Choice of instrument is among the most important factors in determining the course of a student's music education. Instrument selection can be a lengthy process accomplished through a variety of factors. The stereotyping of instruments by gender can, unfortunately, be one of those factors. The association of gender with particular instruments can…

The evolution of the drum is presented in both pictures and prose, from its beginning in Africa and the Far Eastern world to its introduction to the Western world where it is now fully accepted as a serious instrument. (KC)

Reviews a dissertation which examined the scoring practices for alto, bass, and contrabass clarinets in selected compositions written between 1951-1972. The study identified new practices for scoring low clarinets in wind band compositions. The study is recommended to readers seeking a good understanding of the use of clarinets in these…

Breathing and breath control are central to playing the oboe, yet few detailed educational resources are available to support their teaching and learning. This paper presents a review of existing knowledge and expertise in the field. It highlights common ground and points of controversy, and indicates some key areas for consideration. It points to…

Musicians practice to build endurance, flexibility, and dexterity. They practice to maintain good performance, to sight-read better, to memorize, and simply, to enjoy music making. There are other motivations for practice, but one, more than others, is a catalyst for consequential change in musical development--practicing to solve performance…

Reviews a study that examined the validity of different rating scales for measuring instrumental achievement with the clarinet. Rejects the contention that the new rating scales are superior to the Clarinet Performance Rating Scale. (BSR)

This investigation, which was part of a larger dissertation study, examined high-level performance in groups of people with developmental disabilities and the instruction that facilitated such performance. Specifically, it focused on those aspects of instruction that appeared to be particularly effective in eliciting a high level of performance in…

In the fourteen years since the 1990 MENC preconference symposium Multicultural Approaches to Music Education in Washington, DC, music educators have come to recognize the need to include a variety of world musics in all music curricula, from elementary classrooms to advanced performing ensembles. Accordingly, there has been a significant increase…

Discusses research literature dealing with measurement of solo instrumental music performance. Compares the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale with facet-factorial and other rating scales. Covers acoustic analysis and evaluation of tone, loudness, and pitch. Includes discussion of computer-assisted acoustic analysis and instrumental evaluation.…

Examines relationships between musical information processed by a computer-based sound analysis system and the audiovisual record of a performer's response to musical assignments. Concludes that computer analysis permits identification of performance behavior. Suggests that a database could be designed to provide both diagnostic response to…

Instrument instruction provided by local authorities has contributed to musical activities in primary and secondary schools for many years. A national survey asked the following questions: How much musical instrumental instruction goes on now in Scottish schools?; Are the numbers of pupils and instructors rising or falling?; How much do the local…

The author highlights some of the progressive trends in jazz band arrangements--woodwind doubling, synthesizers, strings, multipercussion, and other nontraditional instruments--and suggests sources for such scores to school jazz band directors. This article is part of a theme issue on popular music. (Author/SJL)

An instrumental music teacher in Anne Arundel County (Maryland) has been presented with a situation where a parent of a special education child wishes to enroll the child in the noncurricular school music program. This raises the question of his liability if he limits or refuses special education students in the program based on their…

Reports on study of 80 elementary students in grades 3-6 to determine whether tempo perception and performance abilities increased with grade level and musical training. Finds that student performance and perceptions did increase with grade level and training. Concludes that modern technology has made research into tempo perception more precise…

Changes in the provision of musical instrument instruction provided by local authorities in Scotland since local government reorganization are charted in this research report. The report outlines some of the more important messages from recent research about the value of musical instruction, reviews the findings of some recent surveys of the…