“Unlearning and Relearning”: Adolescent Students’ Perspectives on Transitioning to a New Teacher and Environment

Abstract

Throughout the learning process, it is common for students to transition to a new teacher, whether they relocate, decide to change teachers, or study at a summer program. During this transition, students must adapt to a potentially different pedagogical philosophy, language, and performance expectations. Using a multiple case study research design, we explored the perceptions of four adolescent violin students who experienced this transitional process while studying with Mimi Zweig at the four-week Indiana University Summer String Academy. We analyzed the interview data, observations, and external data sources through the lens of attribution theory. Results indicated that the participants not only acquired greater self-efficacy and motivation after studying with a new teacher but also endured performance anxiety. These findings inform studio instrumental instructors of the challenges students experience when studying with a new teacher and the physiological and emotional challenges that often accompany change.

One-on-one music instruction in studio settings is often viewed through the lens of mentor–apprentice relationships with reciprocal aspects of learning, communication, and trust (Gholson, 1998; Hesterman, 2012; McPherson & Evans, 2015; Vygotsky, 1978). All music instructors have unique pedagogical perspectives based on the priorities of previous teachers and subjective teaching/learning models of instruction (Cheng & Durrant, 2007; Kennell, 2002). In essence, the studio becomes an “instructional laboratory” (Kennell, 2002, p. 250) as instructors model the ideal execution of tasks, communicate, and experiment with diverse pedagogical strategies while continually evaluating the students’ responses (Hays, 2012, 2013) The challenge then becomes, as Gholson (1998) wrote, presenting strategies that give the instructor “a way of shaping and positioning [their] instructional interventions in proximity to [the] students’ frame of reference” (p. 539). In addition to the internalization of technical skills, students become accustomed to the lesson expectations established on a weekly basis and the overall pedagogical priorities of the instructor (Gholson, 1998).

Through these one-on-one lesson interactions, students and instructors develop interpersonal relationships where it is common for students to study with the same teacher for a number of years (Kennell, 2002). Therefore, “It is natural and common for teachers and pupils to come to feel affection (a desire for another’s welfare and happiness as an individual) for each other, because long contact tends in itself to breed it” (Downie et al., 1974, p. 160). Over time, lesson interactions develop into mentorship relationships, where students and teachers engage in high levels of functioning and reciprocal communication within a nurturing atmosphere (Creech & Hallam, 2011; Gholson, 1998). In conjunction with mentorship relationships within an encouraging environment, students are also affected by varied levels of motivation. In studio instrumental instruction, motivation can be affected by both personal and environmental factors (Leung & McPherson, 2011). Personal factors may include emotional reactions, self-recognition, or feelings of achievement, whereas environmental factors relate to teacher/peer support (Evans, 2016; Lee & Leung, 2020).

Along with the positive aspects of mentorship within the studio environment, students may also experience challenges: Commonly, comfort in the studio environment leads to the potential for complacency when receiving feedback or a lack of motivation while practicing (Lee & Leung, 2020; Mio, 2017). In this case, a change of teacher could spark the motivation necessary to bring the student through the next phase of their artistic development. Although the structure of a consistent studio environment creates a sense of comfort, it is a common practice for students to change teachers as a result of relocation, summer study, or simply to gain another perspective. Throughout a transitional period of study, students may experience increased motivation as they approach the instrument in potentially new ways. By contrast, the change to a new teacher could be fraught with emotional, physiological, and motivational challenges as instructors possess subjective pedagogical philosophies regarding technical skill execution, language, and repertoire choices (Kennell, 2002). All students perceive change in individualized ways and may require variable amounts of time to internalize new information. In studio teaching, the pedagogical choices of the instructor along with the environment have a profound effect on the motivation, progress, and perception of the students. Therefore, as teachers acquire knowledge of how to approach transitional phases with new students, the changes may be experienced with greater success.

