Abstract:

This research explores instruction with a theoretical framework grounded in several existentialist principles. These principles may offer guidance for teachers to navigate a new view of the student-teacher relationship, which may lead to students determining their outcome, thus maintaining student involvement and engagement.

Higher education institutions have evolved throughout history in an attempt to reflect the ever-changing needs of the student population. The Generation Z student comes with a set of core characteristics, needs, and expectations of their higher education experience that must be considered by faculty members (Mohr and Mohr, 2017). Students in music programs throughout the United States were required to continue their music studies online beginning March 2020 as a result of the rapid movement of the COVID-19 virus. Higher Education administrations responded to this crisis by requiring students, faculty and staff to socially distance and transition to online classes presenting a new challenge - in particular for students and teachers engaged in applied lessons on a given musical instrument. The student – teacher relationship in the voice studio requires a great deal of listening, viewing a student very closely to assess technical errors, quick assessment and correction of pitches, notation, rhythm, diction, tension in the vocal mechanism, kinesthetic awareness and at times a requirement to place ones’ hands on the student – with permission - to demonstrate a technical tenet of singing. Ideally, this must take place in real-time and in a face to face setting.

Many institutions required all coursework to continue through a remote interface – including all music instruction. My institution provided Zoom accounts in order to conduct classes - as well, instructed the use of Learning Management Platform Canvas. The research will review characteristics considered typical for the Generation Z student (Seemiller and Grace, 2016; Cook, 2015) and view the student-teacher relationship in the higher education voice studio through an existentialist lens. This research drew upon Sartre’s central existentialist principles of freedom and responsibility, and upon those that stem from them. It examined these as they may inform and enhance current higher education vocal pedagogy practice in an online setting. Sartre states (1993), “Existentialism’s first move is to make every man aware of what he is and to make the full responsibility of his existence rest on him” (36). This research has potential impact upon vocal instruction and may help current vocal instructors navigate the murky waters of teaching voice lessons in an online setting. The research examines two prominent Sartrean principles- freedom and responsibility. In order to find and explore freedom, one must first face responsibility. Certain distinguishing aspects of responsibility and freedom are important in their application to vocal instruction. A relationship based in existentialism puts the individual in charge. These existentialist ideas may also be considered in re-conceptualizing the student-teacher relationship in the higher education voice studio in an online setting.

Keywords:

Vocal pedagogy, remote instruction, generation Z, student engagement, existentialist principles.