Music Commons^™

An Analysis Of Music Specialist Principles And Practices In Hungarian Music Education, Christy Ripa, Jerry Jaccard

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Contrary to what I expected when our team arrived in Budapest, Hungary, I found that it was not much different from our American cities. While they are speaking a different language and have different cultural expectations and norms, they wear modern clothes and live modern lives with indoor plumbing, electricity, public transportation, and the like. The story is not the same, however, for the small villages that are scattered across the Hungarian countryside. These small villages that are nearly forgotten are where their musical folk traditions live on. Sadly, because we only had two weeks to spend in Hungary, my …

Involve Me: Using The Orff Approach Within The Elementary Classroom, Amanda Long

2013 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

Musical independence, improvisation, and composition are important skills that teachers should include within an elementary music curriculum. The musical concepts that accompany these skills can be difficult for teachers to convey and for students to understand due to the difficulty and complexity of teaching musical independence. This study consists of a literature review pertaining to the history and development of the Orff Approach, application of Orff concepts to the creation of lesson plans and classroom activities, action research with elementary students, and conclusions. Three different lesson plans were created implementing Orff techniques specific to the following grade ranges: two-four, four-six, …

Scaling Up Without Spending Down: How The Fender Music Foundation Can Do More Mission With Less Money, Christopher J. Wells

MPA Capstone Projects 2006 - 2015

Since emerging from the 2008 economic downturn, The Fender Music Foundation's financial position is strengthening. Given this success, the organization's board has begun considering new programming options. But its leaders are committed to ensuring that a new program does not jeopardize the organization's financial health. This report explores the Foundation's programming options in this context.

Muop 356/856: Intermediate/Advanced Opera Techniques—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Jamie M. Reimer

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

I began the investigation of this course and subsequent course portfolio with the following objectives in mind:

1. To solidify and articulate the skills I intend students enrolled in this course to achieve by the end of the semester;
2. To think creatively about the presentation of course material to most effectively engage and empower students' success; and
3. To assess the effectiveness of the course activities in achieving course goals stated in the syllabus.

I am also excited to explore the options available for different methods of content delivery in this course, particularly the application of recorded performance for assessment. In the …

Lgbtq Music Majors’ Experiences Of Social Climates And Developing Identities In Music Education Settings, Anna Elizabeth Matijasic Hennessy

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this study was to identify roles that music education plays in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) music majors. Using a collective case study design, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with five undergraduate LGBTQ music majors. Participants spoke about their experiences in music education settings, the social atmosphere associated with such settings and their identities as LGBTQ persons and musicians. Music education settings may include high school and college ensembles as well as extracurricular ensembles and private lessons. The researcher sought to explore: a) ways in which peers and teachers in music ensembles …

Affective-Domain Occurrences Reported By Undergraduate Non-Music-Major Students In A Keyboard-Centered Course Incorporating The Nine National Standards For Music Education And A Methodology Based On Constructivist Principles: Patterns That Might Suggest Hypotheses About Cause-And-Effect Relationships, Gergana S. Argirova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, data about occurrences in the affective domain of non-music-major subjects taking a keyboard-centered course that incorporates the nine National Standards for music education along with a methodology based on constructivist principles were collected. The problem of this study was to identify any patterns in those data that might suggest hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships that might be tested later in quantitative studies with experimental design.

The instruction consisted of a keyboard-centered music education curriculum that encompassed the U.S. nine National Standards for music education along with a teaching methodology based on constructivist principles. This study was conducted in …

Advocating For The Arts: Letting Ourselves "Feel", Donald J. Running

Music Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Power Of Music: Song Serves As An Effective Recall Cue In Children, Tanisha Dews

McCabe Thesis Collection

Song, in some cases, can facilitate learning and recall. The experiments in this thesis demonstrate that information is better recalled when it is heard as a song rather than as speech or through lecture. This study further proves that when a combination of song and speech are taught to children, the retrieval of information is even greater. When the group of the second condition was tested, they were more successful in recalling the information learned. This study also recognizes that song can infuse difficulty due to music's rich structure and makeup of rhythm, tempo, and stress patterns. The overall paper …

Dragon Rhyme By Chen Yi, Russell G. Mccutcheon

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

Russell McCutcheon, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands in the Sunderman Conservatory of Music, published an analysis of "Dragon Rhyme", a major new composition for wind band, by composer Chen Yi in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume 9.

