Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Eliciting A Syncopated Response From An Ensemble, Thomas Trautman

Dissertations

This dissertation began the process of aggregating available knowledge on the subject of eliciting a syncopated response from a musical ensemble from professors of conducting and conducting textbooks, searching for commonalities, and distilling them into several independent variables which can then be quantitatively tested in an experimental or quasi-experimental setting in future research.

Participants (n = 11) were Directors of Choral Activities, or any other job title with similar responsibilities, at universities which confer doctoral degrees in Choral Conducting. Each participant was required to have a different educational background than every other participant. Participants were given 15 examples of …

Seeking A Uniform Approach To Trumpet Sound Concept, Coleman T. Scott

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One of the most challenging aspects of trumpet playing that pedagogues must teach is how to produce a professional tone. Trumpet students are often good musicians, play correct notes and rhythms, and even have proficient technique. However, many are unable to consistently produce a tone comparable to that of a professional. There are a number of methods that can be utilized to improve a student’s tone quality. In my own teaching and in the teaching of many professionals, tone concept has been used as a catalyst for the improvement of tone quality. A students’ exposure to a professional-quality trumpet tone …

Soundscape - A Guided Approach To Post-Tonal Horn Repertoire, Selena B. Boyda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

More modern post-tonal works are being composed and it is imperative that horn players interpret the music as accurately as possible. Analyzing the music is a way one can interpret the music accurately. The purpose of this research is to develop a guided approach for interpretation of post-tonal horn repertoire using analytical techniques. Selected works analyzed and used are Olivier Messiaen’s “Appel Interstellaire,” Stanley Friedman’s Topanga Variations, and Jenni Brandon’s Dawn. Analytical techniques used include set theory, limited modes of transposition, contour relations, motivic patterns, modal analysis, and motifs.

Sequencing Orchestral Repertoire For Collegiate Orchestras: Addressing The Educational Needs Of Students In Various Stages Of Development, Cheuk Nok Francis Ku

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sequencing is a fundamental aspect of music education, not only in individual instrumental teaching but also in large-ensemble instruction. Collegiate orchestras, like other educational ensembles, experience turnover of students each academic year, and face unique challenges in repertoire selection due to the diverse skill levels and experience of their members. This document presents a case study of the LSU Symphony Orchestra program spanning from 2021 to 2024, and complements a performance featuring works by Amy Beach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, and José Pablo Moncayo. The document also delved into the study of performance practice during the Classical period and …

Hidden Meanings In Elementary Instrumental Music Method Books: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, Mara Hope Thompson

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Textbooks serve as the primary resource utilized to deliver curriculum in a variety of subject areas and educational contexts. However, much previous research has found that texts often convey concealed meanings in the form of hidden and null curricula. This Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) explored the musical discourses and cultural contexts of musical examples in two elementary instrumental music textbook series to investigate whose values, cultures, perspectives, and knowledge are conveyed by the texts and whose are excluded or misrepresented. Framed by the social theory of Postcolonialism, the research revealed binary ideologies of exoticism embedded in many aspects of …

Speed-Testing In Audio Engineering Education: An Imperative Assessment Tool, Barry G. Atticks

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

Multiple choice tests, fill-in the blanks, and essay question assessments do have their place in academia, but for students preparing for careers as studio engineers, live engineers, and producers, other assessments that test readiness for troubleshooting “real-world” problems in audio technology are needed. Being able to quickly solve signal flow issues is crucial whether it is for a high paying client in the studio or a rock band during a live show for 10,000 fans. It is well-documented that experiential learning is key in audio education, but I argue that it is not just the ability to complete hands-on tasks …

Reflection, Reflexivity, Learning And The Influence Of Formalised And Experiential Piano Training, Dorothy Li

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnographic study examines how music learning is influenced by teachers and socio-cultural environments and how this influences not only our musical journeys but the way we view our lives, of the progress we have made, the goals in which we hope to achieve, and the way we perceive we will achieve them. This study explores how my musical background, understanding, learning, music-making abilities, and skills have shaped my present beliefs, attitudes and identity as a musician, educator, and researcher. Focusing on teacher pedagogy and practice, the study reveals how prevailing teacher-centred and didactic approaches to teaching impact the perspectives …

