Innovating Vocal Music Education in Jilin Province, China: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Vocal music tuition in China is at a critical stage of multi-dimensional dynamics with predicaments from upholding tradition to catching up with cutting-edge development. Policy actions dictate to incorporate local culture into the educational curriculum to safeguard the intangible artistic heritage and international competition by student performers. However, there is a gap between policies and practices, especially in the target regions such as Northeast China with a distinctive local ethnic cultural music. Through qualitative research, the current findings take advantage of the first-hand experiences revealed by 12 vocal music teachers at the 3 most prestigious schools in Jilin Province, who stood in the eye of the storm at the centres of Manchu, Korean and Mongolia’s music respectively. Firstly, teachers neutralized contemporary singing patterns and Westernized bel canto. The Manchu guttural singing of consonant enclaves or Korean pansori singing of ornamentation feature blended into the common practice of the teachers. Consequently, there is a combination of cultural heritage and professional requirement. Secondly, the educators were willing to adopt technology in education settings, from AI-modulated voice detection to offer immediate feedback on pitch and timbre to VR-constructed scenarios for voice training, thus opening up more practice avenues regardless of constraints on location. Teachers transform their educational practices to empower neurodiverse students through tactile exercises and a customizable song list to lower the barriers to voice tuition. Last, but not least, the collegiality in multi-university educators. Teachers provide open-source curricula, exchange regional songs and host ethnic concerts. The current research finds that educators actively shape the Chinese vocal music education, from a particularistic or local viewpoint of local culture and student characters, providing an insightful perspective on music educators internationally.