RITA FERRER, JOAN DE LA CREU GODOY, MIQUEL ALSINA, ANNA RIBERA I IVET FARRÉS, Catalonia

Painting the values, singing the colors

Our talk for that congress emerges from a response to some personal and professional concerns about choral singing. We are teachers at the University of Girona, teaching music to future preschool and primary school teachers. The observation of divers musical weaknesses of our students leads us to investigate and conceive a methodology which consists in learning musical contents through singing. During choral singing, we can develop musical skills and study habits without being completely conscious of them. Most of the teacher’s values, as well as social and communication skills, can also be improved through choir practice.  

 

This particular research has been possible a) after experiencing with different types of choirs and also b) after training choir conduction of a group of students from the University of Girona.

 

To conclude we can say that we see choral singing as a learning strategy in itself which allows people to discover and cultivate musical sensitivity. We also want to also emphasize the role of music teachers and conductors as professionals who promote a practice through musical perception, production and reflection. Those are the reasons why we want to give answer to a request for qualified training and vocal rigour.

The metaphor of “singing colors” allows us to describe the research and the practical results like a painter work, and to see the choir nature as a colours amalgame.

 

KEYWORDS: choral singing, music skills, conductors, education, values.

Members of the Research Institute of Education (IRE) - Didactics Department

Faculty of Psychology and Education - University of Girona

 

RITA FERRER MIQUEL is a professor of Music at the University of Girona in the Faculty of Education. She teaches Choral conducting, Teaching Music, Voice training and Music Education for future primary teachers. She is an active member of a research group “GREPAI” in relation to music education at the University of Girona.  She was a lecturer in the International Symposium on Singing and Song 2015, which was celebrated last October in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada). 

She is a doctor at the University of Girona with her thesis “Singing in an infant or youth choral is a way for learning values, habits and skills”.

She is the conductor of Choral Virolets children (SCIC, “Federation of children choirs in Catalonia”) and Night of June Choral (Coral Nit de Juny) for young and adults singers (FCEC, “Federation of Catalan choirs).These choirs are in European Choral Association – Europa Cantat.

Moreover, she is the Founder and Director of the music school of Palafrugell.

 

IVET FARRÉS I CULLELL is a professor of Music at the University of Girona in the Faculty of Education. She teaches Music Didactics for future primary and kindergarten teachers. She has the bachelor in Music Education and she has a Masters in New Technologies (E-learning) and at this moment, she is studying a PhD in Arts and Education at the University of Girona. Moreover, she has organized and assisted to several training and research courses about teaching music.  She was a lecturer in the International Symposium on Singing and Song 2015, which was celebrated last October in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada).

She is a member of the University of Girona’s choir and she has vocal singing formation.

She is an English teacher in a primary school, in Girona, teaching children from 6 to 12 years old. She is also an active a member of a research group “GREPAI” in relation to music education at the University of Girona. 

 

JOAN DE LA CREU GODOY TOMÀS bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Letters, specialized in Musicology at the Autonomous University in Barcelona. Bachelor in Music, specialized in Guitar in Liceu Higher Conservatory in Barcelona. Doctor in Philosophy and Educational Sciences at the University of Barcelona.

He is a professor of Music at the University of  Girona.  Since he joined the university, he has participated in numerous projects about research and innovation, as well as projects related to folklore and popular music. He obtained a special grant of the Ministry of Culture of Catalonia for his work about the Popular Songbook of Catalonia.  He was a lecturer in the International Symposium on Singing and Song 2015, which was celebrated last October in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada).He is an active member of the research group “GREPAI” at the University of Girona.He is the conductor of the Girona University Choir, that was founded in 1998 together with Dra Rita Ferrer. With this choir, they have sung in different places around Europe. They have recorded three CDs in 2003, 2008 and 2015.

 

ANNA RIBERA GIRONELL obtained the Diploma of Teaching Studies, specialized in Music Education at the University of Girona.  She has the Bachelor Degree in music, specialized in viola performance in Liceu Higher Conservatory.  She has a post-graduate degree in Culture and Education for the University of  Girona.

She currently works as a music teacher, specialized in musical education of children from 0 to 3 years old. She has been to several training and research courses about music education at these ages. Since 2013 she also works as associated teacher at the University of Girona, in the area of Music Education, teaching at the studies of Kindergarten Teacher and Primary Education Teacher.

She was a lecturer in the International Symposium on Singing and Song 2015, which was celebrated last October in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada). She is the conductor of the children's section at the Youth Orchestra of Figueres and a member of  Moana Quartet.

 

MIQUEL ALSINA TARRÉS  Bachelor and PhD of Arts (History of Art / Musicology) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. He also completed advanced studies in music theory and composition at the Conservatori Superior de Música de Barcelona.

He works as music teacher specialist in Cendrassos Secondary School (Figueres)  and he’s associate lecturer  in the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the University of Girona.

He has been visiting scholar for several times at the Universities of Salamanca, Reading and Cambridge (UK), and he’s permanent Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall College (Cambridge-UK). His doctoral dissertation on Manuel de Falla Composers Circle in Barcelona won the 8th Emilio Pujol Musical Research Award (2005). He has published articles on music education and musicology. He’s currently reviewer for several specialized magazines. He’s member of GREPAI research group at the University of Girona and his researches are related to music education, professional skills, creativity, initial teacher training, and interdisciplinary arts education.

​

​

​