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26COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CONTENT FEATURES OF THE PIANISTS-PERFORMERS TRAINING IN ART INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF CHINA AND UKRAINE
Wang Boyuan
Post-graduate student Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko
Sumy, Ukraine
Abstract
The article provides a comparative analysis of the content features of the pianists-performers training in art institutions of higher education in China and Ukraine. The purpose of teaching in the leading art institutions of higher education in Ukraine and China and their curricula are analyzed. Common and distinctive features are distinguished.
Keywords: pianists-performers, training of pianists-performers, content features, art institutions of higher education, China, Ukraine.
Introduction. 20th - early 21st centuries for the history of the mankind is considered a difficult contradictory time. The normative-legal framework proves that this time is marked by the intensive use of the piano in the process of culture creation. Therefore, we can note the priority of various phenomena of musical culture of this period, in particular Ukrainian piano education. Ukraine's entry into the European educational area ensures national identity and actualizes the importance of the Ukrainian piano school in the system of music education as a component of world heritage, determines introduction of its achievements into the cultural, scientific and pedagogical context.
It is undeniable that development of piano culture in China today is marked by the fact that learning to play this instrument is extremely popular in the country. Moreover, such popularity has a specific practical result, as Chinese pianists are very popular in the world concert life of China.
Analysis of current research. First of all, it should be noted that the issue of training pianists-performers in art institutions of higher education in Ukraine and China has recently become quite relevant and popular. Therefore, various aspects of piano education in higher education institutions of Ukraine have been the subject of special consideration by a number of domestic researchers, namely: N. Huralnyk, N. Kashkadamova dealt with the study of historical piano experience; T. Vorobkevych, N. Mozhaliova, Yu. Ne-krasov, I. Mostova focused on the development of methodological systems of piano teaching; O. Burska revealed the specifics of musical thinking; V. Butsiak, O. Katrych considered stylistic, O. Shcholokova - cul-turological, O. Oleksiuk and O. Rebrova - competence approaches.
Chinese researchers such as Wang Yiun, Du Ji-long, Zhen Xinyan, Han Kai, and Zhou Sheng also turned to the study of the peculiarities of pianist training. The processes of formation and development of Chinese piano art have become the subject of research of such Chinese scholars as: Bai Ye, Biang Meng, Wang Ying, Wang Yuhe, Wei Tinge, Dai Baisheng, Peng Chen, Xu Bo, Xiang Yanshai, Tang Ke, Tong Daojing, Wu Guozhou, Wu Xia, Huang Zhulin, Jian Jing, Zhou Zhang, Zhou Qin and others.
It should be noted that there is a great interest in studying the peculiarities of training professional pianists-performers. However, it should be noted that most researchers have addressed the issue of training future music teachers, and the problem of training professional pianists in China and Ukraine and their comparative analysis is still little studied.
Thus, the purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of the content features of the pianists-performers training in art institutions of higher education in Ukraine and China.
Research results. To achieve this goal, we need to find out the dominant task of training pianists in art institutions of higher education. Thus, the main characteristic of art education, including piano education in both Ukraine and China, is the national direction of piano learning, namely: training of highly qualified specialists, patriots, for whom the state interests of their country, education of respect for national culture, traditions in community with other cultures, ensuring the export of the best national educational concepts are paramount.
Let's characterize the content features of the pianists training in art institutions of higher education in both countries.
We note that in China, as well as in Ukraine in music education, the leading place among the three types of higher education institutions, where piano education is carried out (conservatories, pedagogical institutions of higher education and non-pedagogical institutions of higher education), is occupied by conservatories.
Today, there are more than 2,000 higher education institutions in modern China. Of these, 11 conservatories: Shanghai (1927), Central (1950), Sichuan (1952), Shenyang (1953), Wuhan (1953), Xi'an (1956), Xinhai (1957), Tianjin (1958), Chinese (1964), Zhejiang (2015) and Harbin (2016) [1, p. 141].
However, we consider it necessary to note that among them only the Central Conservatory is controlled by the Ministry of Education of China. Others are supervised by the government of cities and provinces. Only the Central Conservatory has joined Project 211, which unites highly qualified education institutions. Project 211 started in 1995. It became part of the preparations for the world technical revolution. By the beginning of the 21st century, it covered the whole of China. As a result of this global innovation process, more than 100 new higher education institutions have
been opened in the country. Tracing the development of piano education in the country, it should be emphasized that the state, opening conservatories, invested heavily in their formation, paid attention to the development of musical disciplines. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Shanghai Conservatory and the soon-to-be-formed Central became the main all-China training centers for pianists [9, p. 10]. In 2001, a research institute was established within the Central Conservatory, which became a humanities research center in the field of social sciences of Chinese music.
