Abstract:

The aim of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of the expression of artistic individuality of preservice music teachers and the possibilities of its development at university. Artistic individuality is perceived to be a key element conveyed in music performance. However, the individuality of a music teacher, as one of the forms of expression of his/her personality, has become the centre of modern music teacher education.

The problem of the research is formulated as the following questions:
(a) How does artistic individuality of prospective music teachers manifest itself?
(b) In what way and what impact can the musical activity exert on artistic individuality of student music teachers?
(c) To what extent can this impact be optimised?

To answer the above-mentioned questions and to achieve the set aim, quantitative research (a questionnaire survey) has been conducted. The sample included 190 student music teachers of Music Education programme studying in Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). The future music teachers’ expression of artistic individuality was analysed as a twofold phenomenon, that is, as the attitude to the expression of artistic individuality of music teachers, and as self-assessment of the expression of artistic individuality in musical activity. The results revealed that the artistic individuality of student music teachers is not mature enough. Prospective music teachers related the expression of artistic individuality of the music teacher more to experiences of creativity, a high artistic value, responsibility, and interpretation than to evaluations. The investigation showed that the level of the expression of artistic individuality of preservice music teachers in the musical activity was not high because the insufficient level of the expression of interpretation and evaluation components dominated. It is likely that developing these abilities can have an impact on a deeper expression of artistic individuality of prospective music teachers. The disclosed educational preconditions make the basis for the development of artistic individuality of prospective music teachers and can encourage university educators to perceive the process of music teaching and learning not only as an activity of developing musical skills, but also to envisage more extensive possibilities of the development of student teachers high artistic values.

Keywords:

Higher education, artistic individuality, music teacher education, student music teacher.