High School Orchestra Research Articles

Influence of Primary Personality Trait and Age on String Orchestra Music Preference

Understanding the potential relationships between musicians’ different primary personality traits, ages, and their music preferences could be relevant in music teaching and learning. We surveyed participants ( N = 362) from four groups: middle school orchestra students, high school orchestra students, collegiate orchestra students, and in-service music teachers and examined if: (a) there was a relationship between musical preferences of the four age groups, (b) there was a relationship between musicians’ primary personality traits and their preferences of string orchestra repertoire, and (c) there was a relationship between musician’s ages and their primary personality traits. Evidence supported that middle and high school orchestra students prefer music in the Arousal music attribute dimension significantly more than collegiate orchestra students and in-service orchestra teachers. Participants with Extraversion as their primary personality trait preferred repertoire in the Arousal music attribute dimension significantly more than music in the Valence dimension. In addition, Extraversion was the most common primary personality trait for middle school orchestra and collegiate orchestra students, while Conscientiousness was most common for in-service orchestra teachers.

Psychological Needs and Motivational Outcomes in a High School Orchestra Program

Motivation has formed a core strand of research in music education, reflecting its importance in educational psychology and other skill-based performance domains. Understanding motivation is crucial for explaining students’ achievement, performance, well-being, and intentions to continue participation in (or drop out of) music learning throughout school and into adulthood. In the present study, we addressed the need to better understand motivation in music education by examining the impact of psychological needs satisfaction and frustration in a high school orchestra program. Psychological needs—a core component of self-determination theory—have considerable explanatory power in other life domains and educational settings and are the focus of recent attention in music education. Participants ( N = 704) were surveyed in orchestra programs in three schools in the midwestern United States. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of psychological needs satisfaction and frustration. The model explained substantial variance on three key outcomes: practice time (22%), intentions to continue participating in the orchestra program (45%), and global-self esteem (34%). The results point to psychological needs satisfaction and frustration as key elements of music education in which teachers might intervene to improve these outcomes as well as students’ learning, engagement, and psychological well-being more broadly.

An Analysis of Ratings and Interrater Reliability of Adjudicated Orchestra Festivals

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of school level (middle and high), festival level (district and state), music classification (A, B, C, D, and E), and instrumentation (full and string orchestra) on the overall performance ratings assigned to orchestral performances at large ensemble Music Performance Assessment (MPA) festivals. Data consisted of overall ratings (N = 1,996) assigned at district (n = 1,844) and state level (n = 152) MPA festivals sponsored by the Florida Orchestra Association between 2010 and 2015. Analysis revealed that 94% of all high school orchestras at district and state festivals earned a I/Superior or II/Excellent rating. Logistic regression models revealed: (a) high school orchestras were more likely to earn I/Superior ratings at district festivals than state festivals, (b) middle school orchestras were less likely to earn I/Superior ratings than high school orchestras, and (c) orchestras that performed more difficult repertoire increased their likelihood of earning a I/Superior over ensembles that played easier literature. Festival administrators may use the results of this study to identify specific evaluation trends at adjudicated festivals that can be strengthened.

A carbon fiber cluster grows in South Carolina

At the June 1 groundbreaking for Teijin’s $600 million carbon fiber plant in Greenwood, S.C., the local high school orchestra serenaded guests. Flags from the U.S. and Japan, Teijin’s home country, flanked the podium. Gov. Henry McMaster told the 75 people sitting under a fan-cooled tent how proud he was “to have a new partner join us.” And the Japanese consul general in Atlanta, Takashi Shinozuka, greeted the crowd with a “Good morning, y’all,” relating that in Japan, “South Carolina is well known as a great place to do business.” Certainly, South Carolina seems like a great place for carbon fiber producers to do business. Just two years before Teijin broke ground, fellow Japanese firm Toray Industries started work on a $1.4 billion plant in Spartanburg. And Solvay, which has been producing carbon fiber in nearby Greenville since 1981, expanded in 2016. Consultants attribute the unusual carbon fiber buildup to

The Influence of Excellence: T. Carol Agee and the Fort Collins High School Orchestra Program

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 Association (CMEA) performance. Later, as Principal of FCHS, Agee advocated for music programs and carried them through the turbulent years of the 1960s when the public demanded more math and science in schools. In 1964, he was awarded a John Hay Whitney fellowship, which fostered in him a strong philosophy for the inclusion of humanities in public education. Agee recognized the importance of academics, but only in the context of a broader understanding of the humanities, believing the goal of a humanities course was to make humanity more human. His contribution to music education goes beyond creating an amazing program in a small, farm community in northern Colorado. Agee argues for music education as being valuable in itself, and not simply a supportive subject to other disciplines.