In every stage of study, effective learning is “determined by [an] aptitude for learning a particular task (dependent on prior learning or the traits or characteristics of the learner), ability to understand instruction (verbal ability) and the quality of instruction (the organization and presentation of teaching materials)” (Hallam, 1998, pp. 116-117). As instructors conceptualize their pedagogical approach to attend to individual needs, students are encouraged by self-efficacy beliefs and perceptions of success when completing various tasks (Presland, 2005; Weiner, 2006). When engaging with a new teacher, students strive to mimic and internalize the diagnostic suggestions within the lessons and transfer the knowledge into their practice. Attribution theory offers a valuable framework for understanding behavior modification and implications of motivation to explain why learners are motivated by pleasant outcomes or feelings of self-efficacy (Weiner, 1974, 1976, 1985)

Attribution theory is defined by perceptions of successes, frustrations, and future tendencies to repeat certain behaviors (Weiner, 2006). With respect to the discernment of success, Hallam (2002) wrote, “If failure is attributed to a stable factor, e.g. lack of ability, then there will be an expectation of continued failure” (p. 236). Intrinsic motivation and an implicit belief of ability are key factors in assessing the learner’s willingness to persevere through stages of development and transitional learning phases (Bandura, 1986, 1989; Hallam & Prince, 2003; Smith, 2005). Attribution theory generally focuses on how individuals make sense of their subjective experiences, how they explain their successes or failures, and how these perceptions affect future behavior (Cogdill, 2015).

In conjunction with attribution theory, self-efficacy is associated with the degree to which students believe in their abilities to reach desired goals (Bandura, 1989; Pajares & Schunk, 2001; Stipek, 2002). Pajares (1996) wrote that “self-efficacy beliefs act as determinants of behavior by influencing the choices that individuals make, the effort they expend, the perseverance they exert in the face of difficulties, and the thought patterns and emotional reactions they experience” (p. 325). Throughout the transitional learning process, students may become more self-actualized and understand their abilities and limitations. According to Hallam (2002), “Self-actualisation explains human creativity, our constant attempts to improve and change and our attempts to maintain and enhance our self-esteem. These self-developments are influenced strongly by environmental factors in the form of feedback given by others” (p. 228). A balance of constructive feedback and encouragement from instructors/peers can positively influence a student’s self-confidence, critical analysis, and motivation (Chesnokova, 2004; Daniel, 2001).

In a study examining the variables that affect young musicians’ perceptions, McPherson and McCormick (2006) determined that self-efficacy is a key predictor of performance achievement, goal setting, and personal discernment of technical/musical abilities. Adolescent students may feel motivated when they begin studies with a new teacher, or they may feel discouraged and defeated. The level of discomfort tolerance is affected by instructor/peer support, communication, and the means by which changes are addressed (Ferm, 2005; Hallam, 2002).

Along with self-efficacy, students experience a variety of pedagogical and environmental factors within the private music studio. Lee and Leung (2020) determined that relatedness, the desire to interact with others, personal connections, and the experiences of caring for peers were common characteristics shared by young musicians. When students engage in collaborative music-making, a sense of camaraderie develops within the given environment (Lee & Leung, 2020). Kokotsaki and Hallam (2007) highlighted the importance of musical collaboration in their study and determined that friendships, a sense of belonging, learned social skills, self-esteem, and the development of personal identity were integral components of the learning process. In a similar fashion, Dagaz (2012) and Evans et al. (2013) determined that trust, friendships, and acceptance are major components of social connectedness in music-making. It is often challenging to separate the pedagogical and environmental factors as they are integral in forming the studio atmosphere throughout the learning process.

As students engage with a new instructor and studio environment, personality differences and prior learning experiences/expectations could affect the rate of progress (Burland & Pitts, 2007). Students may view correction/feedback as a springboard for experimentation, whereas others may have difficulty separating their personal identity from their music-making (Bandura, 1989; Kingsbury, 2010; Mio, 2017, 2019; Zweig, 2008). Although self-efficacy could increase throughout a transitional period, challenges surrounding time frame, performance expectations, and personal perceptions still often arise (Mio, 2019). Researchers have determined that young students rarely implement deliberate practice strategies, set goals in their practice sessions, and/or engage in self-evaluation, resulting in resistance or low self-efficacy as their perceptions of ability are challenged by a new instructor (Miksza, 2015; Miksza et al., 2012; Mio, 2017; Oare, 2012; Prichard, 2017).