In Ukraine, according to statistics, at the beginning of 2019-2020 academic year there were 281 institutions of higher education [2]. As for the conservatories, they include six: Dnipropetrovsk Conservatory named after M. Glinka (1898), Donetsk State Music Academy named after S. S. Prokofiev (1991), Lviv National Music Academy named after Mykola Lysenko (1853), Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music (1913), Odessa National A. V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music (1913) and Kharkiv National Kotlyarevsky University of Arts (1917). Unlike China, all these higher education institutions in Ukraine are controlled either by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Lviv National Music Academy named after Mykola Lysenko) or by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine (Odessa National A. V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music, Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music).
To compare the content features we'll consider the characteristics of the learning process of the Central [6] and Shanghai [8] Conservatories of China and the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music [4] and Odessa National A. V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music [5].
First of all, it should be noted that the Central Conservatory of China pays great attention to cultural exchange with other countries. Teachers and students are
sent for internships abroad. Every year, famous foreign musicians, teachers and scientists come to China to give lectures and conduct practical classes with students and teachers. Among the guests were the world-famous Austrian pianist Paul Badura-Skoda, American pianist and conductor Leon Fleischer [3, p. 127]. Cooperation agreements were concluded with the Royal College of Music in London, the Moscow State Conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky, the French National Institute of Music and Dance, the Juilliard School, the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts, the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music and other world-famous music institutions of higher education.
In 2003, the International Center for Piano Arts opened at the Shanghai Conservatory. In it, students are taught by foreign and local specialists of the highest class. Therefore, the Shanghai Conservatory, as well as the Central Conservatory in Beijing, is a training center for professional pianists in the country. Every year, the Center conducts workshops for international musicians in the field of piano art, and all applicants can choose the form of participation in the internship; it is also allowed to choose a tutor for individual lessons. The center provides wide opportunities to improve performance and teaching skills. In addition, the Shanghai Conservatory has established a wide range of direct in-teruniversity cooperation with education institutions in Russia, the United States, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Spain, Australia, Germany, Japan, and invited world-famous musicians to work as professors and teachers.
However, we consider it necessary to emphasize that along with the achievements in the pianists training, there are some negative phenomena. They are largely caused by the overload of curricula, which differ significantly in two central conservatories [7, p. 115], see Tables 1, 2.
Table 1
Curriculum of specialty "Piano" at the Central Conservatory (4 years ^ of study)
Type of discipline Discipline Number of hours per week Number of semesters
Classical Maoism 2 1
O O ^ Deng Xiaoping's theory 2 1
Marxist philosophy 2 1
1 £ Political economy of Marxism-Leninism 2 1
■a ¥ Ethics and morality 2 1
Ö w — <D Ü Basic law 2 1
English 4 4
Physical Education 2 4
Music theory 2 1
Solfeggio 3 4
in Harmony 2 2
CJ Polyphonic music 2 1
■ 2 ■§ Analysis of classical works 2 2
m i History of Chinese music 2 2
o <D History of Western music 2 2
a « Chinese folk songs 2 1
Chinese folk instrumental music 2 1
History of piano art 2 2
^H « Solo performance 2 8
•S3 o O <D Chamber performance 2 2
£ Concertmaster class 2 8
Music pedagogy 2 2
Table 2
Curriculum of specialty "Piano" at the Shanghai Conservatory (4 years of study)_
Type of discipline Discipline Number of hours per week Number of semesters
Ethics, morality and basic law 2 1
Classical Maoism 2 1
m o Deng Xiaoping's theory 2 1
<D Marxist philosophy 2 1
¡3 m Philology 2 1
O Fundamentals of art history 4 4
CÖ m Basics of PC 2 4
English 2 4
Physical Education 2 4
Music theory 2 1
Solfeggio 3 4
m Harmony 4 2
<D Polyphonic music 2 1
■3 Analysis of classical works 2 2
m History of Chinese music 2 2
o <D History of Western music 2 2
m Chinese folk songs 2 1
m m m Chinese folk instrumental music 2 1
Chinese piano music 2 2
Theory of learning to play the piano 2 2
Analysis of piano works 2 2
us Piano solo performance 2 8
O <D Chamber performance 2 8
™ £ Concertmaster class 2 2
Writing a thesis 2 2
General basic courses usually mean courses in cul-turology and social sciences, which have a philosophical component. The purpose of these courses is to form in students a sense of social responsibility and increase the level of general culture. Much attention is paid to these courses in all Chinese HEIs (including conservatories). At the Central Conservatory, the basic disciplines include Maoism introduction course, Deng Xiao-ping's Theory, Marxist Philosophy, Political Economy of Marxism-Leninism, Ideological and Moral Education, Basic Law, English and Physical Education.
At the Shanghai Conservatory, in accordance with world development trends, the mandatory disciplines, in addition to those listed above, include the basics of PC. The comparison shows that the Shanghai Conservatory program has more diverse disciplines. Thus, this curriculum helps to broaden students' outlook. In addition, to give students the opportunity to gain knowledge about world culture and art, the curriculum includes disciplines in philology, world art culture and art theory [7, p. 113].
As for the basic subjects of music specialties, in both conservatories there are on average 10. Disciplines in the history of music and art, analysis of musical works, music theory are related to the specialty. They help to learn more about the development of piano art, increase the ability to comprehend musical works, develop aesthetic taste.
