The benefits of the master class. The masters’ perspective

Abstract

The master class is well-known in Western classical music tradition. However, very little systematic research has been carried out to support the effectiveness of this particular way of teaching. Results from an interview study with musicians who have extensive experience in giving master classes indicate that such classes hold various types of benefits both for the students performing and for the audience. However, it is argued that this teaching format is a very demanding one in which many factors come into play and influence how beneficial a given master class actually will be. Keywords: instrumental/vocal teaching, master class