Examines a dissertation that provides a classification and analysis of 197 "bebop" themes. Explains a major drawback of the study is the author's unwillingness to interpret his data and answer questions the study raises. Concludes with a rebuttal which defends the study and explains the research rationale. (BSR)

Explores a tentative typology of young children's invented notations proposed in a previous study transferred across another group of musically naive kindergarteners. Extends the previous study by including notation of known and original song material. A modal dissonance was found in the children's notations of known and original songs. (CMK)

Studies children's use of transformation (as a cognitive process) in identifying altered musical phrases in four phrase songs. Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) software was used to record the children's responses. Includes statistical tables. (MJP)

Investigates whether the language characteristics of Northern Sotho and English song-texts have any effects on children's singing pitch and whether there are any differences between the Sotho- and English-speaking children's singing pitch. Demonstrates differences in children's singing pitch due to the languages of song-texts and linguistic…

Examines possible musical and sociocultural influences on decision-making by untrained 8- and 9-year-olds during open-ended, non-notated composing tasks through a classroom ethnography. Uses one of the 21 child-composers participating in this study as an illustrative case. Discusses the results and implications for teachers and researchers. (CMK)

Explores the importance of emotional expression in music performance. Performers played music to express different emotions and then listening tests were conducted in order to determine whether the intended expressions were perceived. Presents and discusses the results. (CMK)

Examines an effective method of curing tsumari, a phenomenon whereby the first note in a sequence of two eighth-notes is performed shorter than the second note. Considers two possible causes: (1) insufficient motor skill control and (2) a lack of steady beat perception. Reveals a reduction in tsumari after procedural instruction. (CMK)

Investigates how accurately children, ages 6-9 from England, Japan, Korea, Spain, and the United States, could match eight animal drawings to excerpts from the well-known concert music, "The Carnival of the Animals" by Charles Camille Saint-Saens. Indicates a mean correct response of 40% without instruction. Discusses two extension…

Analyzes 15 performances of "Bach's Suite Number 3 for Violoncello solo, Bourree Number 1" and determines what patterns of rhythmic variation (rubato) were used by soloists. Indicates that the soloists demonstrated four identifiable and similar trends in the performances. (CMK)

Identifies and describes children's in-action mental model of their own learning, which was inferred from the observation of children's behaviors when learning a song. Explains that the mental model is made up of musical organizations and learning strategies, each on two levels, large-scale and detailed. (CMK)

Examines Marilyn Zimmerman's pioneering work on the applications of Piagetian theory to the study of children's musical development. Discusses "music conservation" and addresses the Piagetian model regarding (1) the implications of the sociocultural perspective and (2) the study of musical creativity. Develops the concept of…

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)

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)

Investigates the perceptions of selected college music faculty on multicultural music education, focusing on such issues as a definition of multicultural music education, whether or not it would benefit from hiring minority faculty, and its benefits and problems. (CMK)

Explores the factors that may influence the decisions made by students aged 9-15 years old as they chose musical sounds and constructed compositions. Indicates that age, formal music training, and aesthetic response to musical sounds are the primary factors affecting specific choices made in the compositional process. (CMK)