The learning cultures of performance: Applying a cultural theory of learning to conservatoire research

As educational institutions that play a role in the training of many performers, conservatoires have increasingly become the focus of research. Researchers have explored the one-to-one lesson context, identified and tested means of achieving musical excellence, and worked to enhance musicians’ health. There remains, though, little research that investigates the conservatoire as a learning site, characterized by a set of interactions between performer, institution, and music profession. Students learning at conservatoires, as well as teachers and researchers attempting to embed new pedagogical approaches or curricula, must negotiate an educational and musical system embedded in years of history: a system that has, in other words, a “learning culture.” This paper explores the central tenets of learning culture as a theoretical approach, arguing that conservatoire research could benefit from a lens that views learning as inherently cultural. The methodological implications of learning culture are discussed, including the need for qualitative methods that seek interpretive understandings and in-depth, rich data. The paper concludes by offering implications for the application of learning culture within the field of performance science, addressing Jorgensen’s (2009) call for increased research on the institutional culture of conservatoires.