Social Relations Research within High School Orchestras

이 연구에서는 고등학교 오케스트라 단원 학생들의 성별, 학년, 연주악기, 악장여부, 학교오케스트라 연주경험 기간, 학교유형, 오케스트라 종류 등의 배경 변인에 따른 고등학교 오케스트라내의 사회적 관계를 분석하는데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 Moraczewski(2014)의 질문지를 재구성하여 타당도와 신뢰도를 검사한 후 선정기준에 의해 선별된 11개 고등학교의 관악, 관현악 오케스트라에서 활동하는 고등학생 405명의 자료를 최종 분석하여 결과를 도출하였다. 연구결과에 따르면 고등학교 오케스트라 내의 사회적 상호작용과 사회적 계층은 성별, 연주악기, 오케스트라 연주 경험기간, 학교유형, 오케스트라 종류에 따라 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 고등학교 오케스트라의 사회적 의미는 학교유형에 따라 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과에 비추어 볼 때 학교 오케스트라 내의 사회적 관계에 관심을 기울여야 할 필요성이 있으며 학교 오케스트라의 사회적 측면에 대한 지속적인 연구가 필요함을 시사한다.The study aims to analyze differences in social relationships within a high school orchestra according to gender, grade, musical instruments, the concertmaster, performance experiences, school type and the different types of orchestra with regard to high school orchestra members. Social classes and social interactions within high school orchestras turned out to have significant differences according to gender, musical instruments, period of experiences in orchestral performance, school type and orchestral types. In addition, social significance of high school orchestras turned out to have significant differences according to school types. In this regard, it seems necessary to pay attention to social relationships within school orchestras for teenage students, and it also suggests the importance of continuous research on social aspects of school orchestras.

Influence of Education, Performance Level, and Presentation Medium on Evaluations of String Orchestra Performances

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of education level (high school orchestra students, undergraduate string music education majors, and in-service orchestra teachers), ensemble performance level (good, average, and weak), and presentation medium (audio-only and audiovisual) on the evaluations of string orchestra performances. Participants (N = 96) evaluated audio-only or audiovisual recordings of good, average, and weak string ensembles. A repeated-measures ANOVA test revealed that string education majors rated intonation more favorably than inservice teachers. All participants were able to discriminate between the good, average, and weak performances when evaluating tone, intonation, and rhythmic precision. Ratings for musical effect did not differ significantly between the good and average groups. Participants assigned significantly lower tone and intonation ratings in the audio-only presentation medium than the audiovisual. Finding evidence of when musicians learn to accurately assess music performances can be useful both for in-service music teachers and teacher educators. If this ability is apparent in high school students, they can have a larger role in the rehearsal process.

