DEFINICIONES, CLASIFICACIÓN, CATEGORIAS

All pupils had performance experience with their violin in some context. Since performing is a core activity throughout this enquiry, questions were asked to uncover what pupils thought about it. Many expressed a distinct difference between the ways they felt when performing as part of an ensemble, compared with how they felt when they perform as a soloist.

V3 – It’s better when there is an orchestra. X4 – It’s not as terrifying in an orchestra.

Z5 – When you play solo you need to be more careful…like technically…

When the questions focused on performing as a soloist, only four pupils were able to state what they thought were their strengths. These were such things as being able to concentrate under pressure, maintaining good posture, and performing expressively. All ten pupils were able to state areas that they hoped would improve, such as posture, pitch, tone quality, vibrato, notation accuracy, confidence, expression, and dealing with pre- performance anxiety. When asked what they were aware of thinking about when performing many pupils mentioned their perceived weaknesses, or those areas they wished to develop and improve.

R2 – If I am standing in the right position, if I am in tune. I hope the audience like it. U3 – I’ve got to get this right, and impress whoever is watching me. The tempo, the

solfa, the dynamics, if it’s lively, so people listening don’t get bored…

W3 – Trying to get everything in tune and just trying to make it enjoyable for everyone listening.

All pupils admitted to having experienced performance anxiety, and while a few attributed their dislike of performing to the discomfort of anxiety, others stated that performing was enjoyable.

Qp – …I enjoyed that I was just there playing what I could do, and doing it my best and stuff.

R2 – Scared if there is an audience, in case I make a mistake.

S2 – …It’s nice. It feels good. It’s like I’m moving with the music, and its flow. I just like it. It’s nice for people to listen to you. I usually perform better when I

T2 – You can tell your own story about your piece and you can do whatever you want to. There is no right or wrong, and you can do what you want.

U3 – I feel nervous. I don’t really like performing. V3 – Not really.

W3 – Usually nervous, but once I actually get, when I start, it’s like kind of fun. X4 – At ease.

Y5 – I kind of enjoy it.

Z5 – Yeah, I think I do most of the time if I’m prepared and practised enough, and if I am like confortable with myself...I would be nervous beforehand if it was a proper performance or concert, but once I start and I actually manage to think of it, the music. I try to centre myself.

Since the pupils had committed to a whole term of viewing performance films, each was asked if they had ever seen or heard a recording of themselves performing in any musical context, and if so, about the impact of viewing that recording. Of two pupils that had never seen or heard a recording of themselves, one was interested to view a recording and the other was not. There was a mixture of responses from those who had seen recordings of themselves. A few stated that they remembered feeling self- conscious when viewing the recording, others remembered noticing their accomplishments or new issues, while one remarked on remembering a difference between what the recording sounded like and her memory of the performance.

S2 – It was nice…seeing how I did it and what I could do better.

T2 – I felt more like, self-conscious…. I was playing with my quartet. I thought it was good like...[but] I realised I move my shoulders sometimes up… I’ve never seen it happen.

U3 – I thought it was really weird looking at myself play. A weird feeling. W3 – Self-conscious.

Y5 – Kind of strange because it sounds different when I hear it in the recording.

Z5 – In some ways proud… of like what I heard, like I didn’t realise I sound like that, and then otherwise it made me aware of silly things I was doing, just rather embarrassed.

Regardless of whether the pupil had ever seen a recording of themselves, or attended concerts, the importance they assigned to visual presentation became apparent when asked what they expected of any performer, themselves included.

S2 – To look like they are enjoying it.

W3 – Looking like you are enjoying yourself…That they don’t look bored. Y5 – Movement. Enjoying it...

They also expected a performer to be prepared, technically.

T2 – They will have done practice, and they will be like, ready. Like, they will have prepared for it. They will have put like, their own phrasing into it…

U3 – That they should have practised and put the effort in… That they play the whole way through if they make a mistake. I expect it to be good.

X4 – To play it well and not make mistakes.

Pupils were also asked how they knew that their repertoire was ready for the stage. Each spoke about an intrinsic understanding, or self-belief in their ability as performer.

S2 – If you feel ready. If you know your pieces well and you are happy going up on stage….that like, it’ll be your best.

T2 – When you like know the piece so well that you can put your own things in to it… I don’t expect it, like, I make it happen.

Y5 – …when you know the piece really well.

Z5 – If you feel confident but not over confident, and you are like, nervous, but it’s not in the case of like, “I can’t do this!”, it’s kind of a case of, “I can do this. I have prepared for it.

All ten pupils stated that they could learn from observing their peers perform, given the opportunity.

T2 – Well if they are playing the same pieces as me, I could learn that if they did something really nice, I could try that in my piece.

W3 – If you were playing the same piece, how they played it and how you play it, if they were similar or really different, you could try playing the way they are playing so to see if it works out better for you.

Z5 – If it’s a piece you’ve learnt you can kind of improve on yourself, or if you like ideas you can put them into your piece.

All ten pupils also claimed that they would find peer feedback helpful, and that they would be able to provide feedback to their peers.

Qp – Yes because they would help me know what I am sounding like and they would tell me, if I needed to improve on something or something like that. X4 – Yes, because if they are younger than me, and doing pieces I did the year

before or earlier. They might be stuck on a bit that I was stuck on and I passed it so I might have some ideas on how to help.

Part Two