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The Perfect Pitch 2011, Wmu School Of Music

School of Music News

The Perfect Pitch 2011:

• Letter from the Director
• What’s New?
• Welcome New Faculty Members
• The World Comes to the School of Music
• WMU Music in the National Spotlight
• Music Staff Lead the Way
• Fruits of Collaboration
• Student Achievements
• Alumni News
• Faculty Achievements
• Honor Roll
• Faculty and Staff

The Identification Of Conductor-Distinguished Functions Of Conducting, Alan J. Gumm, Sharyn L. Battersby, Kathryn L. Simon, Andrew E. Shankles

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of the present study was to identify whether conductors distinguish functions of conducting similarly to functions implied in previous research. A sample of 84 conductors with a full range of experience levels (M = 9.8) and of a full range of large ensemble types and ensemble age levels rated how much they pay attention to 82 research-derived conducting considerations as they conduct. The subject-to-variable ratio was smaller than advisable for factor analysis, yet the representatively diverse sample provided reliable ratings (a = .95) and factor results that corroborate traditional music-related functions—Mechanical Precision Function and Expressive Function—and …

The Effects Of Orchestration On Musicians’ And Nonmusicians’ Perception Of Musical Tension, Brian A. Silvey

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of orchestration on musicians’ and nonmusicians’ (N = 40) perception of musical tension. Participants were asked to register their perceptions of tension using the Continuous Response Digital Interface dial while listening to three orchestrations (full orchestra, brass quintet, and solo piano) of the movement Bydlo from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The full orchestra and brass quintet stimuli were digitally altered to have the same amplitude, frequency, and duration as the orchestration for solo piano. Pearson product-moment correlations between the participant groups were statistically significant at the p …

Identity Negotiation: An Intergenerational Examination Of Lesbian And Gay Band Directors, Donald M. Taylor

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of lesbian and gay band directors at varying stages of career development to discern how they have negotiated identity within their personal and professional lives. Ten band directors (8 males and 2 females) residing in Texas (n = 8), Florida (n = 1), and Illinois (n = 1) provided data through individual interviews, a focus group interview, and optional journaling. Findings were grouped into two broad themes: Negotiating Disclosure and Negotiating Success. Results indicated that most chose to disclose their sexual orientation to immediate colleagues (i.e., …

Backgrounds, Teaching Responsibilities, And Motivations Of Music Education Candidates Enrolled In Alternative Certification Music Education Programs, Daniel Hellman, Carol Mcdowell

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with enrolling, continuing, and completing alternative certification programs in music education. Data were collected via surveys and semi-structured interviews of music teacher candidates from 43 program completers from seven alternative certification programs in three states. In general, participants were attracted by program efficiency, program feasibility, personal support and employment potential. Few disadvantages of alternative certification were indicated, but participants considered balancing a personal life with a new career, and the certification requirements to be a huge challenge. Participants most valued courses in certification programs that were immediately relevant to …

Achievement Motivation And The Adolescent Musician: A Synthesis Of The Literature, Matthew D. Schatt

Research & Issues in Music Education

Motivation plays a role in nearly all human decision-making processes. Regardless of the situation, little may be achieved without the appropriate harnessing of motivation. The same is true in the music classroom. Research appears to indicate that motivation plays a crucial role in human development and achievement. The achievement motivation paradigm seeks to explain human behavior as a striving for excellence regardless of external rewards. By focusing on student effort, rather than personal ability or comparison with others, the educator may help students gain a mastery goal-oriented perspective of their musical tasks leading to increased use of cognitive strategies, persistence …

Exploration, Language And Application: An Approach To Teaching Beginning Instrumental Jazz Improvisation, Jeremy Todd Pownall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide preservice and inservice teachers with an alternative approach to teaching beginning jazz improvisation to instrumentalists in a classroom setting. It was determined that there exists a need for an accessible (to both teacher and student) method for teaching beginning jazz improvisation to instrumentalists. This is due to the lack of emphasis on jazz improvisation at both the public school and university level, as well as the inclusion of improvisation in both the national and Georgia state standards for music performance. The teaching method presented in this study is based on previous research, …

An Examination Of College Flute Professors' Approaches To Improving Students' Intonation Skills, Kelly Theresa Cato

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine what methods college flute professors use to improve their students intonation skills and to highlight resources to aid future practices on the subject of intonation. The research questions guiding this study were (a) Do college flute professors teach students how to improve intonation skills? (b) What methods do college flute professors use to improve students' intonation skills? (c) What resources do college flute professors use in conjunction with teaching intonation? Research was conducted using a researcher-created online survey that was distributed to college flute professors throughout the United States. Findings suggested a …

The History And Perception Of Music Education In Kuwait, Youssif Abdullah Al Hassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to provide a detailed examination of the history and development of music education in Kuwait. The history of the four teacher-training institutions and music education in schools are discussed. That includes the history of the Music General Supervision Department and its music activities. Additionally, the study examined the perception of music education in Kuwait historically, and surveyed parents and students' perceptions of music and music education in Kuwait public schools. There were 244 students and 169 parents responses to 260 questionnaires. Parents were asked about their knowledge of the music education curriculum and students were asked …

Ua68/9/3 Potter College Of Arts & Letters Music Administrative File, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the Music Department regarding the administration of the unit. Includes faculty meeting minutes and reports.

