Novice listeners have difficulty perceiving form in music because they experience music episodically, not holistically; and because conditioned by popular music to respond emotionally, they see no reason for intellectual analysis. To achieve aesthetic literacy, students must be taught both analytic and aesthetic perception, utilizing both brain…

Addresses how the National Standards can be incorporated into band rehearsals using the music piece, "Balladair" (Frank Erickson), as an example when teaching techniques and musical concepts. Provides ideas such as using material from "Balladair" to create warm-ups or relating the piece to other arts. (CMK)

Focuses on how important it is for teachers to understand music editorial practices. Explains that the knowledge can help them select appropriate performing editions of music for their classes. Provides background information on editorial practices and the philosophy and methodology behind them. Discusses the nature of primary sources. (CMK)

Discusses the meaning of creativity, focusing on music education. Emphasizes the four "p's" while examining the meaning of creativity: (1) the creative person; (2) the creative process; (3) the creative product; and (4) the creative place. Addresses how creative thinking can be at the center of teaching. (CMK)

Discusses the condition in which people are confused about the nature and use of intellect in the arts. Focuses on associated dilemmas, the root cause, and how to address them. Explore topics such as musical/artistic mindedness and the benefits of a comprehensive music education. Includes suggestions. (CMK)

Examines music creativity from a cross-cultural perspective. Delineates the difference between creativity and re-creativity giving cultural examples of each. Discusses the differences between composition and improvisation and analyzes the language of musical expression. Describes the cultural traditions of musical creativity in India, China, Iran,…

Compares 174 music theory and composition professors' opinions about eminence among contemporary U.S. composers to frequency of works performed by 29 U.S. symphony orchestras. Finds faculty-perceived eminence and programing practices moderately related. Suggests some consensus among faculty and orchestra surveys regarding composer eminence. (CH)

Presents a collection of teachers' ideas on instruction for musical improvisation. Includes suggestions for ascending grade levels, spontaneous composition, and creation of sound maps. Recommends making technique training fun and creative through improvisation. Suggests that children be taught to think in sounds and to experiment with variations.…

Focuses on the relationship of music composition with specific learning styles. Emphasizes the development of a research model in which music composition was viewed as involving intuitive and rational musical abilities. Uses two learning-style inventories and a researcher-designed test of musical composition ability. (DB)

Presents an interview with Alan Menken that addresses his role as a composer, different influences and paths in his career, and the importance of music education in his life. Asserts that music should permeate all aspects of education because it is a vital aspect of a student's emotional and intellectual life. (CMK)

Examines knowledge about the structure of memory in order to understand the process of writing melodies. Focuses on a study of 25 students who were asked to write two melodies using a computer. Presents the results and offers an example of the function of memory in writing melodies. (CMK)

Examines experienced and inexperienced teachers' perceptions of band music content and quality in three experimental settings. Provides information about how teachers critique band music for curricular use. Suggests that preservice teachers may possess abilities similar to experienced teachers concerning decisions about mid-level band works.…

Examines the effect of instruction in the use of specific rhythmic nuances on the timings of a musical performance. Forty volunteer upper-division and graduate students performed Johann Sebastian Bach's Suite no. 3 for Violoncello solo, Bouree no. 1, using a computer software program. Discusses the results. (CMK)

Focuses on the use of recorder ensembles in general music classes, discussing topics such as strategies for procuring soprano, alto, and bass recorders and ensemble activities for grades 3-8. Provides a bibliography of resources for recorder playing and information on transposition and arranging music. (CMK)

Recommends using "activation exercises," or warm-ups, to awaken students' voices, minds, and breathing mechanisms when singing choral music. Describes three activation exercises: (1) plainchant melodies; (2) the five-note scale; and (3) tongue twisters sung to melodies or scale patterns. Explains why the first and third exercises work.…