Fostering Self-authorship Among Music Performance Majors
Debra PenberthyUniversity of Southern CaliforniasThornton School
of Music
May 29, 2013
Presented at Annual Conference ofStudent Affairs Professionals
at Performing Arts SchoolsEastman School of Music, Rochester,
NYFostering Self-authorship Among Music Performance Majors
IntroductionRole in working with music students
Observations about music performance majors
Realizations about a new way to see them
Note: focus is on undergraduate music performance majors who are
of traditional college age, but much may apply to other majors,
older students, and graduates
What is my role?
Director of Student Affairs, advising office for USCs Thornton
School of Music (TSOM)USC: large, private, doctoral
institutionTSOM: highly diverse school of musicAdvising at TSOM for
10 years and worked in higher education since 1994
What have I observed about music performance majors?
Seen as different from the general college population, &
undeclared students, in that they seem to have defined career goals
by virtue of their majorExperience is different due to highly
structured and demanding curriculum, with few electivesOften
advised in a prescriptive manner, with advisors detailing what must
be taken next to stay on trackReality: some struggle with defining
career vision and enacting that vision upon graduation
What have I realized about how to think about music performance
majors?
May not have deep knowledge of what they want to do & how to
do itHave need for advising & support similar to what is
provided for students without a declared majorMultiple sources of
advising and support: faculty and staff in advising, residence
life, student activities, counseling, etc.
5
Presentation OverviewReview of the relevant literatureExisting
applications of theoryDiscussionAdaptations of practice for music
performance majors to assist them in defining:who they arewho they
want to become how to enact their visionsConsiderations for
practiceGroup discussion
Literature Review:What Do We Already Know?Music performance
majors and their pathsFeatures of emerging adulthoodShortcomings of
higher educationSelf-authorship theory and researchNeed for
self-authorship among this group
Music performance majors and their paths
Very few studies focused exclusively on music performance
majors, thus some studies are broader (musicians, all music majors,
or music graduates)
Childhood and adolescenceBeginning music as a child (Fishbein
et. al., 1988/1998) meaning less exploration (Nagel, 88)Choosing
career as adolescent (Sandgren, 2009)High sense of calling at end
of high school, and linked not to ability but high involvement in
and fit with music environment (Dobrow, 2012, p. 443)
Music performance majorsCollege experience Found no studies on
reasons for choosing music majorMultiple influences on choice of
music school: teachers, college faculty, and financial issues
(Locke, 1982; & Butke & Frego, 2009)High demands on
time--practicing (Kostka, 2002)Stress and burnout higher among
music performance majors than music education or non-music majors
(Bernhard, 2010a & 2010b)
Music performance majorsCollege experienceFor all music
majors:Multiple influences on occupational identity formationMost
positive influences on continuing to pursue music degree: private
teacher, parents, taking lessonsBesides teacher, multiple factors
affected career commitment, including other people and aspects of
the college environmentEvidence of multiple identities (musician,
entertainer/entrepreneur, teacher, conductor/composer) (Austin,
Isbell & Russell, 2012)
Music performance majorsCollege experienceReasons for choosing
performance career (Parkes & Jones, 2011)Enjoyment (common
response)Perceived ability to succeed (common response)Usefulness
(uncommon response)Musician identity (uncommon response)
Perceived importance predicts teaching career but perceived
ability to succeed predicts choice of performance career (Parkes
& Jones, 2012)
Music performance majors
College experience
High calling music students more likely to overestimate
abilities (Dobrow & Heller, 2012); less likely to heed
discouraging advice (Dobrow & Tosti-Kharas, 2012)
Decrease in calling to music from age 17 to post- college &
link to greater exposure/fit with music (Dobrow, 2012)
Music performance majorsCollege experience
Evidence of need for more attention to development of
occupational identity for music students (Nagel, 1987; Allen, 2003;
Austin, et. al, 2012)
Using Marcias identity statuses (1966),U of Michigan study found
about 1/3 of music majors had achieved occupational identity by
their junior or senior year, but the rest had identity statuses
of:Foreclosed: having commitment without evaluationMoratorium:
actively in crisis about identityDiffused: uncommitted/not in
turmoil (Nagel, 87)
Music performance majors Post-college lifeArts graduates
satisfied with their education but dissatisfied with career
advisement (SNAAP, 2012)Career outcomes:Evidence of high job
satisfaction (SNAAP, 2012) but varies by type of music position
(Allmendinder, Hackman, and Lehman, 1996)Among musicians evidence
of high levels of underemployment and low pay, particularly in
relation to education (NEA, 2008)Differences between career
aspirations (work as performer) and expectations ( performing and
non-performing) among jazz majors (Devroop, 2011)
Features of emerging adulthood
Emerging adulthood: life stage of 18-25 year olds
Features of this age:InstabilitySelf-focusedFeeling in-between
adolescence and adulthoodGreat sense of optimism, andPeriod of
exploration (Arnett, 2001 & 2006)
Emerging adulthood
Contrasting view:concerning lack of purpose leading to
detrimental effects
Elements of a sense of calling:(1) a realistic awareness of ones
own abilities; (2) an interest in how those abilities can servesome
aspect of the worlds needs; and (3) a feeling of enjoyment in using
ones abilitiesin this way.
