National Association Of Schools Of Music Research Articles

Examining Ensemble Requirements for Music Education Majors

To better understand existing ensemble requirements for music education majors at U.S. institutions, we conducted a content analysis of ensemble requirements for 1,021 degree programs at 465 colleges and universities accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The mean number of ensemble credits required for each degree program was 7.25 ( SD = 2.89), and the mean number of semester enrollments required was 7.86 ( SD = 1.95). There were significant differences between degree types (e.g., instrumental-focused, choral-focused) in terms of total ensemble credits required and number and kind of subrequirements (e.g., chamber or small ensemble). A majority of programs did not contain specific subrequirements beyond traditional large ensembles, suggesting that many students may not undertake the varied complement of ensemble experiences called for in the NASM standards. By continuing to diversify ensemble offerings and encouraging or requiring students in all degree specializations to develop their musicianship through a variety of ensemble experiences, music programs may be able to make valuable ensemble experiences even more beneficial for undergraduate music education students.

Admissions and Selection Criteria for Master’s Students in Music Education Degree Programs

The purpose of this study was to examine music education faculty members’ perceptions of admissions and selection criteria for entering master’s students in music education degree programs. Using multistage sampling, we distributed a questionnaire to music education faculty at National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)-accredited institutions in the United States that offered master’s degrees in music education. Results indicated that music education faculty were involved in most admission decisions, and that transcripts, interviews, and letters of recommendation were the most common materials submitted for review. In response to open-ended questions, participants reported that their admission decisions are usually determined by four criteria: academic skills, demonstration of potential as a graduate student, demonstration of teaching ability, and less measurable indicators. This exploration of the admissions and selection criteria that music education faculty use when making admission decisions provides music teacher educators a greater understanding of this important transition point.

A Survey of Music Faculty in the United States Reveals Mixed Perspectives on YouTube and Library Resources

A Review of: Dougan, K. (2016). Music, YouTube, and academic libraries. Notes, 72(3), 491-508. https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2016.0009 Abstract Objective – To evaluate how music faculty members perceive and use video sharing sites like YouTube in teaching and research. Design – Survey Questionnaire. Setting – 197 music departments, colleges, schools, and conservatories in the United States. Subjects – 9,744 music faculty members. Methods – Schools were primarily selected based on National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) membership and the employment of a music librarian with a Music Library Association (MLA) membership. Out of faculty members contacted, 2,156 (22.5%) responded to the email survey. Participants were asked their rank and subspecialties. Closed-ended questions, ranked on scales of 1 to 5, evaluated perceptions of video sharing website use in classroom instruction and as assigned listening; permissibility as a cited source; quality, copyright, and metadata; use when items are commercially unavailable; use over library collections; comparative ease of use; and convenience. An open-ended question asked for additional thoughts or concerns on video sharing sites and music scholarship. The author partnered with the University of Illinois’ Applied Technology for Learning in the Arts and Sciences (ATLAS) survey office on the construction, distribution, and analysis of the survey data through SPSS. The open-ended question was coded for themes. Main Results – Key findings from closed-ended questions indicated faculty: used YouTube in the classroom (2.30 mean) more often than as assigned listening (2.08 mean); sometimes allowed YouTube as a cited source (2.35 mean); were concerned with the quality of YouTube recordings (3.58 mean) and accuracy of metadata (3.29 mean); and were more likely to use YouTube than library resources (2.62 mean), finding it easier to use (2.38 mean) and more convenient (1.83 mean). The author conducted further analysis of results for the nine most reported subdisciplines. Ethnomusicology and jazz faculty indicated a greater likelihood of using YouTube, while musicology and theory/composition faculty were more likely to use library resources than others. There was little significant difference among faculty responses based on performance subspecialities (e.g. voice, strings, etc.). Overall, open-ended faculty comments on streaming video sites were negative (19.3%), positive (19.3%), or a mixture of both (34.1%). Themes included: less use in faculty scholarship; a need to teach students how to effectively use YouTube for both finding and creating content; the value of YouTube as an audio vs. video source; concerns about quality, copyright, data, and reliability; and benefits like easy access and large amounts of content. Conclusion – Some faculty expressed concern that students did not use more library music resources or know how to locate quality resources. The study suggested librarians and faculty could collaborate on solutions to educate students. Librarians might offer instructional content on effective searching and evaluation of YouTube. Open-ended responses showed further exploration is needed to determine faculty expectations of library “discovery and delivery” (p. 505) and role as the purchaser of recordings. Conversations between librarians and faculty members may help clarify expectations and uncover ways to improve library resources and services to better meet evolving needs. Finally, the author recommended additional exploration is needed to evaluate YouTube’s impact on library collection development.

String Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States

The rise in demand for string teachers is a sign of support for string programs across the United States. Despite an increase in string teacher positions, there is growing concern regarding the lack of qualified string music education graduates to fill the vacancies, sometimes leading administrators to close programs. This study investigated the status of string teacher education programs in the United States. Participants for this study were degree-granting institutions ( N = 636) accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The NASM directory listings and institution websites were examined to determine what type of degrees were offered, and presence of a full-time string music education faculty member. Results indicated that while most NASM-accredited institutions offer some type of undergraduate degree in music education, very few institutions (16%) were shown to have a full-time string music education specialist. Results also indicated a significant relationship between the size of school and likelihood of having a full-time string music education specialist, χ2(7, N = 526) = 80.03, p < .001.

An Examination of Undergraduate Conductor Practice Behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate conductors’ personal approaches to conducting practice, practice time allocation, and beliefs about their conducting abilities. Participants ( N = 126) were undergraduate conductors enrolled in basic conducting courses at 17 NASM (National Association of Schools of Music)–accredited institutions. Our findings indicated that “patterns” and “dynamics” were the most practiced conducting behaviors. “Sing or hum musical lines” and “silent conducting practice” were the most used practice strategies. Through responses to open-ended items, participants shared that hand independence was the most challenging conducting skill and wished that it was discussed more by their conducting instructor, while “conducting patterns” was the skill that came most naturally. Undergraduate conductors practiced an average of 48 minutes per week across 2 to 3 days, and during practice sessions they used a score almost three fourths of the time. Implications for conducting practice and curricula are discussed.

A national survey of music education majors’ confidence in teaching improvisation

The purpose of the study was to investigate undergraduate music education majors’ confidence in teaching improvisation, according to the NAfME (1994) K–12 Achievement Standards. Specific research questions were: 1) How confident are music education majors in implementing the 11 improvisation achievement standards for grades K–12? 2) How confident are they in their own improvisation ability? 3) How interested or motivated are they in learning more about how to teach improvisation? 4) Are there differences in confidence among music education majors by year in school? 5) Are there differences in confidence among music education majors by primary instrument? Participants were 397 undergraduate music education majors from National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accredited institutions in the United States, whose confidence in teaching improvisation decreased as grade level increased. Sophomore and senior means were higher than freshman and junior means, and slight differences were observed by primary instrument (woodwind, piano, brass, voice, string, percussion, in increasing confidence). Participants reported slight to moderate confidence in their own ability to improvise, but moderate to great interest in learning more about how to teach improvisation.

Addressing the NASM health and safety standard through curricular changes in a brass methods course: an outcome study.

The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) recently ratified a new health and safety standard requiring schools of music to inform students about health concerns related to music. While organizations such as the Performing Arts Medicine Association have developed advisories, the exact implementation is the prerogative of the institution. One possible approach is to embed health education activities into existing methods courses that are routinely offered to music education majors. This may influence student awareness, knowledge, and the perception of competency and responsibility for addressing health risks associated with learning and performing musical instruments. Unfortunately, there are no known lesson plans or curriculum guides for supporting such activities. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to (1) develop course objectives and content that can be applied to a preexisting brass methods course, (2) implement course objectives into a semester-long brass methods course, and (3) test the effectiveness of this intervention on students' awareness, knowledge, perception of competency, and responsibly of health risks that are related to learning and performing brass instruments. Results showcase the potential for modifying methods courses without compromising the other objectives of the course. Additionally, students' awareness, knowledge, perception of competency, and responsibility were positively influenced as measured by changes in pre to post responses to survey group questions.

