By Alice Maxwell
I would like to give my views on the concept of competition within the arena of music education, views which are shared by (among others) the composer Bela Bartok[1], a wide variety of professional musicians who come to play on Arran, and the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu.[2]
Let me tell you a wee bit about myself first. I started piano and violin lessons at the age of 7, played in wonderful Birmingham youth orchestras, gained a music degree at Manchester – where I enjoyed playing in university orchestras, and went on to be a reasonably competent amateur musician. I have Grade 8 qualifications in piano, viola and violin. I enjoy playing chamber music, and play in the Arran Ceilidh Band. I started and run the Arran Allsorts children’s choir, and play organ for church services. I also sometimes play for the elderly. Music has been an integral part of my life, through it I have made wonderful friends.
And yet … in my entire musical life I have never once entered a competition or award. And such a thing has never even been be suggested to me. (Although admittedly Grade exams could be seen as competitive and can be highly stressful for entrants).
Here are just a few benefits of learning and performing music. Children learn to work as a team, and the shy kids who don’t mix easily have the opportunity to be part of a rather wonderful whole. I was that shy kid – always on my own in orchestral tea breaks, and I relished that feeling of participating in something I loved without having to prove myself to be anything other than what I was.
The opportunity to perform in front of an audience gives children immense confidence. In today’s society there is so much emphasis on perfection and children are terrified to fail. The Benedetti Foundation motto is “Mistakes are Cool” – to learn from mistakes, without being overwhelmed by them, is vitally important in music – and in life. If one understands that in music a “perfect” performance simply doesn’t exist the performer is relieved of unnecessary pressure and can relax and enjoy playing.
Music gives the opportunity for creativity – which in turn helps our mental health. Learning music doesn’t require sitting still in a stifling classroom – it engages all the senses, and can be a godsend for over active children. In schools where music has been given top priority and all children are given music lessons the results are astonishing – truancy drops massively, concentration, well being and good behaviour increase.
A performance in a non-competitive setting allows for greater risk taking and a higher level of creativity as the performer is not bound by the constrains of a competition.
Throw competition into the mix, and children are immediately pitched against each other rather than working together. As well as fostering negative emotions such as jealousy, anger, and hatred, they are subjected to the additional stress of trying to “win”, which may override the enjoyment of performing.
People say “competition encourages kids to practise”. I practised because I couldn’t bear to see the disappointment on my teachers’ faces when I hadn’t, and I practised orchestral music because I was part of team that I didn’t want to let down. Are these not better reasons than a wish to come first and beat my friends?
People say “oh, competition toughens the kids up. They’ve got to learn to deal with it (ie losing).”
Toughens the kids up for what? Is it right to teach them to walk rough shod over others, to put their concerns above their class mates? I remember to my shame being in a school running race, and one child fell over. I ran on, anxious to make the finishing line. My friend stopped and attended to the injured classmate. Competition or compassion? The answer is surely rather obvious.
And regarding “losing” or simply “not winning” – Why put a child through the disappointment, indignity and confusion that this inevitably entails? When children all come together to play in a band/orchestra why introduce the concept of “winners” and “not winners” at all? Everybody in the band carries equal worth, the beginner cello playing open strings plays just as important a part as the leader of the first violins. In such a setting children will feel safe, valued and relaxed.
Competition encourages the view that we are individuals, rather than community. Maggie Thatcher once famously said “There is no society”, and look where that has got us. Individuals (and countries) struggle to rise to the top, and to be the most rich and powerful, which cannot happen without exploiting others and our planet. The results? Anxiety, selfishness, mental health breakdown, loneliness, war – I could go on…
I will now give some true examples of how I have seen children react during music competitions. (Names have been changed)
Chloe: “I hate Angie” (because she won and Chloe didn’t.)
Wendy ran off stage in tears at the end of her performance.
Charlie hyperventilated.
Fred was in tears because two of his younger school mates won cups and he didn’t, despite the great effort he had put into his performance.
Many kids refused to enter the categories in which a child genius had also entered, because there was no chance they would win.
Lara was upset because she didn’t win a cup, she didn’t understand the concept of a competition at all, and just assumed you got a big shiny cup at the end of your performance. The fact that she came second meant nothing to her – she just wanted that cup, – and didn’t get it.
Darren faithfully entered the festival every year for ten years and never won anything because he was always in the same class as a highly talented child.
Again, you might say “well it’s no big deal, they have to learn”. But scars run deep – and can put children off from participating in music in the future. How many times have I heard people say “I was told I was tone deaf at school, and thrown out of the choir. That was the end of music for me”.
Music Festivals often have only one adjudicator. Whether a child gains a cup or not, is entirely dependent on the opinion of that one person, and music teachers often disagree with their decisions. As we see on TV talent shows, which usually have four adjudicators – they often come up with four sets of different marks.
Whether or not a child wins a cup is also entirely dependent on who else is in his or her class. If they are alone in the class they will automatically win a cup. If they are highly talented, have practiced hard, and yet share a class with someone even better than them, they may not win anything.
So what does winning a cup actually mean? It seems a very subjective and arbitrary affair.
One child in my choir warmed my heart by saying to me “well it’s not about winning and losing, it’s about participating”. If that’s truly the case, then why bother competing at all?
[1] Competiton is for horses, not for musicians Bela Bartok
[2] When you are content to be simply yourself, and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Featured image shows marks sheet from the Isle of Arran Music Festival 1966. Image credit: Isle of Arran Music Festival