SO Music education research or SO Music Educators Journal Full Text on 2010-05-06 09:50 AM

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Collins, Brandon — Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/25/2026
(AN 194025037); ISSN: 00274321
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The President’s Prose: The Summer “Pause”: Where New Beginnings Take Shape.

Adderley, Cecil — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/21/2026
(AN 193906209); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: On Ensemble Setup, Engagement, Connection, and Culture.

Roseth, Nicholas E. — Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/18/2026
(AN 193830849); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Collaborate to Succeed: Evidence-Based Practices for Teachers and Education Support Professionals to Promote Engagement and Prosocial Behavior in Music Classes.

Siegal, Cameron R. — Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/18/2026
(AN 193830628); ISSN: 00274321
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Teaching Improvisation in Choir: Moving from “Recreative” to “Creative” Choral Artistry.

Kambs, Ben; Menon, Saleel Adarkar — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/14/2026
This article describes a research study in which a collegiate choral ensemble learned vocal improvisation techniques as part of their regular rehearsals. While learning to improvise, singers had the opportunity to provide real-time feedback of their perceptions and experiences learning a new skill in a traditional choral setting. In this article, we share what we learned, including the rewards and challenges of teaching improvisation, our reflections as instructors, and perspectives from some of the singers. We also describe the activities we tried and offer strategies for other choir teachers who want to bring improvisation into their own classrooms.
(AN 193797233); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: On Expectations and Aspirations.

Martin, Lisa — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/14/2026
(AN 193797336); ISSN: 00274321
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Listening Back, Looking Forward: Music Education at America’s 250th.

McCarthy, Marie — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 05/14/2026
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 presents an opportunity to pause and reflect on contemporary music education. I approach the anniversary from the perspective of democracy in music education at the 150th anniversary in 1926. In what ways were the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” visible in the philosophy and practice of music education at the time? The article begins with a description of trends in the middle years of the 1920s that likely influenced the direction of music education. From there, I describe how the sesquicentennial anniversary was formally celebrated. On a theme of “sing democracy,” I illustrate how music educators responded to prevailing trends and in the worldview of the time, sought to enact democratic ideals in school music: advocate “music for every child,” expand the music curriculum, establish curriculum standards to improve the quality of music instruction, assimilate and cultivate citizens, and collaborate with professional communities. In conclusion, I return to those five markers of democratic thinking and action in light of the rights of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Listening back to narratives of music, education, and music education in and around the sesquicentennial anniversary can deepen understanding of the evolution of school music and help discern future directions for music in school and community.
(AN 193797380); ISSN: 00274321
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Fostering Twenty-First-Century Competencies through Collective Free Music Improvisation.

Ng, Hoon Hong; Lim, Joseph Soon Keong — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 04/20/2026
This article proposes collective free music improvisation (CFMI) pedagogical strategies that support the development of twenty-first-century competencies (21CCs) among young, diverse learners. It highlights the educational benefits of integrating CFMI into music learning and outlines three key pedagogical dimensions that facilitate CFMI: socio-musical interaction, personal musical vocabulary, and shared understanding. Drawing on authentic classroom examples, the article illustrates how these dimensions can be developed to meaningfully engage learners in CFMI and foster core 21CCs—particularly communication, collaboration, and inventive thinking. These insights offer practical guidance for educators aiming to implement CFMI with similarly profiled student populations.
(AN 193156739); ISSN: 00274321
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Enhancing Music Pedagogy with Generative AI.

McLerran, Marina C. — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 04/17/2026
Through this article, I encourage music educators to enrich traditional pedagogical practices by embodying a spirit of exploration regarding emerging generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. To explore the capabilities of generative AI tools, music educators require a basic understanding of their function and limitations. Large language models may be used as an assistive tool for (a) curricular planning, (b) administrative tasks, (c) compositional activities, and (d) reading and writing assignments. AI music generators may be used (a) to develop supplemental curricular materials, (b) to facilitate multimedia performances, (c) as an exploratory tool, (d) as a composition assistant, or (e) as a means of self-expression. By developing a foundational understanding of generative AI technologies, music educators empower themselves to effectively modernize traditional instructional approaches.
(AN 193107667); ISSN: 00274321
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Lessons from Coaching Honors Modern Band Ensembles.

Dockan, David; Powell, Bryan; Murnak, Raina — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 04/09/2026
Honors music groups, such as all-state and regional ensembles, have expanded beyond traditional large ensemble models to include opportunities such as honors modern band ensembles (HMBEs). Information on HMBEs remains limited, and the extent to which these ensembles resemble the structure of band, choir, and orchestra models is largely unknown. Drawing from our experiences as HMBE coaches, we describe various approaches to facilitating honors modern band groups. Specifically, we discuss the audition process, the rehearsal process, the development of stage presence for student performers, and, finally, how the director’s role shifts from facilitator to producer throughout the rehearsal process. After describing how we navigated these experiences, we invite music educators to consider the implications and applications for applying similar approaches in the music classroom.
(AN 192974264); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: On Finding the Rebel Match.

Martin, Lisa — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
The article focuses on the professional reflections of a former tenured music teacher educator who, after stepping down from full-time music teaching, has experienced a shift in her professional identity while serving as Academic Editor and Chair of the Music Educators Journal. Through teaching non-music subjects and working with a career coach, she has gained clarity on her core professional values, emphasizing the importance of building robust student relationships and having trust, resources, and autonomy for creative work. The author highlights how intentional reflection and coaching can provide space to reconsider one’s career path and encourages educators to find moments that interrupt routine patterns to gain clarity and hope for the future.
(AN 192206423); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Reflecting on Today, Planning for Tomorrow: Considering Community Priorities in Shaping Musical Futures.

Adderley, Cecil — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
The article focuses on the importance of reflecting and adapting school music programs during Music In Our Schools Month to better meet the evolving needs of student communities. It emphasizes assessing participation, resources, and community interests to reimagine curricular offerings and ensure program growth and relevance. Collaboration with administrators and local stakeholders is encouraged to align goals, secure support, and implement changes effectively. The article also highlights the value of professional development, networking, and openness to change as essential for sustaining vibrant and inclusive music education programs.
(AN 192206424); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Meet Francis Hopkinson: Revolutionary Composer, Musician, and Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Wintle, James; Potter, Lee Ann — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
This article focuses on Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the 1776 Declaration of Independence and an early American composer and inventor. It details Hopkinson’s diverse roles as a lawyer, musician, and innovator who improved the harpsichord’s mechanism by replacing fragile quills with seasoned leather. The article highlights Hopkinson’s musical contributions, including his 1759 art song "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free," considered the earliest known classical art song composed in the American colonies, and his 1788 published collection *Seven Songs for the Harpsichord or Forte-Piano*, dedicated to George Washington. Correspondence between Hopkinson and Thomas Jefferson reveals their shared interest in music and Hopkinson’s invention, while the article also discusses the complexities of attributing the title of “first American composer” and encourages critical reflection on historical claims through primary sources preserved by the Library of Congress.
(AN 192206420); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Practical AI in the General Music Classroom.

Niknampour, Hamidreza — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
The article focuses on practical ways elementary general music teachers can use free artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, to support their professional tasks. These AI models can assist with lesson planning, creating rubrics and checklists, drafting parent communications, generating activity ideas, and facilitating documentation and reflection, thereby saving time and reducing workload. The article emphasizes that AI is not a substitute for teaching expertise but should be used as a drafting aid that requires careful review and cultural sensitivity, especially regarding diverse musical traditions. When used responsibly, AI can help music educators manage administrative tasks more efficiently, allowing them to focus more on creative and interpersonal aspects of teaching.
(AN 192206421); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: Ungrading in the Music Classroom.

Fraser, Justin D. — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
The article focuses on the concept of "ungrading" as an alternative assessment approach in music education that deprioritizes traditional grades to emphasize meaningful learning and student agency. Ungrading involves practices such as contract grading, student-centered learning, regular one-on-one performance check-ins, and self-assessment reflections, which collectively foster intrinsic motivation, creativity, and critical thinking. This approach challenges conventional grading by encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and engage deeply without fear of punitive evaluation, while educators shift their role toward providing constructive feedback and facilitating equitable learning environments. The article presents ungrading as a paradigm shift that supports culturally sustaining pedagogy and mutual accountability between students and teachers.
(AN 192206422); ISSN: 00274321
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Making the Most of What We Say: The Power of Verbalization in Music Teaching.

Tanriguden, Birce — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
Music educators can often struggle with managing the use of efficient verbal communication in rehearsals and classrooms, which can impact both teaching efficiency and student development. This article offers practical suggestions for using verbal communication more effectively, focusing on techniques that promote cognitive and socio-emotional growth without overrelying on lengthy teacher talk. It addresses how verbal cues and teacher-talk strategies can enhance student engagement and learning in both ensemble and classroom contexts. In addition, the article provides a self-reflection checklist to help educators assess the effectiveness of their verbalization, offering actionable steps for improving rehearsal and classroom dynamics. This resource encourages music educators to refine communication practices for more purposeful and impactful teaching.
(AN 192206429); ISSN: 00274321
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Porchfest and the Power of Lifelong Musicianship.

Clauhs, Matthew — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
Porchfest is a community music festival that embraces amateurism and lifelong musicianship in ways that can serve as a model for contemporary music education practices. Drawing on field observations and interviews with organizers, musicians, and community members associated with Porchfests across North America, this article presents strategies for preparing students for musical lives beyond their school music careers. By broadening school music experiences, removing barriers to participation, and fostering student independence, music educators can cultivate a deeper sense of belonging among students in their classroom and a stronger connection between their curriculum and the local community. Music programs that prepare students for Porchfest will prepare students to make music for life.
(AN 192206425); ISSN: 00274321
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PROSPERing in Music: A Positive Education Framework for Flourishing.

Roseth, Nicholas E. — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
Flourishing is a multidimensional conceptualization of well-being where individuals function well and experience a sense of vitality. Music teachers can promote flourishing alongside academic achievement through integrating an approach known as "positive education." The purpose of this article is to describe the PROSPER framework, one such approach to positive education that centers positivity, relationships, outcomes, strengths, purpose, engagement, and resilience. By applying this framework in the music classroom, teachers can promote flourishing among their students. In this article, I discuss the role teachers play in supporting well-being, providing general considerations and specific strategies to support PROSPERing in music.
(AN 192206426); ISSN: 00274321
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Expanding Definitions of Musical "Quality": A Framework for Selecting Purposeful Wind Band Repertoire.

Helton, Benjamin C.; Fudale, Joseph — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
Selecting appropriate wind band repertoire for students and audiences can be a complex process that requires careful consideration of many factors aside from a piece's "quality," which can be a subjective and nebulous term. This article posits a framework for repertoire selection that can be utilized in tandem with any concerns regarding the "quality" of a given piece of wind band repertoire. Specifically, the framework asks questions about community interests and values, particular student needs and strengths, and the individual teacher's own musical values and abilities. By considering these factors, band teachers can define their own repertoire selection processes to choose meaningful and educative repertoire for their students and audiences. Although situated in wind band repertoire and pedagogy, this general framework can also be applied to choosing literature for any ensemble or class.
(AN 192206428); ISSN: 00274321
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Building AI Literacy: A New Era for Music Educators.

Yoo, Hyesoo — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2026
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to influence all facets of society, fostering AI literacy has become essential—not only for students but also for educators across disciplines, including music education. In an exploratory review of thirty peer-reviewed articles, Davy Tsz Kit Ng and colleagues describe AI literacy as comprising four essential dimensions: understanding AI, using/applying AI, evaluating AI, and considering AI ethics. These core aspects closely correspond to Aristotle's classical division of knowledge: episteme (theoretical understanding), techne (practical skill), and phronesis (ethical reasoning). Acknowledging the growing importance of AI literacy, I suggest that music teachers adopt Aristotle's framework as a guide to develop AI literacy through self-directed learning. This framework can support music teachers in building a strong theoretical foundation, acquiring practical skills, and thoughtfully addressing the ethical considerations involved in responsibly integrating AI into their teaching practice.
(AN 192206427); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: Making Space for Awe.

Martin, Lisa — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
The article reflects on living with seasonal depression and argues that intentionally experiencing art, music and creativity can restore awe, emotional balance and humanity. Topics include the emotional toll of relentless productivity, the healing role of engaging with others' creative work and the need to model and encourage awe-seeking for ourselves and students.
(AN 190255234); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Another Month of Teaching and We Need to Put Things into Perspective.

Adderley, Cecil — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
The article emphasizes the transformative role of music educators in shaping students' lives by fostering connection, confidence and purpose through shared musical experiences. Topics include preparing the next generation of music teachers, using music to build inclusive and supportive learning communities and advocating for the arts as a vital force for empathy, identity, and social growth.
(AN 190255230); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Integrating AI in Music Education: Experiments from Google Arts & Culture.

Yoo, Hyesoo — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
The article evaluates several Google Arts & Culture educational software including Assisted Melody, MusicFX, and The Infinite Drum Machine.
(AN 190255235); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: Ensemble Cross-Training: Interleaved Practice in the Large Group Rehearsal.

Ross, Ryan; Gross, Amy — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
The article explains how interleaved practice, also called cross-training, improves long-term musical retention by rotating brief, repeated work on multiple excerpts instead of focusing on one passage at a time. Topics include research comparing blocked and interleaved practice, practical strategies for using cross-training in large ensemble rehearsals and guidance on planning timelines and managing short-term frustration for long-term gains.
(AN 190255236); ISSN: 00274321
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Equity: Resisting Inequity with Microrefusals.

Holster, Jacob — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
The article examines how restrictive education policies and language ideologies shape power, identity and belonging in music classrooms, arguing that educators can still foster inclusion through intentional everyday choices. Topics include the impact of divisive concepts laws on teaching, the role of language in reinforcing or resisting exclusion and the use of microrefusals as subtle acts of resistance to support student voice and equity.
(AN 190255237); ISSN: 00274321
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Anxiety and Music Students: Practical Strategies for Music Educators.

Niknampour, Hamidreza — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
Anxiety, particularly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), has long been a concern among music students, arising in contexts where performance pressure, competition, and academic expectations historically intersect. In this article, I identify the unique attributes of anxiety in secondary education music classrooms and offer practical strategies for addressing these challenges. Key strategies discussed include implementing flexible assessment methods, promoting mental health resources, and fostering supportive classroom environments that alleviate anxiety while maintaining high academic standards. Drawing on current research and best practices, these strategies can be integrated into music education to support both the musical and emotional well-being of students. Educators are encouraged to adopt these strategies to cultivate a healthier, more resilient learning environment that supports long-term student success and mental health.
(AN 190255229); ISSN: 00274321
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Learning How to Practice Takes Practice.

Killion, Micah; Duke, Robert — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
Effective music learning depends on effective music practice. Although time spent with teachers is an important component of young musicians' development, time spent alone practicing is perhaps even more consequential. Researchers and teachers have offered many prescriptions about effective music practice, yet observations of young musicians' actual practice reveal that their behavior in the practice room is often quite unlike what teachers envision. The most important aspects of effective practice are the thinking, perceiving, and decision-making that serve to organize how musicians spend their time. We discuss how to help students focus their attention in ways that lead to the successful accomplishment of musical goals.
(AN 190255231); ISSN: 00274321
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Dyscalculia and Music Learning: Helping Students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities in the K–12 Classroom.

Hosseini, Sheerin — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
How does dyscalculia, a specific mathematical learning disability, impact music learning and instruction? Dyscalculia, characterized by difficulties in numerical processing, arithmetic, and calculations, can hinder students' ability to grasp musical concepts such as reading music notation and understanding rhythmic concepts that are mathematical and visuospatial. In this article, I describe the characteristics of dyscalculia and provide a selected literature review to illustrate that there are more music education resources available for working with students with dyslexia than dyscalculia. I then suggest coping strategies that teachers can employ according to three different subtypes of dyscalculia: procedural, semantic, and visuospatial. Music educators will gain insight into a recognized but lesser known learning disability and obtain practical strategies to employ in the classroom with students who have mathematical processing difficulties, thereby enhancing their instructional practices.
(AN 190255238); ISSN: 00274321
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Words and Music: Exploring Lyric Writing in the Music Classroom.

Hill, Stuart Chapman — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
Lyrics are an integral part of the music students love, but do music educators do enough to embrace the "words" part of words and music? Although lyrics, as texts, might seem more literary than musical, lyric writing involves a number of musical considerations; in fact, lyric writing arguably involves its own kind of musicianship. Learning about lyric writing is not only useful for composition or songwriting classes but also can be a way of deepening singers' connection to texts and even strengthening instrumentalists' musicianship. In this article, I explore the musicianship of lyric writing; examine its place in the music curriculum; offer ideas about how lyric writing can be useful in a variety of music classroom settings, including performing ensembles; and suggest activities for helping students explore and refine their skills as lyric-writing musicians.
(AN 190255232); ISSN: 00274321
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Mindfulness Beyond Well-Being: Decentering Fixed Perspectives in Music Education.

Diaz, Frank M. — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2025
Although mindfulness in education is often framed primarily as a tool for stress reduction and emotional regulation, its deeper purpose in contemplative traditions is as a sophisticated method of self-inquiry. This article explores how music educators can engage with mindfulness not merely as a well-being intervention but as a practice for investigating the often unconscious patterns and assumptions that shape our teaching. By cultivating decentered awareness of our pedagogical habits and cultural conditioning, we can create more inclusive and responsive learning environments that honor the diverse experiences of our students. Practical applications include mindful preparation before teaching, conscious attention to physical reactions during instruction, and strategies for questioning automatic responses to student performance, ultimately transforming how we perceive and respond to pedagogical challenges.
(AN 190255233); ISSN: 00274321
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Correction.

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2025
The article focuses on identifying the facilitators and barriers to membership in adult community choirs through a scoping review. It highlights various factors that influence access to these choirs, aiming to enhance participation and inclusivity. The authors discuss the importance of understanding these dynamics to promote community engagement in musical activities. Additionally, the article notes that an error in the initial publication regarding a figure has been corrected in the online version.
(AN 187498869); ISSN: 14613808
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Expanding access to adult community choirs: a scoping review to identify facilitators and barriers to choir membership.

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2025
Choir singing is increasingly recognised for its potential health and wellbeing benefits, with amateur adult community choirs offering accessible opportunities for participation. However, a lack of member diversity highlights the need to identify facilitators and barriers to address equitable access. To do this, we conducted a scoping review of international literature, identifying 24 relevant articles. Previous findings often focused on personal motivations for participation, such as enjoyment of singing and fulfilment of personal, relational and community needs. Factors that affect access despite personal motivation were also identified: facilitators included previous musical experiences, audition-free entry, word-of-mouth recruitment and effective leadership, while barriers included negative relationships and time constraints. Some literature noted a gender imbalance, lack of ethnic diversity and generally older membership, indicating broader access issues; however, specific factors for underrepresented groups were not identified. The literature indicates important considerations for increasing access, engagement and retention in amateur adult community choirs, but further research is needed to address barriers for underrepresented groups.
(AN 187498868); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: Leave, Carry, Change.

Martin, Lisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
The article focuses on the importance of self-care and reflective practice for music educators, drawing parallels between the planning and adaptability required in backpacking trips and in teaching. It emphasizes that while teachers frequently adjust their practices to meet students' and colleagues' needs, attending to their own well-being is equally essential for sustaining professional and personal balance.
(AN 188096413); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Exploring Musicians' Perspectives through Interviews in the Joe Smith Collection.

Manchester, Eileen J. — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
The article focuses on the Joe Smith Collection at the Library of Congress, which preserves many interviews with iconic musicians and music industry professionals, exploring their creative processes, social impact, and careers. It highlights how these recordings, featuring artists such as David Bowie, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Cole, and Pete Seeger, can be used in classrooms to study musical genres, performance techniques, stage personas, gender dynamics, and cultural influences.
(AN 188096414); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Curating Playlists for Learning Music.

Thompson, Keith P. — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
The article focuses on guiding music educators in developing students' skills to become thoughtful curators of music through the creation of curated playlists. It emphasizes that while performance is central in music education, listening is the primary way most people engage with music, and educators have a role in shaping meaningful listening experiences. It encourages independent musical decision-making, critical listening, and appreciation of music's diversity and emotional impact.
(AN 188096415); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: School-Driven Intergenerational Choirs: A Solution to the Decline of Community Choral Singing in Rural America.

Burke, Aaron — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
The article explores how school-driven intergenerational choirs can counter the decline of community choral singing in rural America by engaging adults and students of all ages. It details the Parsons Grand Chorus and the Nickerson Grand Chorus, including recruitment through emails, social media, and local churches, rehearsal scheduling, and diverse music programming such as John Rutter's Requiem and popular selections.
(AN 188096416); ISSN: 00274321
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Finding Voice amid Divisive Concepts Laws.

Richerme, Lauren Kapalka — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
Since January 2021, forty-four states have introduced or passed restrictions on how K–12 educators discuss racism, sexism, and other concepts some deem divisive. Given that music educators must abide by existing legislation, the purpose of this article is to consider what equity-centered endeavors these laws and policies might enable. I begin by providing a brief overview of key points from these laws. Subsequently, I consider the importance of context, including to what extent school leaders and local communities support teachers. Next, I offer three equity-focused music education practices: centering the voices of those marginalized through divisive concepts laws, providing students with facts about material inequities, and facilitating the collaborative addressing of the questions, "What is our problem?" and "What should we do?" For each equity-focused practice, I consider a range of actions music educators might take depending on whether they work in a largely supportive or unsupportive context.
(AN 188096410); ISSN: 00274321
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Unifying Band Practices: Fostering Community in Instrumental Ensembles.

Hawkins, Isaac D.; Coles, Drew X. — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
Music programs vary widely from school to school to meet students' needs and the needs of the community. Some music programs, such as marching band or show choir, include multiple cocurricular or extracurricular opportunities through which student social communities are built and strengthened in unique and powerful ways. Programs without these outlets may therefore benefit from exploring camaraderie building and community development through focused curricular efforts. Using our experience with concert band as a model, this article unpacks several strategies to cultivate belonging and build relationships, revealing new pathways toward connection in the music classroom.
(AN 188096418); ISSN: 00274321
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Choosing to Thrive: A Music Teaching Career Based on Core Values.

Mayhew, Paul J. — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
How do we face the changes and challenges of a music teaching career and learn to thrive as teachers, musicians, and humans? Ideas from the field of positive psychology, including human flourishing and teacher well-being, combined with an understanding of how our core values shape our professional choices can lead us to meaningful self-reflection and positive growth. When we align our values with our work and when our strengths match the challenges we are willing to accept, we can create a teaching life filled with balance, joy, and engagement. This article offers an opportunity to (1) consider our psychological needs and how those needs change across the stages of our careers, (2) identify our personal core values and unique strengths, (3) consider our personal and professional priorities, and (4) create positive growth by choosing the challenges we are willing to accept.
(AN 188096411); ISSN: 00274321
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Connecting the Elementary General and Beginning Instrumental Classrooms.

Schatt, Matthew D. — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
Children often make decisions that affect their musical futures based on their early musical experiences. With lifelong musical learning and participation being a goal of school music instruction, connecting students' early musical experiences with their beginning instrumental education is essential for success. By utilizing the five general suggestions of adding more play, movement, singing, working with patterns, and collaboration to beginning instrumental music programs, music teachers can strive to create consistency between elementary general and beginning instrumental music classrooms, leading to increased persistence, decreased frustration, and improved efficiency in meeting student learning outcomes and keeping students enrolled in school instrumental music. Examples of authentic activities in each of the five key areas for connection are provided.
(AN 188096412); ISSN: 00274321
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Ways of Resonance: Sonic Hospitality, Universal Design for Learning, and the Sound of Friendship in Lauren Coons's Sonic Pathways.

Ramos, Christopher — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2025
Compositional indeterminacy (aleatoric music, graphic notation, open works, etc.) provides an option for applying the Universal Design for Learning framework in large ensembles at many different levels of maturity, which can potentially increase access to our programs for marginalized students. I first share some aspects of my pathway through disability studies that led me to revisit open and aleatoric works as curricular repertoire for the sake of including students with widely varying ability levels in a single large ensemble. I then relate this journey to the framework of Universal Design for Learning and the practice of open musical works by focusing on Lauren Coons's Sonic Pathways (2015), an open work written for any large ensemble with any instrumentation. Large ensemble music educators can potentially broaden their efforts toward increasing access for marginalized students into their programs by considering such repertoire in their educational practice.
(AN 188096417); ISSN: 00274321
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Editorial.

Stakelum, Mary — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
The article discusses the transition of the Editor in Chief role for the journal Music Education Research, highlighting the contributions and achievements of the outgoing editor since January 2017. The editor reflects on the collaborative efforts to enhance the journal's impact in music education research, emphasizing the importance of constructive feedback from reviewers and the meticulous work of authors. Acknowledgments are made to the editorial and advisory boards, as well as the support team at Taylor & Francis. The editor expresses confidence in the incoming editorial team and mentions the continuation of their role as Director of the biennial Research in Music Education (RiME) conference, which aims to complement the journal's work.
(AN 186082775); ISSN: 14613808
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Motivational factors for sustained participation in a traditional Chinese orchestra among primary school students: a self-determination theory perspective.

Guan, Tao; Luo, Ning — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the motivational factors that contribute to primary school students' sustained participation in a traditional Chinese orchestra in a capital city in South China. The methods included participant observation, reflective journals and semi-structured interviews. The participants were 32 primary school students and five music teachers. Underpinned by the self-determination theory (SDT), we analysed the data according to the basic psychological needs of relatedness, competency and autonomy. The findings identified factors that influence students' sustained participation in the Chinese orchestra, including emotional bonds with instruments, peer support, cultural inheritance, competitions, practice habits, family involvement, teacher guidance and long-term commitment. This study further extends SDT by demonstrating how the psychological needs for relatedness, competence and autonomy are uniquely supported among young Chinese students through their interactions with musical instruments, peers, teachers and family. It highlights the cultural interpretation of these psychological needs within the context of Chinese music education. The findings contribute to the SDT literature on music education by providing evidence that fulfilling the three basic needs can promote sustainability in traditional music learning.
(AN 186082768); ISSN: 14613808
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Understanding the achievement goals of adolescent instrumental learners.

