Researchers found in 2014 that only about 15 percent of students who participated in music in high school continued to participate in college as non-majors. Even when adding in the smaller number of students who continue as music majors, there is still a 75 to 80 percent attrition rate for the profession among the students who should be the most…

This article suggests pathways for supporting habits of creativity and the development of creative mindsets in performance-ensemble learning spaces. The Wallas model of creative thought is used to frame the concept of creative musical mindsets. The author reflects on the assumptions and principles outlined in the stages of this influential model…

When working with beginning instrumentalists, many music educators emphasize executive skills specific to the mechanics of playing an instrument. However, beginning students can also benefit from focused vocal instruction as a complement to their musical growth in the instrumental setting. Because instrumental music educators may feel ill equipped…

How can orchestra teachers diversify curricula to engage young musicians in project-based learning experiences that build their musicianship and confidence? This action research study explores how the author fostered project-based learning experiences that incorporated student reflection and assessment within chamber music ensembles. By…

Shifting school schedules, small class sizes, and unpredictable instrumentation resulting from the global pandemic necessitated a creative approach to teaching ensemble music classes this year. In response to that challenge, I constructed a curriculum for developing independent musicianship through chamber music. Part independence,…

Music teachers may be tasked with documenting ways in which broader literacy skills have been embedded in music teaching. As a result, musical goals might seem to take a secondary role in support of broader language-literacy skills. Enhancing music literacy should be the goal of well-designed integration. The suggestions here provide music…

Challenges are a constant across all kinds of musical contexts, and teachers are always looking for ways to help students overcome them. While there are many technical and pedagogical approaches to helping students achieve in music, psychology also plays a significant role in the struggles that students face. Counteractive optimism, the act of…

Although it is not their intent, conventional curricula may place some students at a disadvantage in school music classrooms. This article offers a practical planning strategy that music educators can use to confront and resist some of these curricular tendencies in subtle yet important ways. By reimagining long-standing norms related to content,…

Growth mindset, or the belief that talents and abilities are malleable and can grow, is known to hold immense benefits in the world of education. What benefits could it hold for our students' musical growth as well? This article explores the many benefits of instilling a growth mindset into our ensembles by examining research in educational…