Dichotomy of high piano student enrolment compared to low retention of proficient pianists of Wakiso and Kampala districts in Uganda
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Date
2014
Authors
Mubiru, Michael Efraim
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Abstract
The study examined piano performance in Uganda, with specific reference to enrolment and
retention of proficient pianists. The report makes the submission that regardless of the high
student enrolment in various music schools and centres today, only a small number of
proficient pianists manage to stay in the field of performance as professional pianists who
depend on their performance for careers. The study established why such an insignificant
number of Ugandan pianists venture into the world of piano scholarship and performance,
The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish factors influencing the
students' training in piano; to ascertain factors that influence students either to continue or
not to continue as practicing pianists and to establish hindrances which students encounter
during training that prevent them from getting prepared for the demands of the job market.
The study followed the "Constructivism" of learning theory by Glasersfeld (2012) that deals
with the way people create meaning of the world through a series of individual constructs.
The study estimated a target population of 139 respondents (music students and teachers).
Nevertheless, it considered 65 informants after realizing that not all music students pursue
piano as their main instrument. A non-probabilistic sampling technique was applied to
purposively select a sample size of 44 respondents for the study. This included 11 piano
instructors (teachers) and 33 piano students (current and dropout students). The data was
collected using questionnaires (open and close ended), interviews (face to face) and focus
group discussions. Subsequently, the gathered data was analysed using the qualitative
approach to data analysis where the findings were presented using codes, tables, figures and
charts where applicable. The data was analyzed using the descriptive statistics where figures
and percentages were employed. The study established that the students' learning process
was challenged by various factors such as lack of enough time for piano lessons and
practices, the gaps in the syllabi and inadequacy of facilities for piano lessons. In addition,
the study realized that teachers had not concretely engaged parents and school authorities
into the teaching process which affected the instruction and learning process by creating
vacuum in the training procedure. As a way of enhancing the training procedure of pianists
and their retention into the field of performance, the study was to avail different insights to
piano students, teachers and policy makers. The study made the following recommendations;
there is a need to revisit the NCDC syllabus, the government through the Ministry of
Education and Sports (MoES) should make a policy that instructs school authorities to
provide equal time and treatment for music as other subjects and there is need for only
qualified piano teachers to handle piano teaching for proper skill development.
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Description
Master of Music Education in the School of Visual and performing arts 69p. July 2014, MT 239 .M8