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11 February 2018 Photo Supplied
New book establishes link between spirituality and music education
Dr Anchen Froneman and Gerda Pretorius, lecturers from the Odeion School of Music

A recently released book, Spirituality and Music Education: Perspectives from Three Continents, includes the work of two renowned lecturers from the Odeion School of Music at the University of the Free State. Both Dr Anchen Froneman and Gerda Pretorius contributed their passion and research to this publication that is described as follows by editor June Boyce-Tillman: “The book aims to provide various perspectives on spirituality and the link thereof to music education.”

Born to communicate musically and spiritually

 “I do not attempt to link music with religious experiences,” Pretorius says, “but rather with feelings and experiences of delight, transformation, and aliveness … to name a few.” Her years as a music teacher sparked her interest in parent-infant musical communication. Achieving spirituality in music education is not easily reached, because it requires a complex learning and developmental process, Pretorius explains. “But in infancy, the process happens naturally.” By way of community programmes, she would like to inform parents about the potential benefits of natural music-making processes at home.

“The book aims to provide
various perspectives on spirituality
and the link thereof
to music education.”
—June Boyce-Tillman

How music makes you move

 Dr Froneman focuses on the music performers and their experiences. “I researched a context for aesthetic experience and spiritual experiences before I questioned expert musicians about their experiences, especially during chamber music performances. In this context, aesthetic experiences provide meaning to the performer and included feelings like exhilaration, satisfaction and inspiration. Within my research, spiritual experiences are not necessarily related to religion, but rather an experience of an imaginary realm.”

Dr Froneman credits her study of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis for her interest in the close link between your inner intent (emotions, feelings) and outer manifestations (movement, gestures). “Expert musicians always seem so invested and engaged in the music-making process,” she explains. “My interest is to uncover the nature of experiences during the music-making process, rather than the actual music created.”

News Archive

UFS council approves guidelines for reconfiguration of Vista Campus
2005-03-15

Human resource development (teaching and training) will be the primary aim of services to be rendered at the reconfigured Vista campus of the University of the Free State (UFS).

This in-principle decision forms part of a set of guidelines for the strategic reconfiguration of the Vista campus in Bloemfontein that was recently approved by the UFS Council.  The Vista campus was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004.

“One of the most important aspects that resulted from these guidelines is that we have come to a point where I can say that the future of staff at Vista is not dependant on the strategic reconfiguration of the campus.  Vista staff members will stay staff of the UFS and are being integrated into the functions of the main campus,” said Prof Magda Fourie, Vice-Rector:  Academic Planning at the UFS.

“According to the guidelines, the reconfiguration of the Vista campus must occur within the ambit of the UFS as a single institution with three campuses,” said Prof Fourie.

The UFS is currently offering two activities on the Vista campus – the regional Centre for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the Sesotho Language Research and Development Centre. 

According to Prof Fourie no duplication of services or programmes being rendered on the main campus in Bloemfontein will take place.  In the guidelines suggestions are made that the Vista campus could be used for activities that are currently offered on the main campus (eg short learning programmes), new UFS activities (mainly of a developmental and entrepreneurial nature), cooperative partnership ventures with other role-players and the renting of facilities for education and training purposes. 

“However, no definite decisions have been made about these possible activities – the necessary consultation process with relevant stakeholders and role-players must first take place.  A consultative forum for this will be established early in the second term of this year,” said Prof Fourie.

 “We are excited about the possibilities that have arised from the guidelines as it fits in with our vision to utilise new resources for education and training and to contribute to higher education in the Free State.  This will also contribute to the development of human resources as a propelling force in the Central Region,” said Prof Fourie.
 

MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:  (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
15 March 2005

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