With an example of music education major in Art College of Henan University, this paper looks into talent training mode of music education in Chinese normal universities, tries to seek contradictions between actual talent demand for realistic society and traditional talent training mode, and explores a talent training mode that meets basic requirements of music education in Chinese normal universities through thoughts and practice

DAN, Xia

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1 Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture ISSN 1712-8358[Print]ISSN 1923-6700[Online]   www.cscanada.netwww.cscanada.orgCross-Cultural CommunicationVol. 11, No. 1, 2015, pp. 1-3DOI: 10.3968/6382Thoughts and Strategies of Talent Training Mode of Music Education Major in Chinese Normal Universities: A Case Study of Art College of Henan UniversityDAN Xia[a],*[a]School of China West Normal University, Nanchong, China.*Corresponding author.Received 18 October 2014; accepted 15 December 2014Published online 26 January 2015AbstractWith an example of music education major in Art College of Henan University, this paper looks into talent training mode of music education in Chinese normal universities, tries to seek contradictions between actual talent demand for realistic society and traditional talent training mode, and explores a talent training mode that meets basic requirements of music education in Chinese normal universities through thoughts and practice.Key words: Music education in normal universities; Talent training mode; StrategiesDan, X. (2015). Thoughts and Strategies of Talent Training Mode of Music Education Major in Chinese Normal Universit ies: A Case Study of  Art  Col lege of  Henan Univers i ty.  Cross-Cultural Communication,  11(1),  1-3.  Available from: http//w w w. c s c a n a d a . n e t / i n d e x . p h p / c c c / a r t i c l e / v i e w / 6 3 8 2 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/6382INTRODUCTION Over many years of exploration and practice, Art College of Henan University has realized certain development and achievements in the field of music education in Chinese normal universities. The author tries to start from talent training objectives of music education major, and has an in-depth discussion on future reform paths and trends of talent training mode of this major in Chinese normal universities in combination with many years’ practical experience in teaching reform of Art College of Henan University, in order to provide necessary theoretical basis for teaching innovation and reforms and promote sustainable development of music education in Chinese normal universities.1.  TALENT TRAINING OBJECTIVES OF MUSIC EDUCATION MAJOR IN CHINESE NORMAL UNIVERSITIESMusic education in Chinese normal universities aims at training basic music education teachers with high teaching ability. So, students are required not only to have basic professional competences such as singing a few songs or playing some instrumental music etc., but also to carry out basic music education by systematic and scientific methods. Thus, Chinese normal universities shall strive to explore innovative teaching methods with spirit of the times in reform of music education, carry out diversified and differentiated teaching in combination with a variety of teaching modes, and thus improve teaching quality and promote teaching reform and development.2.  PROMINENT CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN ACTUAL TALENT DEMAND O F  R E A L I S T I C  S O C I E T Y  A N D TRADITIONAL TALENT TRAINING MODEIn basic music education in late 20th century and early 21st century, Chinese relevant functional departments have realized that traditional basic music education outline and talent training mode can no longer adapt to social and educational development, and thus have issued a series of “new curriculum standards” to make music education in primary and middle schools advance with the times. However, music education in Chinese normal universities is an exception, and still adopts traditional talent training mode, becomes seriously disjointed with the development 2Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental CultureThoughts and Strategies of Talent Training Mode of Music Education Major in Chinese Normal Universities: A Case Study of Art College of Henan Universityof the times, and even has numerous contradictions mainly including:2.1  Contradiction Between Simplex Talent Training Mode of Music Education in Chinese Normal Universities and Diversified Social DemandsThe simplex talent training mode can indeed achieve “expert in one” required in music education of Chinese normal universities in the past. However, the era that requires “expert in one” has passed, and only “versatile” and “diversified” talents can meet various demands of modern society. This requires normal universities to train versatile talents (general talents and compound talents) while training specialists (academic talents and applied talents).2.2  Contradiction Between Excessive Demand for Playing & Singing Skills and Ignorance of Comprehensive Teaching AbilityMusic majors in normal universities shall have overall qualities and abilities for comprehensive development. Here, comprehensive development is not only about singing or playing ability, but also about basic teaching skills and art practice knowledge. Music education talents of Chinese normal universities are mainly employed by primary and middle schools. Thus, it is not in line with training objectives of music education in Chinese normal universities if graduates have high abilities in professional playing or singing but lack basic teaching skills.2.3  Contradiction Between Curriculum Setting and Actual Social RequirementsCurriculum setting of music education major in Chinese normal universities is irrational with a large but empty professional scope, lacks pertinence of students in normal universities, looks similar to that of professional art  colleges and universit ies,  and lacks i ts  own characteristics.2.4  Contradiction Between Lack of Stage Performance Experience and Deficient Art Practice ActivitiesMusic majors of both normal universities and professional colleges shall accumulate stage performance experience and improve their stage performance abilities through prolonged art practice. However, the reality is that normal universities haven’t as frequent art practice activities as professional art colleges due to venues, curriculum arrangement and importance attached to such activities etc., and some normal universities even have no art practice for students for a whole semester.The above points, although cannot represent all contradictions between actual talent demand of realistic society and traditional talent training mode, basically highlight several contradictions that are urgent to be solved.3.   