APSMER2017 PROCEEDINGS

!
Proceedings of the 11th Asia-Pacific Symposium for Music Education Research
(APSMER 2017) 19th to 21st July 2017, Melaka MALAYSIA
!
and sense of fulfilment were associated with seeing the children learn.
Another outcome is the development of perseverance, a virtue or a
disposition enabling one to be resilient in difficulties and constant in
the pursuit of the good. Dispositions according to Barnett (2009)
constitute a legitimate form of learning and can be considered as forms
of energy demonstrated in the will to learn; will to engage;
preparedness to listen and explore; openness to new experiences; and
determination to keep advancing. Creativity was wrought from the lack
of resources and the desire to find apt learning strategies. The students’
experience of tiredness, other difficulties and limitations became a
venue not only for personal growth but also social awareness. This
affirms that concern for others and active citizenship in university
students is facilitated by service-learning (Vogelgesang & Astin,
2000). PAOFI, the partner foundation’s recognition of the value of
music education is affirming that CMSL was able to provide
something which went beyond basic human needs, essential to the
holistic development of the children.
The development of CMSL from 2013 to 2015 outlines the
teaching from “rote” to “note”, the addition of violin and voice; the
provisions for transport and food for children; and more parental
support. In all community engagements, the desired impact or enduring
change in a community is always the starting point, the direction of the
planned intervention, and its key indicator of success. The impact or
enduring change can only be realized after a considerable number of
years. CMSL is still in the gestation period and thus, needs to be
continuously implemented and evaluated through ethnographic
research by which significant and enduring changes in the lives of the
children could be examined. The CMSL framework as a whole, shows
that collaborative, reciprocal partnerships with mutually beneficial
goals provide a strong support to the sustainability and development of
a program for community engagement. Moreover, the recognition and
identification of a community need coming from the community itself,
the partner foundation’s stability, and the higher education’s
commitment to the program are crucial to this active partnership and
interdependence. Finally, the structure of the program corroborates
studies showing that the setting within which community music is best
realized is through a strong connection and interaction between
community engagement and service-learning.
Community music and service-learning in essence is
combining music with service. There is a need to identify strong
connections between the two specifically in the context of higher
education. Similar researches could open possibilities and
opportunities for fresh educational philosophies, new instructional
strategies hinged on synthesizing music with community development,
combining musical expertise with community service and engagement,
both on equal terms, not supplementary but complementary, and by
designing service-based music pedagogy, performance, and research.
!
!
!
25
!