Devising the introductory questionnaires and the schedule of questions for the face-to-face interviews

3.4.1 Introduction

In order to obtain relevant background information on piano performance training in Hong Kong, two introductory questionnaires – one for the department heads and one for the piano teachers – were devised and distributed before the

interviews. Face-to-face interviews, using a structured schedule of questions, were then conducted with the department heads, piano teachers of the final-year

performance students, and the final-year students themselves. All of the interviews were conducted by the researcher to help ensure that the information was valid, relevant, and reliable. The questions for the interviews were designed to elicit information about the methodology of teaching piano performance ‘step by step’ – that is, moving from a broad perspective to more specific questions. The different categories of interviewees were asked for information that reflected their particular perspective: the department heads were asked about the policy of teaching piano performance students, the teachers about teaching methods, and the students about how they learned from their teachers. All of the questions were in an open-ended format.

3.4.2 Introductory questionnaires

Two introductory questionnaires were devised: one for the department heads (see Appendix A) and the other for the teachers (see Appendix B). The questionnaire for the department heads comprised three sections. The first section sought information on the history of the department; the departmental facilities, including libraries, practice rooms, and venues for performances; the number of lecturers and students; the availability of scholarships; and the number of instrumental instructors, both for piano and other instruments. The second section sought pertinent data on the previous four academic years of the department, including information on the undergraduate courses in performance that were offered; the department’s music education, composition and musicology offerings; and the number of graduates majoring in the different fields. The third section of the questionnaire sought more specific information about the undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered by the institution, such as degrees, diplomas, and certificates, and about any exchange programs, summer music camps, and summer courses organized in conjunction with overseas institutions to give students the opportunity of studying abroad. Three of the department heads (at HKU, CUHK, and HKBU) asked their secretaries to complete the questionnaire, and the other (HKAPA) provided the information himself.

Prior to interviewing them, an introductory questionnaire was also

distributed to the teachers who taught final year performance students. This included questions on their current position; educational background, including qualifications, where they trained, and their teaching and performing experience; the total number of performance students they were currently teaching and the number of these who were in their final undergraduate year; and the teaching models and particular methods that they followed.

3.4.3 Face-to-face interviews and interview questions

Interviews were conducted with the department heads, teachers of

final-year piano performance students, and the final-year piano performance students themselves. In addition to confirming and clarifying the information collected through the introductory questionnaires given to the department heads and teachers, the

face-to-face interviews enabled the researcher to elicit additional information. The open-ended questions allowed the interviewees to provide as much relevant information as possible, and especially helped the teachers and students to provide detailed information on methods of teaching piano performance with particular reference to style, technique, memorization, practice, acute listening skills, and stage fright. The teachers were asked questions in six categories; four of these corresponded to the questions asked of students. The information gained from these two cohorts was cross-referenced. The interviews with the teachers and students provided an effective picture of the teaching of piano performance and, specifically, an insight into their respective ideas and understanding relating to philosophies, principles and

methodologies.

In the face-to-face interviews, the department heads (Appendix C) were expected to answer questions from a broader perspective as ‘designers’ and

administrators of the departmental curriculum. Information was sought in three categories: general information; information on teaching, courses and facilities; and additional comments they wished to make as well as their vision and expectations. In the general information section, they were asked to outline the history of their

institution and department; the ‘streams’ offered in the degree and diploma courses; the total number of students in the music department, and the number of final-year undergraduate performance students in all instruments. In the second section, relating to teaching, courses and facilities, the department heads provided information on the provision of group classes for piano performance students in such areas as aural training, keyboard harmony, and transposition. Other information related to audio-visual equipment and practice room facilities. They were also asked about opportunities to participate in regular concert performances, piano master classes, and vacation study programs in other countries or institutions. Finally, they were

encouraged to reflect on how the institution helped its teachers to teach successfully, including arranging scheduled meetings for teachers to discuss piano teaching, methods for assessing students, and the encouragement and level of support given to teachers to attend international conferences on piano pedagogy. The third section dealt with the expectations and vision of the department heads; this included their

teaching of piano performance, their opinion of piano performance in Hong Kong, and their comments on the future in relation to the training of performers in Hong Kong.

Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the teachers who taught final year piano students. (It needs to be noted that there were also teachers who taught piano to 1st and 2nd year students only but these teachers were not interviewed because this study focused on final year students – not those in earlier years). In these

face-to-face interviews (see Appendix D), information was sought on each teacher’s philosophy, principles and methodology of piano teaching. There were six parts to the questionnaire: personal background information; information on the institution; the teacher’s philosophy and principles with respect to teaching piano performance; methodology; student selection and teacher expectations of students; and the teacher’s recommendations, expectations, and any additional comments.

In the first part of the interview, the teachers were asked about their learning and teaching experience, including the names of their teachers, the reasons why they studied with these teachers, characteristics of these teachers that they admired and disliked, the teaching techniques of their teachers that they had incorporated into their own teaching, and their family background with regard to music.

In the second part, teachers provided information on their institution, such as details of group classes in musicianship, keyboard harmony, master classes, and concerts; vacation classes or programs organized in association with other institutions, and opportunities for students to further their performance skills overseas; the

organization of meetings to discuss pedagogical matters; and the teacher’s participation in international conferences on piano pedagogy either undertaken entirely by themselves or with the support of the department.

In the third part, the teachers answered questions about their philosophy and principles of teaching performance that formed the foundation of their teaching methodology. Information was sought on books, educators, philosophers, and performers that had in some way affected how they taught piano; reasons why they considered being a teacher of performance students a worthwhile pursuit; their definition of a good performance and a good performer; the principles or philosophy that they followed in teaching piano performance; and their pedagogical ideas about piano performance. In the fourth part, the teachers provided information on student selection and teacher expectations of students: the criteria used for selecting

performance students; requirements for performance students, such as practice time and memorization; whether they made fixed practicing plans for their students; considerations in selecting repertoire for particular students, such as syllabus

character of the student, and whether the selection is goal-oriented or student-oriented; and finally whether they required students to listen to recording on their performance pieces frequently. In the fifth part they were asked about their teaching methodology, including whether they had written their own method text; the essential characteristics of a method book; whether they followed a specific method book; whether there were any aspects of the methods of important teachers that they particularly followed; how they taught their students to practise; how they taught technique, style, and

memorization; how they prepared students for the performance experience and assisted them to deal with performance stress and stage fright; the specific

methodology that they employed in teaching final-year undergraduate performers with respect to such aspects as musical knowledge, historical background, physical ability, acute listening skills (aural training), and the development of an artistic sense; and the specific characteristics of teaching final-year students. In the sixth part, the teachers were asked to comment on their expectations and vision with respect to the teaching of piano performance in Hong Kong. This included discussion of the nature of today’s students; whether social background has a discernible impact on students; the future of teaching piano performance in Hong Kong; and recommendations for the education of piano performance students.

No introductory questionnaire was given to the students. (It must be noted that with one exception all of the teachers of these students participated in the study; only one teacher, who taught one of the students, declined to participate.) The questions posed in the face-to-face student interviews (Appendix E) corresponded to four of the six categories in which teachers were questioned: personal information; courses and facilities provided by the institution; the teaching methodology used by their teacher; and their comments and expectations. In the first part, the students provided personal information, including any qualifications in piano performance from overseas music institutions (for example, a diploma from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music); the reasons for taking performance as a major;

whether any of their family had received a musical education or achieved significantly in the field; what they regarded as basic requirements in the selection of a teacher; expectations of their teacher; the definition of a good performance and a good performer; elements that are involved in the performance experience; performers whom they used as models and aspects of these performers that they particularly admired; their own strengths and weaknesses in piano performance; the number of hours they practised, their practice routine, and the daily goals they set for their practice; the frequency with which they taped their practice sessions; and the frequency of their concert performance attendance and listening to recordings of performances. In the second section they answered questions on the courses and

facilities offered by their institution, including group classes in which they could share and learn from other students, such as musicianship classes in keyboard

harmony and transposition; the frequency with which they performed in concerts and master classes and the value of such experiences; whether they had the opportunity to attend vacation study programs, such as studying with guest teachers (visiting

lecturers); and the opportunities that they had to attend conferences on piano pedagogy and performance, either of their own volition or under the auspices of the department. The third section was designed to elicit information on the methodology used by each student’s piano teacher in relation to such aspects as practice, goal setting, selection of repertoire, technique, aural development, style, memorization, and stage fright. In the fourth and final section, the students were asked to give their comments, expectations and recommendations in relation to such aspects as facilities at their institution, their teacher, and the training of performers in Hong Kong.

3.5 Seeking approval from the four tertiary institutions to undertake the