Music Commons^™

The Benefits Of Singing And Audiation For Beginning Musicians, Elissa Harris

Graduate Research Showcase

This literature review explores the impact of audiation and singing on the aural sensitivity of novice musicians, shedding light on the fundamental role of these processes in music education. Audiation, the cognitive ability to internally hear and understand music, and singing, as an active manifestation of audiation, are integral components of musical development. However, their precise influence on the development of aural sensitivity in beginners remains understudied.

Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical investigation, this review seeks to uncover the relationship between audiation, singing, and the enhancement of aural skills among novice musicians. Furthermore, the literature review …

Perreando To New Lyrics: Integrating Feminist Reggaeton In Expressive Art Therapy A Literature Review | Perreando A Nueva Lírica: Una Revisión Literaria Sobre Integrar El Reggaetón Feminista A Las Terapias Con Artes Expresivas, Marilina Arsuaga

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper presents how feminist reggaeton can be used as a creative tool for women's empowerment. The literature review explores the work that has been done with feminism in expressive arts therapies, defines what feminist reggaeton is, and presents different considerations to incorporate the musical genre into a therapeutic intervention. Among these considerations, there is the social stigma that is held about the musical genre and female gender; the community-based work; the importance of cultural identity centered on the Latinx, more specifically Puerto Rican; and recognition of the LGBTQ+ community in the creative spaces. To navigate these issues, the author …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Researching & Designing Marketing Materials For Rachel Messer & Connor Dale, Isabelle Bauer

Honors Projects

Isabelle Bauer’s Honors Project, “Researching and Designing Marketing Materials for Rachel Messer and Connor Dale” is split into two components. First, the research paper titled "The American West as a Cultural Phenomenon" explores the fascination with the American West and its integration into various aspects of American culture, particularly in music, film, and art. The essay discusses the historical significance of the West and its transformation into a cultural obsession. Focusing on the resurgence of Western aesthetics in modern country music, the project’s second component involves the creation of marketing materials for country artists Rachel Messer and Connor Dale.

The …

A Bright Point In A Dull Day: A Qualitative Exploration Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Music Ensemble Participation, Kailee Amburgey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music participation, specifically in an ensemble setting, is known to promote learning and social skills and to contribute to a well-rounded overall education. With this in mind, this qualitative, constructivist grounded theory study explored the impacts that participating in chorus, band, or orchestra has on students’ overall experience in middle school, with a focus on joy and identity development. The researcher interviewed fifteen students about their personal experiences and feelings about their lives as middle schoolers and musicians. The findings, shared in six theoretical concepts tied to the research question, reveal important facets of these students’ experiences that shed light …

Fear Of Failure In High School Band Sight Reading: Effects On Student And Teacher Experiences, Andrew D. Lightner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students' fear of failure among social, cultural, experiential, and internal pressures influence sight-reading abilities in the high school band classroom. Investigating the error culture in band sight-reading skills can affect the learning and teaching methods found in current practice, emphasizing the need to understand the experiences of both students and teachers. Band teachers may refine their teaching and learning methods to address student fears while enhancing sight- reading skills implied throughout the study. Although copious research exists on high school sight-reading methodology and rehearsal strategies to help music educators provide an all- encompassing musical experience, students may need help applying …

A Narrative Study: Professional Development Of A Piano Teacher Through Various Music Education Philosophies And Psychologies In Different Sociocultural Contexts, Shuenda Wong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Philosophers have analyzed music education philosophies since Ancient times. For example, Plato and Aristotle in Greece mused over such matters, as did Confucius and Mozi in China. Today, music educators must examine both philosophies and psychologies of music education to understand the value of teaching music. They need music education philosophies to critique their actions and delve into their pedagogical methods to gain meaning from their teaching efforts. Previous research focused on music education philosophies in one or two countries without a thorough comparative analysis between countries or continents. This narrative study on music education philosophies traced the unique journey …

The Symptoms Of Music Performance Anxiety Unique To College Music Majors Attending Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Kevin D. Durham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Themes related to music performance anxiety (MPA) have recently received much attention in the academic media. Numerous specialists offer a variety of divergent remedies to treat this condition, concentrating on conventional college music majors. Still, there are few substantial studies investigating the hypothesis that MPA may be affected by ethnic origins. Academics currently have no dedicated resources for this information. Using proper research, time-tested philosophies, and pertinent case studies, the researcher investigates perceptions of MPA affecting college music majors attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in this project. The symptoms of MPA are becoming increasingly familiar to music majors …

The Inclusive Music Classroom For Elementary Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Benjamin Bartow Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Even though considerable research has been conducted regarding the inclusion of self-contained students in regular education settings, little research has been conducted specifically on elementary, self-contained students with EBDs in music classes. Given the fact that there are increasing numbers of students with EBDs, suggestions for empirically supported techniques specific to this demographic, as well as evaluation of unique challenges with educating this population, will prove beneficial to the overall classroom environment. Considering the negative impact of emotional outbursts on mainstream students, deciding when it is appropriate to exclude self-contained students from the inclusive classroom is crucial. Identifying proper utilization …

Restoring Functions Of Christian Worship: An Examination Of The Impacts Of Biblical Musical Meditation On Anxiety, Laurie P. Brooks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Based on diagnostic interview data from the National Comorbidity Study Replication (NCS-R), an estimated 31.1% of U.S. adults experience anxiety at some time in their lives. This project outlines a mixed-methods research that examines the impact of music and Scripture, and illustrates the experiences of multiple individuals experiencing situational anxiety. For fifteen minutes, for seven days, the three groups listened to a cycle of three songs that depicted calming instrumental music, general worship music with promising themes, and positive lyrics or songs with lyrics based on Scripture. The three groups received varying treatments of music while completing a modified version …