Caffull, Samantha; Waddington-Jones, Caroline — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
Instilling positive motivational beliefs in musical learners is vital to promoting long term engagement with music beyond the school years. This qualitative interview study explores the motivation of nine adolescent instrumental learners in an English school through the lens of achievement goal theory. Participants discussed experiences aligning with self-approach, other-approach, other-avoidance and task-approach goals. Thematic analysis identified a number of influences on achievement goals not yet fully explored in the achievement goal literature, namely family influence, peer influence, musical identity, ownership over learning and the intrinsic value of music. As well as illuminating the lived experiences of adolescent musicians, the findings of this study also provide new insights in achievement goal theory research by applying the 3 × 2 achievement goal model to adolescent instrumental learners. Implications for music educators seeking to promote longer-term musical engagement are recommended, notably in the provision of broad musical experiences to promote positive musical identities.
(AN 186082774); ISSN: 14613808
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Giftedness theories in musical talent development research: a scoping review with implications for music education scholars and practitioners.

Datu, Jesus Alfonso D.; Ho Weatherly, Katy Ieong Cheng — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
Theories about giftedness have been extensively applied in understanding academic and talent development of gifted and high-ability students in academic-related and other co-curricular domains of performance. However, there is limited literature on the application of such theories in musically talented students and adults. This review addresses this issue by summarising prior studies that used specific theories of giftedness in investigating the talent and psychological qualities in musically gifted learners. A total of 27 eligible studies were included in this review. Our findings showed sporadic attempts to integrate theories of giftedness in studies involving musically talented students and adults, with most studies using Gagne's differentiated model of giftedness and others using Gardner's multiple intelligences theory and educational psychological theory (e.g. expectancy-value theory). We elaborate on how integrating extant theories of giftedness with cultural psychological theories can enrich our understanding of musically gifted learners' talent development, especially in non-Western cultural contexts.
(AN 186082766); ISSN: 14613808
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How is perception related to action? A neurophysiological perspective on music perception and learning.

Gruhn, Wilfried — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
Cognitive conceptions of action and perception have been seen for a long time as separate, peripheral processes. Here, we will introduce a new perspective on perception and action as an interacting developmental process. Evolutionary and neurophysiological research studies have demonstrated that cognitive processes arise from motor development. Empirical data and observational tests on cognitive abilities are related to the findings of evolutionary biology regarding brain functions. The morphologic structure of the primary auditory cortex exhibits high plasticity according to musical practice and determines different types of perception depending on the orientation to different aspects of the overtone spectrum. Based on these conditions, a neurophysiological perspective on music perception and cognition arises. According to Buzsáki's neurophysiological findings, there is no perception without action, and without perception, there is no cognition. Consequently, if perception and cognition are based on action and even more, if both originate from the same evolutionary development, then this must have immediate consequences for music teaching and learning.
(AN 186082769); ISSN: 14613808
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Qualitative analysis of university lecturers' understanding and approaches of sight-reading teaching in China.

Lin, Qi; Matsunobu, Koji — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
Despite extensive research and applications of sight-reading instruction in Western countries, little is known about how sight-reading is perceived and taught in China. This paper bridges this gap by exploring the perceptions and teaching strategies of nine lecturers from six Chinese universities. Classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and video discussions were conducted to gather data. The lecturers shared their views on sight-reading and emphasised the need for standalone courses. Their sight-reading teaching patterns included preparing activities (analysing the music, exercising the scales, getting used to specific rhythmic patterns, and singing the scores), providing ongoing feedback (paying attention to tempo and guiding eye movement on sheet music), and emphasising the importance of follow-up practice of patterns. However, the lecturers' pedagogies were based largely on their personal sight-reading experiences. They even doubted the effectiveness of their own teaching methods, which reduced their confidence. The study highlights the need for lecturers to overcome psychological and pedagogical barriers and further develop their teacher efficacy.
(AN 186082772); ISSN: 14613808
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Enacting presence: exploring in-service music educators' understandings of relationships in a collaborative teacher study group.

Bylica, Kelly; Forrester, Sommer Helweh — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
The purpose of this study was to explore how in-service music educators develop, name, and enact the relational practices of their work in schools while participating in a collaborative teacher study group (CTSG), and specifically how those practices relate to presence. Through a multicase research design, we analysed the practices of three U.S. music educators as they sought to develop and analyse their relational dispositions while working in a CTSG. Our analysis of the CTSG and individual interviews revealed three dominant themes: (a) the absence of relational capacity in the value system; (b) knowing and naming relational capacity as a non-linear process; (c) the importance of unlearning in participant growth. Future research is needed to examine the relationship between teacher decision-making and the impact of expectations from institutions (Kindergarten-Grade 12 and higher education) and stakeholders within the field of music education.
(AN 186082771); ISSN: 14613808
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'A teacher by day and a performer by night': performer-educator identity tensions in a graduate community of practice course.

Hodgson, Aaron; Benjamins, Laura — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
This article explores how participation in a community of practice course aided negotiation between performer-educator identities among graduate students professionally active as studio teachers. Studio teachers may face isolation due to limited opportunities for professional development and the secluded nature of one-on-one instruction, and overemphasis on vertical knowledge transmission within a master-apprentice model. Often engaged in performing and teaching as part of a broader, portfolio career, studio teachers may face tensions between their performer-educator identities. These tensions in identity may be mitigated through participation in a community of practice. Using a qualitative case study methodology, researchers used questionnaires, reflective assignments, interviews, and non-participant observations to investigate the experiences of 6 participants enrolled in a one-semester graduate course. Themes include the impact of participation in a community of practice, tensions in identity, and alleviation of tensions between identities.
(AN 186082773); ISSN: 14613808
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Female conservatoire students' voices regarding futures in the male-dominated world of western classical music: the communicative or controlled mirroring pianist body?

Almqvist, Cecilia Ferm; Holmgren, Carl — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2025
Previous research has reported a multitude of problems related to gender equality in higher music education and the professional field of Western classical music over the last decades. This study aimed to understand female conservatory piano students' experiences of being and becoming musicians. Associative interviews with six students from three different European countries told their stories of studying the piano and their views of their futures as pianists and musicians in the male-dominated world of Western classical music. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed in a hermeneutical narrative manner using Frank's theory of bodily voices. The findings show how these students are situated towards and through conservatory studies, either cultivated towards control and body-relatedness or desire and other-relatedness, which seem to influence their views of possible futures. Finally, we offer suggestions for how conservatory education could enable and support students in responsibly developing their own musical futures.
(AN 186082770); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: On Steady Hums and Barbaric Yawps.

Martin, Lisa — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on the vital role of "good work" in music education as both a grounding force and a source of inspiration. Topics include fostering inclusive classroom practices, the value of contentment as a platform for growth, and the balance between professional steadiness and the drive for transformative change.
(AN 186014599); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Thank Goodness It's June! Addressing Stress and Burnout in Music Teachers.

Confredo, Deborah A. — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on addressing stress and burnout among music educators, especially as they reflect on the challenges of the 2024–2025 school year and prepare for the future. Topics include recognizing symptoms of burnout, identifying contributing factors such as performance pressures and lack of resources, and implementing self-care strategies to support well-being and job sustainability.
(AN 186014601); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: "Roots and Routes": New Story Maps from the American Folklife Center.

Shankar, Guha; Potter, Lee Ann — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on two new interactive Story Maps developed by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress that explore how cultural expression preserves and transmits identity through music, movement, and storytelling. Topics include the preservation of Hispanic and African American performance traditions, the educational use of archival materials, and the role of migration in shaping cultural heritage.
(AN 186014600); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Clausz, Michelle — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on The Music Teacher's Guide to Recruitment and Retention by Angela Ammerman, which presents actionable strategies for attracting and keeping students in music programs. Topics include fostering long-term student engagement, building community through music education, and providing practical tools and reflections for educators to tailor recruitment efforts to their unique teaching environments.
(AN 186014603); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: The Social Imagination Experience: An Art and Music "Happening".

Delman, Melissa F.; Harper, Rebecca G. — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on how social imagination pedagogy, rooted in Maxine Greene's philosophy, can empower students to use art and music as tools for community building and creative expression. Topics include the importance of imagination in fostering empathy and independent thinking, the role of collaboration in student learning, and the implementation of an interactive "Happening" event blending music, visual art, and nature to inspire social connection and transformation.
(AN 186014604); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: The Infinite Game Mindset in Music Education: Addressing Burnout, Cultivating a Career.

LeFils Jr., Gregory W. — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
The article focuses on how adopting an infinite game mindset can help music educators reduce burnout, foster long-term resilience, and cultivate a fulfilling teaching career. Topics include the distinction between finite and infinite games, the importance of vision and strategy in teaching, and the role of courage and community in sustaining professional growth.
(AN 186014605); ISSN: 00274321
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Confronting the Viability of "Music for All" in the Face of School Privatization Threats.

Miksza, Peter; Miksza, Keri — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
Music education has been present in public schools in one formal capacity or another for nearly 200 years, and the vitality of traditional public schools is crucial for ensuring "music for all." In this article, we describe (a) the socio-ideological and economic incentives that motivate the school privatization movement and (b) how school privatization efforts have gained momentum since the civil rights era and the emergence of the contemporary notion of "school choice." We then explain the typical strategies some legislators and critics tend to use to undermine and disparage public schools. Last, we suggest a variety of steps public school music teachers can take to become informed of their local political realities and work to minimize the potential damage to their local public school institutions because of privatization. Ultimately, we challenge music teachers to help others remember that public education is, indeed, a "public good" rather than a private commodity and that schooling is first and foremost about providing for children rather than earning profits.
(AN 186014596); ISSN: 00274321
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Navigating between Two Poles: The Concept of Yin and Yang as an Alternative Approach to Teaching Improvisation in Elementary General Music Classrooms.

Juan, Hsuan-Wen Sharon — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
Even though national standards have emphasized the significance of developing students' musical ability in the area of "Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic ideas, and explain connection to specific purpose and context (such as social and cultural)," many elementary general music teachers still face the challenge of facilitating student improvisation. In this context, Eastern philosophy provides alternative perspectives and learning avenues to guide students in exploring the energy flow inherent in music during improvisation—a facet yet unexplored in the existing improvisation literature. In this article, I introduce the concept of yin and yang from the Eastern philosophy of the Yijing, or I Ching (Book of Changes), and describe how activities using these concepts can inform improvisation. I organize the article in three main sections: (1) applying yin and yang principles to improvisational movement, (2) using the eight trigrams of the Yijing to inspire improvisation in vocal and instrumental exercises, and (3) incorporating the yin and yang concept from Chinese painting to catalyze students' musical improvisation journey.
(AN 186014598); ISSN: 00274321
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Creativity through Recomposition in the Music Ensemble.

Rotjan, Matthew; Nicholson, George — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
Musical creativity is an essential component of a robust music education. There are many ways to invite and develop the creative capacities of K–12 music students. In this article, we propose the idea that recomposing within and around repertoire can be a creative starting point for student composition in an ensemble music classroom. We share examples of potential recomposition projects, questions to prompt student reflection, and other pedagogical considerations as a springboard for compositional projects with students. We hope that the open-ended nature of this mindset will encourage more creative musical spaces.
(AN 186014602); ISSN: 00274321
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Joining the Wave: A Case for K-Pop in the Music Classroom.

Go, Christy — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
World music study in K–12 classrooms remains largely focused on folk songs and older music that may perpetuate stereotypes of communities "frozen in time" or contribute to exoticism and tokenism. K-pop, as a subset of Korean popular music, can be a strong medium for engaging in culturally responsive world music pedagogy that focuses on contemporary world music. In this article, I introduce K-pop, explain its inception, and present how the cultural reach of K-pop positions the genre as a model to encourage discussions and conversations in promoting social justice, empathy, and empowering equity. Strategies for incorporating K-pop in K–12 classrooms using Hammond's culturally responsive pedagogy model, Campbell's phases of world music pedagogy, and Banks's levels of curriculum reform are discussed.
(AN 186014606); ISSN: 00274321
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Supporting Immigrant, Intercountry Adopted, and Refugee Students in Music Classrooms with Culturally Relevant and Responsive Approaches.

Kang, Sangmi; Lee, Ji Won — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2025
In this article, we discuss the rationales for supporting immigrant, intercountry adopted, and refugee students in music classrooms and provide instructional examples from our lived experiences. Being uprooted from their familiar cultures and reimplanted in unfamiliar circumstances, immigrant, intercountry adopted, and refugee students may encounter various cultural, social, emotional, and linguistic obstacles. Music classrooms can be a safe place to empower them by adopting culturally relevant and responsive frameworks. Based on these asset-based frameworks, music teachers can (a) work with students' uniqueness and strengths, (b) cultivate competence toward the host culture through music, and (c) maintain identity toward the homeland culture through music.
(AN 186014597); ISSN: 00274321
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Striking a chord for gender equality: dissecting gender representation in Chinese middle school music education textbooks.

Cao, Junyi; Ho Weatherly, Katy Ieong Cheng; Tang, Wenhui — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
This study examines gender representation in middle school music textbooks in mainland China, aiming to explore portrayals of male and female musicians and potential biases within music education. Inspired by China's recent commitment to gender equality as outlined in its legal and educational policies, this research scrutinises the gender representation of male and female through the depiction of gender in textbook imagery in Chinese Middle School Music Education Textbooks. Utilising content analysis on 2475 images and song information extracted from 10 music textbooks spanning various publications, the research unveils notable gender differentials across distinct categories. Our research indicates while both men and women are depicted in professional music activities such as singing and performing at nearly equal levels, women are notably underrepresented in roles such as conductor and composer. Additionally, females dominate popular music genres, while males dominate instrumental roles. These align with existing literature on gender stereotypes in the music industry and educational materials. This unequal distribution implies that gender equality may not be adequately emphasised in the Chinese educational setting. This research contributes to the discourse on gender equality in education by highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving balanced gender representation in music education materials.
(AN 184628191); ISSN: 14613808
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A ukulele for everyone: a collaborative self-study of an initiative for student-owned ukuleles in an Australian university.

Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
The limited time for music education in generalist primary and early childhood teacher education courses remains a persistent challenge in initial teacher education. An initiative for student-owned ukuleles was launched at an Australian university to enhance the skills and confidence of pre-service primary and early childhood generalist teachers to include music activities in their teaching. This collaborative self-study explores the experiences of four music teacher educators across several years and iterations of core arts subjects where pre-service teachers purchased or borrowed a ukulele. The initiative for student-owned ukuleles began during the COVID lockdowns and extended into periods of online learning and the return to in-person teaching. Data collection consisted of individual narratives, document analysis and reflective discussions. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify emergent themes. In this article, we report how the initiative built community and connection, supported confident and unselfconscious singing, using a pedagogy informed by participatory music making. The findings highlight the potential benefits to supporting generalist teacher skills and confidence to use music in their classrooms and the value of self-study to transform our practice as teacher-educator-researchers. The findings may be of interest to music teacher educators in similar circumstances.
(AN 184628192); ISSN: 14613808
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How inclusive are our music classrooms? A theoretical model and case study from a preschool class of a mainstream private nursery school in Cyprus.

Efstathiou, Rea; Varvarigou, Maria — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
Inclusive music classrooms in theory and in practice, within the context of Cyprus, are an under-researched area. This study wishes to address this gap in research, by proposing a Model of Musical Development in Inclusive Education (MMDIE) that could act as a valuable tool for music educators, researchers, teachers, parents and stakeholders for designing inclusive environments fostering meaningful musical experiences for all their students. The originality of the MMDIE lies in the synthesis of three theoretical frameworks: the five characteristics of inclusive music classrooms [Jellison, J. A. 2012. "Inclusive Music Classrooms and Programs." In Vol. 2 of The Oxford Handbook of Music Education, edited by G. E. McPherson and G. F. Welch, 65–80. Oxford University Press], Sounds of Intent [Ockelford, A. 2008. Music for Children and Young People with Complex Needs. Great Britain: Oxford University Press] and Universal Design for Learning [CAST. 2018. "Universal Design for Learning Guidelines" V. 2.2. htpp://udlguidelines.cast.org]. These frameworks were mapped on Bronfenbrenner's system theory model. The case study methodology adopted, allowed for the investigation of interactions between the various systems influencing the musical development of one autistic, 'non-speaking' [Botha, M., J. Hanlon, and G. L. Williams. 2023. "Does Language Matter? Identity-First versus Person-First Language Use in Autism Research: A Response to Vivanti." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 53 (2): 870–878] child six-and-a-half years old in a mainstream private preschool in Cyprus. Findings highlighted that the child's music learning and participation experiences could become more inclusive. The use of the MMDIE allowed for the identification of behaviours, attitudes and perceptions that promoted or restricted these experiences, thus it could lead to a transformation of educational practices, views and experiences towards inclusive music education in Cyprus and internationally.
(AN 184628193); ISSN: 14613808
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A dialogic exploration of pedagogical orchestration and entrained participation.

Stolp, Eveliina; Moate, Josephine — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
This study explores how the chronotope, a particular time–space, of a collective in-time experience through music takes shape through the individual and interconnected actions and responses of a teacher and students in joint music-making. The dataset consists of video recordings of a joint music-making lesson (45 min) and the interviews of the teacher and 23 sixth grade students. This study provides insights into the multimodal nature of music as the primary mediator of interaction, and how the chronotope of interpersonal entrainment is curated and experienced in joint music-making.
(AN 184628194); ISSN: 14613808
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Conservatoire staff perspectives on the role of alumni in higher music education: who benefits?

Shaw, Luan — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
The forging and maintenance of alumni relations is critical to the sustainability of Higher Music Education Institutions worldwide. In contrast to university-based career mentoring programmes, research about the role of alumni in conservatoire students' professional development is scarce. Alumni profiles are often used to support conservatoires' marketing campaigns, featuring graduates perceived as having the most 'successful' careers. Yet, alumni can contribute significantly to conservatoire education by being honest about their lived experiences as graduates and breaking down perceived barriers relating to what constitutes success in music. This research addresses a significant gap in the literature by involving conservatoire staff as participants. Firstly, perspectives on alumni involvement in a UK conservatoire's day-to-day activity were gathered from 64 staff via an online questionnaire. Subsequently, researcher observations of a series of career seminars led by ten alumni provided context for semi-structured interviews with two academic staff who organised the series. The findings, which are developed into a model for 'alumni in conservatoire education', show that whilst conservatoire staff were committed to supporting students' professional development through alumni activities, the benefits of alumni contributions for the professional development of staff could be more widely recognised, to further develop institutional approaches to supporting student-professional transition.
(AN 184628195); ISSN: 14613808
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Improving classroom inclusion through Orff-inspired music education: a study from a secondary school in Fujian, China.

Wang, Luyi; Odena, Oscar — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
This study explores how Orff-inspired music education may promote inclusion when Chinese urban students and their migrant classmates with diverse backgrounds attend music education lessons together. Fieldwork focused on a large state secondary school in Fujian, China. Two Key Findings are examined. Key Finding 1 focuses on the mechanisms of how Orff-inspired music teaching improved students' perceived inclusion in terms of friendships, motivation, and confidence. Key Finding 2 reveals how perceived inclusion differed across three types of students, metaphorically named Birds, Kites, and Stones. Implications for policy and practice are considered. We suggest that music education can be used in urban schools in China to develop more inclusive classrooms. The importance of teachers' awareness of their role in enhancing inclusion and of their students' characteristics is outlined.
(AN 184628196); ISSN: 14613808
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Teaching to practice productively and consciously: an action-research study in one-to-one instrumental music teaching.

Mateos-Moreno, Daniel; García-Perals, Jorge; Maxwell, T.W. — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
Considerable practice is needed for success in playing an instrument. However, music students often lack a clear understanding of how to practice on their own. In the present study, we address this issue using action research because we wanted to improve teaching aimed at developing three viola students' perceived productivity and self-awareness regarding their purposeful practice. The analysis of a teacher diary, student journals and multiple interviews to students guided us through the action research cycle. As a result, positive perceptions developed among participants regarding their solitary practice; including improved focus, being more productive, enhanced sensitivity to progression, strengthened memories on the learning paths and increased body-awareness. Negative perceptions included more stress, need for adapting to the changes and feeling tired. The implication of our results highlights the value of fostering students' self-reflection in studio teaching.
(AN 184628197); ISSN: 14613808
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Developing learner-centred music theory resources: a case study from the Maltese Islands.

Barbieri, Moira; Varvarigou, Maria — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2025
This study explores the co-development of music theory resources for Grades 7 and 8 at the Malta School of Music using a case study methodology. The first author collaborated with learners to create and refine music theory guides, testing sample chapters in classrooms and incorporating iterative feedback. Data collection included focus group interviews with two learner cohorts and an analysis of learner compositions to understand their experiences with the material. The findings highlighted four key themes for enhancing music theory education: (1) engaging learners through composition and performance, (2) integrating singing and collaboration, (3) deepening understanding through historical context and (4) enriching learning with a diverse repertoire. The study emphasises that music learners can play a salient role in developing inclusive music theory resources that are relevant beyond the classroom. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, advocating for the integration of diverse musical genres, digital tools, collaborative learning, historical and cultural contexts and a repertoire that includes varied composers and performers. Additionally, portfolio-based learning is suggested as a means to support a more comprehensive approach to music theory education. These insights aim to make music theory more engaging, inclusive and applicable to students' personal and professional musical experiences.
(AN 184628198); ISSN: 14613808
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Dialectic tension: music education majors' lived experience in an international choir trip.

Kang, Sangmi — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine music education majors' lived experience of negotiating cultural differences in an international choral trip from the US to China. Eight music education majors from a music college in the eastern U.S. participated in this study. I collected three types of data describing their cultural exchange experience: participants' daily journals, and the research assistant's observation notes during the trip, and a series of focus group interviews after the trip. Through the process of epoché, phenomenological reduction, horizontalization, and structural synthesis, four themes emerged: (a) Explicit knowledge acceptance by superficial cultural engagement, (b) Elatedness over common musical characteristics, (c) Implicit othering attitude, and (d) Moments of self-reflexivity. In the essence of their cultural interactions, participants experienced dialectic tension between musical similarities and differences, surficial and deep cultural engagement, universal and non-universal consideration, and their centrality toward self and others.
(AN 183055868); ISSN: 14613808
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On decolonising music diversity in/and higher education.

wamwa Mwanga, Kaghondi — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
The practice of music diversity is colonialized. Its model is impotent to disrupt the Western canon. On the contrary, the practice has opened the door to sonic materialization and trafficking that has become indicative of the encounter between classical music and other music traditions in higher education. The Global South has become the mining area, while Western institutions "explore" indigenous music to repair the status quo. The thesis of this article is that the current Western curricular approach to music diversity is a reincarnation of the Western hegemony. I adapted a decolonial lens to examine the premises of diversity practice, questioning its model and unmasking its logic. I will interrogate the unbalanced relationship or what Quijano and Mignolo call the "matrix of power." In doing so, I introduced a conceptual tool - canonity, which is defined and examined alongside the concept of diversity. I argue that diversity represents the other side of canonity, just as coloniality and modernity/rationality are two sides of the same coin. This coinage suggests that musical canonity/diversity is indicative and constitutive of coloniality/modernity. Thus, the article calls for the decanonisation of the epistemic center, delinking from the trajectory of modernity/rationality and shifting the geography of knowledge.
(AN 183055869); ISSN: 14613808
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The construction of 'we' Empowering music practice in kindergarten.

Kulset, Nora Bilalovic; Halle, Kirsten — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
Singing together fosters connections across social contexts. While this activity is expected to flourish in kindergartens and nurseries, studies from multiple countries have highlighted a growing decline in confidence in singing among both kindergarten teachers and students. To address this, Kulset and Halle [(2020). Togetherness!: adult companionship – the key to music-making in kindergarten.' Music Education Research 22 (3): 304–314] introduced 'we', promoting adult companionship and collective music-making. This study deepens the 'we' concept and its practical implications. Using Cultural-historical Activity Theory (CHAT), we compared recent studies on self-concept in musicality among kindergarten teachers and students. While existing research emphasises the significance of nurturing musical skills and a theoretical understanding of musicality, our analysis suggests that practical engagement in music-making mainly as a collaborative effort could catalyse a transformative shift towards fostering musical togetherness. We propose adjusting music programmes in kindergarten teacher education to prioritise such collaborative music-making skills. Practical 'we' implementation could reverse declining confidence in singing, instead fostering musical companionship.
(AN 183055870); ISSN: 14613808
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Understandings of inclusivity in music education: a comparative policy study of Luxembourg and Japan.

Chiba, Miwa; Hebert, David G. — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
Educational policies tend to be shaped by the interaction of sociohistorical contexts with global forces, for which the issues of diversity and inclusion in music education are particularly complex. This study examines how inclusivity is conceptualised in the field of music education in both Luxembourg and Japan. Reviewing the historical construction and distinctive characteristics of national music education systems, we analyse how the notion of inclusive music education is understoood, and identify current opportunities and obstacles towards full inclusion of diverse students. The study applies the analytical frameworks of (i) global influences and isomorphism, (ii) historical institutionalism, and (iii) Göransson and Nilholm's typology of inclusive education. Based on analyses of curricula and policies, and interviews with (music) teachers in schools and organisations, we determined that unequal access to music education remains, and standardised approaches often hinder participation of diverse students while cross-sector partnerships offer new opportunities for inclusion.
(AN 183055871); ISSN: 14613808
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Introducing a Sound-based Music Education in early childhood: the role of sonic and musical tools in the development of teleomusicality.

