and overall findings. The outcomes of this study indicate that musculoskeletal problems are of concern to tertiary drum kit players and are exacerbated by contributing factors away from the instrument including performance anxiety, fatigue, stress, inconsistent warm up routines, lugging gear and a lack of muscular strength. My own experience of suffering a playing-related injury has sparked my interest in performing arts medicine and my desire to: 1) contribute new knowledge to the field; 2) provide new research data collection methods relevant to drum kit players; and 3) increase the awareness of injury risk factors and prevention for drummers, percussionists and educators of all levels.

Heidegger’s essay On Plato’s Teaching of Truth (1942), although a treatise in itself on education, can be a helpful text for music teachers wishing to challenge their own understanding of knowledge and what and how they teach. Through this insight into Plato’s thinking, with Heidegger’s qualifications and commentary, some fundamental concerns regarding the interpretation of truth/knowledge currently adopted in music education can be reexamined. If like Heidegger, we look again at the implications of this misreading, according to Heidegger, the neo-liberal curriculum has effectively adopted an error. With increasing pressure on universities to find new models of teaching, Heidegger through this essay confronts the educator with a set of ideas that ask of the music educator to re-configure the very concept of education and to re-align practice to adequately reflect the human condition.

This paper outlines the research project— 'Changing Places’ which was designed to explore alternative practices in early childhood music
teacher preparation. Two research staff and a small group of eight students from two tertiary institutions—The University of Auckland (UoA)
and New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC)— engaged in a collaborative project where students were paired up and worked together with
children on music teaching and learning activities in early childhood centres in Auckland New Zealand. The idea was to see if students
from different training orientations (music education and early years) could work together to form new pedagogical insights, ideas and perspectives of early childhood music education. The paper begins with an outline of the
background concepts and philosophical ideas informing the research and continues with a summary of subject-centred literature that guided
staff and student action in the project. The project methodology is then presented along with a summary of key emergent themes and findings
from the student collaborations. The paper offers recommendations for further practice and a summary of key points arising from the research
as a whole.