Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence Of Music Teachers In The Context Of Shallow Hiring Pools, Aaron M. Strum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates …

Sight-Singing Requirements Of Choral Festivals: A Fifty-State Comparison Of The Methods Used To Adjudicate Ensemble Literacy, William Griswold Jr

Dissertations

Standardized testing in the United States has permeated all levels of education including the choral music classroom. Across the country, state music organizations have implemented yearly evaluations of high school choral ensembles in which directors prepare choirs to be judged against a particular standard. While many organizations utilize similar methods of evaluating performances at adjudicated choral festivals, the methods used for evaluating sight-singing vary greatly from state to state. Throughout the country, various types of rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic exercises are used to evaluate an ensemble’s ability to sight-sing, however in certain states no form of sight-singing is required for …

Teaching Students Who Have Been Identified With Autism In The Private Piano Teaching Studio: An Application Of General Music Resources And Interviews With Specialists In The Field, Joy Parker

Dissertations

This dissertation is a practical resource for private piano teachers seeking to gain a better understanding of teaching students with autism. Resources used in general music instruction of students with autism were consulted, and relevant information was adapted for the private piano setting. Additionally, resources that are tailored to private piano teaching of students with an identified disability were consulted.

Interviews with three individuals who have experience working with individuals with autism were conducted, and methods and strategies that they found to be most successful were ascertained. One of the interviewees was Dr. Derek Polischuk, Professor of Piano and Director …

An Application Of Vocal Pedagogy For Thai Singers, Phitchaya Klimov

Dissertations

Vocal pedagogy incorporates diverse techniques and methodologies that aim to maintain longevity of the voice and to improve vocal performance, range, and tone. While vocal pedagogy has been extensively studied in Western music traditions, its application in the context of Thai singers remains unfamiliar. This dissertation will investigate the application of vocal pedagogy for Thai singers, with a focus on understanding the unique challenges faced by them. It will outline pedagogical approaches to address these challenges and will therefore lead to more authentic performances. “Complete mastery of the voice as an instrument is an idea toward which every singer must …

Perceptions Of Choral Diction Curricula, Caitlyn Dixon

Dissertations

This study proposed to provide in-depth insights into the current status of the efficacy of diction curricula, as well as to seek ways for enhancing the curricula to better support a culturally diverse musical experience. 21st century choral music encompasses languages and music from all over the world. While this diversity is crucial to the idea of a global choral community, it necessitates choral conductors to be scholars of diction, which includes creating the appropriate sounds for a given language. For a conductor to confidently perform in global languages requires skills, resources, and tools. This study examined the diction coursework …

The Bass Clarinet Works Of Jonathan Russell And Pedagogical Guide Of Extended Techniques Used In His Compositions, Heather Chelsea Gering

Dissertations

Jonathan Russell is one of the most prolific composers and performers of the twenty-first century and has made significant contributions to the bass clarinet repertoire. An interview was conducted with the composer to yield information on his background, education, compositional process, and his thoughts on the techniques he has written. This dissertation provides a pedagogical guide to extended techniques found within Jonathan Russell’s bass clarinet compositions. This guide is based on the works of Russell, books, videos, blogs, articles, and my own personal experiences regarding the techniques required to properly perform Russell’s works. The study demonstrates written examples and explanations …

The Pedagogical Impact Of Injury Through The Experiences Of Three Professional Trombonists, Caleb Owenby

Dissertations

As the stigma surrounding performance-related injuries in the brass community is slowly lifting, more musicians are openly seeking assistance for injuries, more musicians are willing to share their experiences with injury, and the musical community is becoming more knowledgeable in the realm of musician health. This research is aimed at preventing future dysfunctions in brass players, offering avenues of recovery for musicians currently experiencing an injury, and examining the current state of trombone pedagogy through the experiences of three performing trombonists.

Megumi Kanda, Colin Williams, and David Vining are professional trombonists and educators who have experienced an embouchure dysfunction or …

Community Outreach: A Piano Concert Designed For Children, Hsin Shih Liu

Dissertations

Evidence exists that music community outreach has been practiced for at least around a century in Western countries. However, in Taiwan, the idea of music community outreach is relatively new and not as commonly seen as in the United States. This research provides mention of community outreach organizations and individuals in Taiwan and the United States. Additionally, it is aimed to assist in designing more successful programs in the future. Included in this dissertation are a methodology of designing an effective concert program for children and the concert feedback form provided to the participants. This project featured three piano concerts …

Expanding "Standards" Through Embracing Diversity: The Clarinet Quintets Of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Joyce Solomon Moorman, And James Lee Iii, Lauren Miller

Dissertations

Diversity in music education has been a long-standing discussion amongst educators. This document advocates for the recognition and acceptance of the intrinsic and extrinsic values of diverse peoples and their musical contributions while creating tolerance and respect. The focus lies with three composers, two African American and one African English, in service of promoting inclusion for composers of minority groups within the clarinet repertoire.

