In this research, it was aimed to illustrate the voices of primary school students about how they imagine their music lessons in school and the classroom. For this purpose, a focus-group interview structure was based on children's perspectives, ideas and imaginations about their music lessons. First, a pilot study consisting of a focus-group…

Music self-concept measurement tools are essential at all music educational levels in all contexts. Until now, the lack of a validated music self-concept questionnaire in Spanish-speaking countries has been noticeable. The aim of this study is to validate the Musical Self-Concept Questionnaire (CAMU) (Zubeldia, M. 2015. "El autoconcepto…

In 1947 T. Carol Agee resurrected the Fort Collins High School Orchestra (FCHS) program after his return from WWII, and became the first music teacher to be hired as the full-time orchestra director at the school. He quickly created a "storied" program in the state of Colorado culminating, for him, in a 1955 Colorado Music Educators…

A four-month research period into the practice of free music improvisation in Brazil during February-June 2014 allowed intriguing insights into how musicians think about, play and teach the music practice that is referred to as 'free improvisation.' An overview of the term 'free improvisation' with some historical context on its development will…

In this column, we encourage early childhood music teachers to include music listening lessons in their teaching. We suggest five guiding principles for music listening lessons: selecting varied repertoire, using high-quality recordings and playback, communicating with families and teachers, incorporating movement, and considering the broader…

This short-form article reports a content analysis of all school-based ensemble concert programs distributed at the 2015 national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the Midwest Clinic. The purpose was to address perceptions that print and design expectations for the concert…

Orchestral rehearsals in college focus exclusively on preparing concert programs. Drawing from the experiences of undergraduate string players and orchestral directors, I argue that this approach is educationally suboptimal because it fails to maximize the college orchestral rehearsal time as an educational space, forgoing the development of…

Researchers have recently queried whether musical activities that express mathematical concepts enhance young students' math skills. The use of abstract notations for math learning is also debated. The current study examined the effect of a music intervention program on pattern and symmetry knowledge. Simple graphical notation-writing was used for…

Drawing extensively on the expertise of teachers of German in universities across the UK, this volume offers an overview of recent trends, new pedagogical approaches and practical guidance for teaching at beginners level in the higher education classroom. At a time when entries for UK school exams in modern foreign languages are decreasing, this…

High school music education is not mandated by the Standards of Quality, the Virginia state educational law, and courses offered on the high school level vary among Virginia school divisions. This explanatory mixed methods dissertation study provides an overview of history of development of high school music education in Virginia, reveals what…

The study established the validity and reliability of a weighted individual performance-based assessment tool within the utility scope of middle school orchestral strings. The following research questions guided this study: 1. What specific string-playing behaviors and corresponding criteria validate a weighted individual performance-based…

Using the Connected Learning framework as a conceptual lens, this study utilises interviews and focus groups to explore classroom outcomes of and Hip-Hop Music Education programme piloted within two predominantly African American urban elementary schools. Three specific themes that emerged within post-program discussions with participants were…

This article reflects the inquiries and discoveries experienced by early childhood educators and teaching artists involved in participatory action research designed to explore how to co-construct sustainable collaborations in early childhood settings. Drawing inspiration from the Reggio Emilia Approach and other international examples, the authors…

Assessment is one of the thorniest aspects of teaching for creativity. Nevertheless, research suggests there is tremendous potential for nurturing creativity through assessment. This article identifies how music educators can leverage assessment for learning (formative assessment) as a powerful tool for cultivating creativity within a variety of…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the process of composing educational music. As part of a research project titled "Sound Connections: Composing Educational Music" Canadian composers completed email interviews, responding to semi-structured questions about the process of composing educational music. Using…