Reports on a study that compared the effects of singing individually and singing in a group on the pitch accuracy of primary grade children. Concludes that, unlike adults, children appear to sing with more accuracy when singing individually, and that group singing ability improves with age. Cautions teachers against premature classification of…

Reviews a doctoral dissertation that used interviews to determine the concepts that musicians have of performance and self. Summarizes Stedman's interview-based observations and commentary. States that the study may be useful in providing insights into what singers believe about themselves and their careers. (LS)

Examines changes in children's singing games in Portugal since the 1940s with the assumption that cultural changes have altered significantly the nature of these games. Finds that children sing less, use poorer melodies, and mix speech and singing more, but that they employ more complex forms of physical activity. (DSK)

Critiques scholars who argue that theories of music and theories of musical perception are, and should be, fundamentally different. Reviews research on music perception and how it is used in aural training programs. Makes suggestions for improving the field of aural training and music-education research. (DSK)

Looks at eighteenth century U.S. tunebooks to discover the philosophies, the instructional materials, and the methods of early music and singing masters. Uses excerpts from tunebooks to illustrate approaches made to music reading and performance practice. (LS)

Responds to David Butler's discussion of aural training in music education. Emphasizes the need for more music educator involvement in aural-skills instruction and more research on aural-skills acquisition. Places Butler's discussion within the historical context of the past 30 years of music education philosophy. (DSK)

Discusses individual childrens process in acquiring new songs that is based on structure-genetic constructivism, a theory in the tradition of Piaget, through a microanalytic approach. Provides a graphic representation of a childs consecutive singing and also addresses joint singing, pitch quality, and strategies of applying melodic patterns. (CMK)

Compares the state of music education and music in the real world from the 1960s to the 1990s. Believes that students participate in music much less in the 1990's because music education has become less participatory and music is now very passive. (CMK)

Reviews Goetze's dissertation investigating two factors that affect accuracy in young children's singing: the presence of other voices in unison singing, compared with individual singing, and the use of text rather than a neutral syllable. States that the research is of high quality leading directly to classroom practice. (LS)

Reports on a study which examined the relationship between young children's language development and their tonal and rhythm performance of rote songs with and without words. Suggests that, since no relationship was found, two mental processes may be necessary for learning; one for audiation, and another for learning the words of the song. (LS)

Investigates patterns of music listening among music majors regarding accompanied and unaccompanied excerpts varying in tone quality and intonation. Tests the reliability of the Continuous Response Digital Interface, contrasting the measurements obtained to those from a paper and pencil measure. Discusses the results. (CMK)

Examines starting pitches and tonality in singing familiar songs when no reference pitch is given and how adults unify key during singing. Indicates that the subjects showed significant differences in starting pitches depending on the beginning pitch range and melody type and lowered or matched their leaders key when establishing a unified key.…

Evaluates a doctoral dissertation that studied the relationship between song ranges and kindergarten children's singing ability. Rutkowski individually tested the singing ability of 162 kindergarten children. Concluded that the music curricula for kindergarten should be modified to enhance singing voice development. (LS)

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…

Investigates the relationship of psychomotor skills instruction on student attitudes in grades 4-6 towards singing and general music instruction. Finds females have more positive attitudes, interest declines as grade-level increases, group vocal instruction may produce more positive attitudes, and a positive relationship between liking to sing in…