Robert Klotman: A Life of Musical Leadership

When Robert was inducted into the Music Educators National Conference Hall of Fame in 2004, the nominating statement read, Klotman is best known for his extensive work in string pedagogy, his leadership in professional organizations, and his teaching at Indiana (1) By this time, his career had spanned decades, and he had been active across the whole spectrum of music education from K-12 through university levels. Because of his forceful personality, his leadership skills, and his ability to anticipate the impact of new teaching ideologies, significantly influenced how stringed instruments are taught in public schools in this country. Perhaps most importantly, he had the vision to reach out internationally and helped to bring Suzuki violin pedagogy to the United States. Given the impact of Klotman's work on string education, it is appropriate to look beyond the formal trajectory of his career at his childhood and education, the people and ideals that motivated him, and the major life experiences that shaped his career. For music educators it is appropriate to search out, in particular, the distinct issues that were important to and to consider how his advocacy for those issues shaped the path of music education in the United States during the last half of the twentieth century. Robert Howard was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 22, 1918. (2) His parents, Louis Harry and Pearl (Warshawksy) Kaplan were immigrants from Tetiev, a small town in the Ukraine located approximately seventy miles southwest of Kiev. (3) In the late 1800s, many Jewish families from that region came to the United States, often settling in the Cleveland area. Louis and Pearl married on December 16, 1917, but divorced when Robert was young. (4) Pearl raised her children on her salary as the owner of a beauty shop. began his musical studies at the age of nine. He remembers his father as being a very musical person who could pick up and play the violin without any instruction. In his family, it was just as natural to excel in music as it was to work hard in academic subjects. (5) Robert sang in the school choir in the third grade. However, when he sang he wanted to hear himself over the other children's voices, so he would sing louder than anyone else. His teacher said to him, I've got a special job for you, and made him the curtain puller. Disappointed, he went home to his mother who stated, Don't cry. You've always liked to play the violin. Thus, attributes the beginning of his violin career to his third-grade choir teacher. (6) His mother could not afford for him to take violin lessons, so she worked out an agreement with a local violinist named Hyman Schandler of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. Pearl would style the hair of Schandler's wife in exchange for a weekly lesson for her son. Klotman's mother was supportive of his music lessons, requiring him to practice daily. Later, she said that had she known he would become a professional musician, she would have made him practice three hours per day instead of only one hour. (7) During the years 1932-36, attended Glenville High School in Cleveland Heights, a suburb originally settled by northern European immigrants. After World War I and during the Great Depression, this area became an epicenter of Cleveland's Jewish population. (8) Ralph E. Rush (1903-65) was Klotman's high school orchestra teacher and an early mentor. (9) Rush became the band and orchestra teacher at the school in 1933 and immediately led the orchestra to first division honors at the national orchestra competition in Madison, Wisconsin. (10) says that Rush eventually became a father figure for him. Rush was likely Klotman's first real influence in his career choice and instilled in him the responsibility of belonging to a professional organization and serving the profession. (11) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to Klotman, people are often curious as to why he attended the Methodist school Ohio Northern University. …

High School Orchestras: New Ideas and Old Reminders for the New School Year

High School Orchestras: New Ideas and Old Reminders for the New School Year

An Analysis of High School and University Cellists’ Vibrato Rates, Widths, and Pitches

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of playing position, fingers used, and level of training on vibrato rate and width, and possible pitch differences between non-vibrated and vibrated tones of cellists. Participants (N = 30) were volunteers from a high school orchestra program (n = 15) and a large public university (n = 15). Cellists performed three ascending pitch sets in first, fourth, and thumb position. Each pitch set included whole notes performed initially without vibrato, then vibrato was added to the second half of each note. Analysis showed that playing position significantly influenced cellists’ vibrato rates, widths, and pitch of non-vibrated versus vibrated tones. Comparisons revealed a slower mean vibrato rate in first position than the fourth and thumb positions. Cellists’ vibrato became wider in higher playing positions (closer to the bridge). Participants’ vibrated tones occurred slightly above the non-vibrated tones in first position, but slightly below the non-vibrated tones in thumb position. The fingers used or level of training did not affect vibrato rate, width, or pitch.

Dr. Harvey Samuel Whistler Jr. (1907–1976): An Influential Pedagogue and Researcher in Music Education