Recommendations For Improving The Recruitment Of High School Orchestra Students Using Basic Psychological Needs Theory, Ryan Michael Silvestri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student recruitment and retention are paramount for music educators at the secondary level, where enrollment is often non-compulsory. It is difficult for directors to build and maintain successful programs without sufficient retention from middle to high school. Low enrollment can lead to the elimination of string teacher positions and put programs at risk. The academic and social demands on students today are great, and music educators must find creative ways to make their classes appealing to students while maintaining the rigor required for musical excellence. In recent years, researchers have used basic psychological needs theory, a subset of Self-Determination Theory, …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Student Motivation In Secondary Instrumental Music, Martha Jane Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide strategies to improve student motivation in band and orchestra programs in Elkhart Community Schools. The problem for band and orchestra teachers was declining enrollment and student participation in outside music activities such as audition opportunities since the COVID-19 pandemic. The rationale for this study was to examine student motivation and provide educators with immediately applicable strategies to improve student participation in instrumental music programs. Educators must understand why students continued to struggle with returning to normalcy by seeking strategies as to how to reach and help these students. Early research following the …

The Interdisciplinary Music Degree: Music Education, Music Performance, And Music And Fine Arts Administration, Edwin R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite numerous available careers and degrees in music education, music performance, and music administration, perspectives of many music educators and students desiring an interdisciplinary music degree program inclusive of music education, music performance, and music administration have yet to be expressed or examined publicly. The notion of 21st-century skills presents a demand for flexibility across most facets of K-12 and higher education. These skills necessitate fluency in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, thus, music education must move toward more flexible and rigorous preparatory music training programs to remain consistent with current trends. Most undergraduate and graduate degree programs in music …

The Relationship Between Participation In Chorus And The Acquisition Of Higher-Order Reasoning Skills Among Middle School Students, Jason M. Streun

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This predictive correlational study examined the relationship between participation in chorus and the acquisition of higher-order reasoning skills among middle school students. Although the education profession focuses on ways to engender higher-order reasoning skills in their students, today’s high-stakes climate so rigorously addresses STEM subjects that it tends to ostracize music from the discussion. Thus, the significance of this study lies partly in its endeavor to better understand the connection between linguistic development and reasoning, the positive influence that participation in choral music can potentially wield in the acquisition and improvement of linguistic skill, and, correspondingly, the attainment of higher-order …

Review Of Beethoven's French Piano: A Tale Of Ambition And Frustration By Tom Beghin, Dorian Bandy

The Beethoven Journal

No abstract provided.

Review Of Beethoven’S Ninth Symphony: Rehearsing And Performing Its 1824 Premiere By Theodore Albrecht, Marten Noorduin

The Beethoven Journal

No abstract provided.

The Movement Plans For The Quartet Op. 127 And The "Backstage" Of Beethoven's Late Style, Francesco Fontanelli

The Beethoven Journal

Among the different sketch typologies in Beethoven’s hand, the so-called “telescoped drafts” are the most eloquent in conveying the composer’s vision and intentions. In these synoptic diagrams made up of musical ideas and notes in writing, Beethoven outlined the structure of the work he had in mind, fixing the decisive points (themes, keys, tempo markings, number and configuration of movements). Four movement plans are extant for the String Quartet Op. 127 in E-flat major, sketched between February 1823 and the summer of 1824; in each, the composer explores alternative ways of managing musical form and content.

This article discusses and …

“The Tremendous Products Of A Son Of The Gods.” Missa Solemnis (Op. 123), Overture (Op. 124), And Ninth Symphony (Op. 125), Birgit Lodes

The Beethoven Journal

The premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna on May 7, 1824, is generally considered a milestone in music history. This article argues against the common characterization that Beethoven, in this, his (last) academy, programmed a monumental symphony and, perhaps with some embarrassment, a few filler pieces, but instead very consciously chose to highlight his three most recently composed orchestral works: the overture to the festival play Die Weihe des Hauses op. 124; Kyrie, Credo and Agnus Dei of the Missa solemnis op. 123; and the Ninth Symphony op. 125. Listening to these three works together opens …

Beethoven's Ukraine Connection: New Light On The Creation Of His Flute Variations Opp. 105 And 107, Barry Cooper

The Beethoven Journal

Two previously unidentified groups of sketches are revealed to be preliminary work for Beethoven’s last set of Flute Variations, Op. 107 No. 3. The theme is of Ukrainian origin, and the new discoveries are placed in the context of other manuscript material relating to the creation of the sixteen sets of flute variations, Opp. 105 and 107, which were commissioned by George Thomson. The extent of this preliminary work for Op. 107 No. 3 suggests that Beethoven spent much effort preparing the sixteen sets as a whole, and that the dearth of other sketches for them is probably due to …

Genius, Instrumental Music, And “Great Mistakes”: Amadeus Wendt And Beethoven’S Ninth Symphony, Sarah Clemmens Waltz

The Beethoven Journal

The author attributes the anonymous 1826 Berliner allegemeine musikalische Zeitung (BamZ) review of the Leipzig performances of Beethoven’s Ninth, which suggests removal of the choral finale and inspires A.B. Marx to a passionate defense, to the critic Amadeus Wendt. The career of Wendt as a philosophy professor is firmly established, as is his criticism for the BamZ, Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (AmZ), Cäcilia, Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung mit besonderer Rucksicht auf den österreichischen Kaiserstaat (WamZ), and other journals. Wendt’s Hoffmannesque opinions of instrumental music are contextualized via his extensive criticism of opera and vocal music, highlighting themes such as inappropriate virtuosity, (im)proper …