Knowledge transfer and community-based musical art / performance: Emerging music scholars through the (re)search and understanding of sound

Abstract

University students are said to have training in critical thinking. In the field of music, we experience in two aspects: musical performance and academic writings. However, students may feel tedious with formal classroom and studio learning environments. Therefore, the dissemination of knowledge may not be effective especially in a sub-degree programme where students begin to experience what exactly music is through various music courses. In order to enhance the knowledge transfer, a series of community-based musical art/performance activities is organized to encourage students to become merging scholars with their participations in music studies—research writings and compositions, through meaningful community-based events.

The objective of this paper is to demonstrates good practices of how an associate-degree music programme explores the possibilities to encourage students’ participations by launching a grant-supported project “Emerging Music Scholars: The (Re)Search and Understanding of Sound,” which contains four activities for students and the general public, namely:

1. Composition Study—through regular meetings with the instructor, selected students learn research skills in sound formation, and hence, to have inspirations for their own compositions through guidance from the instructor. 2. Music Analysis Study—through regular meeting with the instructor, the student learn both research and analytical skills in theory. Such arrangement is a research-study for the potential student to develop his/her musical interest on top of his/her undergraduate studies. 3. Annual Concert—provides a practical learning experience for students in both performance and organizing aspects. Not only the outstanding compositions from (1) will be presented as world premiere, but this is also the programme’s community service for the public. 4. Music Symposium (open to public)—provides a formal academic platform for knowledge exchange.

With respect to all these academic and performance opportunities, students are equipped for further studies and engage the public with good practices they achieved as the community service. Through different music activities, students practically demonstrate what they have learned in class, no matter in a musical performance or in an academic research/conference atmosphere. Such an learning experience is valuable, via exchange with internationally acclaimed scholars and general public, for students to explore the horizons and to develop as leaders in the future, no matter in the music industry or in the society. Through the community-service concert and the public music symposium, both the faculty and students will engage more in both the academic research and the community, and enhance the sense of civic engagement and responsibilities.