Abstract:
The purposes of this research were 1) to examine instructional conditions of beginner piano lessons in Bangkok and 2) to propose guidelines for organizing music instruction using classical and popular music to develop piano skills of beginner piano students. The sample groups consisted of 1) Trinitys documents related to the examination of classical and popular piano in beginner level 2) 23 teachers in Bangkok with teaching experience at least 3 years 3) 5 teachers with teaching experience between 5 -10 years on both classical and popular style 4) 3 experts in popular piano music 5) 3 experts in classical piano music and 6) 3 well established artists in popular and jazz music. Research instruments consisted of 1) document analysis forms 2) questionnaires 3) interview schedules and 4) classroom observation forms. Data were analyzed through classification, comparison, inductive conclusion and synthesize into instructional guidelines. Findings revealed that 1. in authentic teaching environments, most instructors regularly used combination of classical and popular music in classroom instruction due to its overlapping bodies of knowledge. The differences lie in the application of the body of knowledge. 2. Instructional guidelines can be divided into 5 aspects 1) the objectives of instruction should aim at developing and enhancing the essential body of musical knowledge, linking the body of knowledge in music with practical skills, and encouraging creative thinking of the students 2) the contents can be divided into four groups comprising of technique, musicality, expression, and musical skills 3) thus classroom activities must focus on connecting those four groups of knowledge namely technique, musicality, expression and musical skills through practice 4) the Instructional media should consist of teachers, video clips, games related to music theory, and chord charts of popular songs 5) the assessments should be done before, between, at the end of classes, and at the end of the course; assessments should focus on knowledge, skills and creativity based on observation and viva voce.