Geoff Ma pay a, Department of Music, University of Venda [Univen] This article reflects on issues that are at play when teaching music t o an African student in a rural context. It draws f rom my experience as a music lecturer in the Li mpopo province. It sketches the progress and challenges of a t hi rd year guitar student who is studying towards a B.Mus. degree at the University of Venda, and his social/cultural situation. For a South Afri can music l ecturer who teaches in the so-called black university, education in general assumes an abnormal rol e. It becomes an emoti ve matter because in black societies music education was almost nonexi stent pri or 1994. Even today education standards are compromi sed in the face of the worseni ng conditions of learning. South Afri can education is supposed t o empower students f or future roles, whi l e seeking t o redress the ills of the past. The question of whet her our music education can satisfy these needs is unavoidable. In sectors of the community, music education is considered an elitist luxury, whi ch has l i ttl e t o do wi t h the process of rebuilding communi ti es, hence the lack of support f or music education. Case St ydy Ndi vhuho Luvhengo was born in 1981 in Ndyelele area at the village called Tshavhalovhedzi. In 1989, his parents separated and he, together wi t h his mot her and siblings, moved in wi t h his malome i in a village called Maungani. In 1997, whi l st still in Maungani his mother bought a house through a scheme. The fol l owi ng year she was retrenched and had t o surrender the house. She moved t o Muledani where she bought a site and built another house. Ndi vhuho started school at Silom pri mary school , where he did his substandard A and B schooling, and then moved t o Maungani Primary school f or standard I and 2. He compl eted his pri mary schooling at Beuster pri mary school and proceeded wi t h high school education at Thohoyandou secondary school. Ndi vhuho became a born again Christian in 1997 whi l e wi t h Apostol i c Faith Mission. He then joined the Seventh DayAdvent i st Church. He is now attached t o the Living Wat ers Fellowship Church. He started formal music education at the age of 24, and at 27, Ndi vhuho is in his f our t h year of music studies at the University of Venda. In t he fi rst year, he compl eted a certificate in music and proceeded t o B Mus where he is currentl y in the t hi rd year. Anal ysi s This short case study presents issues that are of concern f or effective learning and are common t o most students who are faced wi t h similar circumstances. These issues are presented and discussed wi t h the aim of encouraging lecturers t o be compassionate while fulfiling thei r duty. Ndi vhuho experienced the breaking down of his parents' marriage at age 8. Also, he was the eldest of the six children. This meant that he had, somehow, t o support his mother, and comf or t his siblings. For him t o succeed he needs t o have a strong character and an opti mi sti c atti tude. Anot her challenge was that his parents' separation was the beginning of a series of moves. The first move f rom his paternal home in Tshavhalovhedzi t o t hat of his malome's in Maungani was because of the separation. The second move was when his mot her bought a house in Maungani, and they moved out of malome's house. Soon after his mot her was retrenched, and she had t o sell the house. Wi t h the l i ttl e money she received f rom retrenchment she bought a site in Muledani and built a house, and this compl eted the t hi rd move. Anot her f orm of rel ocati on was that Ndi vhuho changed pri mary schools three times. Changes also t ook place on the spiritual f ront . From his paternal spiritual background, Ndi vhuho joined Apostol i c Faith Mission, and then moved t o the Seventh-Day Adventi st Church, and today he is wi t h the more fashionable Living Wat ers Fellowship Church. Ndi vhuho moved far t oo many times. Changing environments robbed him of a chance t o cement his rol e among the different constituencies t o whi ch he briefly belonged. Perhaps the most disturbing of these relocations was the fi rst during his formati ve years. As a result, Ndi vhuho seems t o have grown t o hate the customary rituals as practiced by his father's family, whi ch he now, since he has become a born-again Christian, regards as pagan. This shift f rom an African way of life t o Christianity presents many points f or discussion. Of concern in this article are issues around heredi ty and identity formati on. I . This means uncle. In Afri can societies t here is a di sti ncti on between the mother' s and t he father's brot hers. The t er m uncle woul d refer t o t he mother' s brother, who seems mor e i mpor t ant that the father's brother. Tal ent and Heredi t y In most African traditions or customs there are t wo main determining factors, which come t o bear in naming a child. First, the family may give a child a name that reminds them and the communi ty of what was occurri ng during the time it was born. This could capture national