Emile the citizen? A reassessment of the relationship between private education and citizenship in Rousseau’s political thought

It is often said that the claims of man and citizen are irreconcilable in the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This view, most famously articulated by Judith Shklar, holds that the making of a man and the making of a citizen are to be understood as rival enterprises or competing alternatives. This reading has recently been challenged by Frederick Neuhouser. He argues that one can make a man and a citizen, but only if the education of each is performed in the absence of the other. In his view, Emile is raised to be a man first (Books I–IV) before his subsequent instruction in citizenship (Book V). This paper challenges both views. I argue that the making of man and citizen are, in principle, neither rival enterprises nor competing alternatives, and that although Neuhouser is indeed correct to argue for a successive system of education, the making of a citizen is not completed in Emile, but extends into the Social Contract. His account diminishes the crucial role the Lawgiver plays in the fashioning of citizens capable of discerning the general will. I show that although raising individuals under a system of private instruction does not preclude their transformation into citizens but makes such a transformation possible, it is on its own incapable of making citizens.

Kotekan in the Traditional Shona Mbira Music of Zimbabwe

This article documents musical interlocking as it is traditionally practiced among the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Its focus is on the music of the mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional musicial instrument that consists of 22-25 or more keys distributed over three manuals(keyboards) played with both thumbs and one index finger. Numerous musical examples,using notational symbols developed for this study, are used throughout to clarify all technicaldetails. Most of the notational symbols are the same or similar to those used by Paul Berliner in his classic study The Soul of Mbira (Berliner: 1978). Six complete traditional mbira dzavadzimu pieces are presented in easy-to-read notated form: “Nhemamusasa,” “Chakwi,” “Nhemamusasa Variation,” “Nyamaropa,” “Shumba,” and “Taireva.” Four different categories ofinterlocking procedures form the core of the article: 1) Interlocking in Solo Mbira Music; 2) Interlocking in Two-Part Mbira Music; 3) Interlocking in Three-Part Mbira Music; and 4) Interlocking in Multiple-Part Mbira Music. Three supporting categories are also presented: 1) Interlocking in Mbira “High-Line” Parts; 2) Interlocking in Accompanying Vocal Parts; and 3) Interlocking in Miscellaneous Accompanying Parts. Much of the data in this article was gathered by the author through his private instruction with the following distinguished Shona mbira players: Irene Chigamba, Tute Chigamba, Musekiwa Chingodza, Stella Chiweshe, Michael Kamunda, Forward Kwenda, Ephat Mujuru, and Luken Kwari Pasipamire.

Musicians' Cognitive Processing of Imagery-Based Instructions for Expressive Performance

This study addressed the cognitive processes of musicians using imagery to improve expressive performance. Specifically, it was an examination of the extent to which musicians translate imagery into explicit plans for the sound properties of music. Eighty four undergraduate and graduate music majors completed a research packet during individual practice sessions. Subjects worked with three melodies, each accompanied by an imagery example presented as a teacher's instructions for performing more expressively. The research packet guided subjects in considering the imagery-based instruction, practicing in light of it, and giving a final performance. The subjects wrote down their thoughts during the process. Results indicated that some musicians used a cognitive translation process, but others chose to develop and personalize the provided imagery. A curvilinear pattern in the data suggested an inverted-U relationship between the variables of private instruction received and cognitive translation usage. An interpretation of this result in light of previous research is offered.

From Spark to Flame: Nurturing Musical Talent

The minute you open the studio door and make eye contact with the eager I child on the front steps, you are hooked. There is something about this child that captures your attention. This child has potential talent. You know even before you have heard a note of music. Seasoned teachers have this intuitive feeling and can sense the energy and enthusiasm of these youngsters. They may be quiet and shy, yet their eyes give them away. You are eager to check out your “hunch.” After a few minutes of musical tasks in the studio, with parents sizing up the teacher-pupil possibilities, you realize you were correct. So let’s get started! Anyone who has taken music lessons remembers that very first lesson, when books are slick and new and every maneuver learned on the instrument is an adventure. The talented youngster literally takes off full speed ahead in this adventure. The journey can be exciting and rewarding, if the match of teacher and student “clicks.” In previous chapters we have described the importance of training in the lives of young, talented children, but we have not examined how this training nurtures talent. In this chapter I attempt to answer some important questions concerning training and talent development. What must we know about musical learning to match training with student reasoning abilities at different ages? Where do we begin? How can we keep a talented student comfortably challenged in the studio or classroom? This chapter will answer some of the basic questions regarding musical learning, beginning private instruction, the private studio, suitable curriculum for the young talented student, and creative opportunities that will nurture a young musician. When last we left our creative preschooler, lots of imaginative singing was taking place, with a growing sense of tonality to the “real” songs in the culture. By the age of four, the entire song is imitated. At five or six, a young singer has emerged who is comfortably learning new songs by rote. The next few years are critical in the development of musical talent. Understanding the cognitive and musical development of children at this age will help gauge musical expectations.