Music Education Commons^™

An Analysis Of Allan Holdsworth’S Techniques And Their Application To Fundamental Melodic Devices, James Dasilva

Recital Papers

This thesis analyzes Allan Holdsworth's improvisational style for the purpose of applying his techniques, such as string skipping and omnidirectional fretboard movement, beyond the jazz-rock idiom and expanding the melodic potential of the guitar.

Investigating Mindfulness And Practice Strategies In The K-12 Music Curriculum, Emily Foltz

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was to uncover how music educators teach students to practice effectively and to discover effective mindfulness tools and strategies that could be used to enhance music practice. My aim was to uncover methods of mindful practice and integrate them into a model for effective music practice that teachers can incorporate into their instruction. The research questions that guided this project include: 1) How are music educators teaching students to practice effectively? 2) How does mindfulness affect music practice? 3) What are effective strategies for teaching mindful instrumental music practice in the K-12 classroom? Is there …

Senior Recital Program Research, Kasey Pennington

Honors Capstones

I performed a vocal recital as part of my final requirements towards my Music Education degree and developed an additional program including research on the works I performed. The program consisted of biographies for composers Haydn, Schumann, Fauré, Obradors, and Beach, additional context on specific songs, and translations of songs not sung in English. I created this program in order to provide more detailed information for audience members who were interested in further enrichment or had particular curiosity for any performed works. This recital was a culmination of my efforts in the vocal department of the School of Music throughout …

Ellerhein Girls' Choir: Seventy Years Of Choral Excellence, Bobby Helms

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

For hundreds of years, choral music has been central to Estonian culture. Prior to its founding in 1918, music and choral singing were deeply ingrained into the hearts and souls of the Estonian people. In 1869, Estonia, known as a nation of singing, held its first song festival. It continues to be held every five years. Thousands of choral members participate as part of the mass choir and join together raising their voices to celebrate the independence of Estonia. Although there are many choirs in Estonia, few have gained the status of Ellerhein Girls' Choir.

Ellerhein’s history of choral …

The Musical Implementation Of Additive Synthesis, Quinn Ingrassia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper on the musical implementation of additive synthesis seeks to explore and divulge what exactly is additive synthesis and what makes it distinct from other types of synthesis. A part of it is dedicated to making clear and palatable case for additive synthesis and is followed by a discussion of how and why various artists have implemented additive synthesis into their music, and how to recreate their techniques.

Cultivating Music Educators For Engaging In Varied Pedagogy Within An Increasingly Pluralistic Society, Maggie Brown

Honors Projects

As society continues to grow increasingly pluralistic, questions arise concerning how to better prepare preservice educators in teacher preparation programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the connections between P12 teachers’ training, experience, and what is being done in the classroom. Three participants were hand-selected for participation due to their proven track record employing varied curricular practice. The participants represented a varied range of areas of expertise and years of experience. After exploring the experiences of these three teachers, themes of (1) getting outside of one’s comfort zone, (2) engaging in musical amateurism, and (3) synergizing traditional and …

An Overview Of The Major Developments In Early American Choral Education Methods: Notation-Centered Versus Sound Before Symbol, Aubrey Mangle

Senior Honors Theses

For the American choral music educator, knowledge of the beginnings and major developments of choral music education is valuable for both instruction and context. This project seeks to fill a gap in the resources available to choral music teachers by providing a brief yet comprehensive overview of the major developments in choral music education in the United States from the establishment of the Jamestown settlement in 1607 to the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929. The discussion will focus on the major figures, pedagogues, published works, and educational philosophies for singing instruction that promoted either notation-centered or sound before …

The Kodály Method: Valid Or Missing The Mark For Developing A Musicking Musician?, Maggie Johnston

Musicology and Ethnomusicology: Student Scholarship

In the ever-evolving world of music education, a handful of “methods” have been identified as favorites, mainly Orff, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and Kodály. These are used in whole or in part in classroom and private music instruction, based on an expected understanding that they produce results. However, these methods are often used without regard for the quality of their delivery, and are relied upon without consideration for the context in which they are delivered. Many music educators are speaking up and analyzing their own teaching, conducting studies, and bettering their understanding of the principles behind these methods. It is from this …

The Psychological Effects Of The Voice Change In Female Students And The Implications Of Current Pedagogy, Brendan A. Kennedy

Honors College Theses

The voice change process is a treacherous time, and the female voice change process is underrepresented in literature and often ignored in classrooms (Sweet, 2018). The purpose of this study is to explore the psychological effects of the voice change process in female students and identify current pedagogical trends as used by current secondary choral music educators. Participants included a) Choral music education students who experienced a female voice change and b) Current secondary choral music educators. Choral music education students responded to a background survey which collected voice change process self-efficacy data. Selected informants underwent semi-structured interviews about their …

Critical And Culturally Sustaining Music Pedagogy, Jason D. Vodicka

Visions of Research in Music Education

Whether by mandate or by personal aspiration, teachers across the United States are compelled to teach in a manner that is culturally relevant to their students. Culturally relevant pedagogy, and its recent iteration, culturally sustaining pedagogy, call for high levels of student achievement, the development of multiple cultural competencies, and the raising of sociopolitical consciousness. Culturally sustaining ped- agogy and critical pedagogy share a focus on connecting to students’ lived experience, empowering students in the classroom and in the world, and developing students’ critical consciousness. As asset-based peda- gogies, both approaches focus on what students know first. This essay defines …

Critical Pedagogy: Commitment, Connection, And Communication, Anthony Bernarducci

Visions of Research in Music Education

Commitment, Connection, and Communication: These words summarize a triangle of opportunity and are the foundations of a Critical Pedagogy. In practice, commitment, connection, and communication are key words for music educators in their daily work with students. This article explores the eight steps of applying Critical Pedagogy—as outlined in Abrahams’s (2005a) model of Critical Pedagogy for Music Education—in relation to communication with administrators, and the ways in which it may aid in connecting within a community.