The Perceived Effects Of Peer-Assisted Learning In A Collegiate Instrumental Pedagogy Classroom, Hannah Wagoner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an approach that teachers can use in the classroom to increase students’ ownership of their learning. Besides increased autonomy, PAL can provide several other academic and social benefits, such as increased achievement and fostering a sense of community. This study aimed to examine the effects of PAL on college students’ performance on a secondary instrument. Five students in a collegiate instrumental pedagogy course experienced PAL activities in class while learning secondary instruments. After a statistical and content analysis of all the data, results showed that 1) all but one of the participants improved in their performance …

Surviving Pandemic Practicum: Early Career Music Teachers' Perceived Self-Efficacy Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aubree Pacifico Windish

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examines early career music teachers’ perceived self-efficacy following teacher practicum during a global pandemic. I conducted focus group conversations with undergraduate music education alum (N=16) from Southeastern State University (SSU) at the end of 2023. Participants described the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their music teacher practicum and overall experiential learning at SSU. The focus group questions, and subsequent deductive coding of their answers, aligned with the four roles of Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy Theory. Participants reported low perceived self-efficacy in their first year of in-service teaching, with variations based on the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic …

An Analysis Of Traditional Pedagogical Practices With Innovative Strategies For Beginning Band Students With A Focus On Assessment, Higher-Order Thinking Skills And Differentiation, Cole Woods

Music Theses

Instrumental education is a field rich in tradition, with a strong foundation of methodology being codified in method books used by band directors around the country. Equally rich is the vibrant research community found within music education, and innovative techniques for teaching band are being presented yearly in both journals and conventions. These new strategies and additions to curriculum supported by recent research could potentially deepen the learning taking place in the instrumental music classroom. Nowhere is this more visible than in the wealth of new research, curricula, and literature that has been published regarding beginner instrumental music instruction in …

Gender Associations Of American Band Instruments: Exploring And Comparing The Perceptions Of Three Age Groups, Kevin R. Merkel

Music Theses

This collection of three related studies explored the current gender-related perceptions of American band instruments. The first study investigated adults’ perceptions, as they were asked to rank instrument preferences for their hypothetical son and daughter. The second study examined the perceptions of seventh- and eighth-grade band students by allowing them to rate band instruments based on their gender perceptions. The third study investigated the perceptions and experiences of university band students related to gender norms and instruments utilizing a survey and interview process. The results provided evidence that instrument gender perceptions and stereotypes can change, and they suggest that intentional …

Understanding The Effects Of Hormone Treatments On The Transgender Singer: A Pedagogical Study And Voice Studio Guide, Erin M. Hannon

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Transitioning from one gender to another can be an arduous and emotionally charged experience, accompanied by many physical and mental transformations. The journey of self-discovery and vocal explorations is both unique and deeply personal. Modifications that emerge in an individual's vocal characteristics have a profound influence on their capacity to communicate and express themselves.

Transgender vocal students and professional singers must navigate the delicate balance between their vocal and gender identities while considering the possible risks of Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy. Though these therapies may significantly alter one's appearance and overall well-being, they are also capable of causing notable declines …

Singing In Dark Times: Improvisational Singing With Children Amidst Ecological Crisis, Stephanie Schuurman-Olson

Occasional Paper Series

Through this research-creation project -- which is represented by a process-driven ten-minute video -- the author asks what ways of knowing emerge when children and adults, more-than-human, and inhuman engage in improvised singing together in an urban park? This project recognizes our current "dark times" within ecological collapse and operates from a space that hopes to build relationality with sonic ecologies through listening-and-singing experiences, while centering the voices of children and other singers within the ecologies we sing in-and-with.

