Music Education Commons^™

Creative Practice For Classical String Players With Live Looping, Caleb Yang

Student Theses

In recent years, string pedagogy discussions have highlighted the greater need for creative practice as classical string players. Since the second half of the nineteenth century, string methods have shifted towards a limited scope of improvisatory techniques, parallelling the decline of improvisation in Western classical music performance practices. This thesis explores live looping as a practice tool to facilitate learning concepts and help string players develop musicianship skills including improvisation, participate in non-classical genres, and explore their creative voices. Examining the results of string educators that incorporate live looping into their own teaching reveals the tool’s effectiveness in bridging curricula …

A Course To Prepare Undergraduate Music Education Students For Teaching Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amanda Lynn Whitmer

Masters Theses

In the field of music education, Autism Spectrum Disorder has become an area of importance requiring more thought and intentionality from teachers than normal lesson planning expectations. Because music educator programs only offer courses that cover the whole spectrum of special needs and do not focus on autism specifically, music educators are finding themselves unprepared to create music lessons that can accommodate learners with such a unique spectrum of learning abilities. Many college curriculums offer special needs courses that focus on all aspects of special education that can be found in music education but very rarely for autism as a …

Serving Special Education Students In The Music Classroom: Accommodating And Advocating For Learners With Exceptionalities, Kathryn Lambert

Masters Theses

Music education programs positively impact the lives of students both socially and emotionally. As the following research suggests, music may have an even greater impact on students with disabilities or exceptionalities. Due to the lack of accessibility, funding, time, training, and other issues, opportunities in music education programs may be limited to groups of students who may not fit the standard music education student profile. As teachers of common core classes may struggle to accommodate students with exceptionalities and may feel as if they are lacking in resources or other needed preparation to adequately serve these students, these struggles are …

Hello, Neighbor! A Curriculum For The Instruction Of Social And Emotional Learning In The Early Childhood Music Classroom Using The Pedagogical Strategies Of Fred Rogers, Julia Conceison

Masters Theses

Modern music educators are faced with many unique challenges while teaching in the early childhood and elementary classroom. With these challenges come the added stressors of students’ individual and collective experiences as they learn to process and regulate their behaviors and emotions through a variety of often unfamiliar social, political, and familial challenges. Currently, while many university teacher preparation programs focus on teaching content differentiation, curriculum creation, and content knowledge, they do not often focus on cultural relevance and responsiveness. One champion of cultural relevance and responsiveness in music education is composer, educator, minister, and children’s television host, Fred Rogers, …

The Music Making Family: A Music Class For All Ages, Jordan Lee Slater

Masters Theses

Whereas music both unlocks and fuels devotion as well as strengthens mental faculties, whereas teamwork and shared experiences deepen familial bonds, whereas the Bible is the root of all knowledge and wisdom, the need for The Music Making Family has arisen. Colossians 3:16 states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” The purpose of this qualitative study is to provide teachers, whether in private school, public school, a religious entity, in a standalone studio, instructional material for …

Teaching Music To Special Needs Students Using Multiple Intelligence Theory, Megan Lawrimore Bolt

Masters Theses

Students who fall under the label of “special needs” or “exceptional learners” are often forgotten when it comes to music class. Unfortunately, in many schools they either do not attend music classes at all or they only attend with other students who are also considered special needs students. These students deserve the right to be in an inclusive music class with their peers who are not special needs students. Students of all abilities should receive the same opportunities to learn music together. One question that will be addressed is whether music teachers in South Carolina are making their classrooms inclusive …

Development In Singers With Perfectionism, Melody F. White

Honors College Theses

According to Stoeber and Childs (2011), perfectionism is “a personality disposition characterized by striving for flawlessness and setting excessively high standards for performance accompanied by tendencies for overly critical evaluations” (p.2) Dispositions such as perfectionism may be prominent in individuals in the performing arts, as it may help or hinder their development. This study explores development in singers with perfectionism and ways of coping. Studies have shown that there are both positive and negative aspects of perfectionism. Positive aspects include goal progress, agreeableness, and higher functioning. Negative aspects include depression, anxiety, stress maladjustment. These negative aspects manifest in musicians through …