The Swinney Conservatory Of Music At Central Methodist University: An Historical Study, David William Samson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri has a long history of producing a significant number of the music educators. Even before the conservatory's founding in 1925, music and music education played an important role in the town of Fayette. Since the mid-nineteenth century there were two colleges in Fayette: Central College and Howard Female College. While both schools grew alongside each other, it was at Howard College (later renamed Howard-Payne College) where music was taught. When the two schools merged in 1923, Howard-Payne's music department was transferred to Central and in 1925 was reorganized …

Behavioral Analysis Of Directors Of High-Performing Versus Low-Performing High School Bands, Mark Dwayne Waymire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between student performance levels and teacher behaviors. Ten high school band directors were classified into one of two categories, directors of high-performing bands or directors of low-performing bands, based on audio recordings of concert band performances. Directors from the two categories were matched in terms of years of experience, educational background, and current teaching environment in an effort to delimit possible causal relationships between these factors and student performance outcomes. Each director was observed and videotaped over a three-day period, within two weeks preceding a music festival performance. Field notes were taken during each rehearsal …

The Instructional Planning And Rehearsal Practices Of Three Selected High School Band Directors, Renardo R. Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the rehearsal planning and practices of three selected high school band directors as they prepare their ensembles for performance. Three subjects were observed across five consecutive rehearsals for a total of approximately 641 minutes. Data was collected from structured interviews, videotape observations, field notes, analysis of instructional goals, and frequency and duration data collected on specified teacher and student behaviors. The observed rehearsal time was divided into rehearsal frames which are episodes of rehearsal time devoted to the correction of student performance. Rehearsal frames that included two or more performance trials were identified and extracted for detail …

Repetition And Judgment Of Learning In Wind Instrument Practice, Laura A. Stambaugh

School of Music: Faculty Publications

This study draws on two existing lines of research: blocked and random practice orders and judgment of learning. University wind and brass students practiced three short technical tasks in either a repetitive order or a random order during two practice sessions. Retention testing occurred 24 hours and 1 week after the second practice session. Performances were evaluated for accuracy, speed, and evenness. Woodwind players benefited from a random practice order. A secondary research question was drawn from judgment of learning research in motor learning and metacognition. At the end of the second practice session, participants predicted the metronome marking at …

Personal Therapy For Undergraduate Music Therapy Students: A Survey Of Amta Program Coordinators, Susan Gardstrom, Nancy A. Jackson

Department of Music Faculty Publications

The primary purpose of this study was to gather information in order to understand if and how various modalities of personal therapy are employed with undergraduate music therapy students in the United States, AMTA degree program coordinators were asked about 3 therapy modalities, in particular: verbal therapy, music therapy, and expressive arts therapy (excluding music therapy).

It was predicted that less than a quarter of the respondents would indicate that personal therapy of any modality was required in their undergraduate curricula, but that a larger percentage would indicate that it was encouraged. Both hypotheses were supported, with just over 14% …

Teaching Traditional Music Theory With Popular Songs: Pitch Concepts, Heather Maclachlan

Books and Book Chapters by University of Dayton Faculty

Chapter 5 in Biamonte, Nicole. 2011. Pop-Culture Pedagogy in the Music Classroom : Teaching Tools from American Idol to YouTube. Scarecrow Press.

Chorister Formation Preferences In A Women's Choir, Janna Montgomery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While conductors and audience members are not committed to a single formation, choristers have a clear preference: sectional or mixed. Why is this? Participants in this study included forty-six members of an auditioned women's choir from a large southern university who completed a survey after singing in sectional and mixed formation. These SSAA results maintain previous research findings by James Daugherty, Debra Atkinson, and Christopher Aspaas, et al. from female choristers in SATB settings: most women prefer mixed formation. All 46 of the participants (100%) perceived that formation generally affects the choral sound, so they think formation is important. Women's …

An Examination Of A Midi Wind Controller For Use In Instrumental Research, Laura A. Stambaugh

