Kinesthetic movement has gained significant attention within the flute community over the last several decades as a performance enhancement tool. Somatic therapies such as the Alexander Technique, body mapping, Feldenkrais, and Dalcroze-Eurythmics incorporate kinesthetic movements into their practices. Although most musicians seek out these…

This dissertation aimed to better understand how violin and viola private instructors teach Mental Practice in their studios, investigating different approaches on how to apply and teach auditory, motor, and visual imagery, score study, and auditory modeling, as well as its benefits. This research was divided into two different stages. In the…

Collegiate class piano for music majors has grown substantially since its beginnings in the mid-twentieth century and has been developed by music teachers and organizations. Research on collegiate group piano has increased in the past forty years, and literature on teaching strategies, professional development, technology, and perceptions of…

This qualitative multiple case study was designed to investigate the experiences and the perceptions of three different collegiate brass instrumentalists with physical disabilities. I sought to discern the meaning of inclusion to students with disabilities and the state of current inclusive practices. I also sought to understand their challenges…

The American Brass Band Movement (1835-1892) is an important period within music history that is disproportionally and inadequately taught in collegiate music history classrooms. By learning about America's band history and by performing in these ensembles, future music educators will be able to have a more well-rounded understanding of the…

Applied music faculty are expected to have the skills necessary to oversee the development of young musicians upon employment. New professors, however, likely spent the majority of their musical life on the receiving end of the teaching dynamic and may find it difficult to adjust to their new position as purveyors of information. This document…

The repetitive nature of practice, extensive practice regimens, and competitive nature create conditions that predispose pianists for fatigue and overuse. Medical professionals agree that muscle fatigue increases the risk for injury. The purpose of this study was to identify whether a postural intervention had an effect on fatigue by quantifying…

This dissertation consists of three projects that I designed to examine high school band directors' and collegiate musicians' experiences and perceptions of democratic educational processes within concert band rehearsals. The first investigation is a review of literature about democratic educational principles and their application in non-music…

Effective pre-collegiate trumpet instruction is essential in preparing students for the first year of collegiate trumpet study. During the first year of college, students often find themselves overwhelmed with new demands and high expectations. By incorporating the teaching ideologies of American trumpet pedagogues Vincent Cichowicz, James Stamp,…

As the music education profession continues to adapt to the needs of an increasingly pluralistic society, scholars and practitioners have begun to concern themselves with issues of social justice (e.g., equity, diversity, inclusion, or access). For band directors, one way to address such topics is through the purposeful programming of music by…

As large and complex campus organizations, collegiate marching bands face a variety of practical issues that must be addressed by directors through clear policies and effective procedures. Extant research on these groups focuses on pedagogical matters, ensemble histories, organizational descriptive analyses, participation factors and effects, and…

This dissertation considers the influence of modern recording technology on trumpet pedagogy. The research specifically looks at the listening habits of students and the sources they use for concepts of sound. It is hypothesized that students are attending less live performances and using recordings as their fundamental basis for a concept of…

The first purpose of this study was to describe collegiate band members' preferred teacher interpersonal behaviors and perceptions of self-efficacy based on the gender, year in college, instrument, and major. The second purpose of the study was to measure the relationship between preferences of interpersonal teacher behavior and self-efficacy…

The purpose of the present research study was to examine effects of the use of SmartMusic practice software on the intonation and rhythmic accuracy of brass players' musical performances. Twenty college brass players who served as participants in the four-week study were randomly assigned to one of two practice conditions. The WSM (With…