Insight and self-discovery : a qualitative study of beginner violin students exploring the third-position approach

Abstract

This thesis is a qualitative, practitioner-researcher study that compares the efficacy of the first and third position approaches to beginning left hand technique within a student-centred lesson environment. The practice of violin teaching has evolved through a master-apprentice model, where technical achievement is the principal motivator for overall musical development. String pedagogical literature has evolved in two forms. Formal research literature investigates issues such as technique, skill, and performance practice, as well as the effectiveness of teaching methods. Experiential literature reflects the cumulative knowledge and experience of teachers: these texts, which include treatises, journal articles, blogs, and tutor books, are detailed, often idiosyncratic, and are usually not verified through formal investigation. A profusion of methods of instruction have emerged, which has led most teachers to base their pedagogical approaches on their own experiences. These models of teaching aim to codify pathways that achieve a similar result through sets of varying, but equally inflexible, teacher-centred guidelines. Historically, the first position has emerged as the preferred approach for the teaching of beginner left hand techniques. At the same time, there has been scant inquiry into the efficacy of other approaches such as the third position. The aims of this study were twofold. First, to compare the effectiveness of the third position approach to the first position; and secondly, to explore how students perceived this comparison in terms of their technical and musical progress. Using action research methods within an embedded case-study design, the experiences of the five students were documented during the initial stages of their tuition. As they progressed through a range of technical exercises and songs, they were allowed to take the lead in exploring a range of technical options, and their opinions were recorded. These choices ranged beyond the first or third position to include other aspects of their technique. The student responses were noted during the lessons, then 'critical incidents' were coded into choice types relating to first and third position and other facets of their technique. These critical incidents were collated into a narrative that detailed the 'story' of each student, focusing on these preferences. Through a synthesis of these events, it became apparent that their experiences and overall preferences were unique and context-based. It also became evident that the process of making decisions about the way they played led to the emergence of other concepts that significantly affected their levels of engagement within the lessons. As these themes emerged, they were explored and discussed more deeply. In examining the overall pattern of choices made by students, neither first nor third position emerged as being significantly more efficacious than the other. However, it became clear that the inclusion of student-led choice within the lessons became more important than the idea that one approach may be more advantageous than the other. Hence, this thesis argues that a student-guided pedagogical path may offer greater benefits to the overall lesson experience and progress than any particular set of 'rules' about how to play the violin.