Teaching Australian cello music to Intermediate students: An exploratory study of motivation through repertoire

This paper explores the motivational aspects of repertoire for intermediate student cellists. Research into interest and intrinsic motivation related to the learning of instrumental music has been limited to date. As a cello teacher interested in including contemporary and Australian music in my students' studies I started to research availability of Australian repertoire for intermediate cellists and found that there was limited accessibility to such pedagogical material at this level. This study emerged as a way of providing useful information to composers. It investigates intrinsic motivation by questioning students and their teachers about which aspects of music repertoire are most likely to inspire students to practice more and strive for excellence. This paper presents the findings of the purpose-designed questionnaire distributed to cello teachers in Queensland. A similar set of questions has been prepared for student cellists and information gathering from students is still underway. Musical aspects investigated include technique and its development, style, harmony, tempo (speed), and rhythm. The questionnaire gathered information on the most frequently used teaching repertoire and teachers' experiences in teaching contemporary and Australian repertoire. This information was balanced with questions regarding the technical developmental requirements perceived necessary for intermediate students as well as other motivational aspects. It is hoped that information collated from this research will be of benefit in the selection of motivational repertoire for intermediate student cellists and especially in promoting the composition of Australian pieces for intermediate cellists.