Veloso, Ana Luísa; Foletto, Clarissa — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
In recent years, and within the scope of moving towards more inclusive and democratic classrooms, some scholars have proposed developing approaches to Music Education that depart from sound and sounding phenomena as larger categories that might incorporate the diverse trajectories and life experiences of children. In accordance with this initial position, this article correspondingly examines just what sonic and musical tools might more easily afford young children with meaningful interactions with sound and their sonic environments in the framework of developing Sound-based Music Education for early childhood. Our findings highlight the importance of introducing new sonic tools – including recording, amplification, and augmented listening – into developing diversified and meaningful musical activities with young children. These findings also simultaneously highlight the need to develop new definitions of music, extending to the entire sound pallet that surrounds us, and representative of the different musical paths and identities that children develop throughout their lives.
(AN 183055872); ISSN: 14613808
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Exploring Nordic approaches to advanced instrumental music pedagogy: insights from ethnographic fieldwork.

Jakobsen, Marianne Løkke; Hebert, David G. — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
This ethnographic research was conducted at two intensive Scandinavian music academies with the aim of examining the extent to which there is a Nordic approach to advanced instrumental music teaching. Data collected through observations, interviews, and discussions revealed academy structures, instrumental techniques, and the use of metaphors in teaching. The study found a blend of Nordic pedagogical traditions, instrument-specific approaches, and personal teaching methods. The Scandinavian instructors tended to employ personalized coaching styles, emphasizing independent thought and interpretation. A characteristic form of politeness and directness was identified among the Nordic pedagogues that shares some features with renowned masterclass teachers in other contexts. Further research is needed to fully grasp this Nordic approach, potentially leading to typologies or explanatory models. The study underscores the need for continued exploration and analysis of diverse instructional strategies and cultural influences in music education.
(AN 183055873); ISSN: 14613808
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An analysis of music textbooks: insights into citizenship education in China.

Ho, Wai-Chung — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
This article examines the integration of citizenship education into school music education in China, highlighting the influence of state control and political ideology. It focuses on three key areas: the historical context of embedding citizenship values in music education, the regulation of music textbooks, and the promotion of citizenship through official song singing. By analysing selected songs from state-approved textbooks, the study reveals themes of love, harmony, and unity that foster a sense of belonging and identity across family, school, national, and global contexts. While the findings indicate that state-led citizenship education can effectively cultivate these values, it is essential to balance ideological alignment with opportunities for open dialogue among students. This balanced approach is crucial for preparing students to engage actively in a complex and interconnected world. Further research into teachers' and students' perceptions of citizenship education is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of this framework in shaping citizenship in China.
(AN 183055874); ISSN: 14613808
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Preparing for infants' musicking – a tracking case study of a Chinese family's musical environment.

Su, Hang; Du, Mutian; Luo, Yue — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2025
This empirical tracking case study explores the content and quality of an infant's home musical environment and family member-infant musical interactions. To this end, this study tracked and analyzed audio recordings of an infant girl's family life between the ages of seven and thirteen months and follow-up interviews with her parents. The characteristics and patterns of how family-infant musical interactions developed and changed as the infant grew were then analyzed through the concept of community. It was found that the parents' recognition of the function of music and their perceptions of the infant's developmental patterns jointly determined the manner, frequency, content, and duration of parent-infant musical interactions. In turn, the infant's growing and changing musical ability prompted her family members to adjust their strategies and interaction methods with the infant. Descriptive statistics and qualitative data were synthesised to identify the parents' distinctive views of music education. On this basis, the infant's home musical environment, the content and quality of family member-infant musical interactions, the patterns of change in the frequency and duration of interactions, and the possible reasons for these qualities are discussed. Finally, the limitations of this study and future research directions are considered.
(AN 183055875); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: Agency, Influence, and Connection in Challenging Times.

Martin, Lisa — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
The article focuses on the importance of agency and influence for music educators in challenging times. Topics include the impact of external factors on teacher autonomy, the role of influence in maintaining agency, and the significance of relationships and professional networks in fostering resilience and advocacy.
(AN 183761854); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Daily Advocates and a Wealth of "Becauses".

Confredo, Deborah A. — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
The article focuses on the importance of advocating for music education in schools, especially in light of the controversy sparked by Scholastic News. Topics include the diverse benefits of music education, both musical and extramusical, the ongoing efforts of the U.S. National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in advocacy, and the scientific research supporting music's impact on cognitive and emotional development.
(AN 183761853); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: American Choral Music: A Digital Collection at the Library of Congress.

Potter, Lee Ann; Wintle, James — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
The article focuses on the Library of Congress's "American Choral Music" digital collection, which showcases a selection of choral works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Topics include the diverse range of composers featured, the significance of the A. P. Schmidt Company Archives, and the representation of women and African American music in the collection.
(AN 183761857); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Building Cross-Linguistic Connections in la Clase de Música.

Aguirre, Ruth — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
The article focuses on building cross-linguistic connections in music education for emergent bilingual/multilingual students (EBMS), emphasizing the integration of Spanish and English music terminology. Topics include the importance of recognizing linguistic abilities as assets, incorporating dual-language vocabulary into lessons, and fostering a multilingual classroom environment to enhance musical understanding and student agency.
(AN 183761855); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: The Musical Content of Video Game Soundtracks and Implications for Their Use in the Classroom.

Irene, Sab; Dansereau, Diana — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
The article focuses on the role of video game music (VGM) in education and its potential impact on music learning. Topics include the dynamic, reactive nature of VGM, its positive effects on skills like pitch matching and rhythmic perception, and the challenges faced by music educators in incorporating VGM into the curriculum.
(AN 183761856); ISSN: 00274321
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In Praise of the Playful, Silly, Goofy Middle School Music Teacher.

Shaw, Ryan D. — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
Anecdotal evidence from observing masterful middle school music educators suggests they often place emphasis on inside jokes, quirky puppets/mascots/artifacts, imaginative conversations, and a mode of teaching that invites laughter and fun. This type of playfulness can satisfy both community-building and instructional purposes. Despite the prevalence of such playfulness, this important aspect of middle school music teaching has been long neglected in scholarly journals. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to recognize the effectiveness of middle school music teacher playfulness and the approaches built around such an ethos. I first define teacher playfulness and relate it to the concepts of play, pedagogical creativity, and adolescent brain development. I give examples of how ensemble teachers engage with purposeful playfulness in their classrooms, and I give recommendations and considerations for the music teacher interested in infusing their teaching with playful ideas. Although there are possible objections to playfulness in secondary ensemble classrooms, I aim to persuade middle school teachers to acknowledge the value of being silly and using humor to derive positive effects on community and learning.
(AN 183761858); ISSN: 00274321
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Props: Useful Tools for an Inclusive Music Classroom.

Cardany, Audrey — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
Creating an inclusive music learning environment while addressing curriculum standards poses a daunting task for many music teachers. This article takes a focused approach with a discussion of props as valuable tools to meet students' diverse learning needs. Two examples highlight Universal Design for Learning principles of representation, expression, and engagement. The selected activities demonstrate how music teachers can take incremental steps toward cultivating a genuinely inclusive music environment.
(AN 183761859); ISSN: 00274321
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Ecological Model of Student Artistic Development in Jazz Education: Career Implications.

Coles, Drew X.; Hu, Eric — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
Jazz education is an essential aspect of music education that must adapt to changing student needs, industry trends, and societal expectations. By being responsive to these changes, jazz education can best prepare the next generation of jazz scholars, practitioners, and advocates. This article explores a temporally focused adaptation of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory as put forth by Constance McKoy and Vicki Lind as it applies to jazz education, with particular attention to the microsystem—the interaction between different academic community members, faculty members, students, and the chosen and given families of students. This subsystem of intersections and relationships is significant because it often bears the most affirmational weight on the journey of a young jazz scholar. By adopting an adaptive approach in consideration of all of the systems in the Bronfenbrenner model, jazz educators and institutions of jazz learning can ensure that their programs live on. Additionally, by considering the impact of time and its dimensions, jazz educators can provide students with a comprehensive and meaningful learning experience that connects them to the past, present, and future of this vibrant art form.
(AN 183761861); ISSN: 00274321
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Bamboo Angklung: Incorporating Indonesia into the Music Education Classroom.

Hynson, Meghan — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
This article discusses the bamboo angklung as a viable instrument to teach Indonesian music and culture in the music education classroom. It is based on research conducted in West Java and on observations made during a twelve-week period of teaching angklung to K–3 students in the United States. In particular, this article presents pedagogical models used in Indonesian schools and cultural centers and examines how the angklung can be used to teach not only music and Indonesian culture but also Indonesian social values and history. Suggestions for hands-on activities and transcriptions of folk songs are provided to help teachers introduce Indonesian culture and angklung in a way that also strengthens skills in audiation, matching pitch, and recognizing scale degrees.
(AN 183761860); ISSN: 00274321
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Student-Centered Instruction: The Collaboration of Students and Teachers through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Anti-Racist Curriculum in Music Education.

Battersby, Sharyn L.; Martin, Greg — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2025
As our communities are becoming more diverse, it is imperative that teachers implement all the tools available to them so they can become more culturally proficient in the planning of their curricula. While acknowledging our own biases and providing culturally responsive language and culturally sustaining pedagogy through a decolonized, anti-racist lens, we can create student-centered classrooms. These classrooms place students as the leaders of instruction and the teachers as facilitators of learning. This collaboration provides not only a grounded musical experience but also the ability to implement a curriculum that represents the diversity of our communities.
(AN 183761862); ISSN: 00274321
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Reproduction and representation of musical rhythms of increasing complexity: insights from children's home settings.

Elkoshi, Rivka — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
The aim of the study encompasses three primary objectives: (1) To examine the capability of children of varying ages to reproduce increasingly complex rhythms through hand-clapping and drumming; (2) To explore the ability of children of different ages to notate increasingly complex rhythms; and (3) To investigate the impact of age on children's invented rhythmic notations and their artistic ability to draw a person using the Draw-A-Person (DAP) Test. The participants comprised 42 children aged between 2.6 and 11.6 years old. Individual one-hour sessions were conducted in participants' homes. Each session was divided into three parts: playing three rhythms of increasing complexity and length, inventing notations to represent each rhythm, and completing the DAP test. The study found age effects on all measures tested: rhythm reproduction competency, rhythm notations, and person depiction. The novelty of this study lies in its unique research in-situ setting and the administration of both graphic and audio-graphic tasks. The findings have implications for rhythm education, music literacy, and in-situ research in music education. They underscore the significance of adopting a multi-modal approach in music education to enhance music skills and foster artistic expression in children.
(AN 180950989); ISSN: 14613808
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Teaching music to kindergarten children in Saudi Arabia: parents' perspectives.

Alsedrani, Ghadah S. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
This exploratory mixed-method study was conducted to understand parents' perspectives on teaching music in Saudi kindergartens. The researcher surveyed 466 parents of children aged 3–6 years in public, private, and international kindergartens in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Of these, 35 participated in an open-ended written questionnaire to better understand their attitudes towards music. The results suggest that most Saudi parents do not accept teaching music to their children in kindergarten, primarily due to cultural and religious factors. Overall, Participants believed teaching music in kindergarten was unimportant and did not improve their children's learning and development. Suggestions, implications, and recommendations for future research are offered.
(AN 180950994); ISSN: 14613808
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Discourses in Swedish preschool music teachers' conversations: proficiency, subordination and resistance.

Zimmerman Nilsson, Marie-Helene; Holmberg, Ylva — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
In recent years, Swedish preschool has been subjected to significant changes. As there is a lack of studies examining how teachers in music rhetorically position themselves within this context, the aim is to study subject positions that are constructed in conversations between preschool music teachers (PMTs) and to discuss these positions in relation to the quality of preschool practice in music education. The theoretical and methodological framework is grounded in social constructionist theories and the empirical material consists of group conversations with PMTs. The results reveal three prominent discourses, the discourses of Proficiency, of Subordination and of Resistance. In conclusion, the PMTs show that they are opposed by other pedagogues in various ways. This makes the possibility of establishing a music-teaching practice on their level of expertise severely restricted, which in turn has an impact on the quality of the preschool practice in music education.
(AN 180950993); ISSN: 14613808
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Enduring impacts of collaborative workplace music mentoring for early childhood generalist teachers, music mentors and students.

Barrett, Margaret S.; Zhukov, Katie — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
This study documents the enduring impacts of a workplace music mentoring programme for generalist classroom teachers in early childhood school settings in Australia. The study draws on follow-up interviews with mentors, teachers and principals from five of 11 participating schools one year after the programme. This study identifies participant perceptions of enduring outcomes, enduring effective mentoring, and effective mentor qualities. Two researchers undertook thematic analysis independently and conducted iterative discussions to refine the emerging themes. Enduring outcomes for mentors, teachers and students included: (1) music mentoring as collaborative self-development; (2) identification and realisation of individual and collective goals for music teaching; (3) reflection, feedback and joint planning informing learning; (4) integration of music into daily activities, lesson transitions, school culture; (5) creating a community of music practice in and across schools; and (6) improved classroom climate and enhanced student engagement and positive behaviours. Enduring qualities of effective music teaching included: (7) building teacher confidence and competence for music leadership; (8) observation of expert practice as a learning tool; (9) focused feedback informing lesson planning and implementation; and (10) specialised, collaborative workplace mentoring. Enduring qualities of effective music mentors included sensitivity, responsiveness, situational awareness, flexibility, and subject and pedagogic expertise.
(AN 180950997); ISSN: 14613808
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Intergenerational peer mentoring in an online jazz improvisation course.

Goodrich, Andrew — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
The purpose of this study was to explore how an intergenerational group of music students (ages 16–71) mentored each other in an online jazz improvisation course. This study is framed in Dewey's notion of students sharing their knowledge and experiences with the teacher as facilitator and the following research questions guided this investigation: How did the participants engage in peer mentoring? What knowledge and experiences did they share with each other? Data collection occurred during one semester of instruction and included class observations and individual participant interviews. Two themes developed during data analysis: navigating hierarchy by age and confronting difficulties in providing feedback. Findings indicated that peer mentoring was complex and multi-faceted and contributed towards redefining the notion of how peer mentoring can include students of different generations. Implications include how music teachers can use peer mentoring with students of different age groups to enhance knowledge and elevate performance skills.
(AN 180950998); ISSN: 14613808
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Crossing borders and generations: examining the relationship between music engagement and immigration generation.

Miller, David S. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in music engagement across immigration generations among different racial/ethnic groups for adults living in the United States. I conducted secondary analysis of two 2018 nationally representative surveys, the February Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Self-Perceptions of Creativity and Arts Participation (SPCAP). CPS questions for music engagement included formalised operations of performing and practicing instruments and singing, whereas the questions in the SPCAP study used expanded/informal language. Initial descriptive and bivariate analyses demonstrated differences in music engagement by immigration generation and race. However, multivariate logistic regression results indicated that substantive differences between immigration generations and racial and ethnic groups were mostly diminished, though the specific ways in which members of different immigrant and cultural groups engage with music may differ. Implications for culturally sustaining pedagogy in K-12 music education and suggestions for future research are discussed.
(AN 180950996); ISSN: 14613808
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Expanding self-referential awareness in music learning: utilising the expressive arts to facilitate reflection during group free improvisation.

Smith, Tawnya D. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
Traditional music education has prioritised external over internal performance aims, leading some learners to prioritise external motivations. I facilitated a workshop series for participants who experienced music performance anxiety when improvising, to examine if free improvisation coupled with expressive art response could cultivate self-knowledge and self-referential awareness to balance internal and external motivations and restore healthful evaluations of the participants' music-making. Using case study and art-based research, I invited six participants to improvise, journal, engage in art response during the playback of improvisations, and participate in group discussions. Findings suggest that participants learnt to identify self-referents and expand their conscious awareness of inner dialogue, emotions, and physical sensations during music-making. They were able to use this expanded awareness to begin to redirect their focus from self-conscious thoughts to more non-judgmental or creative states. Internalised fear-based motivation was identified as a barrier to effective musical communication during improvisation.
(AN 180950991); ISSN: 14613808
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Contemporary music perception among music students: current trends and educational perspectives in Armenia.

Adamyan, Anna — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
Since the twentieth century, contemporary music has been a source of controversial perceptions and standpoints. This study aims to explore young music students' perception of the term 'contemporary music' and anticipate possible directions for improvement in music education in Armenia. Based on her pedagogical experience, and a scientific literature review, the author attempted to describe the issue in terms of perception and prejudices. A questionnaire was used to conduct the survey among music students to gather data from respondents about their insights on the subject. The findings indicate it is mostly a combination of mixed ideas of contemporary academic and popular music formed as a result of the learner's personal musical experience. The result reveals that it is possible to change the attitude of students to a positive one by actively gaining the experience of contemporary music performance. The author has also formulated observations and recommendations, which should be taken into account for further research.
(AN 180950995); ISSN: 14613808
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The efficacy of imagery-based instruction for expressive performance: a study of university musicians' practice.

Woody, Robert H.; Hilbers, Mary Beth; Schreiner, Jessica; Schuck, Aaron D. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
In this study, we investigated how musicians use descriptive imagery to perform expressively. The study's procedure was carried out by university musicians alone in a naturalistic practice environment. They recorded their performance of two melodies both before and after receiving imagery-based instruction designed to make performance of the melodies very expressive. Participants read and considered a teacher's expressive instructions for each melody, practiced in light of it, and recorded a final expressive performance, transcribing their thoughts while practicing. Results showed that ratings of expressiveness increased significantly from pretest to posttest, indicating that the imagery-based instruction was effective at improving participants' expressive performance quality. Also, some musicians used a cognitive translation process, by which they explicitly generated plans for the musical sound properties in their performance, but others exclusively reflected on and personalised the provided imagery in their thoughts. Further analysis revealed that scoring high in the use of the cognitive translation process corresponded with greater improvement in expressive performance. We were also able to identify 'cases of mistaken expressivity', i.e. instances when participants believed their performance had effectively improved, but a change in expressive sound properties was not perceived by the listeners who made up our panel of judges.
(AN 180950992); ISSN: 14613808
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The instrumental practice goal realization inventory: from intention to evaluation.

Mazur-Socha, Zofia; Łaguna, Mariola; Gollwitzer, Peter — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2024
This article reports on the development and validation of the Instrumental Practice Goal Realization Inventory (IPGRI) designed to assess the process of self-directed study, beginning with setting the intention to practice and ending with the evaluation of one's performance. This new tool is based on the theoretical model of action phases. The IPGRI consists of 12 items and four scales delineating the phases of goal realization: Practice Intention, Planning, Acting, and Evaluating Practice. We describe the conceptualization and development of the measure. The evaluation of its psychometric properties is based on two samples: 171 piano students and 235 students learning various instruments. They participated in three measurements, each spaced two weeks apart. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses performed on the two samples indicate that the four-factor structure of the IPGRI is a good representation of the realization of instrumental practice goals. A high reliability (internal consistency and test-retest stability) of the scales was observed. We also provide evidence for convergent, discriminant, construct, and known-group validity. The IPGRI is a short and multidimensional measure with good psychometric properties. Therefore, it may be used both in research and practice in the psychology of music and music education.
(AN 180950990); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: Uncoupling Rumination from Reflection: A Call for Compassionate, Curious Dispositions.

Martin, Lisa — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
The article emphasizes the importance of incorporating compassion and curiosity into music teachers' effective practices to transform self-reflection from a potentially self-critical exercise into an opportunity for growth and understanding. Topics include the challenges of distinguishing reflection from rumination, the impact of self-critical tendencies on music teachers and students, and strategies for fostering constructive, growth-centered dispositions.
(AN 181802309); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Preservice Music Educators: The NOW of Music Teaching and Learning.

Confredo, Deborah A. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
The article highlights the essential role of music educators and emphasizes the importance of their passion, commitment, and skills in shaping lives. Topics include the need for music educators to be leaders and advocates, the significance of a broad and inclusive vision for music teaching, and the importance of lifelong learning and collaboration within the profession.
(AN 181802312); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: From Sea Shanties to Groundhog Day: Songs and Music on the Folklife Today Podcast.

Potter, Lee Ann; Fenn, John; Winick, Steve — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
The article explores the "Folklife Today" podcast by the Library of Congress, which showcases cultural traditions and folklore through music, stories, and archival content from the American Folklife Center. Topics include the origins of children's songs like "Ring around the Rosie," the history and diversity of sea shanties, and Ukrainian cultural traditions featuring the bandura.
(AN 181802308); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
(AN 181802306); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: The Flipped Clinic.

Bland, Micah — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
The article explores the flipped clinic model, where guest clinicians provide feedback to music educators on their teaching methods rather than directly to students, aiming for long-term instructional improvement. Topics include the three stages of the flipped clinic, observation, discussion, and implementation, suggestions for effectively implementing the clinic, and the benefits of using the flipped clinic for ongoing professional development and mentorship.
(AN 181802310); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: Don't Quit Your Day Job.

Cutietta, Robert A. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
The article highlights the importance of supporting lifelong music-making among students, focusing on providing opportunities, examples, and confidence-building to encourage continued participation in music after high school. Topics include the challenges faced by non-college-bound students, strategies for helping students find and access musical opportunities, and the role of music educators in fostering confidence and exposure to musical groups.
(AN 181802311); ISSN: 00274321
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Artificial Intelligence and Assessment: Three Implications for Music Educators.

Shaw, Brian P. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
In the coming years, the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to changes and challenges to many traditional practices in school music and beyond, particularly related to student assessment and grading. At the same time, the AI revolution may also facilitate new and exciting directions for assessment and differentiation in music education. In this article, I offer a range of considerations and suggestions for music educators seeking to teach music effectively and ethically in the age of AI.
(AN 181802307); ISSN: 00274321
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Teaching Music/Teaching Culture: From the Rhetorical to the Realities.

Campbell, Patricia Shehan; Mellizo, Jennifer M. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
As music educators embrace the possibilities for a more inclusive education that is culturally connected to the wider world, there are productive avenues for reshaping curricular content and method. In this article, we propose world music pedagogy (WMP) as a means of growing intercultural understanding alongside musical skills and knowledge, and chronicle the ways in which Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Smithsonian Institution's record label and music archive, is at the forefront of turning postulations to practice through its development of a new curricular initiative titled Smithsonian Folkways Music Pathways (SFMPs). Taken together, WMP and SFMPs contribute significantly to diversifying and expanding the music curriculum in an era of societal transformation. In the interest of cultivating a deeper understanding of the wide world of music and musicians for their students, music educators will gain greatly from engaging with these recommended resources and pedagogical dimensions.
(AN 181802313); ISSN: 00274321
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Inside Eight Musical Futures Classrooms: What I Learned.

Spears, Amy — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
This article describes how I, an American music teacher educator, visited the classrooms of eight Musical Futures Champion Teachers in the United Kingdom and observed their teaching with a focus on informal music learning and nonformal teaching. Musical Futures, a professional development organization in the UK, is the original organization that implemented Lucy Green's research on informal music learning and moved it into the music classroom. Through observation of these Musical Futures teachers' classes, I understood what informal learning and nonformal teaching currently look like in practice and how they are implemented. I witnessed how Green's work directly impacts their teaching philosophies, the processes and pedagogies they implement, and the resources they employ in the classroom.
(AN 181802315); ISSN: 00274321
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The Incongruence of Teacher Beliefs and Practices.

Sierzega, Amy L. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
This article critically examines the prevalent belief within music education that "music is for all," highlighting the incongruence between educators' intentions and students' lived experiences. Drawing on personal positionality and scholarly orientation, the author explores how music teachers may unintentionally disaffirm students' musicianship through language and practices. Through the lens of intent versus impact, this article encourages music educators to reflect on their beliefs and practices and emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive, student-centered environments that honor diverse musical identities. This article includes recommendations for aligning beliefs with practices to promote equity and affirm the musical potential of all students.
(AN 181802314); ISSN: 00274321
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Music Teachers' Influence on Student Values and Beliefs: Insights from Seventh Graders.

Broomhead, Paul — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2024
Writings related to the meaning and value of music establish that experiences with music influence values and beliefs. The potential impact of this influence highlights the need for sensitivity as teachers orchestrate experiences with musical resources. In a time of increasing division in society, teachers responsibly exercise their influence over student values and beliefs by focusing on respect. Insights from seventh graders reveal three guiding principles related to respect: "Leave others' stuff alone," "Don't put down others' ideas," and "Listen to understand." This article presents these principles and provides three practical examples of how they can help teachers responsibly and respectfully select and implement musical resources to nurture student openness while honoring students' own values and beliefs.
(AN 181802316); ISSN: 00274321
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Call For Papers RIME 2025 The 14th International Conference for Research in Music Education (April 22–25 2025, Online).

Stakelum, Mary — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
(AN 178881283); ISSN: 14613808
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Musical creativity in music lessons in Croatia.

Mucić, Mia — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
Music lessons in Croatia are characterised by the existence of three areas that intertwine and complement each other. Thus, in music lessons, students will listen to music, participate in various activities regarding their musical expression, and learn about music. A music teacher can choose which activities of musical expression he will carry out in his own educational process, and he chooses them according to his own interests as well as the abilities of the students. This paper aims to determine the perception of upper primary school students regarding the musical creativity activities in music lessons. Students (N = 128) from two schools in the Vukovar-Srijem county participated in the survey, and one group of those students actively participated in musical creativity activities. The research results show that students generally have a positive opinion about musical creativity activities. The students who have participated in the musical creativity activities highly rate their competencies for participating in various creative activities.
(AN 178881279); ISSN: 14613808
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Creativity in a music composition community: an analysis of online comments.