events, state of the village, family successes or feuds. Wi t h Ndi vhuho, his name f rom the father's family was Ntshavheni (be scared of me). The meaning or the origin of the name, ot her than its literal translation, was never established or explained t o Ndi vhuho because the mother resented it f rom the beginning. Instead, she gave him an alternative name which means thanksgiving. Summarily, Ndi vhuho has never taken t o the name (Ntshavheni) because the mother had a problem wi t h it. The meaning and the essence of the name and all its hereditary innuendos may never be established. Probably, this is not a big issue for Ndi vhuho now because of his age, and his Christian upbringing has, by design, cut his ties wi t h his African sensibility. Therefore there is likelihood that Ndi vhuho has lost a possible reference t o his hereditary talent by not carrying his family name. The ability t o refer t o achievements made by one's close relatives boosts one's confidence. / Second, a child could inherit a name f rom one of the living or the living dead members of the family. In this case, it is believed that the name, as much as it is normally in honour of the f ormer bearer, also casts the character and behaviour of the new bearer i nto the moul d of the former. Therefore, if the f ormer bearer was artistically talented, then it will be expected of the current bearer of the name t o either match or go beyond the talent limits of the former. Thus, it is common t o hear questions such as "whose child is he or she t o have achieved this or that?" The implication here is that, the ability t o achieve might be 1 ; hereditary. Communi t y At t i t udes Given the small number of African patrons who visit art galleries or collect music, it seems that only the few who have been exposed t o certain environments such as institutions of higher learning have an appreciation. Appreciation goes wi t h exposure.The following t wo incidents suggest that, the music that has so far been the subject of study in institutions of higher learning is not widely understood among African communities. 1. Af t er practicing Fernando Sor's Op.35, No. 22 in b mi nor for many nights in the kitchen of a township four roomed house, my father's voice pieced through the still of the night, asking when I was going t o start playing music now that I have spent three years playing exercises. 2. A friend of mine decided t o render a jazz standard on a piano in the Leo Marquard dining hall of the University of Cape Town. Students were having lunch. Most them went about thei r meal as if nothing was happening, except for a few who went up t o him and asked if he could "play something" f or them. Clearly, the type of music that my friend and I played in the t wo circumstances failed t o make an impression. The aesthetic values associated wi t h the music that my friend and I studied were misplaced, if our idea of beautiful music is contrary t o that of the communities we come f rom. Music Qualification Studying towards a music qualification is not common among African communities. Most students, who make it t o music departments, do so wi t h little or no support from thei r parents. Also, the communities from where these students come find it difficult t o understand why anybody woul d study in the field where there are no obvious career opportuni ti es. Besides, African families still expect their children t o choose medicine, law or other such traditional professions that lead t o secure jobs and therefore economic stability rather than chose music. Arti sts, especially musicians in South Africa, have still t o earn respect. As a result communities do not readily support musicians or careers in music. Ss~., From Known t o Unknown InVenda there are five main types of popular music; namely Tshingondo - a music genre that is guitar-based whi ch closely resembles the music of Zi mbabwe; Reggae - as made popular by Col bert Mukwevho of Harley and the Rasta Family fame; Indigenous music which is inextricably i ntertwi ned wi t h dance; Gospel music; and Choral music. Classical music and jazz do not feature much in the musical life ofVhavenda. It woul d seem that different sets of aesthetic values apply t o music in Venda. For someone who grew up in this envi ronment it takes effort t o begin t o appreciate new sounds. When Ndi vhuho walked i nto the Music Depart ment in 2005, he heard, for the first ti me, the genre of music called jazz. Further he had no idea of Classical music, let alone the meaning of formal l y studying these genres. A few years later, Ndi vhuho recognised that there is noVendan jazz guitarist. Ndi vhuho now believes that jazz guitar playing could become his niche area. He claims that he has been exposed t o all the genres of music listed above, including the music of his church, but finds jazz more liberating. Educating Ndivhuho Wyat t MacGaffey (1982) describes education as "the passing of acquired competence from one generation t o another," and that this is how society reproduces itself. Education involves cultural issue, which