Professional Competencies of Musically Gifted at the End of Higher Education in Music Arts
Professional Competencies of Musically Gifted at the End of Higher Education in Music Arts

Summary/Abstract: The research is a continuation of a whole range of existing ones dealing with the outcomes of music education for the gifted. Results obtained up to now have pointed to weak “ecological validity“ of professional competencies acquired at the level of higher education in music arts and their limitation within the demands of labour market and working conditions in contemporary social circumstances. Using qualitative methodology our intention was to examine in more details the attitudes of those musically gifted towards the outcomes of music higher education and their professional perspective. Research aims: 1) to establish the assessment of students of music on the types and the level of (not)acquired competencies for work within six professional orientations existing in the labour market in Serbia (musical pedagogy, performance, creative work, work in the media, music production, work in popular music genres) and 2) to establish which jobs are considered (un)desirable by students of music arts and why. The sample consists of 71 students of undergraduate academic studies at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade. Preliminary results have to a great extent confirmed previous findings, i.e. that studies provide knowledge and skills for “traditional” music professions (pedagogy and musical performance), while the acquired competencies for “new” music professions and informal music movements are minimal. Professional orientation is mostly oriented towards “safe” jobs along with the openness for other possibilities. The findings show that the choice of students “has shifted” towards realistic possibilities for employment, but that it has also been conditioned by the increase of insights into one’s own possibilities and interest in certain career orientation in music.

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