Horton, Patrick W. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
Scholars have often highlighted the intrinsic features of technology to support the generation and sharing of ideas (Craft 2011). By studying user interactions within informal online communities, researcher can elucidate the ways technology impacts creativity and learning within these groups. This qualitative content analysis (Hsieh and Shannon 2005) used a systems-based approach to creativity (Csikszentmihalyi 1999) to examine the interactions within an online community (Noteflight) focused on Western standard music notation-based composition. One popular, publicly available, original musical score was selected. Online comments were collected and analysed. Findings highlight the diversity and abundance of feedback given to the composer as well as the many ways users engaged with domain knowledge. This online community allows individuals to share knowledge, learn about the social norms associated with giving feedback, and explore creative ideas regarding music composition. Implications from this study highlight the ways music educators and technology designers can develop web-based music learning environments that support creativity and life-long engagement.
(AN 178881278); ISSN: 14613808
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Serious musicking: choral pedagogy in 'low-threshold' choirs.

Jansson, Dag; Døving, Erik; Balsnes, Anne Haugland — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
The voice plays a paradoxical role – it is inclusive because everyone has one, and it is exclusive as it is used to falsely separate 'singers' and 'non-singers'. A new choral movement has emerged, with a low threshold for participation and inclusive practices, where one of the early offerings was Everyone Can Sing (ECS) in Norway. As a low-threshold choir, it focused on solid vocal training as well as the advanced features of the music. This study investigates to what extent this blended choral pedagogy is realised and differs from more traditional choirs. A quantitative analysis of ECS singers (N = 495) was done, comparing it with a more experienced choir (N = 81) and elite choirs (N = 106). The results show that a blended approach in low-threshold-choirs is possible and that attention to musical refinement grows with experience. The article positions such low-threshold choirs within key choral pedagogic positions.
(AN 178881282); ISSN: 14613808
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Adults' engagement in music learning during and after online coaching.

Ojala, Aleksi; Välisalo, Tanja; Myllykoski, Mikko — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
This article sheds light on adult engagement in a learning activity during and after online coaching on piano, guitar, or songwriting. Data was collected from the participants using thematic semi-structured interviews and experience sampling. To investigate the extent to which adult learners are involved in learning during and after online music coaching, we analysed the visibility of four components of engagement – namely behavioural, cognitive, affective and social. During the coaching, flexibility, a regular and repetitive course structure and the learning community positively influenced engagement. However, only a few participants continued their active music-making after the coaching period ended. A lack of time and goals were potential explanations for non-continuance, whereas participation in a music-related community beyond the coaching was recognised as a potential factor in continuing to make music when it stopped.
(AN 178881280); ISSN: 14613808
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A journey of collaborative inquiry: perspectives from preservice and cooperating music teachers in Korea.

Shin, Jihae — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
Executing a successful teaching practicum is closely related to effective collaboration between preservice and cooperating teachers. Thus, this study implemented and investigated collaborative inquiry between preservice and cooperating music teachers in Korea. The results showed that the preservice music teachers played an important role in theoretical application based on their recently acquired knowledge, whereas the cooperating music teachers challenged their thinking by offering practical perspectives grounded in their experiences. The different roles enabled the connection of theory to practice in music education and the active participation from both groups. In addition, sufficient time for the preparation of instructional strategies and shared visions positively affected the equally important roles between the preservice and cooperating music teachers, whereas lack of time and opportunities to reflect on teaching practices after lesson implementation hindered collaborative inquiry. These findings support the previous literature, which suggests that collaborative inquiry could be an effective tool for teacher collaboration, by applying collaborative inquiry to the specific context of collaboration between preservice and collaborating music teachers.
(AN 178881275); ISSN: 14613808
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Supporting musical affordances for desistance and resistance in youth justice settings.

Kallio, Alexis Anja — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
As criminological perspectives of youth justice shift from rehabilitative ideals to desistance frameworks whereby young people assume a central role in their own identity-development and relationships with others, child-centred approaches that afford youth with agency and voice have been seen as increasingly important. However, noting that desistance is not only a process of identity (re)construction but a relational one in which individuals establish a sense of belonging, who young people engage with have a significant impact on their desistance journeys. The research reported in this article examined how musicians conceptualise their aims and practices in youth detention centres in relation to the desistance journeys of incarcerated youth in Australia. Findings illustrate music's affordances for desistance as spaces of asylum for young people, providing respite from carceral pains, opportunities for agential creativity and enjoyment, but also political and disruptive potentials to resist the inequities and injustices of the status quo and create alternative futures.
(AN 178881281); ISSN: 14613808
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University students facilitating hip hop in a community engagement project: experiences and perceptions.

Kladder, Jonathan — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
Hip hop is the most popular music in the US and remains on the fringes of the music education profession as both under-integrated, researched, and utilised. The purpose of this project was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate music students who facilitated a hip hop project with hip hop experts in a local youth arts organisation located in the southeastern region of the US. As a qualitative investigation, analysis of these data revealed four themes associated with undergraduate music student experiences, which included (1) adaptability, (2) connection, (3) discomfort, and (4) impact. These data suggest direct influences on participant understandings related to hip hop with implications for the field of music education to include hip hop experiences in democratic and learner-led classrooms.
(AN 178881277); ISSN: 14613808
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Facilitators and barriers to the Music College Entrance Examination among Chinese ethnic minority students.

Guan, Tao; Luo, Ning; Matsunobu, Koji — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
The question of how to better prepare ethnic minority students to access higher music education has raised concerns around the world in terms of educational equity and cultural diversity. In China, despite similar concerns, little is known about the preparation process and experiences of ethnic minority students to take the Music College Entrance Examination (MCEE). In this qualitative case study, we investigated the facilitators and barriers faced by 22 high school students of Yi, Mongolian and Tibetan backgrounds while preparing for the MCEE in a multi-ethnic school in Sichuan province, southwestern China. The methods included participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The facilitators identified in the study were support from family members, local teachers' devotion, positive peer influences and nationally renowned ethnic musicians as role models. The five main barriers were financial difficulties, parents' misconception of the value of the MCEE, limited expertise of local music teachers, exam-oriented school climate and the MCEE's structure based on Western classical music. Based on the findings, suggestions for adopting affirmative action and reforming the structure of the MCEE are proposed.
(AN 178881274); ISSN: 14613808
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Centre for Excellence in Music Performance Education (CEMPE): an inquiry into institutional change processes in higher music education.

Ski-Berg, Veronica; Stabell, Ellen M.; Karlsen, Sidsel — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2024
This study explores change processes in higher music education by following the development of the Centre for Excellence in Music Performance Education (CEMPE) at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) over the period 2014–2023. The following research question is addressed: How has institutional change been enabled in a higher music education context through the activities of a Centre for Excellence in Education? The theoretical framework for the inquiry is drawn from institutional theory. Applying an instrumental case study design, data were collected from twelve semi-structured interviews with staff in management roles at CEMPE/NMH and from strategic documents, such as applications, action plans, annual reports, minutes from steering group meetings, and publication lists. The findings show that change was enabled through various leadership visions for change and the friction created through centre activities. The most significant area of change is reported to be increased student agency and involvement.
(AN 178881276); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: New Roles and the Necessity of Unlearning.

Martin, Lisa — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
The article reflects on the importance of unlearning and relearning in both teaching and personal growth. Topics discussed include building on prior learning while addressing misconceptions, the vulnerability and necessity of unlearning, and the evolving perspectives on success and excellence in music education.
(AN 181232070); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: YOU Matter.

Confredo, Deborah A. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
The article highlights the importance of collective action and solidarity within music education, particularly through the U.S. National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and state associations. Topics discussed include the history and impact of NAfME, the role of advocacy in music education, and the support provided to music educators through membership benefits and professional development.
(AN 181232069); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library: Lewis-Houghton Initiative Uses Music and the Arts to Engage and Extend Student Learning in History, Civics, and Democracy.

Manchester, Eileen J. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
The article discusses the Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative in the U.S., which uses music and arts to enhance secondary students' learning about history, civics, and democracy through primary sources from the Library of Congress. Topics discussed include grant recipients creating innovative educational projects, the use of digitized materials in teaching, and the integration of arts-based approaches to deepen student engagement in civics education.
(AN 181232071); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Exploring Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Music Education: A Focus on Creativity and Composition.

Guarriello, Marissa — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
The article explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in music education, focusing on its potential to support creativity and composition in classrooms. Topics discussed include using AI tools like ChatGPT for generating musical ideas, aiding in the creative process for students, and improving accessibility to creative resources through technology.
(AN 181232072); ISSN: 00274321
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Becoming an Active Bystander in Music Education.

Abramo, Joseph Michael — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
In this article, I provide advice to music educators on how to intervene when they witness acts of overt interpersonal discrimination as well as more subtle forms of discrimination, including microaggressions. Many music educators have identified systemic barriers to inclusion and stressed the importance of choosing and creating culturally responsive repertoire, curriculum, and instruction. Less explored, however, is what steps music educators can take when they witness discriminatory acts by students or other adults, which is often referred to as being an "active bystander." I begin by defining different forms of interpersonal discrimination, including microaggressions and acts of what researchers call "aversive racism" as well as why these discriminatory acts are harmful. I then describe what researchers suggest are effective strategies to intervene in these forms of discrimination, and I provide examples of music educators actively addressing acts of discrimination by students and adults.
(AN 181232067); ISSN: 00274321
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Soundscapes as Cultural Heritage: Lesson Ideas for the Classroom.

Ng, Hoon Hong; Tan, Marcus Cheng Chye — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
Soundscapes engender historical, cultural, social, and aesthetic meanings through acoustical qualities that reflect a community's lived experiences. In this article, we propose music lesson ideas that help students appreciate and embrace their sociocultural heritage—by creating, performing, and listening to soundscapes that are representative of their locality. These lesson ideas are guided by pedagogical imperatives drawn from key soundscape literature, which reveals sounds as being powerful in sculpting culture and identity as well as impacting ways of knowing. Activities in the lessons serve to develop students' aurality and their understanding of the sociocultural connotations of sound. The learnings gained may supplement more traditional musical skills and knowledge acquisition in the music classroom.
(AN 181232064); ISSN: 00274321
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It's Not Optional: Implementing IEPs in the Music Classroom.

Grimsby, Rachel; Jones, Sara — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
Music educators are required to support the learning needs of those they teach. Some students may require additional or specific learning supports through individualized education programs (IEPs), also known as individualized education plans, to ensure their academic success. Music educators may struggle to transfer IEP goals, accommodations, and/or modifications into the music setting. In this article, we explain the IEP process and document, offer tips on accessing IEPs, and provide recommendations for implementing IEPs in the music setting.
(AN 181232068); ISSN: 00274321
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Using Chamber Music and Reflection to Foster Student Engagement in Orchestra.

Troglauer, April; Morrison, Anna — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
How can orchestra teachers diversify curricula to engage young musicians in project-based learning experiences that build their musicianship and confidence? This action research study explores how the author fostered project-based learning experiences that incorporated student reflection and assessment within chamber music ensembles. By incorporating opportunities for students to build skills through chamber music ensembles, music teachers can foster students' engagement, develop students' confidence, and improve large-ensemble performances. Included as well are recommendations for implementing a chamber music unit that incorporates structured student reflections and authentic assessment.
(AN 181232065); ISSN: 00274321
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Gamifying Composition and Player Scaffolding: Intentional Learning for Young Composers.

Weatherly, Katy Ieong Cheng Ho; Chao, Ivy Ho I — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2024
In this article, we explore the theory and practical application of gamification learning in music education, specifically targeting young students. Our focus is on facilitating intentional learning and engagement through the use of gamified techniques. Designed intentionally with nondigital elements, it mirrors a cooperative board game. This game incorporates clear objectives, challenges, and a progressive series of stages, all while utilizing a "player scaffolding" approach. Through following this structured gamified composition process, students are encouraged to explore their creativity, develop problem-solving skills, and foster collaboration. The article concludes by highlighting the immense potential of gamification in music education to inspire and empower young composers while fostering intentional and interactive learning experiences.
(AN 181232066); ISSN: 00274321
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Introduction to the Special Issue: Posthuman Perspectives for Music Education.

Pitt, Jessica — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
(AN 178089165); ISSN: 14613808
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What does it mean to sing with the Earth?

Camlin, David A. — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
A small group (n = 11) of singers from the same community of musical practice in the UK participated in focus group workshops to reflect on their experiences of group singing in nature. The study found that group singing in nature was considered to be a (non-religious) spiritual practice that enhances participants' experience of both communitas and their connection to the natural world. Participants made an important distinction between singing with the earth – communing with the natural world in a more spiritual way – and singing for the earth, more political activity in response to local and global environmental issues. From a Posthuman perspective, diffraction – as both the physical and metaphorical process of exploring 'differences that matter' – is identified as an important concept for understanding how different routes to wellbeing can be mutually constitutive and intra-active. De-centring human experience by amplifying the co-constitutive role of other agencies like the natural world highlights the ontological and epistemological complexity of such experience.
(AN 178089159); ISSN: 14613808
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Voicing voicing: attuning to the material in studio recording the Lullaby Choir.

Dieckmann, Samantha Sebastian — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
This article presents a close ethnographic reading of an intercultural community choir's experience recording lullabies in a professional studio setting. Bringing together Chadwick's (2020, 2021) posthuman voice analytics with interdisciplinary voice studies, I turn ethnographic ears to the voice-as-vocalised by attuning to its materialities and more-than-human entanglements. In so doing I work to trouble idealised conceptions of voice that permeate music education practice and research, including the tropes of giving voice, finding voice and collective voice that I deployed in co-developing and facilitating the Lullaby Choir itself. By interrogating naturalised regimes of aurality and voice, this article contributes to broader efforts that enliven the material and the bodily in music, education, and research – considered together and separately – gesturing to pedagogies of sensation.
(AN 178089163); ISSN: 14613808
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How to teach a puppet to sing: exploring posthuman perspectives on the 'natural' voice alongside The Walk (2021).

Brady, Florence — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
In this article I explore the construct of the 'natural' voice within the context of the natural voice movement, before invoking perspectives on voice from the posthumanities and D/deaf studies in discussion of The Walk, a performance between a puppet, a natural voice choir, a refugee choir and a large audience that occurred in London in October 2021. Methodologically, this paper is an attempt at 'thinking with theory' (Jackson, Alecia Youngblood, and Lisa A. Mazzei. 2017. "Thinking with Theory: A New Analytic for Qualitative Inquiry." In The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research, edited by N. K. Denzin, and Y. Lincoln, 717–737. Sage) – specifically thinking voice alongside theoretical stimuli from the posthumanities through the doing of ethnography – in the hope of provoking useful flights of thought in relation to the practice and study of music education and community music. I conclude by considering my personal rationale for engaging with the posthumanities as a means of researching community singing within the natural voice movement. A protean version of this article was presented as a paper-presentation at the Grieg Research School in Bergen, Norway in 2022.
(AN 178089158); ISSN: 14613808
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Posthumanist new materialist pathways for reimagining music education research: What matters? What can this offer music educators?

Burnard, Pamela; Köbli, Nathalie Ann — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Much of historical and contemporary music education research is influenced by a Cartesian ontology of opposition. This reinforces the classic function of music and music education: the exercise of possession, ownership and control. To confront these ideas, our article reimagines music education research through posthumanism and new materialism. In doing so, the focus shifts to making with nonhuman matter, posthuman bodies and the materialisation of music. Examples of cartographic research are discussed to show how the experience of musical environments is constantly reconfigured by human and nonhuman elements. This abandons the notion that music education takes place only in the mind and explores what a posthumanist approach to materiality can offer instead. As a result, normative academic conventions are disrupted by the recognition of in-the-making embodied musical learning, the intra-action of human and nonhuman sound materialising, and the materiality of the body in its experience of music as a play space, arguing that staying with the trouble of doing something new, or swimming against the tide, matters for music educators.
(AN 178089161); ISSN: 14613808
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Evaluating the quality of posthuman music education research: diffracting quality criteria through response-ability.

Fjeldstad, Mari Ystanes — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Although encompassing a variety of research approaches, qualitative research in music education shares the assumption that reality is socially constructed; it takes this construction to be based on the specific perspective of the individual human; and it considers epistemology and ontology to be different fields of study. The posthuman theory of agential realism, on the other hand, argues that the world is becoming through intra-actions; it decentres the individual humanist subject; and it studies onto-epistemology – practices of knowing-in-being. Considering these fundamental differences, the quality criteria of qualitative research are not applicable to posthuman music education research. Nevertheless, posthuman research is concerned with the ethics of research and how to response-ably and ethically take part in the world's becoming. Thus, the emerging field of posthuman music education research must develop other ways of evaluating research beyond the quality criteria found in qualitative methodologies. This paper argues that diffraction – both as a physical and musical phenomenon and as a philosophical concept – might be a fruitful approach. By reading quality criteria diffractively through the agential realist concept of response-ability, it poses critical and creative questions, moving us towards evaluating the quality of posthuman music education research on its own terms.
(AN 178089152); ISSN: 14613808
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Stretching and cracking: becoming feminist posthumanist scholars in music education.

Fjeldstad, Mari Ystanes; Kvile, Synnøve; Jenssen, Runa Hestad — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
How and why did three PhD fellows become feminist posthumanist scholars within the field of music education research? Drawing on Karen Barad's theorising of phenomena, not pre-existing entities, as the primary ontological unit and on Rosi Braidotti's concept of the nomadic subject, we explore our research subjectivities as they are becoming in and through relations within the phenomenon of Western music education. Through the figuration of 'voice', we trace how and why our research voices stretch and crack as we go through a scholarly voice change transitioning from humanist to feminist posthumanist scholars. We tell performative stories that intra-actively take part in the ongoing re-configuring of the world, making matters such as children, care responsibilities, and 'feminist killjoys' become issues of music educational importance. Our aim is to offer companionship to others be(com)ing posthumanists, and to stretch the boundaries of music education research and practice.
(AN 178089157); ISSN: 14613808
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Methodological shifts and departures in music education research: embracing complexity with diffraction, intra-action, and agentic assemblages.

Kinsella, Victoria; Fautley, Martin; Whittaker, Adam — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
In England, music education policy is deeply rooted in neoliberal ideologies, shaping classroom practice and assessments. This paper presents findings from a four-year funded longitudinal project exploring the impact of musical partnerships on young people at risk of educational exclusion. Through a posthuman lens, the researchers made a methodological shift, acknowledging the agency of non-human elements and physical spaces in musical interactions. Posthumanism offered alternative insights, challenging traditional notions of music education practice and extended human-centric perspectives and school assessment metrics. It expanded our understanding of what it means to be a musician and pedagogue. This paper proposes that posthumanism can challenge existing notions of music education practice while simultaneously moving the discussion of important matters in music education research into new areas of thinking, doing, and being.
(AN 178089162); ISSN: 14613808
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Reverberations in music education: What does sound 'do' in our learning spaces ?

Cooke, Carolyn — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Bringing together literature from music education, posthumanism, sound studies and ethnomusicology, this article considers what sound 'does' in music education spaces. Within posthumanism, the role of sound, as a manifestation of material-human entanglements, is under-theorised. This article, diffractively plays with the literature and evidence from a PhD project and a listening walk with pre-service music teachers, allowing the reverberations (as the continued effects and affects of bringing these materials into contact with each other), to spark generative thinking about how sound in music education is conceived. In doing so, the article presents three reverberations that challenge humanist conceptions of sound/music in education. The first considers all sound (human and non-human) as voice, which is transindividual (Chadwick in Flint [2022]. "More-than-Human Methodologies in Qualitative Research: Listening to the Leafblower." Qualitative Research 22 (4): 521–541. ) , the second considers the role of sound as an invitation to 'world-with' (Barad [2007]. Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning. Durham, NC: Duke University Press) and the third reverberation explores sound as affect (Gallagher [2016]. "Sound as Affect: Difference, Power and Spatiality." Emotion, Space and Society 20:42–48. ). In thinking with these generative reverberations, this article is a provocation to explore how a posthuman reconceptualisation of sound in music education can help us re-state the importance of music as a curriculum subject.
(AN 178089153); ISSN: 14613808
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Meeting the musician-teacher halfway: a Baradian perspective on identity research in music education.

Lewis, Ryan Matthew — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
This theoretical paper explores how researching the identities of musician-teachers can be differently conceptualised through a critical posthuman lens. Wider calls to action demand an expanded professionalism of musician-teachers, but when such recommendations are combined with fixed notions of identity as self-contained and producible, they risk becoming essentialistic and exclusionary. Foregrounding the intricacies and tensions in locating the teacher subject therefore posits a need for theories of complexity and becoming. Barad's agential realism provides an onto-epistemological shift, such that the musician-teacher is not separable from the world, but intra-actively comes into being through a relational ontology, exposing identity as a mechanism of capture through series of agential cuts. These material-discursive entanglements and performativity of the dichotomous musician-teacher role are then discussed. By thinking difference differently and addressing relations of power, these have ethical implications for research and what comes to matter, drawing on non-representationalism and signalling post-qualitative methodologies. This philosophical framing does not serve to reduce complexity, to figure out what works, but rather stays with the trouble – the messiness – by arguing for future empirical work that is inclusionary in the widest sense and grounded in the embodied, affective experiences of musician-teachers themselves.
(AN 178089156); ISSN: 14613808
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Theorising with the mycelium in the commingled world of young children's musical play.

Pitt, Jessica — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Inspired by Sheldrake's study of fungi [Sheldrake, M. 2020. Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. London: Penguin Random House] and Barad's idea of entanglement [Barad, K. 2007. Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning. Durham: Duke University Press], this paper explores music play with young children and artists, a practice that resists adult-centric approaches. As an embedded researcher within an early years arts organisation, I play with a diffractive methodology to read through ideas of Froebel with posthuman writings. Using slow-motion viewing of a video extract of musical play the vibrant agency of materials and sound emerges in micro-moments of playful music-making. Theorising with the mycelium produces ideas of extravagance, music and sound understood as lively intra-active and wild. It communicates through, and within, living and non-living matter. This view of music asks for artists to 'do' and say less, watch more and hold the space for the bursting forth of ripe and ready musical expressions. Through this pedagogical approach, children and adults can experience a sense of becoming with music, with the world.
(AN 178089160); ISSN: 14613808
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Sound possibilities: listening for the new in early years music-making practices.

Crickmay, Ursula — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Posthumanism points towards a relational understanding of embodied processes of becoming musical in and with the world which readily combine with existing aspects of early years music practice. In this article I describe the potential of this resonant encounter to develop alternative approaches to listening, opening further possibilities for both research and practice. Drawing on the experience of researching with young children, musicians and Zoom during COVID-19, I describe the pandemic as a 'ruption' (Chappell, Turner, and Wren 2024), a disturbance from which new things may emerge. I contrast listening as usual with 'emergent listening' (Davies 2014), describing how the latter has potential to expand our understanding of children-making-music and to make space for more diverse players to enter the scene, both human and other-than-human. I provide an example of using emergent listening in research documentation, holding the space open for divergent understandings of an emergent practice to develop.
(AN 178089154); ISSN: 14613808
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OOO, Guerrilla metaphysics, and the allure of children's musical play.

Harmer, Alison — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
Inspired by Graham Harman's philosophy of human access, and within the 'flattening ontology' of Object Oriented Ontology, Ring o' Roses is speculated about as a finite object with ontological independence from humans, repertoire, song, utility, and cultural context. Ring o' Roses playfully dances us through an introduction to OOO, and on to the idea of young children's early musical play as something different from its qualities and benefits. Indeed, the reality of musical play can be speculated about as ontologically irreducible, and as having a weird and vast, yet fragile, interior which is announced by allure. Allure is composed of charm, courage, and humour, and is responsible for causation.
(AN 178089155); ISSN: 14613808
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Collaboration, relationships and fleeting opportunities: growing the future early childhood music education workforce.

Wickett, Karen; Parker, Jane — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2024
The aim of, Jane's, Soundwaves Early Childhood Music lead, and Karen's, Early Childhood Studies lecturer, inquiry is to encourage new insights into how multiple relationalities and learning play out, throughout Soundwaves, an early childhood music education (ECME) programme. We work with Barad's diffractive methodology to shape our auto-ethnography. With pens, sparkly bits, ribbons, glue and paper, we map the Soundwaves narrative. Caring ethics, for the human and more-than-human, runs throughout our research practices. (Re)turning, the data, posthuman and critical new materialist theory, the Soundwaves narrative is (re)told. Concerns the neo-liberal narrative had played us, were replaced, when noticing the gap between our organisations offered reassuring insights. In this gap, resisting the neo-liberal narrative, is 'fleetingness', which welcomes experimentation and play to learning opportunities and our collaboration. These insights are useful to those who wish to maintain the visibility of ECME and resist creating instrumentalised learning experiences, whilst growing the ECME workforce.
(AN 178089164); ISSN: 14613808
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Take Note: In Memoriam.

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
(AN 179974555); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: A More Joyful and Playful Music Education.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
The article focuses on the author's reflections on incorporating joy and playfulness into music education while addressing the challenges of balancing fun with academic seriousness. Topics discussed include student feedback and the perception of fun in education; the importance of emotional engagement in learning; and the value of joyful and playful approaches to foster creativity and curiosity in music classrooms.
(AN 179974548); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Unity through Community: The Choice Is Ours.

Sheehan, Scott R. — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
The article offers information on the importance of unity and collaboration in advancing the music education profession. Topics discussed include the need to embrace diversity within the profession; the impact of community-building efforts like the Florida Music Education Association's initiatives; the impact of social challenges like inequities and access in education; and the challenge of addressing systemic barriers to create equitable access to music education for all students.
(AN 179974549); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: The Centennial of a 1924 Masterpiece.

White, Raymond A. — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
The article offers information on the centennial celebration of George Gershwin's song "Rhapsody in Blue" and its historical significance in American music. Topics discussed include the legendary 1924 debut of the piece during American bandleader and composer Paul Whiteman's "Experiment in Modern Music;" the collaborative process between Gershwin and orchestrator Ferde Grofé; and its lasting influence through recordings and various arrangements over the years.
(AN 179974547); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: In Tune: Leveraging Attunement to Support Music Learners with Trauma Histories.

