together rather than as soloists, in order to ‘change things slightly’ and ‘make the piece sound more interesting’. Finally, the students reported that GEP not only helped them to feel more confident about playing by ear (85%) but also to be more confident about improvising (72%) and to become more confident musicians (78%). This study proposes that group ear playing from recordings successfully facilitates collaborative playful experimentation and motivates apprehensive classically trained musicians in Higher Education contexts to become ‘less self-conscious’ and ‘enjoy new ways of improvising’ Maria Varvarigou is a Senior Lecturer in Music and Performing Arts at Canterbury Christ Church University and a Visiting Research Associate at the Institute of Education, University of London. She completed her PhD in 2009 as a scholar of the A. S. Onassis Foundation. Maria is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her special areas of interest include music, health and wellbeing; intergenerational music-making; ear-playing and vernacular performance practices; choral conducting education and effective teaching and learning in higher and professional education.
Jonathan Vaughan (chair session L1a) Guildhall School of Music & Drama jonathan.vaughan@gsmd.ac.uk The orchestral musician of the future What does the orchestral musician of the future look like? Beyond the basic requirement of instrumental excellence, how best to equip today’s would-be professional orchestral players with the professional and entrepreneurial skills, knowledge and capability to become high achieving 21st century musicians? A roundtable discussion including insights from the LSO/Guildhall School’s new Orchestral Artistry Masters programme, drawing in the experiences and ideas from those in the room to take a snapshot of the current situation, and – perhaps – come up with a blueprint for future training developments. Jonathan Vaughan is Vice Principal and Director of Music at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He was formally Director of the National Youth Orchestra and before that, Chairman and playing member of the London Symphony Orchestra. He is a Senior Fellowship to the Higher Education Academy and a Governor of Wells Cathedral School where he is also Chair of its Music Committee. He lives in Wiltshire with his wife, three children and one sadly neglected double bass.
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