is why i t is i mportant for educators t o know and understand the background of thei r students. What should emerge out of the educational process is a better functional human being who meets expectations and standards, and has a chance of succeeding in life. This, f or me, has been the starting poi nt in designing a learning programme. I refer t o my experience when I was a music student. The broad understanding of the objective of education and the ability t o draw positively f rom personal experience works effectively all the ti me. Not much has changed since the ti me when I myself, as a young student, began formal music education in my mid-twenties wi t h nothing but a passion for music. Ndi vhuho, and most African students, usually seem not t o care whether they wi l l find jobs after finishing thei r studies. At some level it is, f or them, not about a job, but a career. It is about discovering and getting t o know something they genuinely love - music making. This drive yields the energy that makes the process of educating some of these late starters wort hwhi l e. Appreci ati on Appreciation of students' conditions and problems helps in gaining t rust f rom the students. Lecturers should be aware that students as ol d as Ndi vhuho come t o class, having wi t hst ood enormous pressures f rom different angles of life. At age 24 they are supposed t o be starting their professional lives and establishing relationships that may lead t o marriage. It is common t o find that some of these students already have children of thei r own. All these are, relatively speaking, aspects which need proper handling. The ability t o create links even at a spiritual level goes a long way in preparing students f or challenges that come wi t h studying music. Going an extra mile Af t er appreciating the student's problems, it is i mportant t o offer support where possible. Of t en, such a gesture leads t o the lecturer assuming a father or a mother figure, a mentor and a friend who is always there f or his or her students. Overt i me the lecturer develops a rapport wi t h the students t o an extent that he or she is able t o see through them. Once this level is achieved, the students reciprocate by being open wi t h the lecturer. In this environment respect f rom both sides is strengthened beyond the normal student-teacher relation. Admi t t i ng l i mi tati ons and fl aunti ng competence At university there are some students who are smarter than others and may even be smarter than the lecturer. It is i mportant t o encourage such students t o express themselves, even if they may challenge the lecturer. In cases where the lecturer does not have an immediate answer t o a challenge or a question, it is advisable t o accede t o a poi nt rather than t o maintain a position that may not be correct. Learners need an assurance that thei r l ecturer is at the cutting edge of what they are studying. This is why, in music, students enrol wi t h certain institutions because they want t o study under a certain lecturer. For t hem, finding thei r iconic lecturer being human and approachable unlocks most faculties for effective learning. Typical BMus. Pr ogr amme A Technical Abi l i ty Hol di ng t he Gui t ar and st r ummi ng, i ntensi ve exercises. Learni ng heads. Learni ng the Blues si de-by- side wi t h Mbhaqanga. Learni ng jazz Standards. Learni ng Bebop Heads. Learni ng t o i nt er pr et and play arranged music. B Technical Skill Di at oni c Seventh chor d in five posi t i ons. Left hand finger i ndependence. Local mel odi es as a reference. Coor di nat i on Scales, arpeggios and chords. Wor ki ng f r om lead sheets. Major, Mi nor di at oni c systems. Modes of a maj or scale. I mprovi sat i on techni ques. Reading. Aur al per cept i on. C Theoreti cal Underst andi ng Music l i teracy: the study of the el ements of music. Underst andi ng Mel odi c and Har moni c Concept s. Knowl edge of pr i mar y Harmony. Mast ery of Di at oni c Harmony. Mast ery of Ter t i ar y Harmony. Appreci at i on of At onal Music. Mastery of Modal Harmony. Free yoursel f f r om harmony. D Hi stori cal and Stylistic awareness Wh a t each of t he five cont i nent s brings t o music? Over vi ew of Hi st or y of Music. Early Jazz (1900) and Ragti me-pi ani sts. Di xi el and bands. Chi cago-era. Swi ng (1935). I nt r oduct i on t o Bebop (1940). The " Co o r - e r a (1945). Ar r angement s. Har d Bob (1950). Modal . Avant -garde ( i 960) . Free and Fusion (1966). E Self-knowledge Ar e you able t o command a place at thi s level? Establish practi ce r out i ne. Play chords in a band. Self-study met hods Play mel odi es and chords in the band. Har moni c taste. Wr i t e l i ttl e composi t i ons. Play t hem in t he band. Taste. Establish l i feti me fri endshi p wi t h cert ai n fel l ow band members. Di sregard harmony wi t hout boundari es. F Year Level Cert i f i cat e B Mus I B Mus 2 B Mus 3 B Mus 4 Pr ogr amme Dynamics Above is a rough representation of a jazz programme. Columns A and B represent the technical wor k Ndi vhuho has been