THOUGHTS AND STRATEGIES OF CHANGING TALENT TRAINING MODE OF MUSIC MAJOR IN NORMAL UNIVERSITIES3.1  Change Tradit ional Music Education Concepts of Chinese Normal Universities, and Establish New Views of Talent Training Actively3.1.1  Change of Concepts Shall Match With General Requirements of Educational Reforms for Talent StandardsChinese educational  reform mainly aims at  the comprehensive promotion of quality-oriented education in the new century and training students’ creativity. Music education in Chinese normal universities shoulders the important task of training qualified basic music education talents with all-round development, while whether such talents can really shoulder this task becomes the key of the success of music education in Chinese normal universities. Whether teachers have a rational knowledge structure, strong teaching abilities, creativity and practical ability determines the qualities of next generation of talents that they are going to train. Thus, it should change teachers’ traditional education concepts and improve teachers’ qualities, so as to enable students to receive education under teachers’ excellent teaching ability, modern education concepts and profound charm of personality and thus make music education in Chinese normal universities really become a cradle of training qualified basic music teachers.3.1.2  Change of Concepts Shall Conform to Training Objectives of Music Education Talents in Chinese Normal UniversitiesProfessional art colleges aim at training professionals in musical performance, theory and creation, while music education major of normal universities aims at training all-round music education workers and especially music teachers for primary and middle schools. Some normal universities carry on teaching methods, teaching modes and curriculum setting of professional art colleges, become overly concerned about training of students’ basic abilities such as playing and singing etc., ignore seriously training of students’ “normal” qualities, and thus lead to mismatch of training objectives with teaching concepts.3.1.3  Change of Concepts Shall Adapt to the Context of Social DevelopmentFrom a historical perspective, school, as a form of education, is the product of industrial revolution and social development, and its reforms will also be affected by social needs and changes. From the perspective of reality, the new century will be an era of knowledge economy with rapid development of science & technology and information technology, which cover all aspects of social life. So, the new century is an era that requires high-3DAN Xia (2015). Cross-Cultural Communication, 11(1), 1-3Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culturequality comprehensive talents. It is no longer undesirable to judge students’ ability by their credits and scores in school, as this method cannot examine comprehensively talents’ overall qualities such as professional ability, innovative thinking and practical ability etc.. These new higher education rules in the new century also apply to music majors in normal universities. They will be excluded from this new era and have no way out if they don’t stand in the forefront of new knowledge field, avoid educational reforms brought by the development of era and stick to their professional knowledge. So, music education reform of Chinese normal universities shall break the shackles of traditional thoughts, focus on the context of science & culture and social economy, abandon outdated views of talent training, and establish views of talent training that advance with the times.3.2  Comprehensive Changes of Teaching Methods, Curriculum Setting and Art Practice Etc.(a) Teaching methods shall be adjusted. In traditional music education in Chinese normal universities, vocal music and instrumental music courses are one-to-one, while sight singing and era training as well as impromptu accompaniment etc. are collective courses for dozens of or even hundreds of students. Art College of Henan University breaks through traditional music education mode in Chinese normal universities, teaches vocal music and instrumental music courses by method combining individual with collective teaching, divides students into classes according to their foundation in courses of sight singing and era training as well as impromptu accompaniment etc., combines with incentive teaching method of survival of the fittest, and thus improves classroom teaching effects and students’ learning interest.(b) Importance shall be attached to comprehensive courses. Curriculum setting of music education major in Chinese normal universities shall not only attach importance to training of professional ability, but also strengthen learning of basic theory and basic knowledge courses with general  and practical  significance and enhance music majors’ reaction capacity and creativity. Thus, music majors shall grasp knowledge on mathematics, foreign languages, communications and statistics etc, train themselves to be real compound talents, and prom.ote the all-round development of music education in Chinese normal universities.(c) Courses related to frontier science and technology shall be added. The Art College established a laboratory of computer music in 2006, set up computer music theory and work creation course, and combined dull theory course with computer and sound that students were delighted to accept, and thus achieved outstanding teaching effects; in 2013, it also set up a multimedia audio-video laboratory, established courses like modern audio-visual music etc., carried out music appreciation course etc in the audio-visual laboratory with advanced equipment, mobilized students’ senses comprehensively, and made classroom atmosphere extremely active.(d) Art practice shall be in an important position. Normal universities shall carry out various forms of artistic performance or concerts regularly, exercise students’ psychological quality, train students’ artistic performing ability, let students accumulate performance experience, and make students’ professional learning achieve purposes of applying what has been learned and success in learning. Art College of Henan University allows students to accumulate stage experience and enhance their stage performing ability through a wide range of campus practice and social practice, and carries regularly out special practice concerts such as vocal music, piano, instrumental music and dance etc. every month, monthly concerts of each grade with class as a unit, and normal skills competitions etc. on campus. Besides, it participates widely in a variety of off-campus performances through the platform of its practice art troupe, which not only improves students’ ability in social art practice and broadens students’ horizon, but also expands its popularity and influence and achieves multiple purposes.CONCLUSIONTo sum up, the rapid development of basic music education in the new century brings a lot of challenges and unprecedented development opportunities to music education in Chinese normal universities. As members of normal university music education industry, we shall update music education concepts constantly, strive to explore, deepen educational reforms of teaching methods and curriculum system etc. constantly, advance with the times, and seek a scientific talent training mode for music education in Chinese normal universities. Only in this way, can music education talents in Chinese normal universities match with social demands of the new era, strive to have a correct position in future fierce talent competition and remain invincible.REFERENCESLi, H. (2005). On talent training objectives of music education major in Chinese normal universities in the new century. Journal of Chengde Teachers College for Nationalities, (1).Zhang, Y. (2001). Establish a scientific and reasonable talent training mode for music education major in Chinese normal universities.  Musical Works, (3).Zheng, M. P. (2005). The validity of the experimental study on the reform of vocal music teaching mode in Higher Teachers Colleges—from the perspective of teaching psychology to explore the normal six new vocal music teaching mode. Journal of Central Conservatory of Music, (4).

Thoughts and Strategies of Talent Training Mode of Music Education Major in Chinese Normal Universities: A Case Study of Art College of Henan University

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Thoughts and Strategies of Talent Training Mode of Music Education Major in Chinese Normal Universities: A Case Study of Art College of Henan University

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