PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF LEARNING THE CANONS BY FUTURE TEACHERS OF MUSIC

Abstract

The article considers the concept of «canon» as a form of imitative polyphony, as a piece of music, a part of a work, and as a means of composer development. The expressive possibilities of the canon lie in the maximum unity of voices, the concentrated embodiment of the image. But a special aspect is the issue of studying the canons in the process of studying courses of professional training of a future music teacher. The authors consider the canon from different perspectives of historical and theoretical disciplines. These are historical and musicological facts, species characteristics, rules of construction, etc. The practical aspects of studying canons by future music teachers are revealed in the article with reference to the disciplines «Polyphony», «Solfeggio», «Methods of Music Education», «Choir Class and Workshop with Choir» and «Production (Pedagogical) Practice». For example, in the Polyphony course, students learn to write canons, and in the Solfege and Choir classes, they learn to arrange them and perform them with text. Performing canons develops the skills of polyphonic ear, and expands the musician's intonation range. Composing canons of a strict style with didactic texts becomes a choral repertoire for lessons and extracurricular activities. The author highlights her own experience of working on the canon in the course «Methods of Music Education»: analysis of methodological literature, selection and systematisation of vocal and instrumental canons, study of the educational material of the «Art» textbooks on the use of canons in music lessons. The stages of working on the canon are described: the stage of mastering the rhythm of the canon (recitation of the text, performing the rhythm with sound gestures, noise instruments), the stage of mastering the melody (performing the melody in unison, singing two-voice with the teacher, with soloists), the stage of playful, plastic performance of the canon (performing figurative, playful movements, movements in space, musicianship of the melody and accompaniment). These stages are not only an example of learning a song, working on the purity of intonation, developing auditory self-control, listening skills for one's own and other parts, but also an example of performing rhythmic and melodic patterns in various forms: through movement, play, music-making, and creativity. The main practical aspect is emphasised: working with future music teachers on theoretical and methodological aspects of studying the canon is the basis for organising music performance activities with students in a general secondary education institution during industrial (pedagogical) practice.