learning. These skills are essentially aimed at improving his psychomotor skills, wi t h great emphasis on the mot or skills. Col umn C and D are knowledge based. The application of knowledge contained in these t wo columns is slightly different. Col umn Cs type of knowledge impacts directly on the practical aspect of learning, while column D builds understanding, and leans towards column E. Col umn E is i mportant because it defines the students; whether he or she is adequately, musically educated. Progress in column A is challenging f or Ndi vhuho or any ot her student wi t h similar (lack of) background. As music is a practical subject, students are under pressure t o cover all the study materials presented, almost at once. As much as this ideal is desirable, it is not always possible. An experienced educator knows that a successful treatment of col umn B sets a student up f or an eventual realisation of column A. Ndi vhuho' s success This article attempts t o present factors that affect Ndivhuho's musical educational development. The educator can now emphasise wi t h Ndivhuho's social problems, and understand the background of the communi ty he comes f rom and the challenges he will face when he returns t o play his rol e. It is imperative t o present a rough sketch of the programme that Ndi vhuho goes through in order t o appreciate the magnitude of the gap that needs t o be closed if Ndi vhuho is t o be successful. Ndivhuho's success should been seen in three ways: ( I ) . He has found a way of establishing his own identity. (2). His progression has been steady. He passes all the modules and works hard at his practicals t o compensate for his lack of experience. (3). His mind is at the right place. He has channelled all his energies i nto his studies. He has a mild personality which makes him likable. Apart f rom his academic wor k he now plays guitar in his church band, and on campus he is a key member of a student reggae group. He is going t o graduate wi t h a B.Mus. degree. He should be encouraged t o consider a teacher's qualification, which will guarantee his usefulness t o his community. Strategies behind In dealing wi t h African students, it does not help t o dwell on thei r lack of preparation. Perhaps what is i mportant is t o, quickly and efficiently, find a way of reaching them emotionally and intellectually. One sure way of achieving this is by acquiring a thorough understanding of the learning processes they, as Africans, have been subjected t o since bi rth and expl oi t them positively. Some of the modes of learning common in African communities are (Mapaya, 2004): Seclusion: Occurs where learners/initiates are removed from their familiar environment and put in a situation where they are faced with music all the time, and can only connect with their communities at controlled intervals.This method is common in the initiation process of mangaka 2 . This method could be more effective if, for argument's sake, a student from Venda were to be sent to study in an institution far away. However, local students could be encouraged to get into accommodation on campus.They should try to remove themselves from their home environments. Immersion: Here the initiates are exposed to extended periods of drumming and dancing. Eventually, 2. Mangaka (ngaka in singular) a Sesotho word for what are commonly known as traditional healers. the rhythms of the drums, and the songs sung are absorbed by the subconscious mind.The initiates hear these sounds even in their sleep. Music students who may not have the privilege of having a collection of jazz music are strongly encouraged, almost compelled, to buy one jazz album and listen to the music continuously. Drilling: Music students who did not grow up learning music do not understand the dynamics of practicing.There are those elements that need small doses of daily practice, and there those that need lengthy periods of practice until the threshold is passed. Students should be sensitised to these dynamics and helped in realising them. Coercion: African students, particularly those with rural backgrounds, would understand easily if they were to be coerced into doing certain things related to their studies. Positive coercion has been part of their upbringing where a child has to wake up at a certain time to fulfil certain tasks without question. Wi th Ndivhuho and others, I threw them into the deep end by demanding of them mastery of the diatonic seventh chords system in five different positions in one month with no negotiations; and it worked. That may be one reason why Ndivhuho is a success. References MacGaffey.W. (1982). Education, Religion, and Social Structure in Zaire. Anthropology and Education Quarterly,Vol. 13, No. 3,, 13, pp. 238-250. Mapaya, M. (2004). Aspects of Contemporary Northern Sotho Culture Through Music: Its Perpetuation within and beyond the region of Ga-Mmalebogo, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Master's dissertation Johannesburg: Wi ts University. J5. P JI I SSI I CI ^^ MSC.WJ^M^MMSMM:M.^fi l l TI TI ^l f ' V !**