Although these studies are valuable for investigating the importance of self-awareness and motivation in relation to self-efficacy and performance success, the transitional learning process of adolescent students studying with new instructors has remained an underserved area of music inquiry. We used a controlled learning environment—the Indiana University Summer String Academy (IUSSA)—in a condensed 4-week time frame with a highly structured pedagogical curriculum to investigate the perceived self-efficacy, motivation, and performance success of adolescent violin students experiencing transitional pedagogy. We explored this underdeveloped area of musical inquiry, namely, transitional pedagogy, as a way to investigate how a change in teacher and environment might affect adolescent students’ self-awareness, perception of ability, motivation, self-efficacy, and progress through performance anxiety. Before, during, and after the summer session, the students shared their experiences and self-perceptions as they experienced the challenges of transitional pedagogy.

The primary research questions that guided our study were:

• Research Question 1 (RQ1): How do adolescent violinists perceive their playing abilities while studying with a new teacher?

• Research Question 2 (RQ2): How does transitional pedagogy affect adolescent violinists’ self-efficacy and motivation to maintain technical/musical suggestions long-term?

The aim of this research was to inform private lesson instructors about challenges adolescent students may experience during the transitional learning process.

Method

A qualitative multiple case study design was utilized to frame the research. Although there are many diverse pedagogical approaches, Mimi Zweig, Director of the IUSSA and creator of the Mimi Zweig String Pedagogy curriculum, was involved in this study because of her international reputation and years of teaching experience. As indicated by Gholson (1998) and Ihas (2021), Zweig met the criteria of expertise and mentorship in string pedagogy, while representing a Western traditional approach. Zweig has been the recipient of various prestigious teaching awards, including the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation grant in 2004 and the ASTA Artist Teacher Award in 2019 (Ihas, 2021). Many of Zweig’s students have won national competitions, hold positions within the finest symphony orchestras, and have established teaching careers at institutions around the world. Although empiricism does not frame violin playing and teaching, Zweig has a personalized pedagogical approach when teaching new students, which was used in the context of this research study.

Through a purposeful selection process, Zweig provided names and contact information of 10 to 15 prospective students, ages 11 to 18, who were chosen to study with her from June 25 to July 23, 2016. We contacted the students and their parents via email to explain the purpose of the study, and to ask the parents for research consent. The recruitment process yielded seven participants in total, who were all assigned pseudonyms in this study. (Three participants were excluded from the final data analysis due to insufficient reflective journal entries and interview response data.)

The participants chosen to be a part of the study represented a broad cross-section of adolescents, with varied ethnic origins and prior music instruction. Annie (16 years old, from New Zealand, first time at IUSSA) began Suzuki violin instruction (private/group) with her parents at the age of 4. Luke (17 years old, from Argentina, second time at IUSSA, studied with Zweig’s associate the year prior) began his violin studies at the age of 12 within a Sistema-type program (large orchestral setting) and has since continued with two Suzuki private instructors. David (11 years old, from Alaska, second time at IUSSA but first time studying with Zweig) began his violin studies at the age of 3 with what he described as poorly executed Suzuki instruction with two different teachers. Nathan (15 years old, from South Korea and residing in Iowa, third time at IUSSA and second time studying with Zweig) began his violin lessons at the age of 8 and studied with four violin instructors (various college students who were Suzuki trained). The majority of the participants had previously attended IUSSA and studied with a new teacher (Zweig or her associate) in an intensive environment. The participants’ prior experiences demonstrate that the learning process is ongoing and that the opinions of various teachers are a meaningful part of the artistic journey. Like performance anxiety, the challenges within transitional phases are often recurring as adolescent development progresses yearly through maturity.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the first and last week of July 2016 and the end of October 2016 (Berg, 2008). The audiotaped interviews were 30 to 60 min in length and transcribed to ensure accuracy (see Appendix S1 in the online supplemental material). The authors developed the four categories of interview questions covering: demographic background; early and current violin studies (teaching methods); self-efficacy and motivation; and perceptions of musical ability. The second interview at the end of IUSSA and the follow-up interview focused solely on the last two categories of questions: the participants’ perception of ability as violinists after transitioning to a new instructor and motivation throughout the subsequent months following IUSSA. Within a week of each completed interview, the participants and their parents received an emailed copy of the transcript to check the information for accuracy through member checking (Thomas, 2011).