The Role And Possible Impact Of Music Administrators On School District Music Programs, Tracee Garrison White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In order to assist in building a successful music program that is conducive to the learning of all students within a school district, administrators and board members must be informed of the role and impact of a district music administrator. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify perspectives that have not yet been explored and documented concerning the positive effect district music administrators have on school music programs. Perspectives on support, accountability and advocacy have emerged as themes through an exploration of limited existing literature and feedback from questionnaires. Although the information is available for administrators who …

Fostering Music Performers In The 21st Century: A Contemporary Professional Perspective Toward A New Curricular Agenda For Graduate Study In Music, Andre Januario

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

What if the core curriculum for graduate students in music performance were designed to prepare students to succeed in the world of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

This dissertation offers a hypothetical answer: a structured and systematic academic curricular framework for music graduate students of performance of concert music (especially those in terminal degrees, such as doctoral students), along with music instructors, professional music performers, school administrators, and college professors, seeking to prepare such students for achieving and maintaining a music career more in keeping with the current work environment, especially those skills demanded by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the …

Google It! Supplementing Instructional Material In The Secondary Band Classroom With The Google Suite, Jacob Elder

Masters Theses

In order to meet the needs of the students of the 21st century, the traditional methods for teaching in the secondary instrumental music classroom should be updated. The Google Suite coupled with a variety of commonly used instructional music technology programs is one way to modify the traditional classroom to accommodate modern learners. Data from case studies, information on effectively using the Google Suite, and supplemental programs to use for blended instruction are included as resources for the 6th-12th grade band classrooms. Since technology is rapidly changing, the subsequent information and tools provided will be updated continually. Keeping current on …

Appalachian Folk Music In The High School General Music Class, Caitlin Jayne Hetland

Masters Theses

Murder ballads have been a part of the musical traditions of America since the 1700s, when their source materials were brought from Scandinavia, England, and Scotland. Ballads like “Omie Wise,” “Pretty Polly,” and “The Ballad of Tom Dooley” have been recorded by a variety of artists, and still draw new listeners for commercial success. Despite their historic presence in American music, murder ballads are not often included in the school music curriculum. The content is not always appropriate for elementary or middle school students, but high school students are better equipped to deal with the themes and can often be …

Mindfulness, Flow And Self-Care For Double Bass Musicians, Samuel R. Brown

Music ETDs

In this qualitative multi-case study, three college-age music majors from the local state university were interviewed, observed, and asked to complete reflections in order to answer the following questions: How do mindfulness activities affect collegiate double bass music students’ perceptions of their own playing and practicing? My secondary questions were 1) how do mindfulness activities affect flow experiences among collegiate double bass music students, and 2) how do mindfulness activities affect students’ perception of self-care? The interviews were transcribed, coded using “concept coding” (Miler, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2020), and then grouped into categories, themes, and sub-themes. The themes were time, …

The Relationship Between Music Performance Anxiety And Self-Efficacy In Sixth To Eighth Grade Instrumental Students, Brian Bersh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study examined the relationship of self-efficacy to performance anxiety, as outlined in social cognitive theory. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to test the theory of social cognitive theory that relates self-efficacy to anxiety. MPA and music performance self-efficacy (MPSE) were tested within the context of a school setting for instrumental music-making. The participants (N = 228) included a stratified random sample of Grade 6 to 8 instrumental middle school students located within the Mid-Atlantic region. To determine levels of MPA and MPSE, participants completed the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents and the Music Performance …

A Musically Embedded Curriculum For Rural Elementary Schools, Rachael Marie Dubay

Masters Theses

Rural school districts across the nation have been at a crossroads for decades. The amount of funding and resources provided to these small towns is often meager and falls short to provide the schools and students with the proper education, teacher training, curriculum, building maintenance, and other necessary educational materials. School officials and board members in these areas across the nation each year have had to make the hard decisions of what to prioritize and what will have to fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, cuts in budgetary and educational reform have regularly faced music education programs and it has become …

Music Education Transformation: How Orff, Kodaly, And Suzuki Promote Academic Success, Michelle M. Angeli

Masters Theses

We all need Music in our lives. Music education is valued less in the education system, but present data from these literature sources of articles, books, and research, tells us another story. For decades school systems have struggled with whether or not to include Music in the education system. There are many values for Music, including individual growth and development. In this research study, I intend to showcase the central benefits of Music to help show there is a need for these programs and to help promote music programs based on their own merits and not just because of academic …