The goal is to expand standard clarinet repertoire, with “standard” defined as compositions considered important in building a well-rounded clarinetist in America, to include works such as Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in F-sharp …

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 …

A Comparative Analysis Of Sacred Harp And Convention Style Music: Similarities And Differences Of Performance Practice, Chad Hunt

Doctoral Projects

Historically, choral conductors draw from Western European choral traditions when programming music. They tend to avoid selecting early American music, mainly due to lack of knowledge and exposure. Shaped-note music was a foundational component to the early American musical tradition. Upon entering college, many musicians have no concept of shaped-note music, and therefore often overlook this unique and rich heritage. Without the resources and skills, a conductor cannot be expected to feature this important genre in their choral programs. When asked about shaped-note music, most musicians reply that they know this music exists, but that is the extent of the …

Friedrich Warnecke: Toward A New Edition Of Ad Infinitum, Elton Machado

Dissertations

The dissertation collects and organizes information on German double bassist, pedagogue, and author Friedrich Warnecke and investigates the significance of his life and work to the double bass history. The ever-changing European musical environment throughout Warnecke’s life, the challenges double bassists faced during that time, and the rapid developments of the double bass at the turn of the twentieth century provide a rich historical background. The study addresses Warnecke’s life, pioneering writings on the history of double bass, pedagogical contribution and influence as a teacher and author, and work as a performing double bassist. Finally, it discusses Warnecke’s substantial pedagogical-technical …

A Look Into Spiritual Sketches: A Performance To Damien Sneed’S Arrangements Of Selected Spirituals, Katrina Cox

Doctoral Projects

The African American Spiritual is a long-standing genre of music in the classical arena that drew influence from slave songs or enslaved Africans in America. The Spiritual has always required specific knowledge and understanding of the Black culture and struggle since its conception. As an art form, its genesis came around the end of the 18th century with the abolishment of slavery. The Spiritual (folk melodies) became a popular addition to the concert hall repertoire and were first brought to the forefront by the famed Fisk Jubilee Singers between 1853 and 1943. The Concert Spiritual became more popular in the …

An Annotated Bibliography Of String Method Books And Theory Books For Pre-College String Students, With A Focus On Music Theory Concepts And Sequence Analysis, Rebecca Zou Hale

Master's Theses

The Hattiesburg Public School District (HPSD) Strings program, one of the largest public school string programs in the state of Mississippi, has been utilizing a method book series titled Essential Elements for Strings (EES) in their curriculum since the early 2000s. After almost two decades of use, the HPSD Strings staff has noticed that a majority of intermediate and advanced strings students struggle with fundamental music theory concepts. The current music theory deficiencies necessitate an improvement in the HPSD Strings curriculum's choice of instructional materials.

Referencing established music curricula and music theory textbooks, the instruction of fundamental music theory concepts …

An Application Of Natural Learning Processes In The Preparation Of Edward Gregson's Trumpet Concerto, James Jenkins

Doctoral Projects

Concerto for Trumpet and Strings by Edward Gregson is a substantial work of the late twentieth century underperformed among trumpet players. The primary reasons for its relative neglect are its technical challenges and the demands of endurance it places on the player. A well-designed approach to the preparation of this work will benefit students and professional players wishing to prepare for a performance of the work. This project will combine the knowledge of researchers and teachers in formulating specific practice approaches for the concerto’s challenges.

The findings of neuroscientists and psychologists, gained through testing and measurement, will be consulted along …

Offenbach’S Operetta As Performance Practice: A Pedagogical, Dramatic, And Stylistic Role Guide For Pâris In La Belle Hélène, Peter Lake

Dissertations

This dissertation originated from my personal experience in performing the role of Pâris in Offenbach’s La belle Hélène and the research I conducted in preparation for the performance. Upon examining the score, I discovered the role to contain vocal elements that seemed foreign to my expectations of operatic repertoire. After consulting as many scholarly sources as I could find on the subject, I discovered little to no sense of direction in preparing and performing this unique role or for French operetta as a genre. I decided to compile my experience and research into a usable tool for preparing a French …

Discovering Two New Solo Works For Trombone: A History, Summary, And Preparation Of Frank Gulino’S Sonata No. 1: The Journey, And Joseph Buono’S Elegy For Trombone And Piano, John Mark Whitfield Jr

Doctoral Projects

This paper will serve as a guide to musicians for the preparation and performance of two recent solo compositions for trombone worthy of study and performance: Frank Gulino’s Sonata No. 1: The Journey (2019) and Joseph Buono’s Elegy for Trombone and Piano (2016). Included will be sections or chapters on the history and background of each work, biographical information about each composer, a detailed performer’s analysis of each work, exclusive interviews with the composers, and interviews with the trombonists who commissioned and/or premiered each work.

