Géssica Sant’Ana

At the age of 12, Géssica was introduced to the viola and immediately fell in love with the instrument. Since then, she has never stopped studying. She attended a Protestant church that had an amateur orchestra, in which several of her friends played the violin. This awakened in her the desire to play alongside them. Her mother, noticing her interest in music, encouraged her to study with the conductor of the church orchestra, thus beginning her musical education. After a period dedicated to music theory, the time came to choose an instrument. The orchestra conductor suggested the viola, and, enchanted by its beauty, she immediately accepted the suggestion, making it her definitive choice. After a few years studying at music schools, both in her hometown and in São Paulo, Géssica decided to enter university and, in 2012, began a Bachelor’s degree in Viola. She had four fantastic years at university and completed the course in 2015.

Throughout her journey as a violist, she took part in several youth orchestras and music festivals, both in Brazil and abroad. Within these orchestras, she formed lasting friendships and performed in prestigious concert halls such as the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, and Alice Tully Hall in New York. In addition, she had the opportunity to serve as principal viola and to perform as a soloist in a concert.

In 2016, in order to continue her training, she moved to Switzerland, where she began a Master of Arts in Music Performance at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana. During this period, her interest in music pedagogy grew, leading her to enrol in a second master’s programme, the Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy, which she completed in 2022.

After returning to Brazil for a few months, she decided to further her education with two postgraduate courses: Neuroeducation and Psychopedagogy, both completed in 2024. In 2023, she was accepted into the Doctoral Programme in Music Education and Music in the Community at the University of Aveiro, which led to her move to Portugal in September of the same year.

Currently, Géssica works remotely as a pedagogical tutor for a social project in the state of Bahia, Brazil, while continuing to dedicate herself to the practice of her instrument, the viola.

Doctoral Project

Title
Digital Technologies in the Teaching and Learning of Viola Intonation: Promoting Self- Regulated Learning Through Digital Tools

Advisor
Clariss Foletto and Hélder Caixinha (Digimedia)

Abstract
This research project aims to contribute to the development of teaching and learning processes for intonation in viola performance, facilitated by digital technologies and framed within the perspective of self-regulated learning theory. The project originates from an identified gap in viola instruction, specifically regarding the teaching of intonation and the use of digital tools. There is a scarcity of studies that address the application of digital tools to the learning of intonation for violin and viola. The investigation is structured in two phases: an Exploratory Phase of available digital tools for teaching violin and viola, followed by a Development, Implementation, and Evaluation Phase, using an Action Research model. During the Exploratory Phase, the available digital tools for teaching violin and viola will be mapped and analyzed. In the Development, Implementation, and Evaluation Phase, selected digital tools will be used to facilitate the teaching and learning processes. Exercises and instructional strategies will be developed and integrated into these processes, based on the theoretical foundation of self-regulated learning theory. The application of these teaching and learning processes will be conducted through action research carried out in two cycles within the LabEAMUS Laboratory. Expected outcomes of this research include enhancing students’ understanding and practice of intonation, fostering their autonomy, and enriching pedagogical practice.

Palavras-chave
Digital Technologies; Music Teaching and Learning; Viola Intonation; Self-Regulated Learning.