Black Expressions Of Dillard University: How One Historically Black College Pioneered African American Arts, Makenzee Brown

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The proposed public history project, Within These Walls (WTW), will be one component of a larger exhibit produced by Dillard University’s, Library Archives and Special Collections entitled The Star Burns Bright: History of Dillard’s Theatrical and Musical Arts, Faculty and Students. WTW will focus on Dillard’s historic African American faculty, students and alumni who became prominent painters, musicians, writers, actors and directors among them Adella Gautier, Randolph Edmonds, Ted Shine Frederick Hall, Theodore Gilliam, and Brenda Osbey. This exhibit will also highlight the many art programs, across genres, offered at the university between 1935 and 1970. This exhibit will demonstrate …

Exploring Moroccan Music Through Experiential Learning, Tai Knoll

Honors Projects

As a music educator, I value a comprehensive and well-rounded music education that is inclusive and dynamic – an education that introduces students to the global world they live in and fosters compassion and understanding of cultures different from their own. However, I did not fully understand how I could provide that for my students and how to do so in a respectful and appropriate way that did not other or appropriate the culture I was attempting to honor. That desire to learn more about teaching world musics and representation in the classroom drove me to pursue answers through the …

Leveraging Non-Traditional Notation And Technology To Enhance A Fourth Grade Recorder Unit, Stephenie Mokriakow

Theses

This action research project analyzes the traditional methods of teaching recorder to fourth grade students to expand upon these traditional methods and create a unit that leverages technology and non-traditional notation as well as introducing students to traditional music notation. The unit includes lessons that are scaffolded to meet the desired end results. The learning objectives include understanding of basic rhythm patterns and beginning notes on the recorder. The culmination of the lessons will end with a series of songs that the teacher will use to assess students.

Learning To Play A Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health, Christopher Lafser

Masters Theses

This thesis proposal, entitled “Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health”, consists of a research paper detailing how learning to play a musical instrument has made a significant impact on the behavioral health of students, and the need for this study in today’s society. This study will provide readers with solid research and evidence for the results obtained from this musical education study in the hopes it can show that music therapy needs strengthening in these areas. Through research, clinical studies, assessments, test results, and surveys, this project will show if there are physiological benefits and psychological …

The Hybrid Ensemble Model, Melanie Emily Riley-Gonzalez

Masters Theses

Music education plays a significant role within the public school and needs to be available to all students. Students should have opportunities to learn with voice or instrument and learn the art of performing for an audience. Students that are unable to attend music classes in a traditional class setting or have selected different pathways for their education other than a traditional classroom setting, may be excluded from opportunities to work with others in a collective music environment. Limited options are available for students to remain in their school ensembles when schedule conflicts arise for example, with advanced classes or …

Acoustic Measures Of The Singing Voice In Secondary School Students, Elizabeth M. Wallace

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Descriptions of voice quality in vocal and choral music often rely on subjective terminology, which may be perceived differently between individuals. As access to software used in acoustic measurement becomes more widespread and affordable, music educators can potentially combine traditional descriptive terminology with objective acoustic descriptors and data, which may improve both teaching and singing. The secondary school choral music educator has specific challenges, in that they teach students who experience drastic physical and acoustic changes of the voice as they grow from children to adults. The purpose of this study was to objectively analyze various acoustic characteristics of the …

The Challenge Of Just-In-Time Teaching (Jitt): A Case Study In Music Education Pedagogy, Nicholas Batcher

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

It is nine o’clock in the morning in my “Intro to Music Education” classroom. The students enter the class room and begin to almost immediately begin debating important current trends in music education. Topics range from making sure music classrooms utilize a diverse range of repertoire (music) and literature; to LGBTQ+ students in the classroom; to teaching music to students with special needs; to the efficient use of technology in the music classroom. This is not your typical “sage from the stage” lecture. These students are actively participating and engaged from the moment class begins, and as the class continues, …

I Am Still On My Way: The Influence Of Motivation In Transforming Identities, Zijia Cheng

The Qualitative Report

This article explores how my identities were transformed from a piano learner and player to a piano teacher and researcher by employing motivation. My musical background, piano learning experience, understanding and knowledge have formed me as a piano learner and player. My musical identities provide motivation which influences the establishment of my new identities. To investigate my background, an autoethnographical method was employed. Through this qualitative study, I found that my identity, interests and choices of research methodologies in music education are influenced by my understandings and beliefs gained from my own learning experience.

