The purpose of this study was to trace the development and growth of the University of Illinois Band Clinics during their twenty-five-year history (1930-1954). Founded by A. Austin Harding, Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, the Band Clinics served as an important forum for the reading and performance of contest pieces and new band…

Keeping one's self inspired in the music classroom is all about connections. Sometimes educators need to look at what they're doing from a different perspective. Luckily, there's no shortage of ways to revitalize one's classroom approach, and to help the author explores a few, he made use of some connections of his own, turning to five educators…

Since the arrival of the first charter school in Minnesota in 1991, charter schools have become one of the largest movements in educational reform. In recent years, research has emerged that has compared the effectiveness of charter schools with their traditional school counterparts. The purpose of this study was to compare the extent of music…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to learn about the ways that instrumental music teachers in Chicago navigated the urban landscape. The design of the study most closely resembles Creswell and Plano Clark's (2007) two-part Triangulation Convergence Mixed Methods Design, with the addition of an initial exploratory focus group component.…

Illinois State University (ISU), located in central Illinois, serves a large population of rural, suburban, and urban students. students are predominantly white. The music education curriculum requires multicultural music study, and students have opportunities for authentic experiences. During the semester before this course, students in…

This article describes the method and adaptations used by the author in including students with special needs in an instrumental music program. To ensure success in the program, the author shares the method he uses to include exceptional students and enumerates some possible adaptations. There are certainly other methods and modifications that…