Identity, Relationships, and Function in Higher Music Education: Applying an Analogy from Ear Training to Student Wellbeing

This study theorises implicit support for student wellbeing in a contemporary higher education music curriculum. Written from the perspective of a practitioner, specifically a music lecturer and teacher trainer, it synthesises themes common to music education and social science using analogy as a methodological tool. The paper begins with solfege systems for musical ear training and focuses on three distinct learning objectives: 1) perceiving the identity of a note, 2) understanding the relationships between notes, and 3) determining the function of a note. It then pivots toward recent research on the sociology and psychology of student experience, highlighting three wellbeing objectives analogous to the musical ones: 1) nurturing the student's sense of self (i.e., identity), 2) facilitating the student's sense of connection (i.e., relationships), and 3) unearthing the student's sense of purpose (i.e., function). The paper concludes by discussing real-world implications and offers practical prompts to help music lecturers view their students through a wellbeing lens.