Formal music performance studies within university settings strive to prepare the next generation of performers and pedagogues for musical engagement beyond university. Yet literature suggests that these spaces of study do not always lead to a sense of readiness for potential professional worlds, due in part to a lack of opportunities for guided, in-depth, critical reflection that helps students connect theory and practice. This article articulates findings from a study that sought to consider the impact of deliberate opportunities for reflection in The Accademia Europea dell’Opera (AEDO), a university-affiliated summer opera intensive experiential learning program. Utilizing a communities of musical practice framework, researchers worked collaboratively to help participants engage in guided critical reflection as they developed high-level musical skills through rehearsals and performances. This article specifically considers the ways in which a ‘broker’ helped participants develop practices of reflection and personal agency both within and beyond this context.
AllisonPSeamanJ (2017) Experiential education. In: PetersMA (ed) Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory. New York: Springer, pp. 978–981.
2.
BarrettM (2005) Musical Communication and Children’s Communities of Musical Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
3.
BatesTSwennenand JonesAK (eds) (2011) The Professional Development of Teacher Educators. New York: Routledge.
4.
BennettD (2016) Developing employability in higher education music. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education15(3-4): 386–413.
5.
BennettDBridgstockR (2015) The urgent need for career preview: Student expectations and graduate realities in music and dance. International Journal of Music Education33(3): 263–277.
6.
BennettDReidARowleyJ (2017) Student musicians’ experiences of reflexivity during internships: Personal narrative and complex modalities. International Journal of Music Education35(3): 460–475.
7.
BiestaGJJTedderM (2007) Agency and learning in the lifecourse: Towards an ecological perspective. Studies in the Education of Adults39(2): 132–149.
8.
BreenM (2012) Privileged migration: American undergraduates, study abroad, academic tourism. Critical Arts26(1): 82–102.
9.
CareyGCouttsL (2018) Preparing students for effective and autonomous learning through a transformative critical response process. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Seminar of the ISME Commission on the Education of the Professional Musician, Almaty, Kazakhstan, pp. 171–189.
10.
CareyGGrantC (2014) Teachers of instruments, or teachers as instruments? From transfer to transformative approaches to one-to-one pedagogy. Relevance and reform in the education of professional musicians. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Seminar of the ISME Commission on the Education of the Professional Musician, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, pp. 42–61. Available at: https://www.isme.org/sites/default/files/documents/proceedings/2014-CEPROM-Proceedings.pdf (accessed 16 May 2020).
11.
CareyGHarrisonSDwyerR (2017) Encouraging reflective practice in conservatoire students: A pathway to autonomous learning. Music Education Research19(1): 99–110.
12.
DaviesB (2005) Communities of practice: Legitimacy not choice. Journal of Sociolinguistics9(4): 557–581.
13.
DeweyJ (1933) How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process. Chicago: Henry Regnery Co.
14.
EckertPWengerE (2005) Communities of practice in sociolinguistics: What is the role of power in sociolinguistic variation. Journal of Sociolinguistics9(4): 582–589.
15.
Esslin-PeardMShorrocksTWelchGF (2016) Exploring the role of reflection in musical learning of performance undergraduates: Implications for teaching and learning. Art and humanities as higher education. Special issue. Available at: http://www.artsandhumanities.org/ahhe-specialissue-june-2016/ (accessed 16 May 2020).
16.
FenwickT (2001) Experiential learning: A theoretical critique from five perspectives. ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education: Ohio State University. Available at: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED454418.pdf. (accessed 15 July 2020).
17.
FinlayL (2008) Reflecting on ‘reflective practice.’ In: Paper presented at the Practice-Based professional learning Centre at the Open University. Available at: http://www.open.ac.uk/pbpl (accessed 15 June 2019).
18.
GauntH (2016) Introduction. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education15(3–4): 269–275.
19.
Georgii-HemmingEJohanssonKMobergN (2020) Reflection in higher music education: What, why, wherefore? Music Education Research 22(3): 245–256.
20.
GiddensA (1984) The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration. Trenton, NJ: Blackwell.
21.
GuillaumierC (2016) Reflection as creative process: Perspectives, challenges and practice. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education15(3–4): 353–363.
22.
HarveyMCoulsonDMcMaughA (2016) Towards a theory of the ecology of reflection: Reflective practice for experiential learning in higher education. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice13(2)1-20.
23.
HeAE (2009) Bridging the gap between teacher educator and teacher in a community of practice: A case of brokering. System37(1): 153–163.
24.