In addition to the three semi-structured interviews, multiple data sources were used to increase the trustworthiness of the research, validity of the study, and provide a sense of triangulation (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). The sources included: Observations led by the researchers of the participants’ weekly violin lessons (2 hr weekly per student) to assess their progress and emotional responses, reflective notes by the researcher to track progress and behaviors, and short weekly journal entries from the participants regarding their progress/experiences via text message or email.

The data were analyzed through a constant comparative approach and verified by the second author to ensure reliability (Boeije, 2002). Data analysis was an iterative process where themes were extracted from the data through open coding, which, in turn, were further distilled through reflective journaling, until the final summary encapsulated essential elements of the original transcribed interviews (Creswell, 2013; Miles et al., 2019; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Through a thorough content analysis of the interview questions in relation to the categorization of general themes, the data were organized through single case analyses, followed by a large cross-case analysis (Creswell, 2013). Using axial coding, this in-depth process encouraged a distillation of the key ideas, deep insights into the participants’ experiences, and a narrative that encapsulated the meaningful elements of the originally transcribed interviews (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Through a descriptive narrative format, the participants had the opportunity to reflect on their perception of self-efficacy, motivation, and technical/musical proficiencies through the lens of their prior education and responses to studying with a new teacher in an intensive environment.

Findings

The major themes that emerged throughout the study were self-efficacy, motivation, and performance anxiety. Through open and axial coding, we determined that these three themes were related and affected by each other, as the participants attempted to alter their approach to the instrument through transitional pedagogy in a short timeframe. Not only did themes emerge through the data, but we observed the variable nature of the learning process: The discomfort that the participants experienced through their increased understanding of present limitations throughout a transitional learning process. Students played in weekly studio classes with the goal to perform in the final studio class at the end of IUSSA. Although the strategic pedagogical approach framed the transitional learning phase, the personal relationships between participants within the intensive studio environment shaped the holistic experience.

Self-Efficacy

Vignette 1: In Luke’s lesson, Mimi suggested fingerings throughout the first movement of the Kabalevsky and demonstrated how she wanted him to practice: extremely slowly with clear articulations on every note. Mimi stepped out of the room for a moment, and Luke sighed very audibly and buried his head in his hands. He appeared extremely overwhelmed and frustrated.

Throughout the summer, the participants were emotionally affected by the intensive environment, gradual self-awareness of their technical hindrances, and performance anxiety as expectations were established by Zweig. As a result of the intense environment, the participants constantly compared themselves and their progress to their peers. Luke’s observed frustrations in the vignette were further explained in a reflective journal entry, where he stated:

I feel like I’m not doing well . . . because I [am] stressed about my technique and playing the studies and scales on the violin. My teacher in Argentina doesn’t teach me technique, we just do repertoire, so it’s difficult for me and I know that I have to practice more in that way.

The focus on repertoire and perceived lack of technical guidance in Luke’s prior studies now created emotional and physiological challenges when studying with Zweig. Through increased awareness, he discovered the present limitations in his playing and the effort required to attain his goals. In another reflective journal entry following the first week of lessons, Luke admitted to crying in his practice room. This highlights the intense emotions that can be experienced throughout a transitional phase when students engage with a new instructor and strive to internalize new information. In a similar fashion, David stated in a reflective journal entry, “Sometimes I feel like I am the worst violinist here.” The competitive environment created comparisons with peers and affected the participants’ self-efficacy through heightened critical awareness. Similarly, Annie stated that when performing, the intense concentration required to implement Zweig’s suggestions often prohibited her emotional expressivity, resulting in low self-efficacy. The participants’ experiences highlight that when students engage in transitional pedagogy, it is common to experience feelings of low self-efficacy as they struggle to successfully internalize the information while maintaining their self-esteem.

Motivation

Vignette (Interview): Nathan—When I get into practicing, it’s hard for me to stop and do other things. I am really motivated to practice after a really good concert, like a Pacifica Quartet concert.

