It Don’t Mean A Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing: Overcoming stylistic challenges in cross-over repertoire through self-reflective learning and critical listening

Abstract

Cross-over works in modern saxophone repertoire – i.e. works in which aspects of jazz and classical music conventions are used – present a range of interpretive challenges for undergraduate saxophone students. These challenges are augmented by the current structure of many tertiary music programs in which the development of jazz and classical performance skills take place in parallel programs. This study identifies the interpretive challenges associated with performing cross-over repertoire, examines the studio practices of seven master saxophone pedagogues who have successfully worked with undergraduate students in the development of cross-over works and puts forth a template for enhancing these studio practices through the incorporation of critical listening and self-reflection strategies that have been linked in a spectrum of music education studies with student empowerment and self-directed learning. The findings of this study indicate that while successful saxophone pedagogues often find ways of working around institutional deficiencies when developing student’s skill sets, student initiative plays a large role in determining the successful realisation of cross-over repertoire. The two potential models of studio pedagogy put forth at the end of this thesis aim to demonstrate how developing student initiative might feature more prominently in the context of one-to-one teaching.