MY TEACHING MOBILITY IN BANJA LUKA: Gordana Karan, Faculty of Music

Gordana Karan

University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Music

Erasmus+ Mobility for Teaching at:

University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

It was a great pleasure for me that in the period from April 23rd  till April 29th 2023 I was a lecturer for students of Music Art, Academy of Arts, University of Banja Luka. I worked with students of Instrumental Departments, Conducting Department, as well as Music Theory and Pedagogy. Through the lectures, I presented the principles of the teaching subject Timbral specificity of auditive perception, which has been held at the Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade for the last 10 years, but does not exist as a teaching subject at the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka. The innovations in this context that the students could hear about caused a lot of attention, so the interaction between us was at a high level. The work program and the literature used were adapted to the level of their musical education, and they were able to fully follow the lessons and answer the assigned tasks, to our mutual satisfaction.

My work was structured as a lecture and dialogue with students. The musical literature of the Baroque era was used as a basis for working on all other musical styles. In working with students of Instrumental Departments, the teaching content and literature were adapted to the learning of their instruments. Furthermore, the classes at the Conducting Department are adapted to work with music ensembles. Students of Music Theory and Pedagogy were presented with the principles of the subject, practical work in the field of Solfeggio, and the content was interpreted from the aspect of teaching methodology.

During my stay I had permanent contacts with colleagues who teach subjects in the field of music pedagogy, namely Saša Pavlović, PhD, Full professor and Matija Antonić, МА, Senior teaching assistant. I am especially pleased that other colleagues from Instrumental Deparments attended my classes and listened to my lectures together with the students.

Also, I had a constructive meeting with Dean Dragana Purković-Macan, PhD, Full professor, on the topic of cooperation, especially in the field of literature exchange for teaching, due to the fact that I am also the Head of the Center for Publishing Activities of the Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade.

In addition to working at the Academy of Arts, I had the opportunity to attend part of the Republic Competition in Solfeggio. On that occasion, I held a two-hour Round Table with colleagues from primary and secondary music schools in the Republic of Srpska. We talked about the mutual experiences and problems of teaching in the field of Music Pedagogy as well as possible cooperation.

During my stay, I was also an honored guest at a concert on the occasion of the closing of the Vlado S. Miloševic’s Days Festival.

As a music pedagogue, I find it valuable to know that the level of teaching and the knowledge of students in the field of Music Pedagogy at the University of Arts in Banja Luka are at a highest degree. Both students and colleagues appreciate our exchange of experience, and we all wish to continue our cooperation as soon as possible.