Diversity Of Choral Festival Literature And The Selection Process, Abigail L. Mcmichen

Honors College Theses

In music education, festival events are a chance to receive feedback from experts in the field. Often, these events have literature lists from which directors are required to choose literature for the event. With choral festivals being so prevalent in music education, the literature lists provided to choral music educators have a major impact on young singers. Literature selection can be intense for choral music educators who decide what factors to consider when selecting literature. The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze the diversity of choral literature through analysis of the Georgia LGPE list while also gaining …

Influences On General Music Teachers' Mental Health During The Collective Trauma Of Covid-19, Abigail Van Klompenberg

Visions of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this collective case study was to examine elementary music teachers’ mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research questions were: 1) What factors influenced music teachers’ mental health and well-being during COVID-19?; 2) How did music teachers support their own mental health and well-being during COVID-19?; 3) How might stakeholders (such as schools, administrators, and community members) better support educators during challenging times? Data included semi-structured interviews, informal observations, and a researcher journal. Participants were three elementary music educators teaching K­­–5 music in geographically and demographically diverse public schools throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Through “data …

Classroom Management And Student Behavior After The Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Five Elementary General Music Teachers, Jennifer Gee

Visions of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary general music teachers’ experiences and perspectives with classroom management within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants consisted of five practicing elementary general music teachers in Southern California who participated in three individual interviews, one focus group, and two classroom observations during the fall of 2022. I analyzed data through axial coding (Creswell, 2012), yielding four themes: positive classroom management, social and emotional learning, support from classroom teachers and administrators, and challenges. The findings of this study highlighted participants’ positive perceptions of classroom management, the importance of building relationships, students’ social …

Hey, Teacher, Leave Them Kids Alone: Facilitation In Modern Band, Warren Gramm

Visions of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this investigation was to examine a single modern band ensemble to discover how an ensemble director/facilitator implemented student-centered pedagogical approaches. Examinations of practical applications of facilitation were found due, in part, to an educational approach that promoted the opinions and decisions of students. The facilitator encouraged students to share their knowledge, opinions, and suggestions for the ensemble’s direction. Findings include the significance of sharing knowledge between students in a relaxed atmosphere in which student agency, autonomy, and democratic decision-making were key tenets. Data analysis revealed musical and social benefits with a facilitator who championed a democratized and …

Critical Pedagogy In School Music Programs: Examining The Connections And Disconnections Between Teacher Preparation And Active Teaching, Isabella Harkopf, Kelly Bylica

Visions of Research in Music Education

Music education scholarship has long called for a more critical, socially just approach to teacher preparation. These include curricular opportunities to work with students from diverse contexts in practicum settings, social-justice-oriented readings and professional development, and guided reflection opportunities. However, scholars also note that practicing educators often revert to “traditional” methods of teaching once they enter the field, suggesting a disconnect between music teacher education and practice. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the experiences of three recent alumni of one music teacher education program, paying particular attention to the ways in which these teachers engage …

Editorial Volume 44, Joseph Abramo

Visions of Research in Music Education

No abstract provided.

Moments Of Meeting: 'Intersubjective Encounters' And ‘Emancipatory’ Experiences Of Individuals With (Intellectual) Disabilities In Inclusive Musical Contexts, Caroline Blumer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to explore an intersubjective framework to better understand the relational aspects of two inclusive musical programs in London, ON. I focused on mutual recognition moments, called moments of meeting (MoM), researching how they are formed and manifested while music is shared, created, or experienced within these two environments. Approaching such programs as potentially intersubjective spaces, this study investigated the impact of MoM and intersubjective experiences on the participation of individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) in music making as well as on their perceptions of themselves as subjects. Equally significant, this study looked at emerging …

Fundamentals, Function, And Form: Student Workbook, Ivette Herryman Rodríguez, Andre Mount, Jerod Sommerfeldt

Milne Open Textbooks

Students of tonal Western art music will find in this workbook a full set of exercises and activities to deepen and reinforce their understanding of music theory and analysis. The book begins with such rudimentary topics as rhythm, meter, and pitch and progresses through polyphony, chromatic harmony, and musical form. In addition to exercises tailored to each topic, the book features recurrent activities focused on four-voice part-writing (figured-bass/Roman numeral realization and melody harmonization) as well as score analysis, which become progressively more advanced as new concepts and skills are covered.

Included for analysis are over 500 excerpts drawn from the …

Conference Report: Reassessing Haydn’S Sacred Music, 12–14 June 2023, Eisenstadt, Austria, Robert B. Wrigley

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

A conference entitled "Reassessing Haydn's Sacred Music" took place in Eisenstadt 12-14 June, 2023. Historical, political, and religious contexts, reception, compositional and religous influences upon Haydn, and stylistic characteristics of specific works were all discussed.

