TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceptions and predictions of expertise in advanced musical learners
AU - Papageorgi, Ioulia
AU - Creech, Andrea
AU - Haddon, Elizabeth
AU - Morton, Frances
AU - De Bezenac, Christophe
AU - Himonides, Evangelos
AU - Potter, John
AU - Duffy, Celia
AU - Whyton, Tony
AU - Welch, Graham
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The aim of this article was to compare musicians' views on (a) the importance of musical skills and (b) the nature of expertise. Data were obtained from a specially devised web-based questionnaire completed by advanced musicians representing four musical genres (classical, popular, jazz, Scottish traditional) and varying degrees of professional musical experience (tertiary education music students, portfolio career musicians). Comparisons were made across musical genres (classical vs. other-than-classical), gender, age and professional status (student musicians vs. portfolio career musicians). Musicians' 'ideal' versus 'perceived' levels of musical skills and expertise were also compared and factors predicting musicians' self-reported level of skills and expertise were investigated. Findings suggest that the perception of expertise in advanced musical learners is a complex phenomenon that relates to each of four key variables (gender, age, musical genre and professional experience). The study also shows that discrepancies between advanced musicians' ideal and self-assessed levels of musical skills and expertise are closely related to gender and professional experience. Finally, characteristics that predict and account for variability in musicians' views and attitudes regarding musical expertise and self-assessments of personal expertise levels are highlighted. Results are viewed in the context of music learning and implications for music education are discussed.
AB - The aim of this article was to compare musicians' views on (a) the importance of musical skills and (b) the nature of expertise. Data were obtained from a specially devised web-based questionnaire completed by advanced musicians representing four musical genres (classical, popular, jazz, Scottish traditional) and varying degrees of professional musical experience (tertiary education music students, portfolio career musicians). Comparisons were made across musical genres (classical vs. other-than-classical), gender, age and professional status (student musicians vs. portfolio career musicians). Musicians' 'ideal' versus 'perceived' levels of musical skills and expertise were also compared and factors predicting musicians' self-reported level of skills and expertise were investigated. Findings suggest that the perception of expertise in advanced musical learners is a complex phenomenon that relates to each of four key variables (gender, age, musical genre and professional experience). The study also shows that discrepancies between advanced musicians' ideal and self-assessed levels of musical skills and expertise are closely related to gender and professional experience. Finally, characteristics that predict and account for variability in musicians' views and attitudes regarding musical expertise and self-assessments of personal expertise levels are highlighted. Results are viewed in the context of music learning and implications for music education are discussed.
KW - Expertise development
KW - Gender
KW - Musical genre
KW - Musical performance
KW - Skill acquisition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950952358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0305735609336044
DO - 10.1177/0305735609336044
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77950952358
SN - 0305-7356
VL - 38
SP - 31
EP - 66
JO - Psychology of Music
JF - Psychology of Music
IS - 1
ER -