Music Education Commons^™

Toxic Jazz Narratives - Dispelling The Illusory Relationship Between Suffering And Creativity, Rob Foster

The IASJ Journal of Applied Jazz Research

The trope of the suffering artist is a persistent theme in discussions about jazz, often overshadowing the music itself. The focus on the negative aspects of an artist's biography can inadvertently shape students' perceptions, leading them to associate artistic greatness with personal turmoil rather than with the technical and expressive aspects of the music. The emphasis on tragic life stories in introductory jazz courses can detract from a holistic understanding of the genre. Jazz should be explored as a rich tapestry of musical innovation, cultural expression, and collaborative effort, rather than through the lens of individual suffering. Highlighting the achievements …

Notes From The Editor

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.

Taking It To The Limit: Curricular Responses To Credit Hour Caps In Music Teacher Education Programs, Phillip D. Payne, Edward C. Hoffman Iii, Aaron T. Wacker, Ashley D. Allen

Research & Issues in Music Education

As tuition rates continue to rise, credit hours required for degree completion emerges as a primary topic of concern. Undergraduate music education programs (or degrees) typically require a high number of credit hours which may also necessitate student class overloads, summer coursework, and/or program completion that could exceed the expected term of four years. To better understand the extent of current degree requirements and offerings, we examined credit allocation practices at 100 randomly selected NASM institutions. Specifically, we focused on emerging trends, commonalities, and potential insights to better guide policymakers when addressing legislative mandates focused on credit hour caps. Findings …

The Youth Music Institute At The University Of Wisconsin, Summer 1969, Phillip Hash

Faculty Publications - Music

The purpose of this historical study was to examine the planning, implementation, participants, and activities associated with the Youth Music Institute (YMI) held at the University of Wisconsin from July 7 to August 1, 1969. Organizers hoped this event would bridge the communication gap between society, educational institutions, and youth through a collaborative learning environment involving students, music educators, guidance counselors, and professional recording artists. Participants used the term “youth music” to encompass multiple genres that captured the interest of young people, including various forms of rock, blues, soul, country western, jazz, and ethnic styles. The program consisted of lectures …

Diversity Representation In Ilmea All-State Programming 1990-2025, Lucinda Boucher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the diversity of ILMEA All-State programming from 1990–2025. This study compiled information regarding the composers and arrangers of the pieces selected, as well as the conductors for each ensemble. In the band category, 3.22% (n = 11) of all composers and arrangers (N = 342) were female and 4.39% (n= 15) were people of color. In orchestra, 1.67% (n = 3) were female and 6.67% (n = 12) were composers of color of all composers and arrangers (N = 180). The percentage of female composers …

How Much Glass Can I Break Before They Fire Me? Negotiating Ethically-Constructive Education In A Fractured Political Landscape, Mya Scarlato, Katie Kelly

Faculty Works

Amid the myriad of political disagreements that arise among collective identity groups vying for space within the educational curriculum, we offer in this article a theoretical framework through which we argue that schools are uniquely positioned to serve as spaces in which students can negotiate the ethical and moral selves of their choosing. Drawing upon the work from educational philosopher Maxine Greene (1988) and ethics philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah (2005), we suggest that 1) the development or ‘becoming’ of one’s identity is an ethical endeavour, 2) negotiating identity space in both education and society at large is a moral endeavour, …

2025 Asia-Pacific Symposium For Music Education Research: Conference Proceedings, Jason Goopy, Jason Boron, Emily Wilson, Han Meng, Cynthia Howard, Philippa Chapman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Symposium for Music Education Research (APSMER) was held from 9 – 11 July at Edith Cowan University in partnership with the School of Education and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). APSMER is the official regional conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME), and in 2025, it was proudly supported by the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME). The symposium was last held in Australia in Launceston, Tasmania, in 1999. APSMER 2025 welcomed over 300 international delegates to Perth, Western Australia, for scholarly and cultural exchange. The theme, “Being and becoming musical in …

The Effect Of Note Highlighting On Note Identification Accuracy In Beginning Band Students, Thomas R. Knowles

Graduate Research Papers

This study was completed in the spring of 2025 and is based on the effectiveness of colored notation in music reading in beginning band students. An extensive literature review was conducted that supports the usage of color in educational material. Extensive research has been done on color in music education, and that research was used in this study. This study’s primary question is how color affects student note-reading. The hypothesis generated for the study is that students who receive highlighted notes see improvement in their note-reading compared to those who do not. The method used in this study was a …

The Music Education Gender Divide At The University Of Northern Iowa, Abigail Wendland

Honors Program Theses

While anyone with proper training can direct a band well, the definitive stereotype in music education is that male directors are the default. Women face a multitude of challenges when going into the field because of this stereotype, which is the direct result of decades of prejudice that are now historical tradition. These challenges include the perceived need to adopt a male persona while on the podium, the challenges of working as a public school band director while being a mother, and the guilt that accompanies many women in the field. Obstacles such as these have strongly contributed to the …

Bridging The Gap: Fostering Emotional Expression Through Teaching Strategies In The Middle School Choral Classroom, Jacob Brown

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of teacher-elicited expression strategies (i.e. emotionally evocative metaphor, technical elements through modeling, body of the conductor, understanding the emotional content) on the emotional expressivity of my middle school choral students. Using a mixed-method approach, data was collected through surveys of students' self-evaluations of the expression strategies, and their overall value of expression before and after learning processes that emphasized emotional expressivity. I found that each teacher-elicited expression strategies impacted student expressivity positively. Concrete strategies (i.e., body of the conductor and technical elements through modeling) were highly effective, particularly in my beginner and intermediate choirs, while …