Throughout IUSSA, all of the participants claimed to be intrinsically motivated and were particularly affected by the inspiration of other musicians, peers, YouTube videos, and artistic performances attended throughout IUSSA. The participants stated that they were motivated to include deliberate practice techniques into their daily routines after they were introduced to them in Zweig’s lessons and took note of the improvements in their playing as they all increased their scale and etude focus. The participants learned how to separate challenges between the two hands and scaffold skills instead of concertizing in the practice room. The perspective shift while practicing also increased their organization and efficiency while striving to internalize Zweig’s new pedagogical suggestions. Nathan stated in his reflective journal from the fourth week, “About practicing . . . I feel as if practicing in an environment like IU with other talented musicians helps me be more productive than practicing at home.” This evidence suggests that the motivation gained from the practice environment and peers are more meaningful than just encouragement/feedback from the instructor. The intensive environment of IUSSA, combined with regular studio classes and opportunities to interact with accomplished peers, was motivating to the participants.

Following IUSSA, Annie, Nathan, and Luke stated that they did not have any performances that would allow them to be motivated in the near future. David, by contrast, decided to stay in Bloomington and enroll in the year-long program. Since returning to Bloomington, David stated that the competitive surroundings and high expectations of the IUSSA program served as a motivating factor, claiming, “I think my motivation sort of comes from the fact that I know that I am going to be performing and I want to make it sound the best that I can.” Nathan stated that although he was still intrinsically motivated to improve, he had not performed in the 3 months following IUSSA and believed that his biggest challenge was balancing the social aspect of playing with peers (e.g., musical activities such as ensembles and competitions) and maintaining his continual growth and focus on improving the fundamental aspects of his technique. In a similar fashion, Annie and Luke stated that their motivation and focus often wavered. Intrinsic motivation was a challenge for the majority of the participants who lived in musically isolated environments with limited performance opportunities and peer interaction.

Performance Anxiety

Vignette: In the third studio class, David appeared to be nervous when he stepped on stage in front of his peers. He began the Telemann G Major Concerto, and Zweig immediately stopped him after the first measure. She asked him to start again and play at a slower tempo. On his second attempt, the tempo was practically the same, which showed evidence of his lack of awareness and his heightened adrenaline when performing in front of his peers.

It was evident through this studio class experience that David required more time and greater self-awareness in the practice room to internalize the new information. Although David displayed beautiful phrase endings and dynamic contrasts, he required a greater focus on articulations, shifting, and pulse. Through observation, it was clear that David had improved but still required more time to physiologically internalize the information when performing. In a similar fashion, Nathan had an awareness of the tension in his playing and claimed that his lack of recent performance opportunities prior to IUSSA led to tense performances with intonation issues. Following a studio class performance in the final week of IUSSA, Nathan voiced his frustration, stating, “Usually I don’t feel as much anxiety as I did. I think that’s because of how long I have been away from performing.” He also explained his discouragement of feeling like he was going backwards, stating that he was “unlearning and relearning things,” and when performing, seemed to be “going back to [his] old ways, but also . . . rewiring.”

In a similar fashion to Nathan, Luke stated that his confidence was dependent on his level of preparation and admitted to using various medications in the past to cope with his debilitating performance anxiety. He claimed, “When I get nervous . . . I [can’t] control my hand . . . and then I get more nervous.” Luke was easily discouraged, often overtly crying following his performances or lessons. Following a studio class performance during IUSSA, he stated, “My heart was [pounding] . . . I got very tense.” In this particular case, the discouragement and anxiety that Luke experienced were directly related to the technical foundation that he sought after when comparing himself to his peers, and his intense desire to progress in his playing abilities.

