Constructing Shanxi Folk Music Cello Ensemble Workbook for Teaching Students at Shanxi Vocational College of Art, China

Abstract

          Shanxi folk music is a very old traditional folk art that mainly celebrates historical figures or legends. There are many different kinds of folk music in different regions, and the form of each song is more diverse. The purpose of this study is:1)To study the Shanxi folk music cello ensemble workbook with experts;2) To construct cello ensemble workbook for teaching at Shanxi Vocational College of Art;3) To use cello ensemble workbook for teaching at Shanxi Vocational College of Art;4)To evaluate the results of cello ensemble workbook for teaching at Shanxi Vocational College of Art. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to the study, qualitative research: Interview research was adopted method to interview experts in order to observe students' learning ability, performance and acceptance before and after the experiment. Quantitative research: This study is the same as the sample overall. All of them were second-year students of cello major in Shanxi Vocational College of Art, and there were 8 of them in total.
          The study found that in the 12th week of the semester, the eight students were given a summative test which consisted of asking them to play a piece of cello ensemble music they had learned during the semester which had to be formally performed in a performance format. The results of the test showed A3 ('85), B4 (80-85) and C1 (70-79). The average score was 84. Comparing the results of the first two formative tests, it can be seen that after one semester of study, the students have made great progress in cello playing skills, ensemble experience, and mastery of Shanxi folk music styles.