School of Music: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the validity and practicality of using a MIDI wind controller in instrumental performance research. Typical methodology for wind instrument performance research includes at least one expert judge repeatedly listening to randomized performances and scoring them for pitch and rhythmic accuracy. In addition to being very time-intensive, this process is subject to human error. Because MIDI wind controllers collect digital data, the scoring process for this data could become more accurate and faster. Specifically, this study examined correlations between performances of the same passages played by the same performers on a wind controller …

Professional Success For Music Majors : Understanding The Experiences Of Those Who Have Achieved, Jonathan Lucas Hess

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

his case study seeks to understand how the college experiences of successful professional musicians can be mapped onto their eventual professional success. Three highly accomplished professional musicians were interviewed about their college experience and musical careers. It was found that participants were highly motivated and had college experiences including collaborative learning, experiential learning, and needs-focused instruction. These conditions all resemble a student-centered learning experience that might be used as a model for effective pedagogical practice. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are offered.

The Development Of Musical Improvisation In Second Grade Children, Akiko Yoshizawa

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate if second-grade children could develop a solo improvisation on an Orff xylophone. Participants were five African-American children who attended a model school that followed an inquiry-based approach curriculum. These children also had a chance to learn music from a faculty and the researcher, who had been exploring constructivist methods of teaching music, with a special emphasis on invented songs, instruments, and notations. The three-day study focused on how children were able to create a solo improvisation. The study was guided by the following questions: (1) Can second grade children develop …

Ua68/9/1 Potter College Of Arts & Letters Music Publications, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Publications created by the department of Music, includes recordings.

Ua68/9/4 Potter College Of Arts & Letters Music Curriculum, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by the Department of Music regarding curriculum and programs.

Ua68/9/2/2 Potter College Of Arts & Letters Music Bands, - Marching Bands, Ensembles & Orchestras Wku Marching Band, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about the WKU Marching Band.

New Mexico Musician Vol 58 No 2 (Winter 2010)

New Mexico Musician

No abstract provided.

New Mexico Musician Vol 58 No 1 (Fall 2010)

New Mexico Musician

No abstract provided.

Highlights In Jazz Concert 304- Final Concert, Jack Kleinsinger, Danny Gottlieb

Jack Kleinsinger Presents Highlights in Jazz

Jack Kleinsinger presents Highlights in Jazz. The concert was held at The Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at 8:00 pm. Jack served as producer and master of ceremonies for the series of concerts. Artists for the concert include Billy Taylor, Chip Jackson, Winard Harper, Gene Bertoncini, Harvie, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, Vinnie Knight, Sol Yaged, Jon-Erik Kellso, Dan Block, and surprise guest Roni Ben-Hur.

The Involvement Of The Special Needs Student In The Competitive Field Of Marching Band In Virginia, John Mark Campbell

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study investigated the involvement of special needs students in competitive high school marching bands in Virginia. 159 members of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors who taught high school level band were emailed a survey. Fifty-seven directors chose to participate, which yielded a return rate of 35.8%. The survey examined demographics, classification, participation requirements, special needs participation and individual disabilities. The study concluded that the majority of Virginia marching bands include students with special needs. The research discovered that twelve of the thirteen categories of special needs, as defined by IDEA, were represented in Virginia marching bands. Analyses of …

Student Leadership Development In High School Band, Gerald Martin Philp

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Literature, websites, and research abound with statistics that support the non-musical benefits of a musical education. Among these non-musical benefits are skills and habits that are the subject of a similar number of business management materials, public speakers, and business-centered books devoted to developing and demonstrating personal leadership. Research concerning the process for developing these in the public schools is limited, and in regard to music programs, even more rare. A need for this information is reinforced by professional organizations and agencies that insist upon a society with these skills. The purpose of this study in particular was to describe …

An Analytical And Educational Survey Of Howard Hanson's Dies Natalis For Band, Emily Anne Spradley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine Howard Hanson's composition, Dies Natalis for Band, from both an analytical and an educational perspective. To accomplish this objective, research on Hanson's personal and professional development as a composer, teacher, advocator, and otherwise contributor to the field of music was executed, information on and within Dies Natalis for Band was investigated, and suggestions were made for educational techniques to employ when teaching this composition. The author suggests that more analysis using Hanson's own theoretical system on intervallic relationships may yield additional information on his thought processes in composition. Biographical information on Howard …

An Analytical And Educational Survey Of The Sacred Harp By David Liptak, Joshua Payne Howard

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will explore analytical and educational domains of The Sacred Harp by David Liptak. Influenced by the history and compositional techniques of shape note singing, the composition is a tribute to the past and current Sacred Harp singing conventions nationwide and the exuberance expressed within the shape note tradition. The structure and unique style of The Sacred Harp will be examined within the history of shape note singing. Part I of this thesis addresses the history of the Sacred Harp tune book and the shape note singing schools; Part II is a formal analysis of the composition and Part …