Each individual interview will provide insight into the music, including information on personal inspirations and …

Developing A Systematic Approach For Teaching Beginning Improvisation Using The Concert Percussion Ensemble, Ian Mcclaflin

Dissertations

Typically, when studying percussion at a University, a student is required to be proficient at multiple aspects of percussion (snare drum, mallet keyboards, drum set, hand drumming, etc.) and work through multiple method books and solos on the different instruments. This often leaves little to no room for the study of improvisation on their instrument.

Examined in this study are the following points pertaining to the state of teaching improvisation:

• There is an apparent lack of improvisation in the classroom
• Teachers often feel unprepared in teaching improvisation
• Improvisation is most commonly associated with jazz
• Both teachers and students tend to …

Authenticity And Practicality: Evaluating And Performing Multicultural Choral Music, Jesse Noote

Dissertations

Many choral music educators believe that multicultural music is a vital part of any choral curriculum. However, the research shows that these same choral directors are reluctant to select multicultural octavos because they lack training in non-Western music, which prevents them from effectively teaching and performing this music authentically. The purpose of this dissertation is to equip choral directors with the necessary tools for bridging the gap between desiring to perform and actually performing multicultural octavos.

Six authors have provided authenticity checklists that are designed to help music educators evaluate and perform multicultural music. This research synthesizes those lists to …

Technique For The Developing Dramatic Soprano, Amber James

Dissertations

This dissertation was inspired by a Facebook post by David L. Jones regarding common pedagogical problems in the dramatic soprano Fach. I am a dramatic soprano, who has dealt with many of the technical problems listed in his post. David L. Jones is an internationally recognized teacher and coach and has worked with some of the most well-known professional dramatic sopranos. After considering these pedagogical challenges, it was decided the best course of action was to interview professional singers, teachers, and coaches in the dramatic soprano Fach. After conducting a state of research, it was found that there …

The Baritone To Tenor Transition, John White

Dissertations

Many notable opera singers have been virtuosic tenors; Franco Corelli, Plácido Domingo, James King, José Carreras, Ramón Vinay, Jon Vickers, and Carlo Bergonzi. Besides being great tenors, each of these singers share the fact that they transitioned from baritone to tenor.

Perhaps nothing is more destructive to the confidence of a singer than to have his vocal identity or voice type challenged. Many singers have experienced this, and not always by way of advice or as a gentle suggestion, but rather, as a solution to a fundamental deficiency regarding the singer’s voice. Though undergoing a transition to another vocal fach …

The Challenges And Limitations Of Adapting Mozart's Così Fan Tutte For A Small University Setting, Christopher Lovely

Dissertations

In this dissertation, challenges and limitations related to presenting Così fan tutte within a small university setting are conveyed, as well as offering innovative ideas to create a manageable presentation. I recall my personal experience as Korepititor/Vocal Coach for The University of Southern Mississippi’s 2014 production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. This document presents topics on the various workings of an opera production: pre-rehearsal preparation, language issues, rehearsal preparation, selection of singers, and production issues. It offers practical solutions to overcome various challenges a small university may encounter. Smaller university opera programs were surveyed regarding their adaptations of …

A Pedagogical Guide To Selected Intermediate And Early-Advanced Piano Works By Sergei Prokofiev: Developing Technical Skills To Master His Advanced Repertoire, Kaleb Davis

Dissertations

This dissertation provides the piano instructor and performer with a pedagogical guide to selected pieces by Prokofiev ranging in difficulty from intermediate to early-advanced. The pieces chosen for this guide help to address a variety of technical challenges that are essential to studying and performing Prokofiev’s more advanced works.