Instrumental music education in U.S. public schools developed gradually in the Northeast and Midwest around 1896. Over the next thirty years, the instrumental movement gained strength through the organization provided by the development of the Music Supervisors National Conference and through the advocacy efforts of music education innovators such as Will Earhart and Joseph Maddy. By the end of the 1920s, instrumental courses were being accepted into public school curricula; (1) however, as with any new development, concerns arose. School administrators supported the new wave of musical innovations in the curricula, but they struggled to provide the economic and logistical means to sustain such programs. (2) Likewise, new programs required new instructional materials. Teachers needed appropriate pedagogical resources to help them structure their programs more effectively. As a result, an abundance of pedagogical innovations were initiated. (3) One such innovator was Dr. Harvey Samuel Whistler Jr. As a violinist, pedagogue, and researcher, Whistler influenced the advancement of instrumental music education on many scholarly fronts, leaving a legacy of methods, collections, compositions, arrangements and other documents for band and string orchestra. Despite his sizeable output, little is known about his life and work aside from folklore and single-column biographies, many of which conflict or contain errors. (4) This study has a threefold aim: (1) to write a detailed and accurate biography of Whistler that clarifies inconsistencies found in tertiary sources; (2) to discuss and assess the impact that Whistler's pedagogical contributions had on music education; and (3) to evaluate the impact that Whistler's research had on music education. Methodology Most of the primary biographical data regarding Whistler's personal life were procured from Whistler's personal records and the oral recollections of Mrs. Georgeanna Kathryn Beaver Whistler, his wife and widow. The personal records I reviewed consisted of letter correspondence, authored articles, books and drafts, photographs, documents related to professional obligations, financial documents, and other personal memorabilia. The oral recollections of Mrs. Whistler consisted of three interviews. Each one lasted approximately one hour and consisted of a broad, rather than specific, array of questions. Other data were gathered from primary source newspaper articles, Selma-Union High School annuals, a Charles W. Eliot Junior High School newsletter, and articles from the Music Educators Journal and Music Educators National Conference yearbooks. Whistler's authored texts, articles, master's thesis, doctoral candidacy exams, and dissertation were also reviewed. Data were compared from interviews and Whistler's autobiographical documents with other personal records and the primary source documents described above to determine their veracity. Noteworthy discrepancies appear in the footnotes. Data were compiled thematically and then chronologically into historical narrative. Early Life and Formal Education Harvey Samuel Whistler Jr. was born on September 7, 1907, in Fresno, California. His earliest musical training consisted of piano lessons with his mother and trips to local symphony concerts with his father. By age seven, Whistler's parents enrolled him in violin and piano lessons. (5) He eventually abandoned his piano studies and began performing extensively on both violin and viola. The evidence regarding when and with whom Whistler studied violin conflicts. According to some sources, Whistler originally studied with professor George Hastings (1916-19), Will C. Hays of the San Francisco Symphony and director of the Fresno High School Orchestra (1919-24), Kornelis Bering of the San Francisco Symphony (1923-24), Carl Grissen of Oakland (1927), Josef Pirastro-Borissoff--a student of Pablo de Sarasate and Leopold Auer--in Los Angeles (1930-c. …

Understanding Your Band, Orchestra, and Choir Students

Stereotypes about the personalities of musicians, which have evolved over time, seem to direct our perception of musical experiences that take place in different ensembles. This article presents the stereotypes often associated with musicians’ personalities and examines eight personality trends of high school band, orchestra, and choir students that can be identified in research. Personality similarities and differences among ensemble students are discussed. Teaching techniques and strategies that accommodate students’ personality types are suggested.

Merle J. Isaac (1898–1996): His Contributions and Influence on Music Published for the School Orchestra

