#255: Playing A/Part: Considering Directors in Ensemble Learning

Learning in ensembles is “learning…that cannot be done alone” (Ma & Hall, 2018, p. 508). While researchers have examined the infrastructure necessary to sustain ensemble learning, they have yet to fully consider the role of the teacher(s) and the “part” they play in relation to the ensemble. In this paper, we explore the range of ways directors participate in ensembles and examine how their practices position them in relation to the wider group. We ground our discussion in video ethnographic cases of a college choir and an undergraduate theatre ensemble. We present four critical cases: two in which ensemble directors call attention to their unique role in the ensemble and two in which directors’ participation positions them as “just another” member of the ensemble––although within limits. These findings highlight the fluid nature of directorial participation and raise important questions about theorizing directors’ membership in an ensemble’s community of practice.