The Shanghai Conservatory has the disciplines "Theory of learning to play the piano" and "Analysis of Piano Works". These disciplines not only allow stu-
dents, according to Zhang Bailey, to acquire the necessary knowledge of the theory and methods of teaching piano, but also contribute to the development of creative potential of students, skills of self-education [7, p. 128].
For special subjects, Piano Solo Performance, Chamber Performance and Concertmaster Class are required, for which both conservatories have the same number of hours. These disciplines are leading in the formation of a specialist. From the point of view of employment, they are focused on the main profiles of professional activity.
The difference between the conservatory programs is that the Shanghai Conservatory does not have music pedagogy focused on teaching practice. However, there is a discipline Writing a thesis, in which students gain skills in research and formatting of scientific texts. Thus, the Central Conservatory pays more attention to the formation of students' skills in teaching music, and the Shanghai Conservatory - to research.
Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music is a leading center of music education in Ukraine. One of the main principles of the Academy is protection of the artist's creative freedom in the field of his artistic self-realization in modern market economic conditions. The Academy restores the pages of folk and professional (secular and church) culture of the past in the interests of reviving the musical memory of the nation, its enrichment taking into account the cultural experience of Ukrainian abroad and national minorities of Ukraine. Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music also sees its goal in the systematic presentation
of pedagogical achievements of the Ukrainian music performing school at the international level.
In addition, the most important tasks of the Academy are to generate scientific and pedagogical ideas and implement the state strategy in the field of national music culture, enrich the traditions of the Ukrainian music school and constantly update them with the experience of innovative teachers. The Academy provides national staff for the socio-cultural sphere, artistic and creative teams, music institutions, concert organizations, scientific and information music centers.
It should be noted that the Academy actively cooperates with law-making (parliamentary commissions), state (Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine), public structures (charitable, sponsorship associations), and various cultural centers. In recent years, the international prestige of the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music has significantly increased. Relations with many international organizations and education institutions have become more intensive. Students and teachers participate in international programs for the exchange of experience and study in many countries around the world.
Table 3
List of disciplines of Chinese and Ukrainian art institutions of higher education
Subjects of the Central Conservatory in Beijing Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music
Classical Maoism History of Ukraine
Deng Xiaoping's theory Ukrainian language for professional purposes
Marxist philosophy Philosophy
Political economy of Marxism-Leninism Aesthetics
Ethics and morality Foreign language for professional purposes
Basic Law Law
English Pedagogy
Physical Education History of world music
Music theory History of world culture
Solfeggio History of Ukrainian Culture
Harmony Polyphony
Polyphonic music Harmony
Analysis of classical works Analysis of musical works
History of Chinese music History of Ukrainian music
History of Western music Culturology
Chinese folk songs Special instument (Specialty)
Chinese folk instrumental music Concertmaster class
History of piano art Chamber ensemble
Solo performance Piano ensemble
Chamber performance Methods of teaching piano
Concertmaster class History of piano art
Music pedagogy Fundamentals of musical interpretation
Teaching practice
Performing practice
Concertmaster practice
Regarding the educational process, all subjects taught to students majoring in 025 Musical Arts, specializing in Piano, are divided into two categories -compulsory and elective subjects. The compulsory disciplines include History of Ukraine; Ukrainian language for professional purposes; Philosophy; Aesthetics; Foreign language for professional purposes; Law; Pedagogy; History of world music; History of world culture; History of Ukrainian Culture; Polyphony; Harmony; Analysis of musical works; History of Ukrainian music; Culturology; Special instrument (Specialty); Concertmaster class; Chamber ensemble; Piano ensemble; Methods of teaching piano; History of piano art; Basics of musical interpretation; Teaching practice; Performing practice; Concertmaster practice. That is, we can say that in the curriculum of the Academy, as well as in Chinese conservatories, there are basic (general) subjects, basic special subjects and special subjects. However, we would like to emphasize that the subjects studied by Ukrainian and Chinese students differ (see Table 3).
As we can see from Table 3, both China and Ukraine have common subjects and those that are taught either only in Ukraine or only in China.
Conclusions. As a result of the study, we have come to the following conclusions: training of pianistsperformers in art institutions of higher education in Ukraine and China is carried out in accordance with modern requirements. This is convincingly evidenced by the lists of winners and participants of international performance competitions in different countries. The
structure of curricula takes into account the Chinese and Ukrainian mentality, respectively, the peculiarities of national culture and social order. Education includes general training (in China, ideological in accordance with the political doctrine of China), moral and ethical, cultural, general professional, which contains the necessary set of music-theoretical and historical disciplines and serious special training. Its comprehensiveness provides a wide range of employment for graduates:
they can work as concert performers - soloists, chamber ensemble artists and accompanists, piano teachers in higher education institutions. A comparison of curricula shows that they have the same purpose of learning - to form a highly qualified, erudite pianist-performer and teacher.
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