Church Music Leaders In The Usa: Prioritizing Technical Competence And Inclusion, Heather Maclachlan

Music Faculty Publications

Church music leaders in the United States pursue two priorities: technical accuracy and fluency in the music-making of their church ensembles, and, including as many volunteers as possible in those same ensembles. At times, the prioritization of technical competence and inclusion conflict, because volunteers whose playing or singing is less than competent seek to be included in church music groups. Facing this ethical dilemma, church music leaders operate ethically; that is, they employ strategies and develop policies based on their understanding of their responsibilities to other people (Warren 2014). During interviews, they verbally espouse an ethic of deontology, but in …

Play Makes Perfect: An Exploration Of Game And Play Elements In Composition And Performance, Gabrielle Chou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation aims to explore the intersection of play and games in Western classical music and define a new category of pieces, “ludic pieces,” which contain play structures and game mechanics within their composition. Starting with surveying perspectives in ludology and ludomusicology, including those by Roger Caillois, Johan Huizinga, Jesper Juul, Katie Salen, and Eric Zimmerman, I will examine various definitions of a “game” and what its qualifying aspects are. I will then turn to music and consider pieces that interact with play and games without containing game structures, including examples of musical humor and pieces which evoke the imagery …

Metacognition: A Dimension Of Musical Thinking, Leonore Pogonowski

Visions of Research in Music Education

Reprint with permission by National Association for Music Education. Original citation: Pogonowski, L. (1989). Metacognition: A dimension of musical thinking. In E. Boardman (Ed.), Dimensions of musical thinking (pp. 9-19). MENC.

Collective Musical Cognition: Relevance, Dialogue, And Reflection In Group Learning, Leonore Pogonowski, Cindy Bell, Nathalie Robinson

Visions of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this article is to introduce collective musical cognition as a mode for developing diagnostic critical thinking in music at all levels of the educa-tional continuum–kindergarten through graduate school. It defines and illustrates how collective musical cognition is influenced by relevance, dialogue, and reflection as social and educational practices in the classroom. Relevance, dialogue, and reflection - the three components of collective musi-cal cognition–are critical social practices that transform music education pedagogy, whether practiced in the orchestral rehearsal room, the general music classroom, or the choral and band rehearsal rooms. The prevailing idea is student engagement: student engagement …

A Personal Retrospective On The Mmcp, Leonore Pogonowski

Visions of Research in Music Education

Reprint with permission by National Association for Music Education. Original citation: Pogonowski, L. (2001). A personal retrospective on the MMCP. Music Educators Journal 88(1), 24-27+52.

The Extraordinary Legacy Of Lee Pogonowski, Richard Carr

Visions of Research in Music Education

This article is a memoir of the author’s experience studying music education at Teachers College Columbia University with Professor Lenore Pogonowski in the mid 1990s. The author completed four years of study at that institution earning an MA. Ed.M., and an Ed.D. He was also a teaching artist for the Creative Arts Laboratory, a US government funded program headed by Dr. Pogonowski, during that time. Professor Pogonowski had a profound impact on the author’s teaching practice during the ensuing decades. In his interactions with other music educators, he was surprised to learn how many of them were trained in a …

Lessons From The Stairwell: Celebrating And Sustaining The Pedagogical Legacy Of Lee Pogonowski, Shane Bordeau

Visions of Research in Music Education

As a teacher and researcher of music education for more than forty years, Lee Pogonowski was an early voice in disrupting traditional approaches to teaching and learning, inviting student-centered approaches that emphasized music as an aesthetic experience (Biasini & Pogonowski, 1969; Pogonowski, 2001). The influence of her work continues to reverberate throughout the field of music education, through the legacy of her impact on her students (Allsup, & Baxter, 2004; Greher, 2004; Robinson et al., 2011). Reflections on this legacy, through stories and memories of experiences in her classroom serve as a reminder and challenge to continue and expand the …

A Tribute To Dr. Lee Pogonowski: A Visionary Music Teacher Educator, Shawn Amdur

Visions of Research in Music Education

The insights, writings, and teachings of Dr. Lenore Pogonowski are highlighted with references to the beginnings of her Creative Music Strategies at Teachers College. Based on her work with the Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project (MMCP) there was an emphasis on 20th Century compositional techniques, the use of recorded and environmental sounds as well as the importance of free exploration.