A Study Of Children's Musical Play At The Little Gym, Alison Elaine Alexander

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways music is used in classes at the Little Gym. It also attempted to uncover the benefits of the use of music in the classes as identified by the participants. This investigation of music at the Little Gym required the use of standard qualitative data collection strategies performed over the course of four months of fieldwork. Approximately sixty hours of observations were completed, both as an observer and a participant observer, and twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and teachers. Data analysis entailed transcribing and coding interviews, examining observations field …

Teaching Lower Laryngeal Position With Emg Biofeedback, Adam Kirkpatrick, John R. Mclester

Faculty Articles

The authors explore new and innovative ways to teach singers how to maintain the lower laryngeal position while singing - a component of classical singing technique that many consider essential to achieving a vibrant, focused, and resonant tone.

Orff-Schulwerk For Music Therapists, Brittney Butts Grant

Music Therapy Theses

When using the term "Orff Music Therapy," the assumption is made that the person conducting the lesson or session is a music therapist. Conversely, one assume that the person leading an Orff-Schulwerk lesson is an educator. A major difference between Orff-Schulwerk and Orff Music Therapy is the goal of the lesson or session. The goal of Orff-Schulwerk is music education. The goal of an Orff Music Therapy session is usually non-musical, such as working on motor control or increasing attention span. In order to fully reach the whole child, teachers and therapists should take into account a secondary focus to …

Life Stories Of Four Conjunto Musicians: Adding To The Culturally Relevant Curriculum Of The Rio Grande Valley Schools, Andres Martinez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines music and culture and their importance in the learning process. As early as 1838, Horace Mann and later John Dewey (1916), Tim Brophy (1992) and others were expounding the benefits of music as a necessary element of the school curriculum. Julio Cammarota (2008), Geneva Gay (2000), Alan Singer (1994), Banks and Banks (1989) and others have argued for the importance of culture in the curriculum to enhance learning. Both elements have a unique place in the school curriculum. A brief history of the genre is presented beginning with the early years (mid 1800s), the development years (early …

The Status Of Students With Special Needs In The Instrumental Musical Ensemble And The Effect Of Selected Educator And Institutional Variables On Rates Of Inclusion, Edward C. Hoffman Iii

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of students with special needs in the instrumental musical ensemble and to examine the effect of selected educator and institutional variables on rates of inclusion. An online survey was designed by the researcher and distributed electronically to 600 practicing K-12 instrumental music educators in the states of Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. While 13.6% of the total school-aged population nationwide received special education services, demographic data provided by respondents revealed that students with special needs accounted for 6.8% of all students participating in bands, orchestras, …

Multicultural Education In The Music Classroom: Definitions, Methods, And Motives, Candace Rhnea Stafford-Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the multicultural teaching experiences of music teachers in the Fayetteville and Springdale public school districts through the lens of James Banks' four approaches to curriculum reform. The research was intended to add to the limited literature presently found on the definition of multicultural music education and how this type of education is implemented. The study also increased knowledge of teacher motives for implementing multicultural education in the music classroom and highlight challenges that lie within implementation. Purposive sampling was used and in an attempt to get an information rich sample, two schools were chosen from …

Understanding Professional Growth Opportunities Utilized By Nebraska Music Educators, Phillip K. Hesterman

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to examine kinds of professional growth activities employed by music teachers in Nebraska schools.

A survey was administered to Nebraska K-12 music educators (N = 1,144), with 456 responding. Data gathered related to respondents’ past professional growth participation, projected involvement, opinions and preferences, and information concerning perceived barriers.

A review of literature focused on factors related to professional growth. This review provided insights into professional growth practiced by music educators. Literature reviewed reflected perspectives on meaning of professional growth for educators.

Findings yielded insight into the state of professional development among Nebraska music …

Applying Brain Research To Classroom Strategies, Diane C. Persellin, John W. Flohr

Music Faculty Research

Research in the field of neuroscience has exploded in the past decade. The word brain appears in the title of nearly 40,000 books and CDs indicating intense interest in this area of study. What can music educators learn from recent investigations—often termed brain research—to guide music teaching and learning? The following ideas are intended to have broad applications and may inspire you to investigate this fascinating area of literature more thoroughly. While some findings are new, other studies affirm what music educators have previously found to be effective.