(Damon, 2008, p. 46, emphasis not in original)
Higher education outcomesHigher education not achieving some key
goals:No gain in critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing
skills for 45% of students from the freshman to sophomore years
(Arum & Roska, 2011, p. 36)Hiring managers dissatisfied with
college education and virtually all types of skills of applicants,
particularly complex skills such as novel and adaptive thinking
(ACIS, 2011)
Self-authorship theory and research
Kegan (1994) posited that we are:In over our heads in trying to
address the demands of modern lifeThought processes disallow many
to think and act independently and author their own
livesSelf-authorship: a necessary condition for navigating the
contemporary world
Self-authorshipDefined as:
the internal capacity to define ones beliefs, identity, and
social relations.
(Baxter Magolda, 2008a, p. 269)
Self-authorship25-year longitudinal study with students who
entered Miami of Ohio in 86 (Baxter Magolda, 2009)Most began as
absolute knowers: external knowingMost graduated as transitional
knowers: contested knowledge but reliance on authoritiesMinority
graduated as independent knowers: seeing multiple viewpoints and
thinking more independentlyTwo graduated as contextual knowers:
viewing knowledge as relative to context and knowledge claims
better or worse based on evaluation of relevant experience. (Baxter
Magolda, 2004, xvii.)
Self-authorship
Developmental progression:
Externality Crossroads Self-authorship
(Baxter Magolda, 2004)
Self-authorship
External phasecollege and early 20s:Reliance on external
formulas for successUnsuccessful formulas generally replaced with
other formulas Internal voice ignored (Baxter Magolda, 2004)
Self-authorshipQuote on this reliance upon external
messages:
I went right to the law journal, that big prestige thing... I
was thinking to myself Youve got to do this in order to get to
being a law teacher. But on the way over to the law journal table,
there was this street law, which is teaching in the high schools
around here. Im like, Damn, thats what I really want to do. Real
strong internal cues said, Do this. So I picked up the information
and was just like, Damn! I just cant do it because its not going to
get me there. (Baxter Magolda, 2004, p. 41)
Equivalent situations in music world would be?
23
Self-authorship
Period of external formulas was reactionary:
Ive gone through most of my life being reactionary. Like those
toy cars made in Taiwan in the 70s--battery powered, had a lever.