Music Notation-To-Color Synesthesia And Early Stages Of Music Education: A Grounded Theory Study, Eduardo Sola Chagas Lima

Dissertations

Problem

Synesthesia is a neurological condition characterized by over-abundant neural connectivity between commonly highly specialized areas of the brain. The developmental form of the condition often results in automatic and consistent cross-sensory associations between perceived stimuli and commonly unrelated brain regions. This research contemplates the specific form of music notation-to-color synesthesia and its impact on early stages of music education. Synesthetes with this mode of the condition tend to involuntarily yet consistently associate music-notational concepts with colors, thus rendering their assimilation of these concepts unique and individualized. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of these individualized …

Creating Alabama Music Heritage And Theory: Equipping Students With State Pride Through Effective Curriculum, Julianne Rae Mattox

Masters Theses

Across general music curricula, there is always a concern for student interest. For elementary age students, music is viewed as magical and fun. It seems that as students age, if they are not in band, music begins to lose some of its magic. With any class, student interest and involvement is key for the academic success of the curriculum. If students have to take a class that they do not want to take, they automatically lose interest. It is important for teachers to present their curriculum to students in a way that grabs their attention and allows them to enjoy …

Examining The Fears, Benefits, And Applications Of Teaching Improvisation In General Music, Krystle Boyd

Theses

This project focused on identifying and resolving fears associated with teaching improvisation in the general music classroom. The primary focus was on music educators and providing them with reassurance, reasoning, and plans on how to begin the process of teaching improvisation and follow through so that it is a well-developed initiative that will be built upon and utilized for years to come. This project demonstrated plans for an entire year of 5th grade general music instruction and provided a curriculum map, lesson plans, rubrics, and a manual of explanation for the lessons and activities.

Using Technology To Enhance Instruction And Learning In The Music Classroom, Erin Wash

Masters Theses

Technology integration is a rapidly growing trend in the field of education today. This study investigates various ways of integrating technology to enhance instruction and learning in the music classroom. In order for technology to be effectively integrated in the music classroom, music educators must not only be aware of the technology available but must also remain informed of the most effective ways of implementing technology into instruction and learning. The scope of this study examines the use of two specific resources, SmartMusic and Teoria, and their effectiveness in teaching and learning sight-singing, ear-training, and rhythm reading, notation, and performance …

Underground Opera Troupe: Early Opera In The Twenty-First Century, Abigail Josephine Hughes

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Through this project I sought to examine early opera as well as opera in America today and educate the average person about the value and availability of the genre. In order to do so, I organized and directed a small traveling opera troupe to perform in a variety of locations throughout Columbus, Ohio. The troupe performed at three locations over the course of the fall semester in 2018. With each performance, I worked to educate as many people as possible about opera and its presence in society.

Opera in America is, and always has been, a thriving genre. Both traditional …

Geographic Analysis Of Marching Band Culture (College And High School Ensembles), Steven Deamon

Honors Projects

Each marching band defines “culture” as their ensemble’s decisions on marching style, music choice, band size, instrumentation, and performance obligations. This study aims to categorize marching bands by cultural features, test if marching band characteristics are similar across a region, and explore how these trends in band culture relate to other demographic and socioeconomic trends. Research focused on bands in the Midwest and Southeastern United States and was conducted through video observation. Through analysis, it was found that most marching bands surveyed use a corps step, perform music of artistic merit, have between twenty-one and one hundred marchers, perform with …

Religious Music In Public School Choir: Attitudes, Practices, And Experiences, Landon R. Lamontagne

ETD Archive

A large portion of the choral music canon is sacred or religious in nature because the history of choral singing is in large part due to its importance in the development of the Christian church. Many public school choir teachers include sacred or religious music as a part of their repertoire because of its historic, musical and educational value. The fact that religious songs and sacred texts are often included in public school choir curricula has raised numerous philosophical and legal questions over the past several decades, although research regarding public school choir curriculum and religion is limited. The purpose …