Price-Hamilton, Erin E. — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
The article offers information on how music educators can leverage attunement to support students with trauma histories. Topics discussed include the importance of recognizing trauma's biological and psychological effects; the role of attunement in fostering secure relationships; and the impact of trauma-informed teaching in creating safe and supportive music learning environments.
(AN 179974550); ISSN: 00274321
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Developing Musical Expression in Instrumental Ensembles.

McLerran, Marina — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
Musical expression is often not explicitly addressed in secondary instrumental rehearsals due to the perception of expression as an obscure concept and the instructional time constraints on music educators. Secondary music educators, however, are encouraged to discuss expressive performance goals with instrumental students from the beginning of formal instruction. The three most common methods of teaching expression in music include metaphor, aural modeling, and explicit instruction regarding instrumental techniques. With the use of plainly stated performance goals, music educators can help clarify the concept of and expectations for expressivity for instrumental students.
(AN 179974552); ISSN: 00274321
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Supporting Autistic Students and Their Siblings through Inclusive Music Groups.

Wald, Meghan; Bernstorf, Elaine — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
This article provides a brief review of research along with a recommended music program with the purpose of facilitating constructive and loving relationships between autistic individuals and their allistic siblings. We highlight research regarding the need for family-based interventions, as well as the benefits of music participation for both the individuals with autism and their allistic siblings. Finally, we recommend a world percussion program for the siblings to participate in together that coincides with an allistic sibling support group. Music educators can facilitate growth within these relationships because they have a unique perspective on the individuals involved.
(AN 179974553); ISSN: 00274321
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Augmenting Music Education through AI: Practical Applications of ChatGPT.

Holster, Jacob — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
ChatGPT is emerging as a formidable asset for music educators, poised to enhance student engagement, refine assessment methods, and automate repetitive tasks related to music teaching. The core of this perspective revolves around the use of custom prompt templates that support individualized and reflexive teaching practices. The broader implications of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in music education are discussed, emphasizing the potential to redefine conventional pedagogical and administrative practices. While acknowledging the uses of AI, it is crucial to center ethical considerations, such as data privacy and biases, ensuring that integration remains student-centered, inclusive, and supportive.
(AN 179974546); ISSN: 00274321
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Bulletin Boards and Classroom Decorations: A Visual Representation of Your Music Teaching Philosophy.

Kang, Sangmi; Sanguinetti, Rachael D.; Webber, Samantha — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
In this manuscript, we introduce four philosophical camps and provide bulletin board and classroom decoration examples of how music teachers can visually communicate their teaching philosophies to their students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. The categories emerged from our review of bulletin board examples created by our music teacher colleagues and include (1) music, emotion, and expression; (2) praxialism; (3) extramusical benefits; and (4) social justice. Bulletin boards may indirectly represent teachers' philosophies when compared with explicit curricula, such as lesson plans, textbooks, and other instructional materials. However, teachers can foster holistic learning experiences for students by harmonizing their implicit messages on bulletin boards and classroom decorations with the explicit curriculum.
(AN 179974545); ISSN: 00274321
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Songwriting Workgroups: Leveraging the Power of Collaboration in the Music Classroom.

Randles, Clint — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
Songwriting pedagogy is in its infancy in music education. This article presents a new way to think about pedagogy that utilizes student workgroups that more closely align with the ways songs are written in the real world. Implications for music education's connections to the world of contemporary commercial music are provided.
(AN 179974554); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: Creating an Accessible and Interactive Online Music-Learning Environment: What Can We Improve, and Where Do We Begin?

Chen-Edmund, Jian-Jun; Harroo, Marc; Reed-Fuglestad, Dylan — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2024
The article offers information on the increasing importance of adapting to online music-learning environments. Topics discussed include improving accessibility for students with diverse needs; fostering engagement and social interaction through creative online tools; and also mentions about utilizing appropriate technologies to prepare for successful online performances.
(AN 179974551); ISSN: 00274321
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Ecosocial approach to music education.

Foster, Raisa; Sutela, Katja — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
Collective cultural transformation is needed to save the Earth from the growing effects of the human-caused environmental problems. Music education, too, can take part in preparing future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to address the world's complex challenges and create a more sustainable future. Approaching music education from the perspective of ecosocial sustainability can foster students' sensitivity to diverse sonic environments and support the overall appreciation of multispecies communities and mutually beneficial ways of interaction in the more-than-human world. Based on the general theory of ecosocial art education, this article presents three practical approaches to music education, which can promote a sustainable life orientation: (1) Attuning to sounds helps cultivate one's connectedness to more-than-human others. (2) Reconnecting with sound memories helps recognise how sonic environments affect and indicate the lives of humans and other beings. (3) Co-composing with the more-than-human world helps to embrace the generative powers of creativity in experiencing interdependence with others.
(AN 176450059); ISSN: 14613808
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'Imagine you're in the Opera House ... ' Learning nonverbal communication for the concert stage.

Urbaniak, Olivia; Mitchell, Helen F. — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
Top performers create stage magic through their command of nonverbal communication. While students aspire to the highest levels of performance, they may be unprepared for the intricacies of professional stagecraft. This study trials an experiential learning workshop about optimising nonverbal communication on the concert stage. Five emerging music professionals participated in role-playing exercises on stage entrance and appropriate stage behaviour, and discussed their experiences in the workshop and in interviews. Recordings were transcribed and coded thematically. Participants were able to exaggerate nervous, arrogant and confident stage personas, before imagining their stage entrance to an examination or the Opera House stage. As audience members, they experienced the power of performativity first-hand, and as performers, they grasped experts' approach to stage entrance to enhance performance. Participants gained a sense of autonomy over their stage presentation. These early-career performers advocated the inclusion of stage training as a critical extension to current practice.
(AN 176450058); ISSN: 14613808
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Australia's hidden musicians: education and training in rural and regional areas.

Watt, Paul; Green, Ben; Baker, Andrea; Bennett, Andy; Long, Paul — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
This article examines the fortunes of music education programs in rural and regional Australia. It argues that the two key national reports on music education across the nation undertaken in 2005 and 2019 have tended to focus on metropolitan and urban settings and formalised school education at the pre-tertiary level at the expense of music education programs in rural and regional areas. In this article, we argue that a more complete picture of music education across Australia – and, indeed, elsewhere – can only be fully assessed when music education outside of formal primary and secondary school education is accounted for. Through extensive interviews with music education stakeholders during COVID, the article highlights the diverse and impactful state of music education in rural and regional Australia.
(AN 176450052); ISSN: 14613808
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Exploring the perspectives of Asian American parents on their musically talented children in instrumental education.

Ho Weatherly, Katy Ieong Cheng; Liu, Vivian Fang — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
This qualitative study employed Gagné Integrative Model of Talent Development as a conceptual framework to explore the perspectives of nine Asian American parents on their musically talented children in Western classical music culture in the United States. Musically talented children, defined by [Gagné, François, and Gary E. McPherson. 2016, September. "Analyzing Musical Prodigiousness Using Gagné's Integrative Model of Talent Development." In Oxford University Press EBooks, 3–114. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199685851.003.0001], as individuals who rank within the top 10% of their age peers. This distinction is made to differentiate talent from giftedness, which pertains to exceptional natural abilities or aptitudes. The analysis yielded five macro themes: (1) children's innate abilities and importance of hard work; (2) parental sacrifice and investment; (3) benefits and challenges; (4) influence from Asian culture; and (5) future expectations. This study offers deeper insights into the complex interplay between children's individual abilities and parental investment, which can be influenced by cultural identity and work ethics, especially in Asian American communities. The findings illuminate the intricate process of nurturing gifted and talented young children from a parental perspective and provide implications for how parents can support their children's talent development.
(AN 176450056); ISSN: 14613808
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International communication and cultural exchange based on music: a study of the experience of Chinese music education in other countries.

Li, Renli — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
Within the scope of this presented study, the authors aimed to investigate the peculiarities of intercultural communication and cultural exchange based on musical knowledge, considering the exploration of the Chinese music education experience in other countries. The scholars find that the strongest relationships of Chinese musical education are with American, European, Korean, and Japanese musical cultures. The research found that intercultural learning motivated students from European universities (202 respondents) and universities of Chinese (200 respondents) to pay special attention to American music (23%), reflecting modern approaches to performance. Western European (21%) music has a strong relationship with Chinese music. The research finds that Chinese music is popular among 20% of students who value national traditions. The research found that the benefits of intercultural learning involve learning mobility (an attitude of students reflected by rating index: 3.01), the development of worldview (an attitude of students reflected by rating index: 2.73), melodic skills development (an attitude of students reflected by rating index: 2.52), and the uniqueness of musical composition performance (an attitude of students reflected by rating index: 2.85). The scholars identified that for 86% of students, intercultural learning had a positive value and promoted musical knowledge development.
(AN 176450055); ISSN: 14613808
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Intercultural dialogue and the mobilisation of aural skills.

Chilvers, Alex; Liu, Lu — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
A model for incorporating diverse musical content into the core conservatory aural skills curriculum is presented. We position the contemporary conservatory as a solid institution providing Western musicians with a sense of stability and heritage in an age of anxiety (Bauman's 'liquid modernity'). Despite these benefits, we argue that the conservatory education leaves graduates ill-equipped for the society in which they will build their careers. We therefore advocate for diversification as a means of producing more versatile graduates. Two aural perception classroom workshops were led by a Chinese pipa expert. A range of Chinese notation systems were introduced, before students were led through interactive practical activities engaging these systems. Reflecting on the success of our workshops alongside student feedback, we conclude that intercultural musical experiences encourage students to critically examine their existing skillsets. Intercultural dialogue presents an opportunity to mobilise these skills and recognise their diverse potential.
(AN 176450053); ISSN: 14613808
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Blurred lines and queered spaces: an examination of teachers' visions of multi-styles curricula.

Nicholson, George; Rotjan, Matthew — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
Multi-styles string education includes musical practices from close to 30 identified styles. Adding the multi-styles approach into curriculum may not be easy: Pedagogies may be different from those needed for Western classical music, the primary style most practicing teachers have studied. As such, the decision to start incorporating multi-styles into curriculum can present a challenge as an unsupported leap in an unknown direction. This study examined how string teachers implement a multi-styles approach into their P-12 string class curricula. Questions guiding this study are: (1) How do school orchestra teachers describe their visions for a multi-styles approach to curriculum? (2) What planning and action is taken in order to enact their visions, including programme and infrastructure changes, additional resources, professional development? Data were collected through a qualitative interview design and analysed through a queer theory lens. Themes include blurred visions of multi-styles, stepwise shifts in curriculum and pedagogy through a both/and student-centred approach, and the utilisation of human resources. We found that multi-styles is less a curriculum and more a philosophical approach. However, the name itself of this approach caused dissonance, leading towards a vague future. Implications provide new avenues of research and practice in this line of inquiry.
(AN 176450054); ISSN: 14613808
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Teaching and learning in music education – a meta-synthesis.

Fredriksson, Karolina; Zandén, Olle; Wallerstedt, Cecilia — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2024
This article reports a meta-synthesis of 14 qualitative studies on how teachers can support students' musical learning. The aim of the article is twofold: to (1) contribute to empirically grounded knowledge in music education, and (2) advance the methodological development of meta-synthesis in qualitative research. All included studies have a common unit of analysis: teacher–student interaction. In the synthesis of the studies, four aspects emerged as crucial for students' musical learning: (1) the framing of the teaching, (2) taking the learners' perspectives, (3) teachers' scaffolding strategies, and (4) representations of sounding music. Further, three pedagogical tensions were identified: (a) using local versus expansive language, (b) following the students' or the teacher's perspectives and interests, and (c) ways of approaching musical content through representations. The article also contributes to the methodological development of meta-synthesis by elaborating on how some of the challenges involved are tackled.
(AN 176450057); ISSN: 14613808
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Introduction.

Stakelum, Mary; Tarrant, Christopher — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
(AN 175967308); ISSN: 14613808
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Challenging approaches to music curricula and literacy today.

McQueen, Hilary; Cavett, Esther — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
(AN 175967311); ISSN: 14613808
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'Lowering the bar' or widening access? Reflections on key findings from a music literacy project commissioned by the Society for Music Analysis.

McQueen, Hilary; Cavett, Esther — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
In 2019 the Society for Music Analysis commissioned a report to find out if stakeholders in music education agreed that knowledge and/or skills in music literacy had declined for those applying to study music at university in England. The ensuing mixed methods study collected data from a range of stakeholders through interviews (N = 33), questionnaires (N = 233), a Music Literacy Study Day and informal observation. The findings showed that many participants thought that music literacy, if defined more narrowly, had declined in recent years. In addition, views on priorities in music education differed considerably, aligning with different forms of social justice. Some participants considered the bar to have been lowered in general music education, leading universities to alter their practices to facilitate access. This article reflects on those findings. The authors conclude that there needs to be careful consideration of curricula to prevent taking knowledge and skills away unnecessarily while ensuring that updated curricula are coherent and relevant to contemporary concerns about music education.
(AN 175967304); ISSN: 14613808
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Knowledge and social justice in English school music education: reflections on the report 'Questioning the gap in music literacy' (McQueen 2020).

Spruce, Gary — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
This article explores some of the intersections and relationships between 'knowledge' and 'social justice' particularly as manifest in the context of English school music education. It takes as its starting point the tensions resulting from different understandings of these terms as revealed in the Society for Music Analysis's (SMA) report 'Questioning the gap in music literacy' (McQueen 2020). Drawing on neo-traditionalist, social realist and constructivist perspectives, different conceptions of musical knowledge and its relationship to social justice are briefly examined. Drawing on the work of John Rawls and Nancy Fraser, the argument is made that socially just approaches to music education are enhanced by going beyond distributive and redistributive paradigms to embrace issues around respect, recognition, and participatory parity. Inter alia, the article examines the challenges resulting from an identity politics approach to social justice, particularly its tendency towards reifying cultural identity and knowledge. The article concludes by suggesting that the tensions around musical knowledge and social justice revealed in the SMA Report might be ameliorated through dialogical approaches to pedagogy that recognise the centrality---but not exclusivity---of the learner's world in endowing meaning on musical knowledge and understanding.
(AN 175967313); ISSN: 14613808
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Digital music and critical music literacy.

Louth, Paul — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
The Society of Music Analysis report indicated that digital music often sits uncomfortably within a curriculum where the main focus is on the non-digital. This article takes as its starting point a broad definition of digital music as both a type of music and a way that music is represented. It will examine how digital music has altered the music landscape within informal and formal educational settings, and it will explore conflicting notions of music literacy while suggesting that traditional arguments about the value of notation fluency in the digital age may be misdirected. Ultimately, it will propose a definition of 'critical music literacy' in which Western standard music notation is not the crucial consideration, with implications for the design of music curricula and for progression.
(AN 175967306); ISSN: 14613808
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Music literacy and the instrumental teacher.

Stakelum, Mary — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
In a report commissioned by the Society for Music Analysis to address a gap in music literacy, McQueen (2020) identified instrumental teachers as an important part of music education both within schools and in the community. This article takes as a starting point McQueen's (2020) proposal that 'it is through instrumental tuition that music literacy in its many forms is likely to develop' (65) to tease through some of the implications it might have for contemporary perspectives on music education. In doing so it assesses the relationship between music literacy and music analysis as a complex one involving professional partnerships which can lead to 'a clash of allegiances' (83) evident in versions of curriculum knowledge and the values underpinning them. My aim is to bring forward discussions surrounding instrumental teaching and school curricula and argue that greater collaboration between all those engaged in music education will address issues arising from and perpetuated by their separation.
(AN 175967310); ISSN: 14613808
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The shifting sands of UK secondary music curricula: problematising relationships between aural training and music literacy.

Donn, Rebekah; Stillie, Bryden; Moir, Zack — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
This article, which is intended as a contribution to wider conversations around music literacy, explores current conceptions of music literacy within the UK, using the area of aural skills training as a focus. Specifically, it considers the nature of music literacy and aural training in secondary (ages 11–18) music curricula and the role of aural training in supporting the development of music literacy. Contemporary secondary music courses now explore a far wider range of musics than their historic counterparts, yet the ways in which these are taught, practised, and assessed continue to be driven by pedagogic models that were designed to develop music literacy within a narrower range of musics associated with a specific tradition. This is compounded by the fact that contemporary secondary music courses have become somewhat diluted in terms of their focus and the main curricular components (performance, composition, and listening/appraising) are unnaturally separated into disconnected areas of practice to conveniently be assessed in isolation. This article concludes by proposing potential enhancements that educators might consider as they look to develop a student-centred approach to aural training and how this might better support the development of multiple forms of music literacy within their curricula.
(AN 175967307); ISSN: 14613808
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Teaching music theory in UK higher education today: contexts and commentaries.

Attah, Tom; Cavett, Esther; Dueck, Byron; Miller, Sue; Redhead, Lauren — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
This multi-authored article offers accounts of how programmes for teaching music theory within the Western-notated tradition were created in two UK higher education institutions. These accounts are followed by two more discursive reflections on the nature and purpose of music education today, advocating the importance of listening skills and inclusive pedagogies. The article is framed by an introduction and conclusion contextualising the issues raised in relation to a selection of prior contributions to Music Education Research and comparing approaches to music literacy and theory teaching as represented in recent music theory conferences in the UK and the United States.
(AN 175967305); ISSN: 14613808
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Review of music literacy strand of the Oxford Music Analysis Conference (July 2023), Society for Music Analysis.

Donn, Rebekah; Elphick, Daniel — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
This review provides a summary and discussion of the 'Music Literacy' strand (day 1) of the Society for Music Analysis's OxMAC conference (University of Oxford, July 2023). The review highlights how the ever-expanding range of musics currently studied in higher education calls for an increasingly multifaceted understanding of the term 'music literacy'. This was explored at the conference through presentations focusing on diverse aspects of music literacy, including its relationship with music technology, popular music, music pedagogy, musical hermeneutics and musical traditions grounded in the concepts of vibration and timbre. The review contextualises these presentations by outlining how they relate to wider current debates within music education at a variety of levels as well as the agenda of the Society for Music Analysis.
(AN 175967309); ISSN: 14613808
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Please mind the gap: reflecting on gender inequality in music higher education, one year on from Slow Train Coming.

MacGregor, Elizabeth H. — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
(AN 175967312); ISSN: 14613808
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Epilogue.

Cavett, Esther; McQueen, Hilary — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2024
(AN 175967314); ISSN: 14613808
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Take Note: Welcome Amy Bradley, the New NAfME Editor.

Bradley, Amy — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
The article presents an interview with Amy L. Bradley, National Association for Music Education (NAfME's) new editor, discussing her background in musicology and her approach to writing and editing. Topics discussed include her transition from studying music and sciences to pursuing musicology, her focus on French and American musical modernism, and her enthusiasm for empowering writers and refining prose.
(AN 177178954); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: Considering and Embracing Change in Music Education.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
The article explores the evolving landscape of music education, emphasizing the need for adaptation to new technologies, genres, and student interests. It discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by calls for reform, urging educators to embrace change while considering the diverse needs and experiences of students.
(AN 177178958); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: When Wars Rage.

Sheehan, Scott R. — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
The article emphasizes the enduring relevance of U.S. conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein's call for more passionate engagement with music amidst current global conflicts and societal divisions. Topics discussed include the rise of hate crimes and internal conflicts, challenges within the music education profession such as equity and curriculum disputes, and the transformative power of music in fostering unity and healing.
(AN 177178950); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
(AN 177178957); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress Etching the Human Voice: Exploring the History of Sound Recording Technology.

Beeghly, Kelsey — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
The article explores the history of sound recording technology, focusing on the impact of inventions like the phonograph and gramophone on music accessibility and preservation. Topics discussed include the evolution of sound technologies, the role of inventors like Thomas Edison and Emile Berliner, and teaching ideas for students to explore digitized resources at the Library of Congress.
(AN 177178953); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Placing the Music at the Center of Music Theory Courses.

Abrahams, Frank — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
The article emphasizes the need to integrate music-making into music theory classes to enhance student engagement and relevance. It discusses challenges faced by a student teacher in a music theory class and proposes a constructivist pedagogy centered around active music-making, drawing on contemporary popular music and historical traditions.
(AN 177178956); ISSN: 00274321
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Increasing Musical Persistence and Engagement in the Contemporary Music Classroom.

Schatt, Matthew — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
With many activities vying for students' time and attention, helping young musicians achieve their potential while inspiring them to continue engaging with music throughout their lifetime is a vital part of the music educator's role. To accomplish this important function, the teacher may strive to fulfill students' psychological needs, leading to improved student achievement and well-being, enjoyment of learning, and greater participation in class, among other positive outcomes. Through an understanding of the basic human needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence, this article applies these fundamental components of human psychology to the music classroom. Teachers can readily implement meaningful activities to guide students in lifelong music learning, leading to increased engagement and decreased attrition in musical study.
(AN 177178948); ISSN: 00274321
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Virtual Musical Instruments in Music Classrooms: Performing with East Asian Music Cultures.

Kang, Sangmi; Yoo, Hyesoo; Fung, C. Victor; Matsunobu, Koji — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
In this article, we, culture bearers and music educators, discuss ways of using East Asian virtual musical instruments to promote culturally diverse music activities in classrooms. We introduce affordable tablet-based virtual instruments (Korean hyang-piri, Chinese erhu, and Japanese koto) and hands-on music activities to help students gain deeper understandings of East Asian music cultures. We provide an introduction of each instrument in its acoustic and tablet-based form, appropriate instrumental techniques to express unique musical and cultural characteristics (e.g., mode, vibrato, and ornamentations), and a teaching sequence of a sample piece. Such a performance-based and culturally diverse musical experience is intended to cultivate students' intercultural sensitivity and attitudes that honor diverse cultures.
(AN 177178951); ISSN: 00274321
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Standards-Based Grading in Ensemble Music.

Shaw, Brian P. — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
Nearly all music educators assign grades to students. However, not all methods for grading are equally effective at reporting student achievement. This article describes one approach to grading, standards-based grading, that has the potential to support music educators' efforts to achieve grades that are honest, meaningful, and fair. General principles and specific recommendations for ensemble music teachers are discussed.
(AN 177178949); ISSN: 00274321
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Modern Band in Elementary Music.

Clauhs, Matthew; Olesko, Beatrice B.; Vasil, Martina — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
Modern band programs have spread throughout the United States to create learner-centered and culturally affirming school music experiences for children. The four key concepts of modern band, (1) approximation and scaffolding, (2) decision-making, (3) iconic notation, and (4) culturally sustaining (music education), are congruent with many elementary general music philosophies and pedagogies. This article examines intersections of modern band and general music practices and demonstrates how typical classroom instruments (e.g., unpitched percussion, ukuleles, xylophones, and metallophones) can be used to implement key modern band concepts in an elementary school general music setting.
(AN 177178952); ISSN: 00274321
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Using an Equity-Centered Framework to Guide Family Engagement: Supporting Children's Lifewide Music-Making through Reciprocal Partnerships.

Culp, Mara E.; Grimsby, Rachel — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2024
Engaging families in partnerships that promote student learning and build trust between music educators and the community can be challenging. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide suggestions to help music teachers engage families to support children's lifewide music-making. We share research and scholarship on family musical practices, family composition in the United States, family-inclusive practices, as well as some families' views of and hopes for music education. We use this literature and an equity-centered framework of family engagement to provide suggestions to build reciprocally beneficial family partnerships, as well as sample materials teachers can use.
(AN 177178955); ISSN: 00274321
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The identity reconciliation of five elementary students across their landscapes of musical practice.

Goetschius, Melissa A.; Smith, Tawnya D. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Elementary-aged students likely participate in an in-school Community of Musical Practice (CoMP) in addition to CoMPs outside of school. Therefore, knowing a student's entire Landscape of Musical Practice (LoMP) can help music teachers align in-school music practices with those outside of school to support students' developing musical identities. We studied five students at an elementary school in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, along with five parents and one vocal music teacher, to determine to what extent, if any, the students' musical identities were reconciled, renegotiated, or modulated by participating in multiple practices across their landscape. The students participated in multiple CoMPs across a LoMP and their musical identities were reconciled, negotiated, or modulated by competing demands. This study revealed theoretical terms that can aid in the understanding of how children inhabit and journey across a LoMP – the imaginary CoMP, the dabbler, and the steward.
(AN 173857734); ISSN: 14613808
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A proposed model of parental behaviours of music practice: based on music majors' retrospective views in mainland China.

Zhang, Chunxiao; Leung, Bo-Wah; Thibeault, Matthew D. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
The primary purpose of this study is to explore how parents involve themselves in their children's music practice. It is based on the retrospective views of Chinese collegiate students majoring in music. A total of 14 Chinese students participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The qualitative analysis in this study centred on the type and frequency of parental behaviours. The results demonstrate that each of the participants remembered their parents being involved in their music practice to varying degrees. Specific types of involvement are organised into five categories: controlling, supervising, supporting, engaging, and prohibiting. Based on the findings, a model is proposed to aid understanding of the complexity of parental behaviour of music practice in the Chinese context. A potential trajectory of parental behaviours pertinent to highly self-regulated music learners was also identified. The study suggests possible theoretical foundations for further exploration of the role of parents in music learning.
(AN 173857735); ISSN: 14613808
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Teachers' perspectives on music education in Croatian music schools.