IsaakJDevineMGervichC, et al. (2018) Are we experienced? Reflections on the SUNY experiential learning mandate. Journal of Experiential Education41(1): 23–38.
25.
JoplinL (1981) On defining experiential education. Journal of Experiential Education4(1): 17–20.
26.
JørgensenHLehmannAC (eds) (1997) Does Practice Make Perfect? Current Theory and Research on Instrumental Music Practice. Oslo: Norges musikkhøgskole.
27.
KandlbinderPPesetaT (2009) Key concepts in postgraduate certificates in higher education teaching and learning in Australasia and the United Kingdom. International Journal for Academic Development14(1): 19–31.
28.
KennyA (2016) Communities of Musical Practice. Abington, UK: Routledge.
29.
KindelanN (2010) Demystifying experiential learning in the performing arts. New Directions for Teaching and Learning2010(124): 31–37.
30.
KolbD (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
31.
KushnerS (2006) Adolescents and cultures of reflection: More than meets the eye. In: BurnardPHennessyS (eds) Reflective Practices in Arts Education. New York: Springer, pp. 13–22.
32.
LaubeJM (2017) Understanding artist development: How do producers support the development of artists through the production process?, Master’s Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
LucknerJLNadlerRS (1997) Processing the Experience: Strategies to Enhance and Generalize Learning. 2nd ed.Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
35.
LunenbergMDengerinkJKorthagenF (2014) The Professional Teacher Educator: Roles, Behaviour, and Professional Development of Teacher Educators. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense.
36.
MartenssonAAnderssonPNystromS (2019) A recruiter, a matchmaker, a firefighter: Swedish vocational teachers’ relational work. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training9: 89–110.
37.
MilesMBHubermanAMSaldañaJ (2014) Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. 3rd ed.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
38.
MunnellyKP (2020) The undergraduate music degree: Artistry or employability? The Journal of Arts Management, Law, & Society 50(4-5): 234–248.
39.
NgSHHeALoongC (2004) Tri-generational family conversations: Communication accommodation and brokering. The British Journal of Social Psychology43(Pt 3): 449–464.
40.
NicolDMacfarlane-DickD (2006) Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education31(2): 199–218.
41.
NielsenS (2001) Self-regulating learning strategies in instrumental music practice. Music Education Research3(2): 155–167.
42.
ParkinsonT (2016) Mastery, enjoyment, tradition, and innovation: A reflective practice model for instrumental and vocal teachings. International Journal of Music Education34(3): 352–368.
43.
PetsilasPLeighJBrownN, et al. (2019a) Embodied reflection‐exploring creative routes to teaching reflective practice within dance training. Journal of Dance & Somatic Practices11(2): 177–195.
44.
PetsilasPLeighJBrownN, et al. (2019b) Creative and embodied methods to teach reflections and support students’ learning. Research in Dance Education20(1): 19–35.
45.
PriestlyMBiestaGRobinsonS (2015) Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach. London, UK: Bloomsbury.
46.
ReidADahlgrenMADahlgrenLO, et al. (2011), From Expert Student to Novice Professional. New York: Springer Science & Business Media.
47.
Rowan-KenyonHTNiehausEK (2011) One year later: The influence of short-term study abroad experiences on students. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice48(2): 213–228.
48.
RussellT (2005) Can reflective practice be taught?Reflective Practice6: 199–204.
49.
RyanMRyanM (2013) Theorising a model for teaching and assessing reflective learning in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development32(2): 244–257.
50.
SaldañaJ (2009) The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
51.
SchönD (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books.
52.
SeamanJ (2008) Experience, reflect, critique: The end of the “learning cycles” era. Journal of Experiential Education31(1): 3–18.
53.
SimonsH (2009) Case Study Research in Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
54.
SladeCHarwoodABaldwinC, et al. (2015) Baseline survey of current experiential learning practice in Australian and New Zealand planning schools. Australian Planner52(2): 103–113.
55.
SouthcottJ (2004) Seeing the Big Picture: Experiential Education in Tertiary Music Education. Journal of Experiential Education27(1): 1–14. DOI: 10.1177/105382590402700102
56.
SugermanDADohertyKLGarveyDE, et al. (2000) Reflective Learning: Theory and Practice. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
57.
WengerE (1998) Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
58.
WillegemsVConsuegraEStruyvenK, et al. (2016) How to become a broker: The role of teacher educators in developing collaborative teacher research teams. Educational Research and Evaluation22(3–4): 173–193.
59.
WillinkKGJacobsJM (2011) Teaching for change: Articulating, profiling, and assessing transformative learning through communicative capabilities. Journal of Transformative Education9(3): 143–164.