Youd put it on a table, it would back up when it reached the edge
of the table. Redirect yourself when you are going to go off a
cliff. I was behaving like one of those cars. Somebody would put up
a barrier and I would stop and back up; no progress. (Baxter
Magolda, 2004, p. 93)
Self-authorship
Crossroads periodsometime in 20s and into 30sRealizing that
things had not turned out as predictedPainful time of searching
& questioning beliefsUnderstanding importance of internal
source of belief and definition (Baxter Magolda, 2004, p.93)
Self-authorship
Crossroads quote from same law student above:
I started reading the books and I was like, Whoa, this is pretty
boring stuff. And it was painful, painful. I dont know. And then I
thought, I dont want to go through--and this took a long time I
said, Is this map of success given to me by the legal culture
really a map at all to success? And it depends on your definition
of success. A great rsum or accolades, yeah, thats the chart to a
sign of prestige, thats the way to go. But I realized that I
couldnt be a person who sacrificed happiness to that goal of
prestige. (Baxter Magolda, 2004, p. 46)
Self-authorship
Self-authorship (30s and early 40s)
Three inter-related elements:Epistemological: trusting the
internal voiceIntrapersonal: building an internal foundation
Interpersonal: securing internal commitments, (Baxter Magolda,
2008a, p. 269)
Self-authorship could lead to original, modified or completely
new goals: point is internality
Self-authorshipState of self-authorship illustrated by this
quote:
Making yourself into something, not what other people say or not
just kind of floating along in life, but youre in some sense a
piece of clay. Youve been formed into different things, but that
doesnt mean you cant go back on the potters wheel and instead of
somebody elses hands building and molding you, you use your own,
and in a fundamental sense change your values and beliefs. (Baxter
Magolda, 2004, p. 119)
Self-authorshipImplications for faculty and staffMismatch
between expectations and performance given how uncommon
self-authorship may be (Kegan, 1994 & Baxter Magolda 2004)High
challenge & support can yield self-authorship before or during
college (Baxter Magolda, 2008a)Higher education professionals must
help students bridge this gap in order for students to more fully
meet expectations and be prepared for the real world (Baxter
Magolda, 2004)
Self-authorship
Learning Partnership Model fosters self-authorship by:
validating learners capacity as knowledge constructors,situating
learning in learners experience, anddefining learning as mutually
constructing meaning.
(Baxter Magolda, 2004, p. xix)
Need for self-authorship among music performance majors
What is known about degree of self-authorship among graduates of
music performance degrees?No studies on thisBased on research on
others, can assume some are self-authored before, during, and well
after collegeThough some may appear to be self-authored, they may
be taking external models for success for career and
relationships
Need for self-authorship among music performance majorsIn
situations that are highly complex and involve great uncertainty,
self-authorship highly necessary (Baxter Magolda, 2004)Most
successful careers in music are multi-faceted and self-tailored
(Ricker, 2011), indicating high complexity and uncertaintyThus,
high need for self-authorship among those who intend to have a
music career
Need for self-authorship among music performance majors
Angela Myles Beeching has essentially called for self-authorship
among this group, saying:
Musicians often attribute career success or failure to fate or
destiny. They say it's a matter of being in the right place at the
right time, getting discovered, or just being lucky. Unfortunately,
this kind of thinking leads to a passive approach: to simply
letting things happen as they will. My goal is to fundamentally
change this thinking and promote the idea that you are the person
in charge. You are the architect of the future.
(Beeching, 2010, pp. 1-2; emphasis in the original).
Need for self-authorship among music performance majorsIn Beyond
Talent, Beeching knowingly or unknowingly addresses all of the
elements of self-authorship in the context of
musicians:Epistemological: recognizing external (and outdated)
formulas for success and listening to self Intrapersonal:
developing a personal philosophyInterpersonal: examining ways of
relating to others & enacting ones commitments within music
worldExcellent set of visioning questions (2010, pp. 141-149)
My question: would those lacking self-authorship answer them
externally?
Existing Applications for PracticeSelf-authorship conversation
guide (Baxter Magolda & King, 2008)Using Learning Partnership
Model to assist students in evaluating career and personal options
(Pizzolato, 2006)
Existing applicationsSelf-authorship conversation guideDesigned
to encourage thinking about important experiences and mutual
construction of meaning out of those reflectionsLasting 60-90
minutes and semi-regularAdvisor follows the lead of the student and
gives minimal input/adviceIssues of conflict/pain/anxiety fruitful
areas for followup: exploring competing ideas or needsBaxter
Magolda, M.B., & King, P.M. (2008). Toward reflective
conversations:An advising approach that promotes self-authorship.
Peer Review, 10(1), 8-11.
Existing applicationsSample questions from conversation
guide:Tell me about yourself your background and what brought you
to [institution]?What did you expect college would be like for you
this year? How has your college experience gone for you so far? To
what extent does it match your expectations?Tell me about a
significant learning experienceat college Best experience? Worst
experience?Tell me about some of the challenges youve encountered.
Follow-up: How did you approach them?What kind of support systems
do you have? What role have they played in your college experience
thus far?