Critical Pedagogy And Disability: Considerations For Music Education, Ellary A. Draper

Visions of Research in Music Education

Developed by Brazilian Paulo Freire to teach economically disadvantaged adults to read, critical peda- gogy has since inspired others to adapt the model to other subject areas. In the area of music education, Frank Abrahams created the Critical Pedagogy for Music Education (CPME) model and has written about the use of CPME in teacher preparation programs. Scholars in disability studies have also been inspired by critical pedagogy, writing about disability pedagogy. Notably, people with disabilities have historically been omitted from models of critical pedagogy. This article discusses the intersections of critical pedagogy, music education, and disability, and makes recommendations to …

“O Captain, My Captain”: A Pedagogy Of Transformation In The Teaching Of Frank Abrahams, Nicholas Ryan Mcbride

Visions of Research in Music Education

Countless scholars have utilized Critical Pedagogy as a philosophical frame to reorient teaching and learning as, among other things, a conversation between teacher and student. As an educator and theorist, Frank Abrahams has championed a Critical Pedagogy for Music Education that aims for the “acquisition of a critical consciousness, the ability to create meaningful teaching and learning experiences, and the attainment of agency” (Abrahams, 2017, p. 25). For nearly 25 years, I have been in conversation with Frank. He has been my teacher, my colleague, and a dear friend. In these roles, he has lived the pedagogy he teaches, embracing …

Critical Pedagogy As A Pedagogy Of “Love”, Marissa Silverman

Visions of Research in Music Education

Thanks in part to the research and scholarship of Frank Abrahams (e.g., 2005, 2006, 2007, 2019), his welcoming of scholars into the field, as well as his dedication to the development and growth of the music education profession, music teaching and learning maintains particular positions connected to critical pedagogy and the work of Paulo Freire. The purpose of this paper is to extend Abrahams’ work by examining critical pedagogy as a pedagogy of “love” (e.g., Darder, 2000, 2011, 2017, hooks, 2004, Martin, 2004). Additionally, this paper examines personal and political natures of critical pedagogy as love for music teaching and …

Mentorship In Music Education: Youth Chorale As An Incubator For Young Conductors, Ming Luke

Visions of Research in Music Education

Straddling the role of conductor-teacher can be a daunting task for young artists. Providing space to hone both musical and pedagogical skills can lead to transformative moments for young conductor- teachers. As someone who experienced this complementary space first-hand, I can attest to the sustainable effects on one’s teaching and artistry. Moreover, coupled with the potential for merging the development of musical and pedagogical skills is the need for mentorship and modeling. In this article, I outline the ways in which a community youth chorale, the Westminster Conservatory Chorale, served as an incubator for young artists to practice balancing conducting …

Learning To Drive, Daniel Abrahams

Visions of Research in Music Education

Parents serve in many roles, one of which is a mentor. At an early age, I accompanied my father to school and helped sort paperwork, observed choir rehearsals, attended concerts, and watched him mentor undergraduate and graduate students. Unbeknownst to me, I entered into an apprenticeship in the music education community. The present text reflects on how Frank Abrahams transformed my identity as a music educator through mentorship and our collaborative nature outside our father-son relationship. His actions personify not only those of a dad but those of a critical pedagogue. Furthermore, his actions created transformative spaces for me to …

Quite Frankly: Learning From The Pedagogical Art Of Joyful Disgruntlement, Gareth Dylan Smith

Visions of Research in Music Education

In this article, I describe professional encounters with Frank Abrahams, personally and through Abrahams’ writing. The paper includes reflection on Abrahams’ tireless work in testing and pressing the boundaries of normative, small-c conservative music teaching and learning traditions, in Abrahams’ beloved Westminster Choir College and beyond. I recall watching Abrahams teach, both in formal classroom contexts and in other areas of working with students and peers, such as co-authored publications and conference presentations. I recount my role as an unwitting mentee in Abrahams’ careful modeling of critical pedagogical approaches within and without the classroom. Drawing on personal anecdotes and several …

Honor Their World: Advocacy In The Work Of Frank Abrahams, Ryan John

Visions of Research in Music Education

Frank Abrahams’s career in music education has been marked by a theme of advocacy for others. This article examines three areas of advocacy apparent in his work and publications: advocacy for students, advocacy for teachers, and advocacy for people historically marginalized in American society. Through books, articles, research, book chapters, music series, and his actions, Frank Abrahams has advocated for stakeholders in education and in society through music education for decades in his roles as a teacher, administrator, and author.

Editorial Volume 40: Frankly Speaking, Cara Faith Bernard

Visions of Research in Music Education

No abstract provided.

On Becoming Pedagogical: Encounters, Challenges And Freirean Criticalities In The Key Of F, Patrick Schmidt

Visions of Research in Music Education

What does it mean to be a pedagogue? To become part and contributor to pedagogical processes? In this article I look back at the work Frank Abrahams developed around the legacy of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and its efforts fomenting conditions for critical pedagogies to flourish. Following Freire’s interest in connecting reality and theory, I construct a narrative from the word (Freire’s, Abrahams’ and mine) onto the world, highlighting in particular, the impact conceptual framing can have on programmatic development. As I see it, and experienced first-hand, the focus and nature of Abrahams’ work has always been pedagogical, highly conscious …