Education Commons^™

Toward An Integrated Theory Of Musical Worth And Pedagogical Value: An Analysis Of Commissioned Choral Works And Personal Perspectives Of Emma Lou Diemer And Alice Parker, Elise Eskew Sparks

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations

Repertoire comprises the curriculum of school music ensembles, yet its selection by music educators is unsystematic, commonly influenced by publishers, and lacking in thoughtful critique (Budiansky, 2005; Forbes, 2001). Research reports that musical worth and pedagogical value are foremost criteria in repertoire selection (Devore, 1989; Ostling, 1978). This ethnographic research explored relationships between musical worth and pedagogical value in works and perspectives of Emma Lou Diemer and Alice Parker, two prominent female composers whose extensive catalogs include music written for educational settings. Data were collected via methods consistent with qualitative inquiry. Smith’s (2003) Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to facilitate …