An Elementary Study Of The Application Of The "Soft" Systems Methodology To The Activities Of Vocal Music

Undoubtedly the cirle of vocal music faces a disorderly reality. Though vocal music has develped and evolved for such a long time, the concerned theory still stays at the stage of accumulation and conclusion of experiments. It is not helpful for development of the art of vocal music. It becomes an urgent task to make the theory of vocal music scientific and systematized. The English expert in System Theory桺ro. Peter Check-land gave us a chance to apply System Theory to vocal music activities. He invented the "soft" systems methodology. This methodology can be applied to "human activity system" that checkland mentioned. This kind of system is ill-structured and has no aim. The "hard" systems mode which has developed by Bertalanffy, Wiener, ect. , is hardly effective in "human activity system". In fact, "soft" systems methodology is a circular progress which is composed of seven stages. In this methodology, stage one and stage two is an analysis of the structure and progress of a special matter circumstance. Stage three is to put forward a root definition of the concerned system. Stage four is to form and test the concept model. Stage five is to compare the concept model with reality. Stage six and seven is to carry out "the applicable and necessary" innovation.The essay applied the methodology in three activities of vocal music, such as teaching, studying and singing. Before I applies the methodology in teaching, I analysed and compared the teaching system of vocal music of JinTielin's and Liujiusi's. After that, I absorbed the merit of the two systems. And according to my understand-ing about the activities of vocal music, I put forward a concept model of "the training system of a singer's three abilities". In this model, the traininig activity of vocal music is divided into three main tasks, such as the training of vocal production skills, language training and the training of expression of art. Some activities of information communication between the teachers and students was included. As the outcome of the comparation of the model and reality, I put forward some suggestions to improve the reality.In application of the methodology to the studying activity of vocal music, I present a concept model of "a vocal music studying system in an exploring style" . I hold that in this model, we should cultivate the human resource of vocal music who have a strong pioneering ability. And we should give them "the knowledge for finding knowledge". Only have we done this, we can develop our ability of mastering the art of vocal music and promote the theoretical study of vocal music.I analyse the main content of activity of singing in application of the methodology to it. The concept model I have constructed contains my following ideas. Acquirement of singing ability is the most important activity. We must analyse the aesthetic psychology of the audience and meticulously prepare for performation in advance. During singing , we must pay attention to the feedback of the audience and adjust singing activities according to it.By applying of the "soft" systems methodology to the activities of vocal music, we would deepen the understanding of this art and strengthen the ability of mastering it. However, the study is still in initial stage. I wish that more and more comrades in the circle of vocal music join in it and contribute to the development of our country's art of vocal music.