Relationships Among Music Listening, Temperament, And Cognitive Abilities Of Four-Year-Old Children, John W. Flohr, Diane C. Persellin, Daniel C. Miller, Harry Meeuwsen

Music Faculty Research

The purpose of the study was twofold: (a) to investigate electrophysiological (EEG) responses in children while listening to two contrasting styles of music, and (b) to investigate the relationship between listening to recorded music and the cognitive abilities of four-year-old children. EEG data were collected on a baseline condition of eyes open. These data were then compared to EEG data produced when children listened to selections of music by Bach, while they listened to selections of rock music, and while they performed a standardized cognitive test of visual closure. Behavioral data were also collected on sex, age, home environment, and …

Self-Efficacy In Music Performance: Measuring The Sources Among Secondary School Music Students, Michael S. Zelenak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a greater understanding of self-efficacy in music performance. I sought to (a) contribute to fundamental knowledge of self-efficacy in music performance, (b) determine whether scores from the Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale (MPSES) were valid and reliable, and (c) provide insights for developing self-efficacy among secondary school music students. Participants (N = 290) were middle and high school students in band, chorus, and string orchestra ensembles from 10 schools in the southeast and western regions of the United States. Participants completed four online questionnaires: (a) Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale, (b) Sources of Middle …

Learning And Teaching Conducting Through Musical And Non-Musical Skills: An Evaluation Of Orchestral Conducting Teaching Methods, Jose Mauricio Valle Brandao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The current state of conducting as an academic and professional pursuit shows a plethora of conventional traditions and techniques that are accepted without question, but a dearth of ideas and approaches that will develop the skills essential to producing an effective conductor. This profile is especially apparent in the field‘s literature. This monograph will compile a list of these titles and annotate each one, in order to determine the common threads that run between them. This information will be distilled into categories, identifying levels of approach and target audience. Evaluation of these data may lead to a discovery that many …

Reflections Of Pre-Service Teachers On Their Own Teaching Practices, David W. Snyder

Faculty Publications - Music

The focus of this paper is self-reflection on teaching using video. The excerpts that are used in this paper are taken from the emails of pre-service music teachers at Illinois State University completing their required clinical hours with instrumental students at both the middle school and high school level. Though these teaching episodes were eventually evaluated by the instructor in the areas of teacher presence, classroom management, lesson planning, teaching method, pacing, error detection, pedagogy and assessment, the pre-service teachers received no specific guidelines on how to focus their first reflective comments. The intent was to get a glimpse into …

A Case Study Of Music-Making In A Ghanaian Village: Applications For Elementary Music Teaching And Learning, Sara Rachel Mccall

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis explores music teaching and learning in Ghana, West Africa from a music education standpoint. Fieldwork was conducted at the Dagbe Cultural Institute, in Kopeyia, Ghana, West Africa to investigate methods of teaching and learning, the function of music within the culture, and formulate implementation strategies for elementary classrooms in the United States. Main themes on teaching and learning that emerged within the center focused on the use of strategies like drum syllables and analogy with Western students during classes. The use of learning in context through cultural outings also provided teaching opportunities for students. The overall function of …

Relationships Among Elementary Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Musical Intelligence, Perceived Value Of Instruction Through Music, And Classroom Instructional Practices, Peggy Jo Hubbard Mccullough

Dissertations

This study was designed to examine educators' perceptions and practices of instruction through music. Using primarily quantitative methods for collection and analysis of data, correlations were sought among the primary variables: elementary teachers' perceptions of the value of instruction through music, their self-reported frequency of instruction through music, and their self-evaluated level of musical intelligence. The hypothesis for this study was that a positive correlation existed between any two of the three variables.

Participants included elementary teachers representing instructional grades one through five from four elementary schools in the southeastern part of the United States. To collect data, a survey …

Brain-Based Education In Music: A New Science Or Science-Fiction?, Diane C. Persellin

Music Faculty Research

We can see increased interest in the brain and brain-based education everywhere. Google turns up over one million hits on “brain-based education.” Nearly every education and music education conference offers sessions that teach ways to utilize new research on the brain. Places like MIT and Stanford increasingly sponsor workshops and courses where teachers pay big bucks to attend “learning and the brain” conferences. They believe this research is substantial enough to use in classrooms.