The rise and development of instrumental music instruction in the public schools in the United States remains a superlative accomplishment of the progressive education movement during the first half of the 20th century. (1) Between 1900-1920, pioneer orchestra teachers such as Will Earhart, Joseph Maddy, and Osbourne McConathy created opportunities for students to participate in school orchestras throughout the United States. (2) Their vision, energy, and political shrewdness helped create the demand for orchestras in the In fact, according to Birge, expanding the school orchestra during this period had a profound impact on how future instrumental music instruction in the schools developed. The growth of elementary school orchestras, grade and high school bands, and other instrumental class instruction received its foundational beginnings from the high school orchestra being established and accepted at this point as a viable course of study. (3) At the end of World War I, school orchestra and bands grew as thousands of musicians trained by the military returned home with the abilities to serve as teachers and conductors. (4) Improving instrumentation, which changed the musical identity of a school instrumental ensemble, and the contest movement played a large role in the stimulation of instrumental music in the public schools. (5) In spite of these early successes, however, a philosophical and pedagogical void regarding how to teach stringed instruments remained throughout the 1920s and 1930s. At the center of this void was the dearth of published music and method books for student orchestras. In 1920, a committee appointed by the Music Supervisors National Conference combed through several thousand works to determine appropriate selections for student orchestras. The results of this survey yielded a list of only 302 selections. A revised study published five years later expanded the list to 582. (6) Prior to 1930, much of the music published proved too difficult for school groups to perform. (7) By 1929, however, teachers began to share a glimmer of optimism. G.F. McKay noted in the 1929 MENC Yearbook, Genius will appear which will give its energy and enthusiasm to the very specific problem of orchestral literature for the schools.8 This seemingly prophetic statement foreshadowed a change in the musical landscape for school orchestras. I believe that the genius and enthusiasm McKay spoke of exemplifies the life and works of Merle J. Isaac (1898-1996). Isaac remains to this day a strong influence on the philosophical, curricular, and musical development of public school orchestras. Isaac's prolific output of arrangements, compositions, and method books span sixty years (9) making his name familiar to most school orchestra directors. (10) In addition, Isaac's articles and books provide sage advice on arranging, teaching, string pedagogy, and managing programs; consequently, providing a pedagogical and leadership model for current music educators. In a time when age-appropriate music and method books were in their infancy, Isaac was one of the first string educators to teach string classes in a heterogeneous setting and combine the use of a method book and compositions and arrangements suited to beginners to teach musicianship through orchestra performance, a model of instrumental music teaching still prevalent today. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] The purpose of this article is to add to the scant body of knowledge about Isaac, his accomplishments, and contributions to music education. The availability of music and materials had a large impact on how school orchestras grew between 1930 and 1960. During this period, Isaac's arrangements, compositions, and method books provided a foundation for today's school orchestras to develop. This article will document Isaac's life and career, analyze his writings, philosophies, and music, and contextualize his contributions and influence on the modern school orchestra. …

The National High School Orchestra 1926—1938

The purpose of this study was to document the history of the National High School Orchestra (NHSO), a select ensemble organized by Joseph E. Maddy under the auspices of the Music Supervisors' National Conference during the 1920s and 1930s. Research questions examined the orchestra's (1) origin, performances, and operation; (2) instrumentation and repertoire; (3) influence on music education; and (4) implications for modern practice. The first NHSO was assembled for the 1926 meeting of the Music Supervisors' National Conference in Detroit, Michigan. Initially led by Maddy, this ensemble was reorganized in 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1938. The NHSO helped promote instrumental music education through conference performances, radio broadcasts, and concerts presented throughout the country. This organization also demonstrated the potential of high school musicians and served as a basis for the NHSO Camp—the institution known today as the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

High School Instrumental Students' Perceptions of Effective Music Student Teacher Traits

This study examined high school band and orchestra students' perceptions of effective music student teacher skills and behaviors. Participants ( N = 314) began by completing a 34-item survey by rating items 1 to 31 from 1 ( not very important) to 5 ( very important) regarding the degree of importance with which each trait should be exhibited by a student teacher in a music class. Items 32 to 34 asked the respondents to indicate (a) how often they had a music student intern during a specific time period, (b) the respondent's primary performance area, and (c) the respondent's year in school. Resulting data indicated that skills and behaviors receiving the highest mean scores were “Is able to apply knowledge; being competent” ( M = 4.595) and “Has a positive behavior” ( M = 4.586). Skills and behaviors receiving the lowest mean scores were “Can play the piano” ( M = 2.952) and “Has knowledge of technology” ( M = 3.407). ANOVA found few significant differences among the teacher traits and different groups of students.

Lullaby Concert for Preschoolers: A Delightful Idea to Share with Your High School Orchestra Director

Lullaby Concert for Preschoolers: A Delightful Idea to Share with Your High School Orchestra Director

Development and Validation of an Orchestra Performance Rating Scale

The purpose of this study was to develop a factor-derived measure of orchestra performance achievement and to test its validity and reliability for the evaluation of secondary school orchestras. We assembled a pool of 49 statements used in evaluating middle and high school orchestra performance, paired them with a 9-point Likert-type scale, and asked 63 experienced orchestra teachers to evaluate 63 secondary school orchestras. Factor analyses on data from the 189 completed rating sheets identified seven factors: Ensemble, Left Hand, Position, Rhythm, Tempo, Presentation, and Bow. For the reduced scale, we chose 25 items with factor loadings greater than . 64, which showed Cronbach's alphas ranging from . 73 to . 91. Two rounds of validation showed high correlations with MENC's adjudication form and a ranking task; the initial factor structure was not exactly duplicated, indicating directions for future research.

