An investigation into the nature and function of metaphor in advanced music instruction

Abstract

Metaphors are an important linguistic device that can enable music teachers to explain expressive performance features in a way that makes sense to their students. This study extends the limited literature on the application of metaphors within advanced music instruction, providing new insights into the nature and function of metaphor in the way that music is perceived, performed and taught. It is based on an investigation of 80 hours of teacher instruction recorded across five instrument areas: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and keyboard. Metaphors were identified, analysed in relation to contextual meanings, and explored in relation to relevant literature. The findings suggest that with attentive use, metaphors can be useful “bridges to learning” in music instruction contexts.