Svalina, Vesna; Šimunović, Zrinka — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Croatian music education is implemented within the national education system. In this research, we focused on secondary education, or, more precisely, on teachers who work in Specialised music schools – independent institutions that prepare students for higher education in the field of music. The national curriculum for art education in the Republic of Croatia, published in 2017, has still remained at the level of proposal, and the teaching process is conducted according to the syllabuses designed in 2006. Considering these facts, we were interested in how teachers evaluate the syllabuses they follow and what changes they require. We used survey questionnaires and assessment scales, and qualitative and quantitative methods for data analysis. As expected, teachers showed dissatisfaction with the syllabuses they follow. Instrumental and vocal teachers and senior teachers showed somewhat greater satisfaction. The results of the research can help in the creation of new subject curricula and the analysis of the current situation in practice for all those who will be involved in curricular changes.
(AN 173857736); ISSN: 14613808
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Moral economies in the community of Norwegian folk music practices.

Vinge, John; Røyseng, Sigrid; Stavrum, Heidi — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
This article investigates the moral outlooks and obligations that are intertwined in the teaching and learning processes of the traditional folk music community in Norway and how moral aspects affect the development of professional identities. Theoretically, we combine the concept of a community of practice with a moral economy perspective. This allows us to see that professional folk musicians are positioned between two different moral economies, one that builds on voluntary values and gift exchange and another that builds on professional ideals of the market-based economy of the music industry. In this way, we extend existing knowledge on teaching and learning processes by specifying the moral content that is learnt by participating in the practices of the folk music community. Being socialised into the moral outlook of the Norwegian folk music community means internalising specific norms and values that create moral obligations and shape social contracts.
(AN 173857737); ISSN: 14613808
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A demographic profile of high school music courses in New York.

Knapp, David; Clauhs, Matthew; Powell, Bryan — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Previous scholarship has provided a broad overview of demographic trends in secondary school music enrolment across the United States. However, there exists a gap in the literature in how students with disabilities are represented in school music, and the demographics of students enrolled in experiences outside of band, orchestra, and choir. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine demographic trends in music courses across New York, which has implemented a variety of course offerings that exist outside of band, orchestra, and choir. Using data obtained from the State Department of Education's Student Information Repository System (SIRS), this article provides a profile of school music in the state. Results demonstrate how students with disabilities are underrepresented in school music programmes and differences in participation by race, gender, socioeconomic status, and native language across a variety of traditional and non-traditional school music experiences. Specific music experiences, such as Guitar and Piano, help to balance the demographic profile of school music programmes with disproportionately White and more affluent large ensemble courses.
(AN 173857738); ISSN: 14613808
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Thinking ahead: the use of mental training in young violinists' skill development.

Vilnite, Fiona Mary; Marnauza, Mara — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Mental training has been employed successfully by experienced musicians, but rarely explored with younger learners. Considering its benefits, however, including the use and development of predictive, feedforward processes, identified in neuroscience as being central to playing a musical instrument, this mixed qualitative-quantitative study investigates how mental training can be adapted for assisting young violinists in developing awareness of these inner processes creatively and in a manner that is consistent with the cognitive processes of learning. Nine students (average age 8) participated in five routines that included: (1) Alternation of sound perception and movement with physical playing, (2) A melodic composition game combined with motor and auditory imagery, (3) Movement with deliberate pre-hearing, (4) Sound perception, followed by sound reproduction and (5) A conceptual-verbal exercise, illustrating mental imagery formation and its externalisation. Results after routine one indicated improvements in intonational range (t = 2.59, p = 0.032) and timing (Z = 3.162, p = 0.002). After the second routine students hummed pitches before playing them, suggesting development of pre-hearing. Observations from the other routines included improvements in posture, attention, and awareness of imagery formation.
(AN 173857739); ISSN: 14613808
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Teacher habitus as/at the nexus of practice: Musical Futures and Irish primary schools.

Gubbins, Edmond — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Musical Futures approaches, with their roots in informal learning, have been the subject of much research internationally, with studies showing their significant impact on music education policy and practice. Within a theoretical framework drawn from the work of the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, this paper examines the manifestation of habitus as both the nexus at teacher practice (connecting its discrete elements), and the nexus as teacher practice (the focal point of teacher practice). Using Participatory Case Study Research, generalist primary teachers (n = 7) and students (n = 137) from six primary schools in the Republic of Ireland engaged with Musical Futures from a period of ten to thirty weeks. The findings situate teachers' conceptualisations of self, using habitus as a lens to interpret how these elements mediate and are mediated by practice. These findings illustrate how teachers draw considerably on their personal musical experiences to inform their professional practice. In this research, engagement in Musical Futures generally brought about a renaissance of personal music making for teachers in this study, proffering unique insights into informal and non-formal music teaching and learning within the Irish primary generalist context.
(AN 173857740); ISSN: 14613808
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Through the lens of Bourdieu: an integral literature review on bringing gender neutrality to the musical instrument selection process.

Kim, Sori — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2023
Gender stereotypes in musical instrument selection have been studied for over 40 years. However, little research has been conducted on the importance of reducing the impact of factors that affect the stereotyping of musical instruments within the framework of sociology. Gender stereotypes of musical instruments emerge in early childhood and have negative influences including losing opportunities to learn gender-crossed musical instruments in adulthood. This article argues for a gender-neutral environment for children's musical instrument selection. Using a sociological framework of cultural capital, the variables contributing to gender-neutral musical instrument selection were categorised. Moreover, this study discusses the limitations of Bourdieu's theory and offers solutions to reduce gender stereotyping of musical instrument selection. Music education researchers can promote gender neutrality by reducing binary gender stereotyping of musical instruments. Students' understanding of gender neutrality could remove biases in their musical instrument selection. Proactive measures from music teachers could disconnect the reproduction of education systems.
(AN 173857741); ISSN: 14613808
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Take Note: Serving the Profession: "We Are Here to Help Each Other".

Donaldson, John; Orzolek, Douglas C. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The article discusses the retirement of Ella Wilcox, editor of the periodicals of the National Association for Music Education and manager of its book program.
(AN 174837676); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: STEM/STEAM and Music Education.

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The author discusses the benefits of integrating STEM/STEAM education and music learning. He describes his university's commitment to interdisciplinary learning through collaborative teaching and his work with an interdisciplinary student research group that aims to create hands-on experiences for students and educators in STEM areas. He also explains the learning opportunities presented by combining STEM/STEAM disciplines and music education.
(AN 174837684); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Centering Our Why.

Sheehan, Scott R. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The article discusses the initiatives of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and its efforts to advocate for equitable access to music education. It describes the NAfME Strategic Plan outlining the projects and initiatives of the association, including the Small Schools Initiative launched in spring 2023 and the debut of a new website in June 2023. It explains the association's focus on the impact of music education and of music on society.
(AN 174837679); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
(AN 174837678); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Extra! Extra! Read All about Student Musicians, School Bands, Orchestra Directors, Choirs, Glee Clubs, and More!

Potter, Lee Ann; Pike, Robin — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The article provides information on the Library of Congress web site that features newspaper articles on student musicians, band and choir directors, performance venues and programs, among others.
(AN 174837677); ISSN: 00274321
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In Memoriam Robert William Smith.

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
(AN 174837680); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Introducing Ella Fitzgerald!

Lang, Linda — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The article focuses on the life and music of African American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. It describes her family background, including the difficulties she experienced during the Great Depression that inspired many of her songs. It discusses her singing ability, marriage, health problems, recordings and highlights of her singing career.
(AN 174837681); ISSN: 00274321
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Wind Band, Folk Songs, and Cultural Appropriation: A Time for Response.

Brewer, Wesley — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
Wind band has a deep and long-lasting connection to folk-song sources. Societal expectations around music choices and sources are changing, including calls to diversify repertoire and eliminate traditional songs that include offensive language and stereotypes. Concerns about music usage in relation to cultural appropriation are also being amplified. How will teachers, composers, and publishers of band music respond to these calls for change?
(AN 174837675); ISSN: 00274321
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Educating Ears: The Role of Sound in Music Learning.

Buonviri, Nathan O. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
School curricula in the United States tend to focus on students' visual sense, making the teaching and learning of aural art a unique and challenging endeavor. In this philosophical inquiry with practical applications, I propose that the music curriculum be reevaluated with an ear toward the quality of sounds students hear daily as a foundation for heightened aural attention. Perhaps some music classes could more aptly be conceived as sound exploration classes, making school music opportunities accessible to more students and likely inspiring lifelong engagement with aural art. Music teachers will tend to offer a "sound" approach in their classrooms only to the extent that they themselves have had ample opportunities to explore their own aural interface with the world.
(AN 174837671); ISSN: 00274321
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Orff Schulwerk and Popular Music Education.

Vasil, Martina; Dockan, David — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
One way to build a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable music education is through the inclusion of popular music in curricula. However, it can be challenging for teachers to bring popular music into the classroom for many reasons. We suggest that since many teachers are educated in the Orff Schulwerk approach, this can be one way to teach popular music in the classroom. In this article, we discuss the similarities between Orff Schulwerk and popular music education, share our rationale for creating a weeklong course on popular music and Orff, describe how it was structured, and share resources. We invite teachers to build relationships with their students, talk to students about what and who they are listening to, start with activities that are comfortable for them and their students, and know that music standards can easily be achieved through teaching and learning about popular music.
(AN 174837674); ISSN: 00274321
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Using Technology to Expand Communities of Practice and Support Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Music Education.

Kim, Rachel Jung-Hoo — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
Technology can help expand communities of practice in music education and promote a democratic schooling process vital to culturally sustaining pedagogy. Through careful and effective implementation, technology helps connect students to relevant musical communities and supports educators in achieving student-centered thinking and practices. The increased use of technology during the pandemic created a unique opportunity for music educators to reflect on both the educational benefits and challenges of implementing technological resources in the music classroom. From smaller activities to large-scale projects, there are strong implications for how technology can play a role in transformative music education.
(AN 174837673); ISSN: 00274321
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Beyond Bel Canto: Applications of Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Voice Pedagogy in the Secondary Choral Classroom.

Magid, Brandon A. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
Bel canto singing style is a foundational cornerstone for vocal technique in choral ensemble classes. Yet there are reasons to question whether bel canto pedagogy alone can help students navigate the many different genres they sing as part of a diverse and balanced curriculum. This article examines the specific performance demands associated with arranged spirituals, global musics, and popular styles and some ways students might benefit from further study of Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) voice pedagogy when singing such genres in choir. Strategies for enabling students to healthily engage with CCM genres are also recommended.
(AN 174837672); ISSN: 00274321
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Equity in Music Education: Incorporating Queer Theory into Culturally Responsive Teaching.

Rideout, Anthony M. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The article discusses the importance of the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ topics in teaching music. It describes the goals of culturally responsive teaching, as well as the lack of preservice coursework on LGBTQIA+ topics and the professional development needed to incorporate queer culture into educators' teaching practice. It explains queer theory and ways of incorporating it into a culturally responsive music education.
(AN 174837683); ISSN: 00274321
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Another Perspective: Rediscovering Recreational Listening through Music Listening Clubs.

Martin, Lisa D. — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2023
The author discusses the advantages of joining a recreational music listening club. She describes her experience of losing time to listen to music for recreation due to her work as a music educator. She explains the listening sessions of the Open Mind Record Grind club that she joined, as well as their impact on her listening habits and relationship with the other members.
(AN 174837682); ISSN: 00274321
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Digital didactic resources and music: mapping the last decade of research.

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
The main purpose of this paper was to carry out an analysis of the scientific production in the last decade on the creation and use of materials in the field of music related to digital technology. For this purpose, a bibliometric study was carried out on 773 articles available in Scopus, and a content analysis was done on 252 open access articles. Conceptual clarifications of concepts in the field and a brief contextualisation of the study are also included. We go on to present the findings of the study showing a substantial advance in the use and consideration of digital media in music education. Nevertheless, no indication was found of improvement in learning, comprehensive student development, or competencies.
(AN 171372050); ISSN: 14613808
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YouTube comments on violin instruction videos: an analysis of comments in Turkish.

Gulum, Ozan — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
This research examines the comments on violin instruction videos on YouTube in the context of practice challenges encountered by learners while playing the violin and solutions provided by instructors to these challenges. 205 comments related to the research context were included in the analysis among a total of 4934 comments from 398 violin instruction videos in Turkish and they were examined through qualitative content analysis. It has been observed that all of the practice challenges experienced by learners while playing the violin are at the beginner level. Furthermore, instructors offer solutions to these challenges by providing short instructions, mainly through the comments section. They also emphasise patience and perseverance for learners. In some cases, it has been noticed that instructors assist learners by suggesting off-site communication, encouraging them to watch instructors' videos again, and recommending taking private lessons to address their specific problems.
(AN 171372052); ISSN: 14613808
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Gestural migration as a pedagogical tool in violin learning: a case study.

Alonso Trillo, Roberto — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
This article explores the potential of gestural migrations as a novel approach to violin pedagogy, allowing us to trace enlightening parallelisms between the learning of musical performative gestures and the gestural dimension of cinema as a time-shaped/shaping artistic discipline. As a case study, I take the first movement of Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata L. 140, composed in 1917, following an empirically grounded quantitative analytical approach. I attempt to trace gestural correspondences with selected scenes from the contemporary French cinematic movement that fascinated the composer in the early years of the twentieth century.
(AN 171372047); ISSN: 14613808
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Centring perspectives of disabled children in music education research.

Yinger, Olivia Swedberg; Vasil, Martina; Sheridan, Alaina — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
There is a need for music education research that uplifts and affirms disabled children by exploring their perceptions of participation in musical experiences in music classrooms. The purpose of this position paper is to a) define what it means to centre perspectives of disabled children, b) provide a rationale for centring perspectives of disabled children in music education research, c) describe and explore reasons why researchers often overlook the perspectives of disabled children, and d) provide information about best practices to centre the perspectives of disabled children in music education research. We highlight ideas for including disabled children in research from the fields of music education, disability studies, and music therapy. Recommendations include applications of participatory research, interviews with children, the Mosaic approach, and the In-The-Picture approach. By centring the perspectives of disabled children, researchers can learn a great deal and work to engage in anti-oppressive research practices.
(AN 171372049); ISSN: 14613808
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Context matters: adaptation of student-centred education in China school music classrooms.

Zhang, Le-Xuan; Leung, Bo-Wah — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
In the twenty-first century, there has been significant discussion worldwide about students and their learning processes. This study, designing with a student-centred education (SCE) training for three school music teachers over the nine weeks, aims to fill a gap left by the inadequate number of empirical studies examining the implementation of music lessons in China in an SCE era; it also aims to support a global understanding of SCE's pedagogical adaptation to the Chinese context by using a multiple case study conducted in Province X. The findings illustrate that although SCE has been well promoted in China and its adaptation might seem to be characterised by teacher-centred education, there might be within music education an adjusted SCE adaptation with reasonable contextual challenges and difficulties. Thus, in lieu of descriptions of the Chinese adaptation of SCE as a 'failed implementation', this study reveals a more nuanced situation in which SCE is adapted to China's specific cultural and logistical contexts with large classes, in which instruction takes place.
(AN 171372048); ISSN: 14613808
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Cognitive processing of rhythm in primary education: encounters between teaching practice and scientific evidence.

Álamos-Gómez, José; Tejada, Jesús; Farías, Felipe — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
This paper explores how Chilean teachers approach fundamental aspects of rhythm, verifying their consistency with cognitive processing theory and findings. 203 music teachers completed a validated questionnaire with closed and open items regarding how they approach pulse, tempo, meter and rhythmic patterns during rhythm production and perception activities. The results show that, in general, teaching practices are congruent with the scientific evidence related to the processing of these musical aspects. Finally, the use of elements that facilitate synchronization or constant pulse is suggested: optimal tempi ranges for adults, use of binary meters, and the use of rhythmic patterns that prioritise the double-half relationship.
(AN 171372055); ISSN: 14613808
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The subject 'music' from inside versus outside the music teaching profession: a comparative case study on the views of music and non-music primary education teachers in Spain.

Mateos-Moreno, Daniel; Bravo-Fuentes, Paloma — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
Music as a subject in compulsory education is thought to have both a low reputation and a globally declining relevance. However, research findings have been contradictory in exploring the beliefs of teachers on the subject and have mainly targeted the Anglo-Saxon context. With the present study, we aim to shed light on how teachers understand this subject by adopting an approach that is novel to the extant research. By means of a comparative multi-case study, we contrasted the views of purposefully selected music and non-music teachers in the context of primary education in Spain. Our findings indicate that both cases shared a relativistic perspective on the subject's value, which is conceived as highly dependent on the advocacy and in-class teaching methodology adopted by each music teacher, as well as concerns about its teaching methodology. However, our analysis also reveals several discrepancies between the beliefs of both cases that may lead to mutual misunderstandings. Furthermore, our study suggests a lack of understanding of the role and needs of the music teacher by their counterparts, alongside music teachers having false assumptions about their counterparts' views on their subject. Finally, we provide implications for increasing the perceived relevance of the subject that may also contribute to a better school climate for music teachers in the context of our participants.
(AN 171372051); ISSN: 14613808
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Problematising the potentials of music programs to address Australia's youth justice policy problems.

Kallio, Alexis Anja — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
Reflecting an international shift from punitive to more rehabilitative responses to youth offending, many Australian youth justice systems are undergoing significant revision and reform. The urgency of these changes are intensified by longstanding inequities pertaining to the gross overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and documented violations of human rights within Australian youth detention centres. As state and territory jurisdictions strive towards more child-centred practices, music programmes have been seen to provide transformative experiences for incarcerated young people through opportunities to express themselves and form positive relationships with others. In considering the potentials of music programmes to contribute towards such a child-centred youth justice 'solution', this article reports a poststructural policy analysis of Australian youth justice policy texts that produce child-centredness in particular ways. Music programmes are thus positioned as inherently political endeavours that hold potential to reinforce or disrupt policy problems, with implications for equity and justice.
(AN 171372054); ISSN: 14613808
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Challenges in teachers' professional identity development under the National Teacher Training Programme: an exploratory study of seven major cities in Mainland China.

Yang, Yang — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2023
Professional identity development (PID) of school music teachers is critical to teacher community sustainability, the quality of school music practices, and the long-term well-being of the music education system. While in-service music teacher training strengthens the occupational aspects of teachers' identity, the iterative PID process is both content-dependent and context-dependent. Using a framework based on the Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC), this study explored school music teachers' PID profiles in Mainland China after a 10-year implementation of the National Teacher Training Program (NTTP). Prominent characteristics of teachers' PID were analysed regarding self-efficacy, belief, professional commitment, and task orientation, relating to self-report and observed classroom instructional practices. Statistical analysis showed high coverage of curriculum content in teachers' daily instructional practices, while minor differences are evident among groups by region, grade band, and years of teaching. The impact of NTTP on PID and implications for in-service music teacher training are discussed.
(AN 171372053); ISSN: 14613808
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Take Note: "Buff, but Don't Sculpt"—Some Thoughts on Writing and Editing from an Interview with Ella Wilcox.

Donaldson, John C.; Orzolek, Douglas C. — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
The article presents an interview with Ella Wilcox talking about her retirement, scheduled for the end of February 2024. Topics include viewpoints offer prospective (and veteran) authors a few ideas to consider as they craft their writing for publication; and readers from fifty countries to work together to save the temples of Abu Simbel when the Nile waters held back by the then under-construction Aswan Dam.
(AN 173122247); ISSN: 00274321
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Note from the Academic Editor: The Next Generation of Music Educators.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
The article presents the discussion on supporting music teacher education. Topics include schools and educators are being called upon to do more and more to support the needs of their students, critics still suggest that low test scores; and offered by tenure systems rather than that of poor salaries, large class sizes.
(AN 173122241); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
(AN 173122249); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Transcribing Sheet Music of the Musical Theater.

Miller, Cait — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
The article presents the discussion on music reference librarian at the Library of Congress. Topics include song is popular enough and the lyrics are published on one of the many, many online song lyric databases; and historical documents and submit the transcriptions for review and approval, ultimately resulting in downloadable transcriptions.
(AN 173122243); ISSN: 00274321
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Harnessing the Power of Feedback to Improve Student Learning in Music.

Matherne, Nicholas; Blackwell, Jennifer — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
What does effective feedback look like in the music classroom? In this article, we explore a prominent perspective on feedback proposed by scholar John Hattie and his colleagues and then provide practical examples for application in music contexts. We begin by defining what feedback is and then explore what makes it effective and provide strategies for teachers to develop more effective feedback skills. Using this understanding of what makes feedback effective for learners, teachers can help students be active partners in the learning process and to achieve their goals with greater musical understanding.
(AN 173122240); ISSN: 00274321
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Supporting English Learners in Music Classrooms.

Bannerman, Julie — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
This article offers music educators ideas for supporting English learners in music classrooms. Music teachers across all grade levels work with English Learners, a diverse group of students with varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In the classroom, planning specific instructional supports can increase English Learners' participation and achievement in music. This article encourages educators to approach English learners from an assets-based perspective, creating a welcoming classroom environment that positively benefits students. With the goal of providing access to music education for all students, music teachers can become advocates for English learners in their classrooms and schools.
(AN 173122242); ISSN: 00274321
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Toward a Decentered Music Education Using a Rhizomatic Approach.

Yoo, Hyesoo — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
As we work to connect equity to our curriculum and pedagogy, a rhizomatic approach may provide a valuable lens for reconsidering traditional conventions. Such an approach underlines interconnected multiplicity with a noncentered, nonhierarchical emphasis. Applying a rhizomatic method, I offer music teachers some practical applications to challenge conventional curricular tendencies in subtle but important ways. Instead of using an additive approach to the Western classical canon, this approach helps to engage in music comparatively or relationally, which can enable teachers and students to think broadly across categories by recognizing the interconnections between musics. More important, lessons adopting a rhizomatic approach may help teachers and students consider all musics as bearers of equal status and honor many diverse forms of music.
(AN 173122239); ISSN: 00274321
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Creativity Is Instrumental: Instrument-Specific Strategies and Suggestions for Assisting Learners with Physical Disabilities and Differences in General and Instrumental Music.

Culp, Mara E.; Jones, Sara K. — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
Playing musical instruments represents an engaging and important feature of music-making for children. Music teachers can support students with physical differences and disabilities using inclusive mindsets and practices, such as making adaptations to the instruments or the playing style. If teachers are aware of the variety of options available, they will be better able help all players achieve their fullest potential. This article draws on relevant research and literature to describe who faces limitations in instrumental settings, conceptualize disability, outline music-specific options for accommodating learners' physical differences, and offer instrument-specific strategies that may be useful to both general and instrumental music teachers. Focusing on students' strengths, increasing teacher knowledge and awareness, and using instrument-specific adaptations can improve educational opportunities for all.
(AN 173122244); ISSN: 00274321
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Developing Flexible Musicianship: Insights from Code-Switchers.

Isbell, Daniel S. — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 09/01/2023
Much like an effective speaker, a flexible musician is competent across multiple settings. The sociolinguistic theory of code-switching can be a useful tool to better understand how musicians acquire a set of skills and knowledge to support music-making in a range of activities in and outside of school and throughout society. In this article, readers learn about the specific skills and knowledge musical code-switchers rely on the most when moving among a diverse range of musical events. This article includes examples of how code-switching experiences can improve music classes, lessons, and rehearsals and support meaningful independent music-making.
(AN 173122245); ISSN: 00274321
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Bringing a 'What's the problem represented to be?' approach to music education: a national plan for music education 2022.

Bacchi, Carol — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
This article introduces an analytic strategy or thinking tool called the 'What's the Problem Represented to be?' (WPR) approach and suggests its usefulness for reflecting on important debates in music education. First developed as a mode of policy analysis, WPR has since been adopted in many fields and topic areas. The WPR approach consists of seven forms of questioning and analysis that target modes of governing and governing knowledges, their presuppositions, their genealogies and their effects. It is best described as a problematisation approach that studies how issues are problematised or conceptualized. The article explores what this description means and the implications that flow from applying this thinking tool. The recent (June 2022) National Plan for Music Education, titled The Power of Music to Change Lives, provides a focus for illustrating how to deploy WPR. The task involves seeking out 'proposals' in the Plan and indicating how these proposed solutions represent (or produce or constitute) the 'problem' of 'music education'. The goal is to make available a novel approach to a range of issues that have engaged the field for decades.
(AN 164617555); ISSN: 14613808
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Understanding virtual rehearsal participation through self-determination theory.

Williams, Matthew L.; Schlegel, Amanda L.; Harrington, Ann; Bugos, Jennifer A. — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
The motivation to participate in ensemble rehearsals may be influenced by the rehearsal environment. With the emergence of the virtual rehearsal environment, there is a need to gain a better understanding of how online rehearsals affect participation decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine the applicability of one theory of motivation, Self-Determination Theory, to older adults' decisions to participate or not participate in virtual rehearsals. Respondents (N = 49) included participants (n = 20) and nonparticipants (n = 29) who completed the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (n.d.) and the Modified Computer Self-Efficacy Scale (Laver et al. 2012). Mann–Whitney U comparisons indicated that nonparticipants had significantly lower ratings on the Perceived Competence and Value/Usefulness subscales on the IMI, in addition to significantly lower feelings of self-efficacy on the MCSES. Overall, the results seem to support the use of Self-Determination Theory to explain differences in the decision of New Horizons band members to participate in online rehearsals. To encourage participation in virtual ensembles, there is need to confirm ensemble members are comfortable with the technology and understand the value and usefulness of the activity itself.
(AN 164617546); ISSN: 14613808
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Who takes part in participation? Challenges to empowering student voice in music teacher education.

Fredriksen, Bendik; Onsrud, Silje Valde; Rinholm, Hanne; Lewis, Judy — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
In this study, we employ a participatory action research framework to investigate how preservice music teachers can take part in developing their own education. The main focus is on how two music teacher educators at two institutions in Norway work to create a space for student voice and participation. The study's data are analysed and presented through a combination of self-study methodology and narrative analysis conducted by two of the authors, followed by reflections by the two other authors. In these analytical steps, we identify four teacher roles in the form of metaphors: 'the impatient manager', 'the conflicted gatekeeper', 'the balancing artist' and 'the reluctant host'. These roles are further discussed in light of theoretical perspectives on student voice and participation. The results reveal challenges in the use of participatory action research and in making changes to music teacher education.
(AN 164617548); ISSN: 14613808
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Perceived influences of a music teacher education programme on preservice music educators' occupational identity development.