(Baxter Magolda & King, 2008bquestions quoted)
Existing applicationsUsing the LPM to assist students in career
and personal decision-making, whereby advisor helps student to
(Pizzolato, 2008):Pinpoint multiple optionsDelineate a range of
goalscareer, personal, and education-relatedLay out possible
consequences of each choiceIdentify likely challenges & plan
for contingencies Lengthy, semi-regular talks (45-60 minutes)
DiscussionHow does what we know about music performance majors
inform adaptations of practice?
DiscussionEarly start in music & less time for
explorationMultiple influences on career choiceHigh enjoyment of
music but possible lack of understanding of service element of
music career Need for assistance with realistic assessment of
abilities Hold multiple identities within the music world but may
have limited exposure to various roles and stylesAwareness of
financial and career challengesGreater need for career advisingHigh
time commitments through high school and college
Upshot: High need forguided reflection grounded in
experience
Adaptations of Practice for Music Performance
MajorsSelf-authorship conversation guide tailored to music
performance majorsIncorporating LPM in advising sessions (no
adaptation)Using Strengths Finder 2.0 (Rath, 2007)Artists Way model
for building internal voice (Cameron, 1992)Beyond Talent reflection
guide (Beeching, 2010, pp. 140-149)
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Adaptations of Practice
1. Conversation guide for performance majors:Grounding in
students experience not visioningReflecting on paths to
musicIdentifying satisfying elements of experience in music and
more broadlyIdentifying areas of internal conflict or potential
provocative moments (Pizzolato, 2003)
Adaptations of PracticeNew questions added to original guide,
including:Tell me about the process of deciding to major in music
performance. [Focus on experiences]What has been one of your most
satisfying learning experiences this year? What aspect of music or
other subjects does that entail, and why was it satisfying? If your
interest is performance, in the past year, what has been one of
your most satisfying performance experiences? What about in high
school? What was satisfying about both?Have you had the experience
of being in a music role other than performer? If so, what was that
like? What about performing other styles/different settings?
Use individual questions to encourage reflection
Adaptations of PracticeRecent use of methods:Used satisfying
learning experiences and performances questions in advising
appointments, resulting in rich conversations Conducted guided
conversations with three students. My initial thoughts:Rich
conversations utilizing very few questionsArea of conflict over
internal desire to do music but feeling or being called
selfishpoints to serviceChallenge of assessing self-authorship
Adaptations of Practice2. Using the LPM to assist students in
career and personal decision-making for music majors:
Use application as described above (no real adaptation)Focus on
delineating range of goalscareer, personal, and
education-relatedExplore potential areas of conflict between goals
as raised by student
(Pizzolato, 2008)
Adaptations of Practice3. Use of Strengths Finder 2.0 online
assessmentIdentifies general strengthsExhorts people to focus on
strengths not weaknessesAdaptation: discuss and map strengths onto
various music roles to help explain varying levels of
enjoymentExample: presenter has ideation, learner, strategy, and
achiever. Explains better fit with songwriting than other roles
explored.Use of USC Thornton Music Professions Index (in press) to
see almost 400 professions and associated skills(Rath, 2007)
Adaptations of Practice4. Use of Artists Way exercises as basis
of reflective conversations with students (Cameron,
1992):Affirmations about musician self and negative blurts that
reveal negative beliefs (p. 34)Detective work exercise filling in
statements: Example--My parents think artists are (p. 73)New
statements for musicians:My teacher thinks musicians are?I think
musicians are?My teacher thinks success as a musician is..? I
think?To fail as a musician looks like?
Adaptations of Practice
5. Use of Angela Myles Beechings reflection guide as preparation
for conversation (2010, pp. 141-149)Assign to student to prep for
conversationDiscuss answersTie answers to experiencesEncourage
sense-making prior to visioningFollows leads about questioning,
conflict, or crossroads experiences
Considerations for practiceTime required
Different practices/questions for various student groups?
Caution in dealing with highly emotional issuesreferring to
counseling/occupational therapy/other resources when necessary
Group DiscussionAny questions?
What are some potential crossroads experiences for music
performance majors prior to, during, or after college?
How might these applications fit your work context?
Are there ways that you are already fostering self-authorship
through your practice?
Have questions later? My contact info is:
[email protected]
