Constructions and perceptions of competition in a UK higher music education institution

This thesis investigates perceptions of competition involving university music students through the viewpoints of stakeholders within an individual UK department. In the western world, the association between music and competition is deeply rooted within higher education: explicitly competitive practices such as auditions and musical contests are often part of music students’ trajectories in music colleges and
conservatoires. Furthermore, competitive behaviours among students may be generated by a set of other less explicit circumstances that include social interaction with peers, extra-curricular musical activities, and the relationship with instrumental/vocal teachers. While existing studies have consistently indicated competition as an aspect connected to the culture of music learning environments (e.g. by addressing the culture of a given musical institution as ‘competitive’), very little research has been devoted to exploring primarily how competitive feelings are experienced by music students in higher education. Furthermore, most research exploring the relationship between music education and competition has taken place
in performance-oriented institutions where competitive feelings are likely to be predominantly connected to performance-related aspects; little attention has been devoted to investigating competition as related to other music education domains. This research, therefore, aims to bridge this gap by utilising a case study, exploring through a questionnaire the perceptions of competition of a sample of undergraduate and postgraduate music students enrolled in one UK music department. Interviews with staff members and instrumental/vocal teachers regarding students’ experiences of competition within the same department ensured richness of data and supported the provision of an in-depth understanding of students’ perceptions of competition. The implications of the findings for music education are discussed with regard to institutional culture, music students’ expectations towards their future career, the implementation of diversity in music education and international students’ adaptational challenges as connected with competition.