Ho S. Formation of Conducting and Orchestral Competence of Music Teachers in Higher Education Institutions of the People's Republic of China and Ukraine (2005-2015)

The thesis presents a comparative analysis of theoretical provisions and practical experience in the formation of conducting and orchestral competence of music teachers in higher education institutions of the PRC and Ukraine (2005-2015) to determine the ways of its mutual use in higher education institutions. The expediency of a scientific study of this problem is reinforced by the need to eliminate a number of identified contradictions in modern pedagogical theory and practice, in particular: between the objective need of society for quality training of future music teachers as orchestra directors and the current state of formation of conducting and orchestral competence of graduates of pedagogical universities in China and Ukraine; between the integration trends of the higher education systems of the PRC and Ukraine into the global educational space and the need to preserve national peculiarities of the musical language and performance traditions for the education of the younger generation; between the availability of valuable experience in training orchestra directors in the PRC and Ukraine and the lack of readiness for mutual exchange in educational practice. The relevance of the study is due to the following main factors: the orientation of modern Chinese education to involve the widest possible population in listening to and performing symphonic works and the organization of symphony orchestras in higher education institutions of the PRC; the late start of the organization of symphony orchestras and the limited influence of Western symphonic music; problems in the organization and activities of symphony orchestras - low level of performing culture of orchestra players, their mobility, level of teacher training; the need for a formed conducting and orchestral competence of a music teacher as a leader of an orchestra group for the selection of repertoire, professional work with orchestra groups, with individual orchestra players; for aesthetic education and formation of general and aesthetic culture of schoolchildren. Based on the analysis of scientific sources, the main ways of scientific comprehension of the problem in the Chinese and Ukrainian pedagogical and artistic literature are highlighted, the essence of the main concepts related to the research problem is analyzed and clarified: «competence», «professional competence», «professional competence of a music teacher», «conductororchestra training», «activity of a music teacher in managing orchestral groups». The main approaches of Chinese scholars to the analysis of the state of symphonization of Chinese society and the training of orchestra conductors are analyzed, which led to the conclusion that the following problems have been widely developed in the works of scholars: analysis and evaluation of the historical formation and current state of Chinese symphonic music; influence of European symphonic music on Chinese music; formation and development of the conducting art of leading symphony orchestras in China; symphonization of folk instrument orchestras in China; methodological training of orchestra conductors in China. The scientific novelty and theoretical significance of the research results is that for the first time: a comprehensive comparative analysis of the theory and practice of forming the conducting and orchestral competence of music teachers in higher education institutions of the PRC and Ukraine was carried out; characterizes the concept of "conductor-orchestra training", which has the same meaning in China and Ukraine and implements a comprehensive approach to the formation of conducting and orchestral skills of future music teachers as managers of orchestral groups; identifies the differences in approaches to organizing symphony orchestras and training conductors in China and Ukraine: China believes that only the comprehensive development of the abilities of modern youth can help them adapt to the requirements of socialist modernization, so listening to and performing symphonic music should play a special function. To this aim, various music courses have been opened in all colleges and universities, and symphony orchestras have been established. In Ukraine, the predominant trend is to create symphony orchestras in artistic universities to develop the skills and competencies of professional musicians. There are also student symphony orchestras in pedagogical universities that train music teachers. The orchestra members are students who already have musical training.