Two studies investigated the effect of a short improvisation intervention (theatrical improvisation in Study 1, musical improvisation in Study 2) on negotiation processes and outcomes. The expectation was that an improvisation exercise, compared to a control condition in which participants engaged in jigsaw puzzling, would result in better…

TeachersPayTeachers.com is an online marketplace where sellers offer learning activities, lesson plans, decorations, and related materials for use in school classrooms. The marketplace includes thousands of music education materials that are used by teachers throughout the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore the content of what…

There has been increased focus within the evaluation field on the value of community-engaged research (CER) methods; however, CER is not easily seen as compatible with experimental evaluation methods (or randomized controlled trial, RCT). For instance, in an experimental design, researchers leverage randomization to create a counterfactual; this…

The priority of promoting children's creativity and democracy in education, which includes values such as freedom of expression, competence, respect for diversity, empathy, collaboration, dialogue and the development of critical thinking and curiosity, is strongly supported by communities of practice that foster these values and promote heuristic…

Of the many forms of Hindustani Indian classical music, the "Tarana" is a song form that, while vocally performed, references the instrumental sounds of tabla and other percussion instruments through the use of vocalized syllables rather than a song text. The melodies of the Tarana are replete with ornamentation typical of so much of…

There are currently very few brass bands in schools in Australia, however they were the predominant music ensemble in Australian schools up to the 1970s. The aim of this article is to document the popularity of British-style brass bands in Australia, and the corresponding development of brass bands in schools during the 20th century. The history…

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model of contextual influences on musical engagement in a person's life. I developed this domain-specific conceptual model based on Bronfenbrenner's (2001) bioecological theory of human development. The model accounts for multiple, interacting contexts that may influence an adolescent's musical…

Music, when approached as a part of a classical liberal arts education, is a profoundly humanizing endeavor which can facilitate individual musical and moral growth within communities of practice. A classical approach to music education contrasts with common progressive and critical curriculum frameworks through a philosophically realist analysis.…

Teaching for musical meaning can be a multifaceted topic, since a universally accepted definition of musical meaning is elusive; yet musical meaning remains at the heart of music literacy. Music literacy is equally complex, as changes in technology constantly reorganize how musical sounds are produced, recorded, and transmitted. Today, musical…

'The Sequence of Musical Development' by Swanwick and Tillman was published in the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) in 1986. This year marks its 35th anniversary and provides an occasion to look back on the article's content and legacy. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the antecedents for the article's underlying concepts, as well…

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of basic vocal training exercises for students at Yamaha Music School in Mahasarakham, Thailand, using a quantitative research approach. The research focused on collecting measurable numerical data and was divided into two main components: content validity assessment and effectiveness evaluation of…

Choral method textbooks include various strategies on when and how to introduce expression in song acquisition including vocal modeling. In two previous studies, participants who learned expressive elements early in a song-learning sequence (infused-expression) performed those elements more accurately than those who learned them at the end of the…

This article explores the potential of place-based, relational, and collaborative musical practices in school to foster agency and belonging. A soundscape project within two highly diverse Irish primary schools is the focus of the discussion. Employing both qualitative and arts-based methods, data were gathered over a seven-month period from…

The increasing percentage of college musicians living with mental illness and anxiety, specifically music performance anxiety (MPA), suggests the need for an anxiety reduction program to be instilled within university programs. Using entrainment as a grounding framework, the purpose of this literature review was to synthesize research on…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of conductor score use (conducting with a musical score vs. conducting without a score) on observers' perceptions of conductors. We also examined how those effects may differ when viewed from the ensemble perspective compared to the audience perspective. Participants (N = 126) were collegiate…