Chapter I offers an overview of Prokofiev’s musical style and addresses prominent technical challenges from his advanced piano repertoire. Chapter II is a pedagogical guide to the selected pieces, arranged into three levels of difficulty. For ease of reference, tables outlining the pieces with their technical challenges are placed at the …

The Suzuki And O’Connor Methods: A Foundational Comparison Of Methodology For The Beginning Violinist, Chelsea Goolcharan

Honors Theses

This research examines both the Suzuki and O’Connor violin methods for the beginner. Varying aspects of the methods are studied including theory, printed materials, recordings of the music to be played, observations of the methods in action, and the teacher’s approach to the beginner violinist. In both methods, teachers begin lessons with scales and progress to simple compositions. The differences lie in the musical genre taught, the vocabulary used, and notation style. The Suzuki method emphasizes a classical style while the O’Connor method focuses on improvisation. Both methods included both group and individual classes. One major difference in instruction is …

The Flutists Of The John Philip Sousa’S Band: A Study Of The Flute Section And Soloists, Ramon Da Silva Moraes

Dissertations

The Sousa Band is widely known because of its leader and his compositions. Although it was one of the most successful ensembles in history, most of the instrumentalists and individuals who contributed to its success have had their legacies forgotten. The flute section of the Sousa Band is an example of a group of musicians who were recognized as some of the best in the United States during their time, but are neglected by the present flute community.

My research focused on gathering data about the flute section and the individuals who were instrumental for the creation and development of …

Taiwanese Traditional Musical Idioms Meet Western Music Composition: An Analytical And Pedagogical Approach To Solo Piano Works By Tyzen Hsiao, Yi-Chuan Tsai

Dissertations

Since Western classical music was introduced in Taiwan, many contemporary Taiwanese composers have been experimenting with different musical forms and techniques. The members of the Third Generation of Taiwanese Composers began to lead the modernization of Taiwanese music after 1960. They proposed the establishment of a specifically Taiwanese musical tradition, one which would reach out to Taiwanese audiences through the incorporation of familiar folk songs and musical idioms, while incorporating Western compositional techniques and forms.

Tyzen Hsiao (蕭泰然) (1938-2015) was one of the most influential Taiwanese composers. His music is a blend of Taiwanese traditional musical idioms and Western music …

Beijing Opera Elements In Qigang Chen’S Piano Concerto Er Huang, Funa Wang

Dissertations

Beijing opera (known as jingju in Chinese) dates back to 1790 and is the most famous traditional Chinese regional opera of some 335 different styles, combining music, vocal performance, dance, and acrobatics. Originally considered vulgar by the court, Beijing opera became especially popular with the Qing dynasty court in its later days (1884-1910), thus raising its status at the beginning of the twentieth century to a ‘national opera.’ Furthermore, it has become an important nationalistic and traditional element in Chinese contemporary music.

Qigang Chen studied and lived in Europe for long time and is proficient in Western compositional techniques. On …

A Jamaican Voice: The Choral Music Of Noel Dexter, Desmond A. Moulton

Dissertations

As we approach the twenty-first century, the world generally is moving away from the dominance of the European aesthetic towards a world music that owes much to the musical resources of the African-American tradition. Jamaica’s social and philosophical music belong mainly to that tradition, which includes the use of rhythms, and timbral and melodic resources that exist independently of harmony. Already in this century, Jamaicans have created two totally new music - Nyabinghi, which performs a philosophical function and Reggae, which performs a social function. The choral music of Noel Dexter is important because it is uniquely Jamaican/Caribbean in its …

Psappha By Iannis Xenakis: Developing Multiple Percussion Literacy, Owen Phillip Rockwell

Dissertations

Psappha by Iannis Xenakis was written for a solo percussionist in 1975, and since then has been performed almost exclusively by elite musicians. The work suffers from broad neglect by students and professionals alike, because the structure and notation are difficult to access. Through Psappha, Xenakis created an alternative approach to serialist and chance compositional techniques that enabled him to communicate what he believed was rhythm in its purest form. The notation is unconventional and challenges the performer to approach Psappha in a similar manner. The main thrust of this project was to re-imagine the work in a more …

The Application Of Contemporary Double Bass Left Hand Techniques Applied In The Orchestra Repertoire, Eric Hilgenstieler

Dissertations

The uses of contemporary left hand techniques are related to solo playing in many ways. In fact, most of these techniques were arguably developed for this kind of repertoire. Generally the original solo repertoire is idiomatic for the double bass. The same cannot be said for the orchestral repertoire, which presents many technical problems too difficult to solve using the traditional technique. Historically, the double bass passed through several transformations in its shape, structure, and tuning system. Only in the late 19th century did the instrument begin to have its own standard pedagogy and experiments with the tuning system diminished. …