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THE EMIC AND ETIC TEACHING PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL GHANAIAN DANCE-DRUMMING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GHANAIAN AND AMERICAN MUSIC COGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION PROCESS

Greco, Mitchell J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1398073851

Abstract Details

2014, MA, Kent State University, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser.
Globalization has brought traditional Ghanaian drum-dances to world stages, particularly in institutions of higher education in America. Ethnomusicologists utilize interdisciplinary techniques to trace a music-cultures’ continuation and change. This study compares the transmission process in the cultural context and the instruction of Ghanaian repertoire among African ensembles in American college and universities. The original hypothesis contends that the pedagogy in university African ensembles would be profoundly different from that of the authentic Ghanaian perspective, thereby reinforcing a divergence in music cognition between learners in the two cultures. Part I: Introduction establishes the parameters of the research and provides a brief description of the Ghanaian musical context. The Research Design section provides an explanation of the participant-observer research methodology during my fieldwork in Ghana and the United States, as well as a briefing on the comparative method used between the two cultures. Insight into teaching perspectives and student cognition that resulted from the variables of different pedagogical techniques was gained through observing of multiple university African ensembles in rehearsal and performance. Interviews were conducted and questionnaires were collected for hard data. Features of the music-culture vital to the socialization method and music cognition are addressed, with particular attention given to the intersubjective collectiveness found in nearly every facet of West African life and the emic musical concepts of melorhythm and Ensemble Thematic Cycle (E.T.C.). The bulk of the fieldwork is presented in Part 2: Teaching Techniques and Learning Processes. The first section surveys the teaching and learning perspectives of the traditional socialization methods of the Ghanaian people. The oral method and informal style are clarified and further non-written methods and instances of formality found in certain Ghanaian contexts are explained. The second section covers teaching and learning as it occurs in the ensembles found in American colleges and universities. Large repertoires of teaching strategies encompassing oral, visual and kinesthetic methods were witnessed from different demographics of instructors, Ghanaian, American and other African origins. The cognition of the students participating in the ensembles were equally as diverse, but commonalities in their learning process were apparent. University African ensembles that perform Ghanaian drum-dances differ significantly based on the institution, department, community and instructor. They operate under the format of a performance ensemble, study group, or a division of the percussion ensemble. Based on the evidence found, the course objectives and goals were found to be a main determinant of pedagogy and style. This conclusion diverges significantly from the classification system commonly applied in our field, which views an instructor’s ethnicity and musical background as the major influences. When building their pedagogical strategies, it was clear that instructors consider their own experience, as well as the objective of their ensemble. The research also brought information regarding student learning and music cognition to the forefront. There are many factors that go into a participant’s experience and therefore his or her cognition of the foreign musical system. A major influence towards an emic and etic perspective may be a result of the differing function that the music-culture has in the two societies; while the emic function seeks to maintain social values, the etic function may be to construct an appreciation of another cultures (non-music students), to introduce a different music perspective (music students), or to develop hand drumming skills (percussionists). A connection between instruction and learning is made as pedagogy found within university ensembles across the country is unsystematic and inconsistent. Some pedagogical techniques appeared to encourage emic perspectives, such as melorhythm, Ensemble Thematic Cycle (E.T.C.), and the significance of singing and dancing. On the other hand, some techniques reinforced students' etic Western perspectives, such as a visual approach, Western "soloing," and establishing external points of reference.
Kazadi wa Mukuna, PhD (Advisor)
Denise Seachrist, PhD (Committee Member)
Thomas Janson, DMA (Committee Member)
Halim El-Dabh, PhD (Committee Member)
148 p.
African Studies; Cultural Anthropology; Fine Arts; Multicultural Education; Music; Music Education; Pedagogy; Performing Arts
Ghana; music; cognition; traditional; pedagogy; emic; etic; learning; drum; dance; Africa; multicultural education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Greco, M. J. (2014). THE EMIC AND ETIC TEACHING PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL GHANAIAN DANCE-DRUMMING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GHANAIAN AND AMERICAN MUSIC COGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION PROCESS [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1398073851

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Greco, Mitchell. THE EMIC AND ETIC TEACHING PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL GHANAIAN DANCE-DRUMMING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GHANAIAN AND AMERICAN MUSIC COGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION PROCESS. 2014. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1398073851.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Greco, Mitchell. "THE EMIC AND ETIC TEACHING PERSPECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL GHANAIAN DANCE-DRUMMING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GHANAIAN AND AMERICAN MUSIC COGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION PROCESS." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1398073851

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.