Discusses the importance of meter perception as a desired outcome of music education. Notes the difficulty among musicians and music teachers in defining meter or beat grouping. Reports on an experiment which examines this problem by investigating musicians' responses to unfamiliar melodies. (RKM)

States that jazz education should be using the great works of the past to help train the music's future performers. Discusses the use of works by Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and others to train jazz students. (GEA)

Proposes a reinterpretation of historical periods in U.S. music history for the purpose of organizing research findings and for teaching music history. These suggested periods are: (1) the colonial period; (2) the introduction of music in the schools; (3) curricular development; (4) the expansion of music performance; and (5) aesthetic education.…

Investigates the psychological impact of music on elementary and secondary students. Discusses how music may transmit specific musical and emotional values. Argues that the existence of an emotional relationship between composition and the listener is an area that should be explored in music education and reports on a separate study which…

Reviews a dissertation which examined the scoring practices for alto, bass, and contrabass clarinets in selected compositions written between 1951-1972. The study identified new practices for scoring low clarinets in wind band compositions. The study is recommended to readers seeking a good understanding of the use of clarinets in these…

Discusses aspects of the jazz musician's discipline, such as rhythm and improvisation, which are of practical value to all musicians. States that music educators should convince students that the thorough study of any aspect or style of music can only help them become more complete musicians. (GEA)

Comments on Michael Mark's proposal for the extension of music education eras beyond Edward Bailey Birge's period designations. Suggests that additional benefits may be produced by broadening the focus of historical research beyond public school music in order to include a societal context for music teaching. (LS)

Presents results of a study of the effects of advance organizer instruction on preschool children's learning of the musical concepts of dynamics, pitch, tempo, and rhythm. Reports that three modes and three methods of presentation were evaluated. Concludes that, although results did vary with mode, the method of presentation had no significant…

Investigates the effects of age on musical preferences. Provides a brief review of the literature on this topic. Hypothesizes that the inverted-U curve will form the most general description of changes that occur with age in music preference. (RKM)

Discusses the dichotomy between the functional approach and the aesthetic approach in art education. Provides a review of literature on this topic. Reports the results of a study which explored children's verbalized perceptions involving the aural, visual, and tactile senses. (RKM)

Discusses problems resulting from the use of the present conceptual approach to music education. Describes a model called the Idio-Cognitive Structure which the author claims is more effective in teaching content in music education. Provides descriptive evidence of the model's effectiveness. (RKM)

Reports the results of a study of pitch perception among urban and rural children (n=200) who had differing amounts of formal music training. Results showed all children could hear differences in the stimuli presented, but only the musically trained could correctly attribute the difference to a change in pitch. (RKM)

Notes that Piaget's theory of cognitive development was based on the child's interaction with material objects and quantitative relationships. Examines the applicability of Piaget's concept of operational intelligence and conservation to music learning. Concludes that a theory of music learning must apply equally to the non-material and…

Reviews a study that examined the adequacy of existing aesthetic rationales for music education. Expressing a commitment to continued exploration of a more pluralistic view of music education. (BSR)

Surveys recently published materials for jazz education and questions the premises from which they are derived, the approaches which they employ, and their utility in achieving their purported end of teaching students to play jazz. Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of these books and of jazz training. (GEA)