Albert, Daniel J. — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
The purpose of this study was to examine preservice music educators' perceptions of how the culture of a music teacher education programme and its embedded communities of practice influenced their occupational identity development. Research questions were (a) What specific cultural influences and communities of practice, if any, did the participants describe as particularly influential in regard to occupational identity development and why? (b) How did the participants describe their respective changes in occupational identities, if any? Participants were preservice music educators enrolled in an early childhood music education methods class with authentic-context learning (ACL) experiences. Data included audio recordings of classes, observational field notes, transcripts from multiple individual interviews and a focus group discussion, and students' reflection journals. Participants cited several music teacher education courses, embedded ACL experiences, and supportive interactions with peers and professors, as a constellation of factors that influenced an occupational identity transition within themselves to think more broadly about their identities as educators and the means through which music could be taught.
(AN 164617550); ISSN: 14613808
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Preparing conservatoire students for the music education workforce: institutional and industrial perspectives on instrumental teacher education in England.

Shaw, Luan — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
A skilled music education workforce is essential to ensure longevity of music-making for future generations of young learners and access to high-quality instrumental music tuition remains crucial for school-aged pupils. Yet, Higher Education providers, including conservatoires, are not held accountable for providing high-quality pedagogical training to ensure that music graduates are best equipped to support musical learning in children and young people. Perspectives on instrumental teacher education obtained through interviews with academics at six English conservatoires were triangulated with questionnaire responses from senior leaders of 66 Music Education Hubs in England. Findings revealed institutional challenges relating to the privileging of principal study activity; inconsistent pedagogical provision across the conservatoire sector, and a mismatch between students' pedagogical training and employer expectations. Closer collaboration and dialogue between institutions and employers are recommended to ensure that conservatoire graduates are trained appropriately to meet the needs of the modern music education sector.
(AN 164617553); ISSN: 14613808
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Examining gender bias in student evaluations of music teacher educators.

Olesko, Beatrice B.; Clauhs, Matthew — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
Through a randomised controlled experimental design, the purpose of this study was to determine whether the gender of a music teacher educator influenced student perceptions of professional and interpersonal teaching skills. Participants (N = 146) completed a student evaluation questionnaire after viewing five-minute teaching videos of a professor leading a lecture and mentoring a student teacher. The teaching videos were scripted and directed by the researchers. The female professor in this experiment scored significantly higher than the male professor on interpersonal measures (p <.001), however there was no significant difference between the male and female professor on professional quantitative measures. The male professor received a greater proportion of positive comments in the open response section of the questionnaire (p <.05) and significantly more positive comments related to professional traits (p <.05) than the female professor. These results suggest students may perceive professional and interpersonal teaching qualities differently in male and female music teacher educators.
(AN 164617551); ISSN: 14613808
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Sing by Ear project: multiple-case studies of popular music education in Hong Kong.

Poon, Pearly Tsz Wai; Chen, Jason Chi Wai — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
This study explores the impacts of popular music education in classroom practices from different aspects such as learning by ear, motivation, musicianship, peer learning and creativity. The Sing by Ear approach was created based on the concepts of informal learning in singing a cappella. A total of 323 participants aged 11–14 were invited to participate in the 3-month project. Students learnt to sing cover songs by ear in an a cappella setting instead of reading music notations. The result from the case studies showed that students gained positive experiences in musicianship, peer-learning and peer-teaching, confidence and satisfaction, and creativity following the project. A pedagogical model was proposed based on the literature and findings in the study to inform the research and practice in popular music education for teachers and researchers.
(AN 164617547); ISSN: 14613808
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Whiteness, interpellation, and embodied technique in western classical vocal pedagogy.

Fetokaki, Sophie — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
Criticism of the foundational whiteness of western classical music's socio-cultural heritage remains relatively rare, and the field continues to export a prestigious self-image of cultural and technical superiority. Building on Ben Spatz' epistemology of practice, I argue that the foundational whiteness of western classical music is principally and most tenaciously embodied within its training and practices, and as such scholarly criticism must also address the transmission of embodied technique. I demonstrate how this foundational whiteness relates to philosophies of transcendence and mind-body dualism, focusing on the case of vocal pedagogy. I analyse pedagogical literature and methods to reveal racialised frameworks and powerfully interpellating practices that require student-practitioners to excise aspects of their identity as the price of entry to their field. In light of this, I propose moving beyond the tokenism that takes the field's superiority for granted, towards a more serious reckoning of its value.
(AN 164617554); ISSN: 14613808
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The development and characteristics of Korean children's invented notation for musical representation.

Suh, Youngmeen; Jang, Yujin — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
The purpose of this study was to examine the development and characteristics of invented notation for musical representation. A total of 168 young children aged 3, 4 and 5 years participated in this study. The children listened to rhythm and melody, which represented music, to reveal their use of invented notation. The Korean children used various types of invented notation involving figures, numbers, Hangeul (Korean letters), lines, and mixed forms. The level of invented notation increased with age, similar to other kinds of representation competence. The level of invented notation was clearly and significantly higher when paper and drawing tools were used than when blocks were used. However, there was no significant difference in invented notation according to the type of music played (voice or instrument). This study suggests that providing children with various examples of musical experiences and representations as well as tools allows them to perform free and immediate representation without requiring dual representation. Additionally, the findings confirmed that Hangeul has an advantage in children's musical representation.
(AN 164617552); ISSN: 14613808
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Globalization, nationalism, and music education in the twenty-first century in Greater China: by Wai-Chung Ho, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press, 2021, 342 pp., $137.80 (Hardback), ISBN 978-9-048-55220-7.

Xie, Ying — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
(AN 164617549); ISSN: 14613808
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Music education research special issue: posthuman perspectives for music education.

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 07/01/2023
The article offers information on a special issue of the journal Music Education Research titled "Posthuman Perspectives for Music Education." The issue will be edited by Dr. Jessica Pitt and seeks papers that explore posthuman new materialist methodologies and their implications for music education practice and research. Submissions are invited on various topics, including interdisciplinary approaches, cross-artform studies, and early childhood music education.
(AN 164617556); ISSN: 14613808
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From the Academic Editor: Collaboration and Music Education.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
The article focuses on the importance of collaboration in music education and the need for music educators to work together to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment. Topics include the challenges and benefits of collaboration, the role of collaboration in problem-solving and innovation, and the importance of collaboration in achieving the mission of the National Association for Music Education.
(AN 164777899); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Connecting Curriculum and Advocacy and So Much More!

Sheehan, Scott R. — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
The article focuses on the importance of curriculum design and implementation in music education, as well as its connection to advocacy efforts. Topics include the need for equitable access to music education, the role of written curriculum in demonstrating the value of music education, and the resources available for developing a high-quality music curriculum.
(AN 164777902); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
(AN 164777903); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: A New Digital Collection from the Library of Congress Music Division: The Gisella Selden-Goth Collection.

Fraunfelter, Paul — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
The article focuses on the digital collection of pianist, composer, and musicologist Gisella Selden-Goth's private holograph music manuscript collection. Topics include her acquisition of one piece by every important master of old and modern times, various composers featured in her collection, and the inclusion of lesser-known figures like Nicola Porpora and Wilhelm Rust.
(AN 164777901); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Practice Makes Perfect: A Praxical Approach.

Regelski, Thomas A. — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
The article focuses on the importance of effective practice in music education. Topics include the challenges students face in practicing and suggests strategies for modeling and demonstrating new music, the role of individual lessons in addressing fundamental problems, and the responsibility of music teachers in coaching good practicing strategies.
(AN 164777893); ISSN: 00274321
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Nurturing Musical Creativity through Assessment for Learning.

Bolden, Benjamin; Rickey, Nathan; DeLuca, Christopher — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
Assessment is one of the thorniest aspects of teaching for creativity. Nevertheless, research suggests there is tremendous potential for nurturing creativity through assessment. This article identifies how music educators can leverage assessment for learning (formative assessment) as a powerful tool for cultivating creativity within a variety of music activities. Four core strategies are described: (a) developing flexible success criteria, (b) providing and supporting engagement with feedback, (c) activating self-assessment, and (d) optimizing the classroom context for creativity-nurturing assessment.
(AN 164777894); ISSN: 00274321
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The Application of Synesthetic Principles to Foster Musical Creativity.

Guarriello, Marissa — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
In 2014, the National Association for Music Education released music standards that strongly emphasized creativity, encouraging teachers to find new ways to implement creative activities into their classrooms. As such, making cross-modal associations and emphasizing divergent thinking are important priorities for teachers to consider. Synesthesia involves involuntary cognitive connections between senses (e.g., color and sound) that many people experience. The principles of this condition can be applied to all music learners, and building instructional approaches from them could help students make these unique associations and use divergent thinking to ultimately become more creative music makers.
(AN 164777895); ISSN: 00274321
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Open Education and Music: An Introduction to Open Practices.

Allen, Tanya R. — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
Open education and related terminology have not gained widespread interest within the music education community. Despite this, music educators demonstrate open practices by leveraging digital technologies to share, collaborate, and innovate their teaching practice for student engagement and achievement. This article introduces open education terminology while highlighting related practices described in existing music education literature. Music educators will then have an opportunity to examine their teaching practices with an open education perspective moving forward.
(AN 164777897); ISSN: 00274321
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Playing Musically: Developing Healthy and Expressive Singing Instrumentalists.

Weimer, Kristina R.; Rutkowski, Joanne — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
When working with beginning instrumentalists, many music educators emphasize executive skills specific to the mechanics of playing an instrument. However, beginning students can also benefit from focused vocal instruction as a complement to their musical growth in the instrumental setting. Because instrumental music educators may feel ill equipped to implement vocal strategies, it is important to arm instrumental music teachers with practical tools specific to students' singing voices. In this article, we share the benefits of vocal instruction in the instrumental music classroom, considerations for the changing voice, and specific strategies for applying singing activities to help students' musical development. The activities and strategies provided opportunities for students to create, perform, and respond to music in a variety of ways while developing their singing voices and strong musicianship skills and knowledge, promoting lifelong music engagement.
(AN 164777896); ISSN: 00274321
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Fostering Meaningful Feedback through the Critical Response Process.

Bylica, Kelly; Rathgeber, Jesse — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
Feedback plays an essential role in music education, helping individuals learn to consider creative works from multiple perspectives. In this article, we explore the Critical Response Process, a four-step process for engaging with artistic works in progress. Founded on the principle that both artists and responders play active roles in feedback, this process is designed to promote discovery and help students learn how to engage in a responsive feedback dialogue with others. In addition to outlining the process, we also offer narratives from our own practice, examples of how the process might be implemented in various settings, and ideas for adaptations.
(AN 164777898); ISSN: 00274321
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Equity in Music Education: Dismantling Racism through Supportive Feedback in the Music Classroom.

Kelley, Jamey; Nussbaum, Kelsey — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Educators Journal; 06/01/2023
The article focuses on the importance of effective feedback in music education, emphasizing the need for teachers to shape their communication with students to promote growth. Topics include, strategies for providing feedback that diminishes implicit bias, the impact of feedback on historically marginalized students, and fostering independent musicianship through thoughtful feedback.
(AN 164777900); ISSN: 00274321
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Music teacher perceptions of modern band and Little Kids Rock: a qualitative study of programme outcomes.

Knapp, David H.; Powell, Bryan; Smith, Gareth Dylan — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
Music education in the United States is typified by students in large ensembles, like band and orchestra, learning to perform pieces of Western art music. One organisation working to expand curricular offerings within the field is Little Kids Rock (LKR), which has invested millions of dollars training music teachers and providing instrument resources for popular music pedagogy. Though this organisation has demonstrated success in its ability to propagate 'modern band' programmes, the effects of its investment are not known. LKR administers an end-of-year survey to its participating teachers to assess teachers' perceptions of their music programmes. However, LKR do not publish meaningful information regarding the outcomes and impact of its activities. The present study examined free-response data from the 2018 end-of-year survey. Using the passive and active identity and learning realisation (PAILR) model as our analytical framework (Froehlich, Hildegard C., and Gareth Dylan Smith. 2017. Sociology for Music Teachers: Practical Applications. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315402345), the authors analysed themes using grounded theory to produce a logic model to describe the effects of LKR's investment. Results indicate participating teachers perceive a positive impact on students, including being more engaged in their learning, and more musically independent. Additionally, teachers believed they were more engaged and committed to their profession, and more able to teach previously disengaged students.
(AN 163387624); ISSN: 14613808
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Education and the reggaetón genre: does reggaetón socialize in traditional masculine stereotypes?

Díez-Gutiérrez, Enrique-Javier; Palomo-Cermeño, Eva; Mallo-Rodríguez, Benjamín — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
Reggaetón music is very popular among young people of school-age. Thus, we intend to examine the values of equality transmitted in the lyrics of this music genre. Using critical discourse analysis and assisted by the Maxqda software package we analysed the lyrics of 65 of the most popular reggaetón songs of 2020. Results suggest that reggaetón reprises certain traditional masculine stereotypes (machismo). In our discussion we compare alternative approaches and positions concerning the reggaetón genre. We feel it is necessary that educational spaces adopt a critical and consciousness raising approach to reggaetón due to the powerful influence exerted on young people by this product of the culture industry.
(AN 163387630); ISSN: 14613808
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Higher music education in Romania in the context of the European Higher Education Area: an analysis from the lecturer's perspective.

Lorenzo, Oswaldo; Turcu, Ioana R. — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
The academic context of Romanian higher education music lecturers has not yet completely overcome the influence of the socio-political scenario from before the fall of the communist system. This contributes to the international isolation of Rumaniańs higher music education, marginalising its institutions from the European Higher Education Area. This paper presents a study featuring the opinions of 470 Romanian university lecturers at eight higher institutions regarding the overall situation of higher music education. About seventy percent of participants stated that the current higher education system is worse than 30 years ago. A cluster analysis showed that the most important challenges facing the Romanian education system are insufficient funding and the need to promote more postgraduate studies. The situation described could be useful to revise the curriculum in order to align Romanian higher music education with the standards of the European Higher Education Area.
(AN 163387625); ISSN: 14613808
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What happens in school music in Norway? Findings from a national survey of music teachers.

Ellefsen, Live Weider; Karlsen, Sidsel; Nielsen, Siw Graabræk — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
This article reports on a survey of Norwegian compulsory school music teachers, in which 293 teachers from 239 schools participated. In addition to providing demographic information, the teachers were asked what kinds of music their students listened to, sang, played, and created during lessons, and what activities this music was part of. We explore this material with respect to which forms of activities were included and how they were distributed, how the activities were related to teacher characteristics, what forms of participation the activities allowed for, and how this participation relates to broader societal patterns. The findings show that a broad palette of activities was implemented, but also that teachers with less formal competence in music chose activities that allowed for broader participation than their more musically specialised colleagues. Drawing on Bourdieu's concept of refraction, we interpret this as the latter being loyal to the logic of the art field.
(AN 163387626); ISSN: 14613808
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Peer tutoring as a tool for developing the intonation of violin and viola students in elementary music education.

Fernández-Barros, Andrea; Duran, David; Viladot, Laia — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential and limitations of peer tutoring in the development of the intonation of violin and viola students in elementary music education. Researchers have found that peer tutoring is a highly beneficial learning strategy. Peer tutoring is defined as the pairing of learners in an asymmetric relationship, who learn by teaching and start with a common, known, shared goal and an interaction framework previously structured by the teacher. After presenting a didactic proposal based on peer tutoring for the development of intonation, this research adopted a mixed-method approach to present quantitative improvements in intonation. The analysis of the pairs' interaction explains these improvements as coming from the framework fostered by the pairs and the opportunities to learn through teaching. It is concluded that peer tutoring is a very effective tool for improving the intonation of string students.
(AN 163387631); ISSN: 14613808
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Alternative seating practices: pedagogy of the back of the orchestra.

Yi, Tammy S. — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
This three-year study aimed to investigate students' experiences with alternative seating practices (ASP) in a public-school string orchestra program. Whereas education scholarship has long demonstrated that democratic classroom seating arrangements play a crucial role in the learning process, typical orchestra classrooms maintain a hierarchical seating format assigned to students on a competitive basis. In this study I set out to explore the relationship between anti-hierarchical seating practices rooted in social justice and the musical capacity of a classroom ensemble. Using interdisciplinary methods – ethnography, interviews, archival data collection and analysis –, I investigated ASP's effects on the learning, motivation, and musical caliber of twenty-five string orchestra students from 8th to 10th grade in a diverse public school in the United States. My research findings show that anti-hierarchical ASP fostered students' collaboration and increased their motivation and engagement. Moreover, ASP also improved drastically the musical capacity of all students, especially those with no prior music training, and it led the ensemble to win first place at statewide competitions against more affluent and advanced student orchestras for three years in a row. My study therefore suggests that pedagogy rooted in social justice can be instrumental to achieving excellence in music classrooms.
(AN 163387628); ISSN: 14613808
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Recognising intra-actions of music and pupil.

Kvile, Synnøve; Christophersen, Catharina — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
Music is deeply entangled with human activity and can play various roles in our lives, also in the lives of children. A large part of children's day-to-day life in Norway takes place within a school context. However, research on children's musical lives within a primary school context is scarce, and there is little knowledge of how pupils engage and interact with music throughout their school day. Building on classroom observations of 4th graders in a Norwegian primary school, this article addresses the intra-actions of pupil(s) and music(s) at school from a posthuman and new materialist perspective. Through a diffractive reading of data and a 'thinking with theory' approach, we investigate how pupils and music intra-act within material-discursive school practices. Our results show that the intra-actions of music(s) and pupil(s) are connected to the norms and rules regulating the classroom and that these understandings have material effects.
(AN 163387629); ISSN: 14613808
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Using architecture to understand music: an interdisciplinary active learning pilot project.

Malvano, Andrea — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 05/01/2023
Few university students in Italy today possess the necessary skills to read a musical score. Consequently, alternative strategies are needed in order to visualize – and hence to memorise – music. This is the main reason underpinning the pilot laboratory of musical architecture, which was launched in 2019 as university workshop thanks to the collaboration of Matteo Pericoli. The educational project's objective did not consist in the investigation of the stylistic analogies between architecture and music, but rather in the utilization of a plastic discipline in order to stimulate students to reflect upon musical writing, and to arrive to the point of creating three-dimensional models of the analysed compositions. The instruction of this teaching unit was based on the principles of brainstorming, peer learning, processing and the drawing up of a report of the acquired knowledge. The models created during the didactic module made it possible for the students to give an architectural form to musical solutions and concepts of a varying complexity, which facilitated their related visualization. The project demonstrated what advantages might be derived from tools which are alternatives to the musical score in order to photograph specific aspects of musical writing.
(AN 163387627); ISSN: 14613808
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Music copywriting and the problems of music education: overcoming prohibitions and the use of music in teaching.

Peng, Fang — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
This study aims to discuss the fundamentals of music copywriting in music education and identify pathways for integrating musical compositions into the learning process without infringing copyright and prohibiting the use of specific music pieces. To achieve this goal, the authors used methods of analysis to identify the available resources in the field of music copywriting and education. The study reports that 35% of students give their preference to classical music, 32% want to use traditional Chinese music, and only 22% consider it possible to play modern melodies. To avoid copyright infringement in the presentation of theory that is available on the Internet, authors should document their original approach to learning and publish the data in books and monographs. The authors found that the use of classical music in the classroom was not an infringement of copyright because the statute of limitations had expired. The findings suggested that the students whose similarity scores ranged from 0 to 24% in the music compositions got better knowledge, with the coefficient of effectiveness of 2.5.
(AN 162055266); ISSN: 14613808
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Learning trajectories of classical musicians engaging in Musikvermittlung.

Petri-Preis, Axel — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
Practices of Musikvermittlung have become significantly more relevant since the last turn of the millennium against the background of a dwindling audience for classical concerts in the German speaking countries. For classically trained musicians, whether in permanent positions, as soloists or in portfolio careers, activities in the fields of community engagement and education work are increasingly becoming an important part of their professional activities. Even though higher music education in Austria, Germany and Switzerland has reacted to this development by founding new courses of study and offering further training, the learning trajectories of classical musicians engaging in Musikvermittlung are highly diverse. In this article I will pursue the question how musicians acquire their knowledge in order to participate in practices of Musikvermittlung and how identity and social membership are formed. My research is based on 22 interviews with twelve classical musicians that were conducted between June 2018 and December 2019 and analyzed with Adele Clarke's Situational Analysis. Through the lense of practice-informed learning theories I will show that significant learning processes take place outside of formal education and will conclude with some recommendations for music institutions and higher music education.
(AN 162055263); ISSN: 14613808
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The place of master theses in music performance education in Sweden: subjects, purposes, justifications.

Moberg, Nadia — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
While writing is undeniably an essential part of higher education, in music education, musical performance skills form the core of assessing students' results. However, higher music education is experiencing growing demands on research activities parallel to heightened requirements on music performance students' abilities to formulate themselves around their main field of study. This paper turns to theses as discursive acts embedded in higher music education. The present study investigates how master theses construct educational ideals by analysing written components of successfully completed theses within music performance programmes in Sweden. The paper shows that the theses treat a variety of subjects which are justified from five different perspectives: Improve, Succeed, Share, Acclaim or to Discover. Two diametrically opposed kinds of purpose statements are revealed; they appear as either impersonal and distanced or intimate and personal. Influences of traditional academic writing manifest themselves while conservatory ideals around craft, individualism and hierarchies are reproduced. It is argued that the self-exploratory approach – which is a characteristic feature on an overall level – excludes collective knowledge building as well as social perspectives on art and music.
(AN 162055271); ISSN: 14613808
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Sources influencing primary school student teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in their music studies.

Sepp, Anu; Kangas, Jonna; Hietanen, Lenita; Ruismäki, Heikki — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
In numerous countries, primary school class teachers have problems regarding music teaching. It has been reported that there is a lack of both confidence and musical skills. However, the question often relates not only to a lack of self-efficacy beliefs but also to the organisation of the studies. This research looks for sources influencing the formation of self-efficacy beliefs through the lens of self-efficacy theory considering music studies and seeks possible solutions to motivate and develop student teachers' interest in teaching music at the primary school level. The research revealed several self-efficacy factors that had a significant influence on student teachers' later motivation for teaching music in the future.
(AN 162055264); ISSN: 14613808
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Secondary music teachers: a case study at a time of education reform in Wales.

Breeze, Thomas; Beauchamp, Gary; Bolton, Nicola; McInch, Alex — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
Current international trends in curriculum design tend to advocate an approach which defines broad 'competences' rather than disciplinary content or skills, encouraging the making of connections between subject disciplines. This article discusses the results of a survey of 75 secondary music teachers in Wales, a nation which is in the early stages of implementing a new curriculum framework. The survey sought to form an impression of the musical backgrounds and training of the teachers, their pedagogic beliefs about classroom music, and their attitudes towards the values embodied in their new national curriculum. The responses from music teachers suggested that the majority had been musically educated in the Western 'classical' tradition at university, but their beliefs about teaching music in the classroom indicated that they had moved beyond the conception of the subject embodied in their own higher education, to a more holistic, practical conception in which pupils learn by doing. While a significant body of literature suggests the existence of a gap between the musical values of classroom music teachers and those of their pupils, the teachers surveyed for this research indicated that they tend to prioritise the development of transferable creativity skills over the production of excellent musicians..
(AN 162055267); ISSN: 14613808
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Becoming a 'Trans Synth Queen': YouTube, electronic music composition, and coming out.

Cayari, Christopher — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
Educators can develop musical learning experiences that help trans students explore, develop, and celebrate their genders and identities through music. This case study explored how a well-established YouTube musician, Amie Waters, used social media platforms and her music to express herself as she came out as a trans non-binary femme person to her audiences online. Amie found trans resources and role models on online platforms, which helped her develop her identity as a non-binary person. Through observation of Amie's YouTube videos and the comments left on her channel, conducting semi-structured interviews, and analyzing digital artifacts such as text blogs and screen captures, I found that she used online media, particularly YouTube, to present her self-image while interacting parasocially with others who provided her with emotional, creative, and financial support. Amie's online content creation helped her understand her gender and emotions through music and text. This study might help musicians who are transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary as well as their teachers to see how social media and online content creation can lead to developing a support system as they express their genders and emotions through music.
(AN 162055268); ISSN: 14613808
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Patterns of variation in sociomusical identity of school-goers in a condition of social vulnerability and musical gaps in their education.

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
Sociomusical identity pursues integrative goals, as it establishes bridges between musical identities from a perspective based on transculturation and post-ethnicity. The current study aims to observe the influence of social groups in the construction of sociomusical identity, using a simple random sample comprised of 417 students who attend Chilean schools classified in a condition of social vulnerability. The chosen nonexperimental quantitative method is survey research, as two scales were applied to measure musical activities in different social groups. Results indicated that the musical performance variable explains social differences in the distribution of sociomusical capital because, just as Western culture fosters the musician-listener dualism, it also causes gaps in sociomusical identity. In conclusion, differentiation points in sociomusical identity are linked to social matters concerning musical performance, as school-goers' musical practice is not encouraged inside nor outside of schools.
(AN 162055265); ISSN: 14613808
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An International quartet of voices: sharing songs and culture beyond borders.

