Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Embracing Versatility: A Guide To Preparing Undergraduate Saxophonists For The Modern Job Market, James B. O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Instrumentalists who enter their undergraduate degrees in music performance often spend most of their degree focusing on their primary instrument with the hope of finding a career in their chosen discipline. However, a review of current job vacancies (university positions, military bands, and pit orchestras) show that saxophonists are often expected to have ample experience in not only jazz and classical saxophone performance, but also a working knowledge of multiple woodwinds (flute, clarinet, and occasionally double reeds) to be competitive for work. This reality can be daunting for students who enter their undergraduate program with only a basic knowledge of …

A New Method For Teaching Classical Improvisation In The Wind Band, Eric Anthony Brewer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT A New Method for Teaching Classical Improvisation in the Wind Band

In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the pedagogy of music improvisation taught in the eighteenth century Neapolitan Conservatories.  This project continues that interest by introducing concepts from that pedagogy to the wind band classroom at the high school and collegiate levels.  A new method for wind band that teaches basic concepts in music improvisation and trains students in elements of music composition is presented along with rehearsal techniques for implementing that method.      The method introduces students to the elements of major and minor keys …

A Constraint-Based Approach To Developing Melodic Improvisational Skills In Intermediate Jazz Piano Students, Alton Xian Rong Wong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the pedagogical value of a constraint-based approach in helping students develop improvisational fluency and coherence by facilitating audiation. Although there are pedagogical texts on jazz improvisation that incorporate exercises shaped by constraint-based thinking, there is neither a systematic framework for their application with students of varying levels and musical backgrounds, nor a clear explanation of their pedagogical purpose. This research investigates how constraint-based pedagogy, through the lens of rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic parameters, can be applied independently or collectively to support the development of improvisational fluency in intermediate level jazz piano improvisers. It argues that musical constraints …

Graded Repertoire For Violin By Latin American Composers: Pedagogical Analysis And Categorization Of Selected Pieces, Irene Guerra Rudas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Repertoire sequences have evolved from a collection of technical studies into a comprehensive educational framework. This research aims to enhance the integration of innovative pedagogical materials by identifying, analyzing, and categorizing works originally composed for violin by Latin American composers. These works are assessed for their suitability within a structured violin curriculum and organized into graded levels, ranging from elementary to advanced.

Each selected piece is evaluated according to pedagogical parameters commonly used in established violin teaching traditions. These parameters include pitch range, rhythmic complexity, bow strokes, length, stylistic diversity, musical language, and the historical and cultural relevance of both …

A Performer's Guide To Selected Trumpet Excerpts Of Orchestral Works By Women Composers, Julia Stowell

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Orchestral excerpts are brief passages from symphonic repertoire that are intended to demonstrate a player’s musical and technical abilities. The canon of orchestral trumpet audition excerpts has been relatively unchanged for several generations. This established canon of excerpts rarely features works written by women. As orchestras begin diversifying their programs, the frequently requested orchestral excerpts require new considerations to reflect these changes. In order for excerpts to be reflective of the orchestral canon, they must be updated as the canon changes.

Once an excerpt has been identified and obtained, the next issue is addressing its unique musical and technical challenges. …

Undergraduate Voice Students’ Understanding Of The Vocalize And Its Purpose, Natalie H. Bazemore

Honors College Theses

This research discusses undergraduate voice students' understanding of vocalizes and their purpose. To discuss this subject, a vocalize has been defined along with its purpose analyzed. By discovering what methods voice teachers are using to prescribe vocalizes tells us how they are educating their singers on developing technical singing skills. This research was collected through a survey conducted in Qualtrics and was shared via social media voice teacher forums and collegiate music settings. This 5-10 minute long survey included participants that are either undergraduate voice students or undergraduate voice teachers. The teachers and students completed different surveys, both asking about …

Harmonizing Tradition And Technology: Exploring The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Applied Music Instruction, Elizabeth Blanton Momand

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This presentation highlights how AI tools can enhance applied music instruction by providing real-time feedback, streamlining lesson planning, and personalizing instruction. Attendees will learn how AI fosters more effective teaching and independent student practice, while also exploring opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. This session equips music educators with strategies to modernize teaching and improve outcomes in 21st-century music programs.

Build Your Own Chatbot For Any Music Course – It’S Easier Than You Think!, Art Brownlow

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

Imagine a teaching assistant available 24/7 to answer students’ questions and support their learning—now, with custom GPT chatbots, that vision is a reality. This session demonstrates two AI tools created for music history courses: an Informational Chatbot for course policies, assignments and deadlines; and a Tutor Chatbot for mastering course content. These tools enhance learning, accommodate diverse schedules, and improve efficiency by automating routine tasks. Attendees will learn to create their own custom AI chatbots while exploring practical insights and best practices, inspiring them to integrate AI into their classrooms.

Don’T Do-It-Yourself: The Exquisite Corpse And Collaborative Play In Undergraduate Electronic Music Pedagogy, Josh Biggs

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

In this demonstration, I focus on the Exquisite Corpse as a pedagogical tool for undergraduate electronic music production courses, and more broadly argue for the practical and theoretical value of integrating collaborative and iterative improvisational tools in undergraduate electronic music curricula. I share a four-week module that applies the Exquisite Corpse method as a way to reduce student overwhelm and to encourage community-oriented learning and making, while introducing simple subtractive synthesis and MIDI composition in the DAW. The audience will benefit both from the specificity of the teaching methods I outline as well as the motivating premise that electronic music …

Free Code-Based Software Music Classes As An Invitation To Fuel Students' Sonic Creativity, Problem Solving, And Community Building, Jorge E. Variego

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This workshop proposes the integration of free code-based programming software into music classes to expand students' sonic creativity, problem-solving skills, and community-building opportunities.

