This study was designed to explore differences between instrumental music teachers' self-perceived comfort and competence ratings, using a 7-point Likert scale, on 15 choral teaching skills presented through a researcher-developed survey. Participants, identified through the National Association for Music Education membership list, were contacted…

As we work and study in our increasingly globalized society, there is a growing trend of Chinese piano students choosing to pursue their higher education in the United States. Elite music institutions in America are also seeking and recruiting a large number of Chinese pianists. This trend raises questions regarding the similarities and…

Given the prevalent use of sight-reading in the classroom, at music festivals, and in audition procedures, it is important to know the most effective practices in preparing students to sight-read musical excerpts. Previous studies suggest that rhythm accuracy is a significant indicator of sight-reading ability. However, others have observed a…

A systematic approach to retrieve individual parts in a monaural music recording with its score is introduced. We are interested in isolating the accompaniment part by removing the solo part from a recording of concerto music in which a solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. We require the music audio, the score, and optionally a sample…

This qualitative, multiple case study examined teachers' perceptions and strategies used to elicit emotional expression in students' piano playing. Since much of the existing literature depicts the relationship between emotion and music (Juslin, 1997; Perrson, 1993; Tait, 1992), yet little exists which explores conceptualizations of emotion…

This ethnographic study contextualized identity development and maintenance within the field of community music through case studies of four performing groups and interviews with seven current members. The underlying question guiding this research was how does participatory music making contribute to the development and maintenance of identity in…

A key issue for string education advocates is the growth of orchestra programs in schools and communities where participants are engaged in learning and performing. There is a need to discover what is personally meaningful to string students so that successful programs can be developed. The purpose of this two-part study was to examine grade 6-12…

This dissertation examines the reciprocal relationship between text literacy and music literacy through an experimental design. Music teachers and English Language Arts (ELA) teachers often address similar components of literacy, including fluency, comprehension, and symbolic interpretation. The theory of cognitive structuralism maintains that…

Given the horn's lengthy history, it is not surprising that many scholars have examined the evolution of the instrument from the natural horn to the modern horn and its expansive repertoire. Numerous dissertations, theses, and treatises illuminate specific elements of the horn's solo repertoire; however, no scholar has produced a…

This dissertation will deal with the issue of incorporating modern piano music into the repertoire of piano students at the undergraduate degree level. For the purposes of this paper, it is assumed the students will be pursuing a major in music at a conservatory or university with piano as their instrument. In no way does this paper serve as an…

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of an online synchronous lesson environment on beginning piano students' musical achievement, time spent in target behaviors across the study period, and attitude toward piano lessons. Beginning piano students (N = 19) between ages 6-9 with no prior private music instruction served as…

The purpose of this study was to begin to examine the factors that contribute to the inclusion and exclusion of children with disabilities in piano lessons in private studios. Specifically, using a qualitative approach. the perceptions piano teachers have regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities in the piano studio were studied. The…

Since being introduced into classrooms in the late 1990s, online instruction has grown substantially both in student enrollment and the number of programs offered at state, district, and multi-district levels. Although having been applied liberally to all core subjects and many supplemental subjects, online instruction has yet to be utilized…

A comparative analysis was used to study the results from a descriptive survey of selected middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8. Student responses to the survey tool was used to compare multiple variables of music participation and duration of various musical activities, such as singing and performing on instruments, to the mathematics…

This study explores the potential for the band rehearsal setting to be a reflectively collaborative space. School bands are traditionally large, performance-centered ensembles where discussions between director and student are limited by time and the size of the group. Recognizing the need to base rehearsals less on the conductor's…