Music teacher candidates classical west music investigation of competencies

The aim of this thesis is to determine the level of competence of the music teacher candidates in the pieces and the culture of Classical Western Music, and if any, to detect their deficiencies, and to put forward suggestions for addressing these deficiencies. The competency of a teacher is a notion which affects the competency of not only the students but also the education in general. In this research, it is aimed to increase the professional competencies of the related teacher candidates by identifying their deficiencies and determining their competence levels in Classical Western Music pieces and culture. The research population consists of the music teacher candidates studying in DFAE (Departments of Fine Arts Education), in the Departments of Music Education of the universities in Turkey. The research population consists of the music teacher candidates studying in Departments of Music Education in the DFAEs (Department of Fine Arts Education) of the universities in Turkey. Senior students (N = 143) studying in Gazi Osman PaĢa University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education, Ġnönü University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education, Uludağ University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education, Balıkesir University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education and Ömer Halisdemir University Faculty of Education DFAE Department of Music Education are selected for the research sample. x A data collection tool, a multiple-choice questionnaire form prepared by receiving the opinions of experts, and the sound recording and the record listening form consisting of Classical Western Music repertoire were used in this thesis. The questionnaire which was used in the study was prepared as a multiple-choice form which included the questions of Music Theory, Hearing, Harmony and History of Western Classical Music. SPSS software package 24 was used for the data obtained from the measurement instruments applied in the research. Frequency (f) and percentage (%) values were determined for the process of descriptive analysis and the results were visualized with the tables and graphics. According to the statistical analysis, it was observed that the students' basic knowledge of music and music culture is approximately at the intermediate level ( X = 47.57). However, it was found that their awareness levels of the pieces and the composers of Classical Western Music repertoire were lower ( X = 32.15). As a result of the acquired statistical data regarding the Distribution of Subject Scores of BMICT (Basic Music Information and Culture Test), it was observed that the arithmetic means of the subjects where the music teacher candidates were most successful at are as follows: ( X = 3.94) "Interval Knowledge", ( X = 2.93) "Turkish Five" and ( X = 2.71) "Identifying the Relative Minor Scale of the Given Major Scale". Moreover, according to the answers of the candidates, the subjects which had the lowest arithmetic means are as follows: ( X = .73) "The Definition of Counterpoint", ( X = .76) "Minuet Form", ( X = .98) "Dominant Seventh Chord", ( X = 1.35) "Dynamic Signs" and ( X = 1.60) "Chord Progressions". It was concluded that the students‟ levels of achievement were low in all questions regarding pieces-composers matching activities about the Classical Western Music repertoire. It was also deduced that the most accomplished piecescomposers matching questions about the periods and all questions related to these periods are as follows:  L. v. Beethoven-Moonlight Sonata (%60) xi  A. Vivaldi-Four Seasons- Spring I (%58)  F. Chopin-Nocturne in C # minör(%57)  L. v. Beethoven- Symphony n. 5(%46) It was observed that the pieces where the sample‟s level of awareness and recognition was the lowest are as follows:  F. Mendelssohn-Violin Concerto in E minor (%3)  C. Orff- Carmina Burana O Fortuna (%4)  C. Debussy, Clair de Lune, Posthumous (%4)  Dvorak-New World Symphony-4th Movement (%6) When the students‟ level of awareness and recognition of Classical Western Music repertoire were examined in terms of the period titles, it was found that their success rates are distributed as follows:  Classical Period (%34.8)  Baroque Period (%28.2)  Romantic Period (%23.8)  Contemporary Period (%10.4) Based on these data, it was observed that, the students had the most awareness level at the Classical Period repertoire, and their acquisition of culture relating to the pieces of Contemporary Period is at the lowest level in comparison with the other periods. It was confirmed that the highest score in the students‟ level of awareness and recognition of the pieces-composers matching questions about Classical Western Music was on the subject of "F. Chopin, Nocturne in C # minor, Posthumous". The other most accomplished subjects by students are the pieces-composers matchings of "L. v. Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata", "A. Vivaldi, Four Seasons, Spring I". Furthermore, those with the lowest level of awareness and recognition are the subjects of "F. Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor", "C. Orff, Carmina Burana O Fortuna" and "C. Debussy, Clair de Lune". When the scores of the xii pieces-composers matching questions regarding all periods were examined, it was seen that many of them were below the average level with low values. Keywords: Classical Western Music Culture, Classical Western Music Culture, Music Teacher Candidates, Proficiency