The number of new books on brain-based education is also startling. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks and This is Your Brain …

Effects Of An Interdisciplinary Method For Training Conductors, Donald J. Running

Music Faculty Publications

This study investigated effects of a method designed to enhance novice conductors’ musical expressiveness, specificity, and comfort through incorporation of acting exercises. Participants (N = 33) were divided into an experimental group receiving instruction in physical acting exercises and a control group receiving traditional conducting instruction. Pretest/posttest questionnaires and pretest/posttest video excerpts assessed by a panel of experts were employed to assess changes in participants’ abilities and attitudes. Results indicate that both the experimental method and traditional method have positive effects on the ability of the conductors to utilize and perform expressive conducting gestures (p < .01). No significant interactions were found between the control and experimental groups; both experimental and traditional methods seemed to allow for student growth equally.

Multicultural Music Education: Second-Grade Students' Responses To Unfamiliar Musics, Lisa M. Heinrich

ETD Archive

The purpose of this study is to investigate students' grouping and responses to unfamiliar non-Western musics. Eighty-five second-grade student participants from nine intact classrooms in an elementary school in rural Ohio received four consecutive 35-minute lessons over a two-week period on Japanese Gagaku ensemble. The four lessons included guided listening, performing kakko drum patterns, moving appropriately to music, and participating in discussions about Japanese culture. Following four lessons on Japanese Gagaku ensemble, students spent two weeks (four lessons) developing singing and rhythm skills in western music. After the four western music lessons were completed, the students listened to a recording …

Music And Community: Interdependence And Shared Learning In An Undergraduate Elementary Music Methods Course, Lisa Huisman Koops

Faculty Scholarship

In this study, the author investigated the creation of a community of learners in an under- graduate elementary music methods course. Participants included undergraduate students (n = 23) and a professor at a Midwestern liberal arts college. Data consisted of fieldnotes from class observations and interviews with the professor and students. The following priorities and concepts emerged as themes: interdependence, shared learning, personal growth, safe environment, and inclusiveness. The success of the community of learners seemed to be due in part to the professor’s dynamic, student-centered, interdependent approach to the course. Transferable aspects related to the creation of a community …

The Impact Of The American Community Band On Music Education, Rodney L. Miller

ETD Archive

Community bands in the United States have increased in numbers since the late twentieth century. At the same time, music education in American schools has remained strong even with the serious funding issues that face many music programs in nearly every state. The purpose of this study was to find what impact American community bands have on music education. Eight directors/executive directors from eight community bands were interviewed with 37 questions. It was determined that the impact that American community bands have on music education is positive and far reaching but that more could be done with further research to …

Dialogue As Performance. Performance As Dialogue, Laura Lynn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation is an arts-based qualitative study in Leadership and Change that describes the qualities of dialogue revealed through the felt experience of Native and non-Native American music composers engaged in a dialogue through music composition. The fifteen co-collaborators who participated in the study range in age from three-years-old to elders. The study is theoretically embedded within Performance Studies, Dr. Carolyn Kenny’s music therapy model Field of Play, and aesthetic philosophy. Methodologically, this work is expressed through performance ethnography and autoethnography and privileges textual and non-textual modes of account including photographs, video excerpts, poetry, and music manuscript. The text is …

An Original Composition, Galleria Armonica, Theme And Variations For Piano, Harpsichord, Harp And Orchestra And A Comparative Study Between The Pedagogical Methodologies Of Arnold Schoenberg And Nadia Boulanger Regarding Training The Composer, Barrett Ashley Johnson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Part one of this dissertation is an original music composition, Galleria Armonica, Theme and Variations for Piano, Harpsichord, Harp and Orchestra in fantasia variation form. The orchestra is divided into four groups: Strings (8/8/6/6/4), Winds (2/2/2/2/), Brass (4/3/3/1), and Percussion (Percussion I: Celesta, Timpani, Vibraphone, & Snare Drum; Percussion II: Suspended Cymbal, Orchestra Bells, Tam-Tam; Percussion III: Bass Drum, Side Drum, Triangle, & Tam-Tam.) Each solo instrument (Piano, Harpsichord & Harp) is physically associated with a specified group: Piano with Brass; Harpsichord with Strings: Harp with Winds, thus three primary groups. The percussion is employed as a crossover, unifying ensemble. …