In the final studio class at the end of IUSSA, Zweig made a statement to the collective body of students regarding the challenges of striving to perform musically while also internalizing new playing habits. She stated, “If everyone just did what they worked on in their lessons, everything would be so much better!” Zweig’s statement showcases the essence of transitional pedagogy: The challenges are also experienced by the teacher, the natural tendency of reversion when performing under pressure, the incremental process of rewiring the muscle and brain pathways, and the resulting frustration that commonly accompanies the transitional learning process. Zweig was imparting information to the students that required more time or an overall stronger technical foundation to be internalized. Throughout the summer session, the participants followed Zweig’s methodical progression of repertoire and etudes and focused on individualized technical/musical challenges. Most of the participants were self-aware of the areas that required attention and sought to make changes, although they required more time to adequately internalize the information reinforced in the weekly lessons. The result of attempting performance prior to habituating new information was an increase in performance anxiety.

Discussion

Most of the participants stated that their prior instructors focused on repertoire as opposed to reinforcing a technical foundation, or their experience was primarily in a large orchestral setting where their individual needs were not addressed. As a result, most stated that they now experienced varying degrees of physical and emotional challenges. Through the lens of attribution theory, the challenges that arise with heightened self-awareness throughout the transitional learning process can have an emotional effect on students as they navigate through new sensations, decide whether to continue reinforcing the new, uncomfortable motions, and gauge their progress (McPherson & McCormick, 2006). Students may feel discouraged if they perceive their progress to be slow, inferior to their peers, or unsuccessful in performances or other means of assessment (Smith, 2005; Weiner, 2006). As many of the participants stated, they were greatly affected by the comparisons with peers and their perceived level of success in studio class performances. David professed that he was the “worst violinist” in the program and Luke was visibly overwhelmed following one of his early lessons. These specific instances should encourage instrumental instructors to be sensitive to the self-efficacy, thought patterns, and emotional reactions of transfer or short-term students through their language, repertoire choices, and performance expectations (Presland, 2005; Weiner, 2006).

In a general sense, self-efficacy is associated with the degree to which students believe in their abilities to reach desired goals (Stipek, 2002). The participants agreed that throughout the summer, deliberate practice techniques and self-awareness increased their progress, motivation, and efficiency in the practice room. The participants were motivated throughout the summer while studying with Zweig because they felt and heard their improvements and were inspired in the competitive environment with their peers. Zweig encouraged the students to engage in focused listening and decision-making, so that they also practiced self-awareness. Instrumental instructors should acknowledge that it takes a high level of focus to internalize potentially new approaches to the instrument, language, and feedback during a transitional time (Barry & Hallam, 2002; Duke et al., 2009). In addition, collaborative engagements (e.g., chamber music, orchestra, master classes) were an integral part of the program, allowing students to develop their artistry through rehearsals and performances with others. The challenges associated with these activities are exacerbated in intensive summer programs as opposed to one-on-one lesson interactions, leading to both positive and negative reactions from the participants.

Although the participants were motivated throughout IUSSA, they also experienced discouragement at times by their perceived negative self-evaluations and variable nature of change. According to Kingsbury (2010), a student’s sense of reality may be challenged when they compare their perceived abilities to their peers. Zweig addressed challenges by maintaining a nonjudgmental teaching environment, where students were encouraged to filter feedback with curiosity while maintaining their sense of self-worth. Although the participants were discouraged at times, they all stated that the nonjudgmental environment helped them to cope with the intensive surroundings and changes as they are engaged in the process together. They were able to share their emotions and coping strategies and encourage one another through constructive feedback. According to Burt and Mills (2006), although students believe that formal feedback helps them improve, informal comments from their peers carry greater significance. The participants agreed that the emotional connections formed with their peers were the most memorable experiences of the summer session. Although the internalization of feedback and practice requires a high level of focus, instructors may modify strategies to encourage active engagement at various levels of proficiency (Fischer, 2004; McPherson, 2000, 2005; McPherson & Zimmerman, 2002). For example, David and Nathan engaged in similar pedagogical processes with Zweig that were tailored according to their personal learning goals and artistic proficiencies. In conjunction with practice, repertoire choices throughout a transitional phase also affect self-efficacy and motivation. Throughout transitional learning phases, instructors require an understanding that change often occurs slowly and should approach new pedagogical suggestions in a systematic, scaffolded way to encourage long-term success.