Mellizo, Jennifer; Cabedo-Mas, Alberto; Joseph, Dawn; Nethsinghe, Rohan — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
Providing students with opportunities to experience culturally diverse music traditions is an important, yet complex task for music educators. In this study, the author participants (four tertiary music educators from different places in the world) facilitated a series of online workshops based on songs from culturally diverse settings with a group of pre-service teachers at a Spanish university. Through autoethnographical vignettes, they share their individual and collective experiences. This paper foregrounds the importance of disrupting the hegemonic cycle of focusing on Western music in education programmes and the importance of fostering transnational collaborations between music educators in different parts of the world. Findings indicate that music educators who are willing to share their unique musical perspectives and experiences beyond cultural and geographic boundaries can cultivate learning environments that are diverse, inclusive, relevant, timely, meaningful, and fun for all involved.
(AN 162055262); ISSN: 14613808
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Proposing an assessment framework for Cantonese operatic singing after reviewing the current practices in Hong Kong and Guangdong, China.

Luo, Yue; Leung, Bo-Wah — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
For decades, the transmission of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong and China has faced considerable challenges, including a lack of valid assessment. This study aims to propose a holistic theoretical framework for the assessment of Cantonese operatic singing after 1) analysing two graded examinations of Peking opera and Cantonese opera and 2) interviewing ten Cantonese opera experts and their students from Guangdong and Hong Kong. Findings reveal that the designs of the existing graded examinations in xiqu are still developing; multiple problems exist in the daily assessment practices including: 1) dependence on subjective perception, 2) a focus on the assessment of performance skills and a lack of multidimensionality, and 3) an inclination to momentary judgment and a lack of sustainability in assessing and documenting students' progress. Suggestions include introducing criterion- and standard-based assessments and increasing cooperation between artists and education experts, which may further promote the inheritance, popularity, and development of this traditional art form.
(AN 162055270); ISSN: 14613808
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Sound teaching: a research-informed approach to inspiring confidence, skill, and enjoyment in music performance: edited by Henrique Meissner, Renee Timmers, and Stephanie E. Pitts, Oxford, Routledge, 2022, 146 pp., £44.99 (hardback), ISBN 9780367622138; £15.29 (ebook), ISBN 9781003108382

Powell, Richard — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 03/01/2023
(AN 162055269); ISSN: 14613808
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The President's Prose: Music Is All of Us.

Sheehan, Scott R. — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article emphasizes the importance of music in human life, highlighting its role in communication, expression, community-building, and personal growth. It also discusses the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion in music education and mentions the progress made by the U.S. National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in advancing the profession.
(AN 163523944); ISSN: 00274321
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Professional Notes: Toward a Better Tomorrow.

Lehman, Paul R. — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article presents the author's view on the importance of teaching and the purpose of education. Topics include the role of teachers in changing lives and shaping the world, the value of music education in developing important skills, the challenges facing public education, the need for education reform, and the goals for post-pandemic education.
(AN 163523938); ISSN: 00274321
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For Your Library.

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
(AN 163523943); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Updates and Enhancements to the Library of Congress's National Jukebox.

Gibson, David — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article discusses updates and enhancements to the U.S. Library of Congress's National Jukebox, one of the largest online collections of early-twentieth-century sound recordings. It highlights the impact of the Music Modernization Act, which grants public domain status to recordings published prior to 1923, allowing for increased access, download capabilities, and integration of the National Jukebox recordings into platforms like Citizen DJ for educational and creative purposes.
(AN 163523942); ISSN: 00274321
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Idea Bank: Children's Books: A Great Partner in the Music Classroom.

Hall, Suzanne — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article discusses the use of children's literature in music education. It mentions how children's books can help students understand complex music concepts, engage them in music learning, and provide opportunities for melodic and rhythmic reinforcement. It also presents examples of activities that combine music and children's literature to create a rich musical experience in the classroom.
(AN 163523940); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: Intersectionality and Music Education.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article discusses the importance of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in music education and discusses the initiatives and efforts of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in promoting these principles. It also acknowledges the role of various authors in contributing to the issue and emphasizes the potential of music education to positively impact students' lives through understanding intersectionality.
(AN 163523934); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Guest Editor: Creating a Third Record for Music Education.

Talbot, Brent C. — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article focuses on the importance of intersectionality and dialogic practice in music education. It mentions personal experiences of the author learning music outside of formal training and emphasizes the need for cultural competence and adaptation in different musical settings. Topics discussed include the challenges of learning by ear, the concept of creating a third record in DJing, and the significance of intersectionality and dialogic practice in promoting equity in music education.
(AN 163523933); ISSN: 00274321
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Music Teachers' Experiences with Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Bernard, Cara; Talbot, Brent C. — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
This article describes music educators' conceptions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We collaborated with six music teachers to consider ways in which DEI is conceptualized and practiced in their own teaching settings. The teachers were carefully selected to encompass a multitude of identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, location, class, ability, teaching setting, musical background, and teaching experience. Through our conversations, we learned how these teachers locate their identities through their own narratives and how these social constructions converge in their work through pedagogical and curricular strategies. It is our hope that their insights might start a conversation about the current state of DEI work being approached in music education and provide suggestions for more diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices and policies in music classrooms.
(AN 163523941); ISSN: 00274321
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Finding Clues at the Intersection: Reflections from Two Choral Educators.

Saplan, Jace Kaholokula; Holmes, Jason Alexander — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
Civil rights advocate and law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality, defining it in 2020 as "a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. We tend to talk about race inequality as separate from inequality based on gender, class, sexuality or immigrant status. What's often missing is how some people are subject to all of these, and the experience is not just the sum of its parts." This lens has also expanded to pedagogy and practice, especially as we engage with our responsibility as educators in ensuring that through our content area, we establish equity-centered learning environments for all. In this article, we offer our personal insights as to how intersectionality interrogates our philosophy and practice within the choral arts both within our own identities and the identities of our students.
(AN 163523939); ISSN: 00274321
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Activism and Joy: Empowering Students through Affirmations.

Tsui, Alice A.; Williamson, Eric — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
Many music educators view activism through the gaze and experience of the U.S. civil rights movement and the protests of the 1960s. This article examines how two Brooklyn, New York–based music educators engage in activism in their school communities by centering student identity and cultivating joyful musical experiences. The authors share their individual identities, positionalities, and lived experiences that have inevitably shaped who they are as music educators. These two authors contextualize their school communities and the daily work that occurs in each of their music classrooms that seeks to empower students through culturally responsive and sustaining teaching. This article interrogates their current daily practice as music educators and offers suggestions for individuals who aim to take steps toward meaningful engagement in the necessary work that activism in the music classroom requires.
(AN 163523936); ISSN: 00274321
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Smuggling in Humanity: Musicking through Prison Walls.

de Quadros, André; Evelyn, Sean — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
In this article, the two authors talk about their vastly different trajectories that span international geographies and contrasting circumstances. By chance, their lives intersected in a music education program in an American prison. They trace their lifeworlds and how their musical engagement was a reciprocal learning experience for both of them. The article describes the "Empowering Song" music education approach that had its genesis in American prisons. The authors also share the experiential learning that has marked their collaboration, a relationship that has benefited them socially, emotionally, and politically. As a liberation pedagogy, the Empowering Song approach has wider implications, from general music and professional settings to community music in peace-building and forced migration circumstances.
(AN 163523935); ISSN: 00274321
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What We Say and What We Do: Decolonizing at the Shallow End of the Pool.

Batisla-ong, Lorelei J.; Waller-Pace, Brandi — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
We were invited to write about decolonization in music education for an issue on intersectionality and to do so in a way that demonstrates dialogic practice in action. What follows are excerpts from a conversation on decolonizing practices and our insights of being asked to speak on the subject. We both embrace the practice of dialoguing as a means for us to develop ideas not only to deal with issues of justice or practices of decolonization but also to celebrate and share parts of our lives and experiences with one another. Our collaboration began in order to do this work, but it is sustained by our ongoing relationship and friendship.
(AN 163523937); ISSN: 00274321
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Equity in Music Education: Pathways toward Pan-Excellence: Reenvisioning Music Institutions.

Thornton, Darrin; Hess, Juliet — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 03/01/2023
The article explores the concept of "pan-excellence" in music education, which involves recognizing and valuing excellence across diverse musical genres and styles, rather than solely focusing on Western classical music. It highlights the need to break down biases and expand the definition of excellence to include a broader range of musics, and suggests reenvisioning music education to embrace pan-excellence through inclusive curricula, assessment methods, and student-centered approaches.
(AN 163523945); ISSN: 00274321
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No justice, no peace: an arts-based project with a college choir.

de Quadros, André; Abrahams, Frank — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
This study examined the changes in perception toward systemic racism of twenty-six first-year students at a mid-sized university in central New Jersey. All were members of the first-year choir and, with their conductor, participated in a three-week workshop called 'No Justice, No Peace.' The goal was to examine social justice issues and systemic racism in society and to produce multimedia works of art to express their changing attitudes. Reacting to prompts by the facilitator, they created original poetry, singing, movement, and visual art projects recorded and posted on YouTube for public viewing. Critical pedagogy, critical pedagogy for music education, and activist pedagogy provided the theoretical frameworks. Coding techniques from the grounded theory literature offered a structure for the data analysis. We invited four students from the choir to participate in open-ended interviews and to share their final projects. We found that the students had positive feelings about the project, which did provide a safe space for dialogue among the students. But little changed in their attitudes and understandings about systemic racism and/or their commitments to social justice by condemning acts of racism and injustice when they see evidence of it in society.
(AN 160508428); ISSN: 14613808
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Music teacher attitudes toward popular music education.

Clauhs, Matthew; Sanguinetti, Rachael — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, values, and beliefs of New York music teachers towards the inclusion of popular music in the classroom. This research was guided by the following questions: 1) To what extent are K-12 teachers interested in teaching a variety of popular music instruments and styles? 2) What attitudes and beliefs do music teachers express about popular music education? 3) What popular music approaches are used most frequently by music teachers? and 4) What are the opportunities or barriers associated with popular music classes and ensembles in school settings? Survey respondents (N = 120), all of whom were members of the New York State School Music Association in the United States, showed strong support for the inclusion of popular music education in school programmes, with approximately 75 per cent of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that popular music instruments and repertoire should be included in K-12 schools.
(AN 160508427); ISSN: 14613808
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Stepping into the unknown: the experiences of tertiary piano students studying improvisation.

Sutherland, Andrew; Smith, Stewart — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
For many music students studying classical piano in tertiary institutions, techniques in improvisation are not included in their undergraduate curriculum. Despite the acknowledged musical benefits of improvisation, piano pedagogy curricula remain firmly rooted in the nineteenth century, focusing on the performance of the familiar canon of classical repertoire. In this study, in which we set out to explore the possible benefits of introducing formal improvisation lessons, eight students were selected from two universities in Hong Kong and Perth respectively. Using an active research methodology, the students were given four one-hour improvisation lessons each of which was followed by a focus group interview. In addition to making recommendations for improvisation to occupy a space in undergraduate classical piano curricula, other unexpected findings regarding group teaching for pianists, and teaching across an international context are presented.
(AN 160508431); ISSN: 14613808
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Empowering piano students of Western classical music: challenging teaching and learning of musical interpretation in higher education.

Holmgren, Carl — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
This study aimed to empower piano students and explore their understandings of how teaching and learning of musical interpretation of Western classical music could be developed to foster autonomy and a personal, authentic artistic voice. Two research questions were formulated: How have students experienced teaching and learning of musical interpretation? How do students envision a meaningful organisation of such teaching and learning? The empirical material, created during a participatory action research project with 4 piano students within an artistic bachelor programme, was hermeneutically analysed, and narratives were created and twice negotiated with the students. Their education was described as backwards-looking and not preparing for autonomous learning and musicianship. In contrast, a meaningful organisation was envisioned as collaborative, dialogical, characterised by openness, humility, honesty, and mutual understanding, where musical interpretation is viewed as a complex, ongoing, open-ended process, allowing for multiple, incompatible views, breaking from the master–apprentice model and the current restrictive ideology.
(AN 160508424); ISSN: 14613808
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Promoting awareness of unconscious gender bias in the evaluation of harp performance.

Moloney, Kate; Mitchell, Helen F. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
Music is vulnerable to unconscious bias through visual extramusical factors. Traditional male/female gender bias affects instrument choice and impacts performance evaluation negatively. This study investigates gender bias in assessing harp performance. Harp performers (one male, one female) recorded three musical excerpts, all dubbed with the female performer's audio. Listener-viewers assessed performances on five criteria and were blinded to the study purpose. Follow-up interviews explored awareness of unconscious gender bias. There were no significant differences between ratings for each gender but there were significant interactions between gender and musical excerpt for overall performance quality, musicality and sensitivity. Interviews revealed no explicit gender bias but discovered feminine associations for harp performance resulting in gendered descriptors rather than musical assessments. Listener-viewers demonstrated preconceived gendered expectations of harpists and were susceptible to gender bias in their evaluations of each musical excerpt. Perceptual evaluations can inform and educate future music assessors about unconscious gender bias.
(AN 160508430); ISSN: 14613808
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Mapping the applicants' learnability: a discourse analysis of assessors' talk of admission tests for Swedish specialist music teacher education.

Sandberg-Jurström, Ragnhild; Lindgren, Monica — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
This article concerns assessors' use of predictions of applicants' ability to learn when assessing admission tests for specialist music teacher education in Sweden. The data consist of stimulated-recall interviews with video-recorded admission tests as stimuli, and the analyses are based on discourse psychology with a focus on the variations, functions, and effects of the assessors' statements about learning opportunities. The results highlight several ways of talking about applicants' learnability, based on the view that learnability is a matter of teacher help, learning time, applicant age, and talent. Based on these results, learnability can be considered a selection tool, legitimised with reference to the assessors as experts able to foresee and make decisions about applicants' future development opportunities. In this sense, the test contexts can be seen as permeated by educational traditions in which discourses about learnability govern the assessors'/masters' decisions.
(AN 160508423); ISSN: 14613808
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Heads of composition perspectives on the role of composition teaching in UK music conservatoires composition department.

Devaney, Kirsty — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
In the study being reported here, heads of composition at a selection of music conservatoires (n = 6) in the UK were invited to share their experiences of teaching composition. Arising from the analysis of interview data, three main themes, termed 'pedagogical goals', emerged as important for undergraduate and postgraduate students to progress as composers. These included: becoming independent learners; developing one's own compositional voice; and building confidence. Findings revealed that these three themes and the pedagogical tools used to achieve them could create tensions between student expectations of what they believed traditional composition teaching to be. On top of this, the interviewees reported having to navigate increasingly neoliberal higher education policy and performativity measures such as the emphasis on student satisfaction, employability and the rising sense of competition between institutions, causing them to reflect on their role as professional educators. Implications for practice are highlighted, particularly around how conflicting priorities and expectations within creative subjects such as composing can in turn create pedagogical conflict. This calls for further research on how composers learn and develop, especially within higher music education contexts.
(AN 160508426); ISSN: 14613808
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Introducing multi-sited focused ethnography for researching one-to-one (singing voice) pedagogy in higher education.

Cox, Dale; Forbes, Melissa — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
One-to-one lessons based on the master-apprentice model are recognised in research and practice as an indispensable foundation for the training of professional musicians including singers. Given its primary importance to musician training, it is essential that researchers of this pedagogical model adopt methodologies and methods well-suited to illuminating the unique nature of one-to-one pedagogy. This article on methodology introduces multi-sited ethnography (MSFE) for one-to-one pedagogy research, exemplified through its use in a research project focused on one-to-one musical theatre singing voice pedagogy. MSFE is presented as 'Big Q' qualitative research approach which cohesively engages with epistemological, ontological, and methodological considerations facilitating the use of research methods which are well-suited to the private and ephemeral nature of the one-to-one lesson. MSFE is positioned as a research methodology which extends on and can address the challenges of extant research approaches in one-to-one pedagogy. MSFE is of particular use when researching participants across a broad cultural group (for example, studio teachers of a particular instrument or voice at multiple educational sites). We conclude with a discussion of the limitations of MSFE and make recommendations for further research.
(AN 160508429); ISSN: 14613808
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The parent role in Suzuki music lessons: experiences and perspectives shared by novice Suzuki parents.

Einarson, Kathleen M.; Cho, Eun; D'Ercole, Patricia — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
This qualitative thematic analysis explores parents' perceptions of Suzuki music learning. Although parents are part of the 'Suzuki triangle' alongside the child and teacher, there is little research that investigates the Suzuki parent role. This work explores self-reports of parents' experiences, expectations, and needs during their child's first year of lessons with an expert pedagogue. Semi-structured interviews with parents of six novice violin and cello students from the United States yielded four themes: (1) the importance of the initial parent education families received upon starting lessons with their child, (2) the ways that parents supported their child outside of lessons, (3) the challenges parents faced in the 'home teacher' role, and (4) the strong partnership parents established with the teacher. Targeted preparation, together with ongoing teacher support, provided parents with the necessary skills and knowledge to support their child and to remain motivated in the face of challenges.
(AN 160508425); ISSN: 14613808
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Education, music, and the lives of undergraduates: colleagiate a cappella and the pursuit of happiness: by Roger Mantie and Brent C. Talbot, London and New York: Bloomsbury, 2020, 161 pp., $108 (hardback), $39.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-350-16922-7/978-1-350-19571-4

Dale, Pete — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Education Research; 12/01/2022
(AN 160508422); ISSN: 14613808
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Take Note: High School Ensemble Instruction with Library of Congress Sources.

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
The article discusses completion of curricular work in partnership with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources grant provides an opportune time to acquaint music educators with our most recent additions to those expansive teaching materials.
(AN 160848262); ISSN: 00274321
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The President's Prose: Believing Boldly, Advancing Strategically.

Sheehan, Scott R. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
The article discusses equitable access to music education is truly a right for every student. Therefore, now is the time to begin thinking bigger. Music communicates and connects people across all time and cultures. Music unlocks human creative expression and is a lens to the experiences and interpretations of the world.
(AN 160848259); ISSN: 00274321
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From the Academic Editor: Learning and Music Education.

Orzolek, Douglas C. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
The article discusses broadest definition, education is usually concerned as the transmission and sharing of knowledge, skills, abilities, values, culture, and many other things deemed important.
(AN 160848263); ISSN: 00274321
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Link to the Library of Congress: Link to the Library All the Time!

Potter, Lee Ann — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
The article discusses examples of recent posts published by the Music Division of the Library of Congress for the In the Muse: Performing Arts Blog. Minerva's Kaleidoscope is a blog for parents and caregivers of children and teens ages 7 through 16 to find kid friendly activities based on the Library of Congress's collections.
(AN 160848258); ISSN: 00274321
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Professional Notes: Secondary Ensembles: What Directors Are Noticing about the Popular Music Movement.

Nichols, Bryan E. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
The article discusses study of secondary students in the United States indicated music was the highest out-of-school subject of interest but the lowest subject of interest in school. Music may be an important curricular offering based on our society's idea of educating the "whole" person, but this finding should prompt us to ask some uncomfortable questions.
(AN 160848261); ISSN: 00274321
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Creating Professional Learning Communities for Music Educators.

Verdi, Brian — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a prominent form of high-quality professional development (PD) that can provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate, share teaching strategies, reflect on teaching practices, and create mutually supportive and collegial teaching environments. PLCs hold much promise as a PD model for music educators and as an effective way to improve student learning and reduce teacher isolation. Although professional teaching organizations and scholars support PLCs and teacher collaboration, most public schools do not provide opportunities for music educators to collaborate with their colleagues. This article emphasizes the need for collaboration among music teachers and offers viable strategies for administrators and music educators to create and implement PLCs within schools and districts.
(AN 160848253); ISSN: 00274321
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Storytelling: An Engaging Teaching Tool in Ensemble Classes.

Ripani, Giulia — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
How can music educators create an engaging and supportive learning environment in ensemble classes? I propose using storytelling as a teaching tool to foster music learning and musical engagement in a relaxed, inviting, and focused atmosphere. Although storytelling cannot replace traditional teaching methods, it can help students understand technical concepts, develop bodily sensations, improve musical imagination, and develop a sense of community. I therefore address different aspects of storytelling to promote a more informed use of stories in ensemble classes.
(AN 160848254); ISSN: 00274321
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"Who Keeps Your Flame? Who Tells Your Story?" Teaching Orchestra through Primary Sources.

Davis, Susan A. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
Music educators often look for ways to deepen students' understanding and artistic interpretations of repertoire. One way to engage students in discovery and dialogue about the music they perform is through connecting to the historical, cultural, and societal implications of primary sources. This article delves into resources from the Library of Congress that enable us to tell richer stories about the people and circumstances behind familiar orchestral repertoire, including works by Chaminade, Copland, and Miranda. The recommended materials include primary and secondary sources from the Library of Congress digital archives, best practices for using these resources, inquiry-based strategies to engage students in critical thinking, and connections to the 2014 Music Standards.
(AN 160848257); ISSN: 00274321
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Popular Music, Responding, and the Potentials of Podcasting.

O'Leary, Emmett J. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
Students in the United States discuss popular music all the time, but often outside the music classroom. How can music educators bring those conversations into the classroom in ways that students find engaging and meaningful? Podcasts offer a potential solution. By taking on the role of the popular music podcaster, students enrich their conversations by developing analytical skills that theorists, musicologists, and critics use in the process of making a tangible product. This article invites educators to consider the potential of popular music podcasts using pedagogical strategies that include listening, responding, and project-based learning.
(AN 160848255); ISSN: 00274321
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Theory as the "North Star": An Introduction to Race Theories for Music Education.

Hess, Juliet — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
To date, multiple U.S. states have passed legislation banning the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) and limiting teaching related to race, gender, CRT, and privilege under the umbrella term "divisive concepts." Against this backdrop, I argue that while CRT is not taught in schools, as a theory, it provides a crucial analytical and pedagogical tool to music teachers who often grapple with racially charged situations in the classroom. I introduce tenets of CRT and antiracism and make an argument for the use of these theories to orient pedagogy.
(AN 160848256); ISSN: 00274321
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Equity in Music Education: Disrupting Ageist Ideologies through Inclusive Music-Making.

Kruse, Nathan B. — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Music Educators Journal; 12/01/2022
Ageist mindsets and practices occur worldwide and can embody both explicit and implicit forms of discrimination. Inclusive and affirming community music spaces highlight the centrality of age as an integral form of diversity and can help to counteract age-based biases that older adults might experience in society.
(AN 160848260); ISSN: 00274321
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The transformative potentials and politics of music in juvenile justice settings.

Kallio, Alexis Anja — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2022
Music has been welcomed to juvenile justice institutions as a transformative practice supporting the rehabilitation of youth offenders to citizens. However, acknowledging that such institutions are not neutral instruments of the law but political arenas within which notions of ideal citizenship are imposed and contested, the transformative work of music in these settings is related to profoundly ethical questions of who incarcerated young people are, who we hope they become, and the kind of society we are striving towards. This article reports a qualitative metasynthesis of contemporary research on music in juvenile justice settings, examining how such transformative work might reinforce or disrupt the existing social order and enable young people to enact their own subjectivities through music. Arguing against music as a form of coercive correction, this article suggests that an engagement with the politics of music programmes might better support the realisation of a shared humanity underpinned by ideals of equity and relationality.
(AN 158751673); ISSN: 14613808
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Hidden elitism: the meritocratic discourse of free choice in Finnish music education system.

Väkevä, Lauri; Westerlund, Heidi; Ilmola-Sheppard, Leena — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2022
This study presents an analysis of hidden elitism in music education through the free choice argument – that individuals are fundamentally free to choose to study music – as a meritocratic power structure. Qualitative Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is applied to understand music education as a social system with a special structure in which its purpose regulates its functions and makes them meaningful in a given social setting through discourse. The study shows how free choice can appear both as a democratic principle and a legitimising discursive mechanism restricting the enactment of equality. Through a case, the study then demonstrates, first, how the relationship between the meritocratic discourse of free choice and hidden elitism can be identified by using SSM in the context of Finnish music education system, and second, how professionals can bridge social systems and transgress hidden elitist structures.
(AN 158751676); ISSN: 14613808
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Visually communicating exclusiveness: how specialist music secondary schools in England represent themselves on the web.

Lilliedahl, Jonathan — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2022
This article examines how specialist music secondary schools in England present themselves on their websites and social media platforms. We consider visual communication codes and how such patterns reflect cultural distinctions and social boundaries. Multimodal critical discourse analysis is used to demonstrate how the choice of semiotic resources convey the meaning of specialisation in a socially exclusive manner. Although the schools in question use different resources, similarities in function can be noted in their self-promotion. A school's social matrix and use of classical aesthetics are conveyed through non-verbal, visual communication. An elite code associates advanced musical training with certain principles of behaviour and social values. Those, in turn, represent class-based distinctions, cultural boundaries, and characteristics of privileged education.
(AN 158751679); ISSN: 14613808
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Tensions, issues and strengths of Professor Lucy Green's model of informal learning.

Mariguddi, Anna — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Music Education Research; 09/01/2022
Twenty years have passed since Green's [2002. How Popular Musicians Learn: A way Ahead for Music Education. Aldershot: Ashgate] publication which proposed a model of informal learning based upon five key principles. The discussion it ignited within the discipline was vast, the debate is still on-going, and the approach is still being implemented internationally. It is timely to explore literature that has focused upon Green's (2002. How Popular Musicians Learn: A Way Ahead for Music Education. Aldershot: Ashgate; 2008. Music, Informal Learning and the School: A New Classroom Pedagogy. Aldershot: Ashgate) model, to celebrate the approach, and acknowledge the challenges of implementation – particularly in light of current formal, traditional music education policy in England – to consider ways of addressing the issues. Literature has been presented according to key themes,to highlight tensions, issues and strengths of the approach. The themes include teacher role, student autonomy, motivation, student inclusion, authenticity and marketisation. The key themes act as a framework to aid understanding of the complexities of the debate. The tensions, issues and strengths have implications for practice, as proposed in this article.
(AN 158751675); ISSN: 14613808
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