Amateur orchestras as a learning environment for music academy students

Abstract

Orchestral playing is a common form of ensemble playing within higher music education. However, students sometimes participate in amateur orchestras outside of their formal education. This study focuses on what students learned by participating and what the educational institutions gained. The study is a case study of a music education institution and four amateur orchestras and consisted of eight interviews with conductors and administrators. The study shows that learning in the amateur orchestra is similar to learning in formal education contexts, such as developing knowledge of repertoire, in which both institutions contribute to the student’s overall knowledge. Nevertheless, some aspects are better learnt outside of formal education such as educational roles, the creation of a professional identity as a musician and knowledge of different social contexts.