The participants all shared instances of performance anxiety as a result of the challenges that accompany studying with a new teacher, technical changes, and an overall lack of prior performance opportunities. According to Fischer (1997), “The most important thing is to have so much technique that you don’t have to think about it. If you are too conscious of the “how,” it can make playing almost impossible” (p. vi). As many of the participants stated, the lack of technical focus in their prior studies resulted in the accumulation of habits that were difficult to reverse in technically/artistically demanding performances. It was evident in the participants’ lessons and studio classes that more time was required to internalize the skills to be successful in performance-type settings. Through technically and musically appropriate repertoire choices at every stage of development, students are able to focus on making the necessary changes without feeling overwhelmed. All teachers have personal ideas about appropriate repertoire but should consider the students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and potential performance anxiety when setting goals. In addition to accessible repertoire in which necessary technical and musical changes can be implemented successfully, it is essential that students engage in formal and informal performance opportunities in a “safe” nonjudgmental environment on a regular basis. The participants all agreed that their lack of performance opportunities and limited peer interactions throughout the year increased their overall anxiety. This demonstrates the importance of establishing informal studio classes and formal recital performances as an integral part of the studio culture. Through experiences, students engage in collective goal setting, feel included and valued, and celebrate achievements at every stage of the learning process.

Due to the small number of participants and the specific criteria in terms of participation in the IU Summer String Academy program, this research cannot be generalized to represent the practices of all adolescent students. The purposeful selection process in the recruitment may have resulted in some amount of selection bias. In terms of biases, the students could have been more receptive to the pedagogical approach as a result of studying with renowned pedagogue Mimi Zweig, the limited time frame of 4 weeks, the expectations established through the high standard of admittance, the intensive nature of the program, and the interaction with competitive peers. Additional factors include the ages of the students when they began their violin studies and the variables within the environment that extend beyond the change of teacher.

We focused on the self-efficacy, motivation, and performance anxiety of adolescent violin students studying with a new teacher in an intensive, short-term setting. Transitional learning phases are common when students study at a summer program, relocate, decide to change teachers, or move on to postsecondary studies. As a result of the participants’ shared lived experiences, instructors and students could potentially acquire a greater understanding of the emotional effects of a transitional period with a new teacher in terms of motivation, self-efficacy, and performance anxiety. The dissemination of this research could potentially provide instructors with insights surrounding the variable nature of the learning process, the importance of performance opportunities in both formal and informal settings, and consistent focus on self-awareness in their students.

The participants addressed concepts that could be studied in future research, including the effects of anxiety and performance/academic expectations on mental health and emotional well-being in adolescent music students, and the pedagogical perspectives of teachers who engage with new students in transitional pedagogy. Researchers could also examine a change of teacher within a similar environment (e.g., during the school year, same school or home environment), various age ranges of students, and classroom music instruction. Adolescent violin students studying at intensive summer programs often face the challenges of high performance and practice standards, comparisons, and social interactions, while adapting to the pedagogical philosophies and expectations of a new teacher. Such challenges highlight the importance of appropriate communication and performance expectations as students navigate potentially novel approaches to the instrument. This transitional phase is not only difficult for adolescent students but also for instructors as they learn how to assess the pedagogical needs of their short-term students, choose appropriate repertoire/etudes, help students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses, set clear goals, and provide nonjudgmental constructive feedback in a manner that preserves the self-efficacy and motivation of the student.

Although challenges arise, music educators should strive to cultivate a nonjudgmental studio environment, and mentor, guide, and motivate students to set individualized goals and expectations throughout the learning process. Personal connections with peers are essential in music study, as the environment creates a sense of challenge, camaraderie, and shared performance opportunities. These experiences place students within the larger context of a musical community. Even though the teacher is an important factor in transitional pedagogy, the larger context of environment, belonging, and peer support carry substantial weight throughout the learning process.

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-1-upd-10.1177_87551233221095051 – Supplemental material for “Unlearning and Relearning”: Adolescent Students’ Perspectives on Transitioning to a New Teacher and Environment

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-upd-10.1177_87551233221095051 for “Unlearning and Relearning”: Adolescent Students’ Perspectives on Transitioning to a New Teacher and Environment by Vanessa Mio and Brenda Brenner in Update: Applications of Research in Music Education