In this article Elina Packalen considers the notion of truth in connection with music. Her starting-point is the question of how music can be expressive of emotions; therefore she first summarizes some recent philosophical ideas of this issue. These ideas naturally raise the question of whether describing music in emotive terms has an epistemic…

What professional musicians say and do affects the attitudes and actions of music educators in the classroom. One example comes from influential conductor/composer, Gunther Schuller, who, in his controversial 1997 book, "The Compleat Conductor", defines, espouses, and recommends his own "philosophy of conducting." An examination of his ideas and,…

The purpose of this study was to compare teacher beliefs about music technology, types of teacher training in music technology, music technology resource availability, and levels of teacher use of music technology based on school socioeconomic status, teacher age, number of years teaching, and teacher gender. High-school band directors from the…

This study examines the impact of instrumental music study and group chess lessons on the standardized test scores of suburban elementary public school students (grades three through five) in Levittown, New York. The study divides the students into the following groups and compares the standardized test scores of each: a) instrumental music…

The purpose of this study was to investigate specific social and musical objectives or experiences school music teachers anticipate their students will achieve as a result of attending a summer music camp. A survey instrument was developed to collect demographic data and responses to questions regarding 14 specific musical and social variables.…

This study sought to determine if using changing syllables would facilitate a smoother slur for middle school trumpeters playing ascending perfect fifths, both natural and valved. Participants (N = 42) were randomly assigned to one of two groups, control and experimental, and each performed a pretest and a posttest. Students in the control group…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible effects of choral voice-part training/experience and music complexity on focus of attention to melody or harmony. Participants (N = 150) were members of auditioned university choral ensembles divided by voice-part (sopranos, n = 44; altos, n = 33; tenors, n = 35; basses, n = 38). The music…

This paper describes an investigation into the nature of musical intelligence and its links with creativity across two continents, Europe and Africa. In seeking to identify the intellectual processes associated with musical intelligence, improvised music was examined as an example of problem solving in this domain. Twenty-four musicians (twelve…

In this study, the authors examined whether a conductor's use of high-expressivity or low-expressivity techniques affected evaluations of ensemble performances that were identical across conducting conditions. Two conductors each conducted two 1-minute parallel excerpts from Percy Grainger's "Walking Tune." Each directed one excerpt…

Measurement and assessment are becoming increasingly important to all music educators. The purpose of this study was to investigate the following questions: 1) in what specific ways are current high school band directors assessing students in their ensemble classes; 2) what are high school band directors' attitudes toward the assessment process;…

This article examines the current music preferences of grade 6 children (12-13-year-olds) in an Australian primary school and the way these children engage with music. Data were collected in three phases, comprising a written questionnaire administered to all 86 students, focus group interviews with 12 of these children, and observation of…

Primary schools are such busy demanding places. Educators are concerned with a crowded curriculum and high emphasis placed on the development and cultivation of literacy and numeracy concepts. Teachers are generally concerned with the delivery and teaching expectations of all key learning areas of the primary school curriculum. However, the…

Musical lyrics play a significant role in many people's lives, including those of clients. This article describes ways lyrics can be used to help clients convey feelings of hurting and healing. Examples of lyrics that deal with pain (hurt and grief) and restoration (recovery and healing) are shared. The article then outlines six specific ways…

Classical guitar ensembles are increasing in the United States as popular alternatives to band, choir, and orchestra. Classical guitar ensembles are offered at many middle and high schools as fine arts electives as one of the only options for classical guitarists to participate in ensembles. The purpose of this study was to explore the development…

Research indicates students who engage in music exhibit improved cognitive development. The quantitative study was conducted in a large suburban school district in Southeast Georgia. This study investigated the impact of music on student achievement when music is incorporated with the core academic subject of mathematics at the elementary level.…