Building Rhythmic Independence In Beginning Band Students, Caroline Williams

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to design and implement a unit of instruction based upon three common approaches to teaching rhythm in the beginning band setting and to examine their effect on the rhythmic understanding, confidence, and independence of students in my sixth grade beginning band class. Students received instruction that was traditionally-based, aurally-based, and movement-based for one week each, respectively. An analysis of my teaching was provided by the notes I took that detailed what my students and I did throughout the study. Through my instruction, my students were able to increase their interactions with rhythm. Students were …

A Performance Pracitce Guide To Selected Cornet/Trumpet Excerpts From Wind Band Marches, Adiel P. Najera

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation seeks to illuminate a long-overlooked area in music and education. Wind band marches are part of a genre that has perhaps received less scholarly treatment when compared to the trumpet parts of orchestral, jazz, and popular music. This guide aims to fill the gap in information available for cornet/trumpet players in wind band settings.

This treatise will provide knowledge including a brief background information, marches in teaching and performing, insights from interviews with current and retired military trumpeters & current and retired music educators. Additionally, the document features excerpts with detailed performance practice and a list of renowned …

Hardcore And Metal Music In Music Therapy: A Functional Guide For Music Therapists And Music Therapy Students, Caroline Nc Wood

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Hardcore and metal music have long been misrepresented, stigmatized, and dismissed in music academia, and overlooked in music therapy literature and education. However, these genres hold significant emotional, cultural, and therapeutic value for many listeners, offering unique opportunities for connection, expression, catharsis, and healing. This thesis presents a practical, introductory guide to help music therapists and music therapy students gain an understanding of why, when, and how to effectively and authentically incorporate hardcore and metal music into clinical practice. The project explores the historical development of these genres; sociocultural associations and considerations, including stigmatization, sensationalism, and the juxtaposing sociopolitical dynamics …

Designing An Undergraduate Opera Workshop Curriculum For Universities, Christopher L. Burchett

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The world of opera is quickly evolving to keep pace with the other arts forms of film, television and Broadway theater. For many years the genre had been reluctant to change with the times and update the skills of their performers. Those days have passed. Today’s operatic performers must be better actors, better movers and more theatrically efficient with their overall skill set in addition to having the secured singing technique that has for so long been the top priority. Universities must take ownership of this training.

Today’s university opera workshop programs must be more than they have been in …

Secondary String Students’ Perceptions Of The Role Of Self-Efficacy In Mitigating Their Musical Performance Anxiety: A Collective Case Study, Mary E. Henton

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Musical Performance Anxiety (MPA) is a multifaceted psychological condition that arises before, during, or after musical performance and presents a significant obstacle for young musicians, particularly secondary string students. Closely linked to the spotlight effect and social anxiety, MPA has worsened among youth following the COVID-19 pandemic due to decreased social interaction, both of which have had adverse effects on students’ mental health. Despite teachers’ awareness of MPA’s prevalence, music education programs often lack instruction in specific coping mechanisms to address it, and many students do not seek support or treatment.

The purpose of this study was to describe the …

Mind The Gap: Supporting Freshmen Voice Students Transitioning To Higher Education Through Coaching Conversations, Erica L. Gabriel

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The experiences one may encounter while matriculating through the K-12 system of education are vastly different from the world of higher education. While one feeds directly into the other, the transition can be a difficult one for young singers also navigating the developmental leap from adolescence to adulthood. This is due to several systematic and instructional differences, compounded with unique challenges encountered by freshman voice students in the first year. Gaps in support systems compiled with new and increasing financial, social, and academic demands can lead to a decline in overall student well-being and an increase in stress.

This increase …

The Seating And Standing Arrangements Of Band, Orchestra, And Choir, Sabrina Wolf

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this literature review, I will be looking for scholarly articles that discuss the seating and standing arrangements of band orchestra and choir ensembles. The main goal of this literature review is to find what information is available and discover what positions work to find the best sound that each ensemble can have. After finding the resources, I will annotate each source and summarize the information. I will also reach out to ensemble directors at the University of Akron and interview them to discover what seating and standing arrangements they prefer and why. I will compile this information into a …

An Examination Of Teacher Perceptions Of Student Retention In Choir When Transitioning Between 8th And 9th Grade, Megan Mccrary

Graduate Research Papers

This study was conducted over the course of 10 weeks through an online survey sent to public high school and middle school choral educators across Iowa and gathered data about choir student transitions into 9th grade for the 2024-2025 school year. 38 choir teachers across the state of Iowa participated in this study. Eligibility for participation required that the teachers had taught either 8th or 9th grade choir during the Spring 2024 semester or the Fall 2024 semester. Simple main effects analysis showed that neither students changing buildings nor students changing instructors had a statistically significant effect on student enrollment. …

No Sweeter Sound: Musicking, Transformative Pedagogy, And Collaborative Social Justice In Choral Settings, Natalie N. Shaffer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Choral music and its conductors occupy a tenuous space in the 21st century. In a new cultural atmosphere influenced by Gen Z’s expectation of welcomed diversity and intolerance for injustice, TikTok’s rapid global dissemination of information and entertainment, and society’s desire for authentic connection following the Covid-19 pandemic, the dichotomies present in choral music are no longer being glossed over. Difficult conversations about race, gender, ableism, social location, and other intersectional identifiers are at the forefront of academic writing and conference presentations. Evidence of transformative pedagogy and culturally responsive practices are beginning to appear in classroom syllabi and rehearsal techniques …