This report presents findings from the annual evaluation of the MacPhail Afterschool Intensive Strings Program. It covers the 2017-18 school year and looks at student progress reports, academic data, and student and parent satisfaction with the program. [For the 2016-17 report, see ED619344.]

The excitement of playing an instrument is one of the greatest motivating forces in teaching general music to students. The autoharp, which may be long forgotten in the general music classrooms of the 21st century, is an ideal instrument to "re-introduce" to students. The teaching of a traditional folk instrument provides advantages for…

This column explores from a philosophical perspective how sound recording and media create a context different in consequential ways for music education. The author relates the story of his connection to his son through the ukulele in two ways: first, through playing and singing together; and second, through a recording of their music. These…

Composition with students on the elementary level sparks imagination and creativity while engaging students in an experience that can demonstrate personal musical growth. Traditionally, music educators have not been taught how to compose music, let alone lead their students in composing experiences. As music educators take the beginning steps of…

The research study involved sixty one (61) respondents (20 male and 41 females) Convenience sampling was used to select the respondents. All of the respondents are students of Systems Plus College Foundation taking up the subject General Psychology. Average age of the respondents is 18 years old. Based on the gathered data, all of the respondents…

The future of arts education is at stake. This paper attempts to examine the future of arts education via the responses of a qualitative survey, student samples, individual interviews, and research regarding arts education as essential education for all learners during a pandemic and beyond. The sudden decree that all attendance at public and…

The interpretation of jazz style is crucial to the element of swing in any jazz ensemble performance. Today, many charts for both large and small instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles are well marked with articulations and expression markings. However, in some cases, there is nothing to guide the musician. This article addresses some common jazz…

The decline in the status of the classical guitar is, for many, a cause of concern, calling for viable answers to restore its place in the expressive arts tradition. In this article, I explore a pedagogical style specifically intended for young and/or inexperienced players. It is argued that this endeavor could prospectively benefit a range of…

Our work highlights the necessity of revising the materials employed in instrumental education, which are systematically based on a progressive development of technical abilities and, though only transversely, without a structured sequence of contents, on issues referring to the interpretation of different periods and styles. In order to elaborate…

This case study explored the potential for using a synchronous online piano teaching internship as a service-learning project for graduate pedagogy interns. In partnership with the university, a local music retailer, and a local middle school, three pedagogy interns taught beginning piano to underprivileged teenaged students for 8 weeks. All…

Sixth-grade band, orchestra, and choir directors face a complex challenge when starting their new ensembles in the fall. Sixth-grade students are diverse; some come from strong music programs with adequate resources and others from weaker music programs with fewer resources. In addition, student populations are often ethnically and…

The use of music technology in the enhancement of young pianists' musical improvisations has been scarcely explored in instrumental music teaching and learning research. In the present study, 19 piano pupils aged 6-10 from the UK and Greece used an interactive improvisation system called Musical Interaction Relying On Reflexion (MIROR)-Impro for…

This study used exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify a theoretical structure for high school concert band performance and to test that structure for viability, generality, and invariance. A total of 101 university students enrolled in two different bands rated two high school band performances (a "first"…

Greater diversity and inclusivity in music curricula are goals that permeate discussions in education. Achieving these goals, however, is complex and presents inherent difficulties as music not only values tradition but also promotes the past. Many music traditions were exclusionary and unintentionally cultivated a culture in which many people…

Exposure to high sound levels may lead to a variety of hearing abnormalities, including Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Pre-professional university music majors may experience frequent exposure to elevated sound levels, and this may have implications on their future career prospects (Jansen, Helleman, Dreschler & de Laat, 2009). Studies…