Burcu AVCI AKBEL
Yıldırım Beyazıt University, TURKEY.
DOI: 10.14689/ejer.2018.75.1

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study has been performed with a view to find a solution to challenges experienced in cello performances of pieces in the forms of Longas and Syrtos within the category of instrumental Turkish Music — due to their inherent agility, technical difficulties, etc., to ensure that the pieces can be more precisely and easily played in technical and musical terms.

Methods: Both descriptive and experimental methods are used in this study. As for the preparatory exercises, the etude writing model adapted from the Taba-Tyler model is used. Longas and Syrtos, which will be examined in the scope of this study, were determined through interviews held with cello teachers at Turkish music conservatories in Turkey, whereas an experimental method was used for the second part of the study. In this study, a pretest-posttest control group model (N=8) was used. The data obtained upon the performance evaluation were compared by applying the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann–Whitney U test through the SPSS program.

Findings: According to the statistical data obtained, significant differences were found in the arithmetic means of the experimental group, whereupon it was concluded that the preparatory exercises created according to this result are highly effective.

Implications for Research and Practice: Within the scope of this study, etudes were created to facilitate the performance of the pieces, and a significant difference was observed in the performances of the students. Many other etudes can be written to overcome challenges in other genres and observe their effect on student success.

Keywords: Turkish music, instrumental music, cello education, preparatory exercises.