Lullaby Concert for Preschoolers: A Delightful Idea to Share with Your High School Orchestra Director

Lullaby Concert for Preschoolers: A Delightful Idea to Share with Your High School Orchestra Director

William Lichtenwanger, Reference Librarian

Readers of second series of are doubtless appreciative of Herculean efforts of its of early years, Richard S. Hill. But many may not be aware of prodigious labors of Hill's longtime coeditors, William Lichtenwanger and C. Campbell. Both toiled faithfully in various subsections and interconnecting pathways of each issue of Each participated for more than seventeen consecutive years; that is, more than seventy consecutive issues. Lichtenwanger was guest editor who wrote for Notes when Hill could not, who became acting during Hill's final illness, who was for eight issues after Hill's death, simultaneously continuing his previous duties as associate editor. It was a killing task from which he sought relief. He resigned both aspects of work prior to publication of vol. 20, no. 4 (Fall 1963). That issue carries his name as editor, but unsigned for Notes mentions the regretted resignation of Bill In fact, Frank Campbell [associate editor] ... out of goodness of his heart ... finished volume twenty of Notes. (1) Thereafter Lichtenwanger contributed infrequently to journal, focusing his efforts on editing, Henry Cowell catalog, Star Spangled Banner research, and other projects. William John Lichtenwanger was born in Asheville, North Carolina, 28 February 1915, only child of John Matthew and Lelia Gertrude (Williams) Lichtenwanger. (2) His parents were originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, to which they returned when Bill (3) was two-and-a-half years old; his father worked as a bookkeeper. When Depression hit Knoxville in 1930-31 his father lost his just as it was time for Bill's college years. Paul Wentworth Matthews, Bill's high school music teacher, was very influential in Bill's musical education. Matthews took special interest in Bill and invited him to his house to hear records. Bill began study of clarinet at age thirteen. He played in both high school orchestra and band--which was much better than that of University of Tennessee, located in Knoxville. So high school band played at university's football games, both home and away. By time he was a senior in high school Bill knew he wanted a career in music. He listened to broadcast concerts from Interlochen Center for Arts in Michigan, New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestras, and later, Metropolitan Opera. He requested brochures from University of Michigan and Interlochen, and selected university for his academic career. To no avail! His parents were determined against a musical life. The plight of musicians during Depression exacerbated their opposition. His father advocated a business career, perhaps as a certified public accountant. His mother favored preacher or medical missionary as suitable careers for her son. In face of parental opposition to University of Michigan, Bill was obliged to spend his freshman year at hometown University of Tennessee, 1933-34. Summer 1934 Bill played tennis all morning, then drank gallons of liquids, even though I knew better, even then. (4) The combination caused a severe illness during which he became delirious at times. While delirious he was very vocal about how much he hated Tennessee and how much he wanted to go to University of Michigan that his mother relented and found a way to send him. (5) In 1928, her maternal aunt had left her a legacy of $30,000, of which only interest on $20,000 could be spent. That was enough to get Bill to Ann Arbor fall of 1934. (6) In Ann Arbor Bill, who wanted to enroll in musicology program, consulted Dr. Earl Moore, a professor in School of Music, who advised he enroll in undergraduate program in music education, so you can get a job, and consider musicology later on graduate level. The music education program required rudimentary skills on many instruments, which was quite easy for Bill. …

Music expertise and memory: the relationship between music expertise and memory of music patterns, within various degrees of contextual constraint

The present study investigated the relationship between expertise in one's principal instrument and memory performance achievement of various aural melodic patterns, constructed in such a manner as to reflect three degrees of contextual constraint. Music patterns ranged from random music approximations (zero-order) to music patterns generated from systematically increased degrees of contextual constraint, simulating classical Western tonal music (second- and third-order music approximations). Participants were selected from those who play viola in the Chicago Symphony and the Toledo Symphony (experts) and in two high school orchestras (novices). Two tests were designed by the investigator to assess the respondents' ability to replicate music patterns in a listen–imitate format. Results indicated that for the approximations to classical Western tonal music (second- and third-order) there was a great difference between the expert and novice violists. The experts showed a superior performance. However, for the zero-order or random music approximations, there was little difference between the two research groups.