Digital Innovations In Group Piano Instruction, Chee Hyeon Choi, Chan Kiat Lim

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This presentation will explore the transformative impact of integrating web-based digital textbooks into higher education music programs, specifically focusing on group piano curricula. By moving away from traditional paper-based textbooks, this approach leverages interactive, multimedia resources to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Attendees will gain insights into how digital textbooks, such as the award-winning eNovative Piano, can enhance students' understanding of musical concepts, foster technical proficiency, and promote a deeper connection between sound, theory, and technique. By attending this session, participants will understand how a multimedia approach in piano education can cultivate adaptability, responsiveness, and creativity, ultimately preparing …

Beyond Interdisciplinary: Igniting Transdisciplinary Thinking In Tomorrow’S Music Technology Graduates, Mark De Zwaan

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

Outwardly, this presentation is an inquest into the structural quandaries of curricular design in music technology—a practical extension to the seminal discussion about music technology curriculum launched by Carola Boehm (2007). I recently pioneered a new BSc degree program in Digital Music Technology at my institution, obtaining the support of four departments across campus to manifest an interdisciplinary implementation, yet the curricular structure governing our degree programs was generally incompatible with Boehm’s foremost recommendations. This led me down the very curricular path she rejected as “modernist”: derived from 18th-century concepts of the university in which interdisciplinarity was realized through the …

An Inclusive Oer Pedagogy In Teaching Music Technology In Higher Ed, Jiayue Cecilia Wu

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

As a Colorado State's Open Educational Resources (OER) funding award recipient, I will present the application of an OER approach in teaching music technology, utilizing free and/or open-source materials, tools, and textbooks/publications. Drawing on two courses I have successfully taught using this methodology, I will highlight practical implementation strategies and their impact. Furthermore, I will introduce national OER funding resources and guide the application process. I will enable music educators to adopt this approach in their teaching practices, enhance their scholarly publications, and secure funding support for academic initiatives.

Duotube: Inspiring Experimental Creativity In Common Digital Spaces, Ralph Lewis, Robin Meiksins

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This paper reflects on the ways an easy to access work for laptop has been of use to ensembles and music educators. It explores experimentalism and electronic music using technology typically found in a computer lab or a home computer and allows for playful exploration in group or solo situations. Near the end of the talk, an excerpt of the work will be demonstrated to help show how it relatively easy to onboard, try out, and ideally try it out at home/school later on.

Crafting Sonic Worlds: Developing A Comprehensive Curriculum For Sound Design, Igor Karaca

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

In this paper presentation we will explore effective pedagogical strategies for engaging college students in the field of sound design. The presentation will outline a comprehensive curriculum that balances theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, emphasizing the importance of creativity and collaboration.

Tools Of The Trade: An Exploratory Study Analyzing The Frequency And Potency Of Tools In Hip-Hop Music Creation, Performance, And Pedagogy, Drew X. Coles, Cato Zane

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This paper presents findings from a qualitative research study examining the tools most frequently used in the creation, performance, and teaching of hip-hop music. The study collected data from three key stakeholder groups: professional practitioners, music educators, and amateur creators. Through thematic analysis, the research identifies tools ranging from hardware such as MIDI controllers and turntables to software like DAWs and mobile apps, and explores their perceived effectiveness in facilitating musical creativity.

The study’s goal is to inform music educators about the tools that dominate the hip-hop marketplace and their various applications. By understanding how different tools contribute to beat-making, …

Rethinking Music Theory Pedagogy, Kathryn Williamsen

Student Scholar Symposium

As music has evolved over time the education system has also been evolving. Unfortunately, this growth in music education has become stagnant in the last century and pedagogy has remained relatively steady. While there are important pedagogical techniques and approaches used in the classical history of music, there are also new approaches that should be given more heed. The music theory that is being taught in the classroom feels detached from the music students are producing and consuming.

As this problem has persisted two improvements can be made to music theory pedagogy. The first would be changing our approach to …

Challenges And Opportunities In Adult Group Piano Pedagogy, Sarah Faulk

Student Scholar Symposium

Poster presentation describing one teacher's experience and observations of adult group piano teaching. This addresses challenges and making the most out of the opportunities presented.

Post-Tonal Pedagogy In The Music Of György Ligeti, Easton Ball

Student Scholar Symposium

Post-tonal piano literature remains unpopular with many modern performers due to a perceived lack of technical approachability. As a result, a wealth of post-tonal keyboard music passes into obscurity, never reaching modern audiences. Despite the preconception that post-tonal music lacks formal and harmonic structure, one can assign order to elements within these compositions both for purposes of improving pedagogy and engendering familiarity with the literature. My research aims to demonstrate one process of elucidating the relative accessibility of post-tonal literature for keyboard by means of an analysis of a selection of György Ligeti’s Études pour piano. Because this material often …

Corporeality In Choral Sound: Elements Of Consonant Diction Shaping Pre-Expressive Presence, Perceived Clarity, And Expression In English-Language Choral Music, Addison Walton

Dissertations, 2020-current

The genesis of this project stems from a lived experience performing with a professional choir, whose sung physical shaping of the English language—its crystalline clarity, profound expressivity, and the pre-expressive elements inherent in the delivery—was deeply and viscerally compelling. This overwhelming reaction was in response to their bodies; specifically, the sound their bodies produced that evoked a sense of corporeality, or tangible bodily presence. There was beauty to be found in the way their mouths physically formed the language, both within and removed from the semantic context.

This study sought to acknowledge those fleeting, pre-expressive moments in choral music and …