An examination of the minimum construction necessary to improve the sound isolation in a university’s existing music building

The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is the organization responsible for accrediting both degree- and non-degree granting music schools in the United States. Typically, NASM accreditation is based on the musical program itself, but what happens when an existing building's sound isolation is so poor it threatens a school's accreditation status? As is often the case in the Arts, the University of Wyoming has a limited budget to use for upgrades in their existing Music building. Through a series of mock-up tests, Acoustic Dimensions was able to identify the most critical noise-flanking paths and recommend the most cost effective means of raising the NIC values between practice rooms to levels that better accommodate simultaneous use of adjacent spaces.

Consilient Spheres of Influence in a Land Grant Setting

At Penn State, music technology is something of a stranger in a strange land. As a programme, it began in the early twenty-first century, when the necessity of the moment was an anticipated revision to the guidelines from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the North American accrediting body. Music schools were charged with ensuring that music majors were exposed to ‘relevant technologies’. It was left largely to individual institutions to interpret what this meant. At Penn State, a course was created to address this guideline, and it generated interest among students. This course then spawned a series of related courses. These courses eventually created enough of a curricular presence to warrant creating an undergraduate minor. We now expect that the minor will spawn an undergraduate major. The music technology programme's locus lies not solely within the School of Music; rather, it overlaps as an interdisciplinary area with a variety of programmes throughout the university's offerings. These overlaps are a unique feature of the programme. It is an unusual arrangement, but it is a product of its time and place. Three populations of students have coalesced, and the pedagogical challenge has been to create a curriculum that can serve all of them. The programme might be thought of as series of concentric spheres; each is centred around the same general concept structure, but with expanding breadth for different levels of student involvement.

A Comparison of Instrumental Music Methods Course Content at NASM-Accredited Institutions

Abstract This study examined the curricular content of undergraduate instrumental methods courses at institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The study sought to determine the priority given by instructors to the curricular components of instrumental music classes and whether differences exist among institutional and instructor factors on the priority given to instrumental methods class topics and the National Standards for Music Education. A questionnaire was distributed to instrumental music methods class instructors at NASMaccredited schools that offer an instrumental methods class as part of the undergraduate music education curriculum (N=521). Completed, usable responses were received from 282 (54.12%) of participants who taught at least one instrumental methods class during the 2011-2012 school year. Results are reported concerning the textbooks most commonly used in classes, class assignments, and the priority given to 33 topics and the National Standards for Music Education in instrumental methods courses. The results suggest that the content of instrumental methods classes appears to focus on those topics most directly related to the process of teaching including curriculum and lesson planning, assessment, classroom management, and teaching fundamentals. Additionally, the content area of an instructor’s highest degree may impact the priority given to the topics discussed in class as well as to the national standards. There appears to be little change from findings of earlier studies of instrumental music methods classes, with the exception that more field experience is currently required.

A Comparison of Contracted and Ideal Music Education Faculty Workload

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare contractual and ideal teaching, research, and service workload data for tenured and tenure-track music education faculty working at National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)-accredited institutions that offered undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in music education. More specifically, two research questions informed this study: (1) What are the contracted and ideal teaching, research, and service workloads for tenured and tenure-track music education faculty according to institution: type (private/public); enrollment; mission (liberal arts, research or teaching/comprehensive); and community (rural, suburban or urban)? And (2), how do these compare? The researchers developed a two-page, 14-item questionnaire, the Music Education Workload Questionnaire (MEWQ) to explore these questions. The 88 completed questionnaires (32.6% return rate) highlighted that contractual teaching, research, and service responsibilities differ little between tenured and tenure-track music education faculty, and that workloads generally involve about 74% teaching, 14% research, and 12% service. In addition, respondents felt that the ideal workload would involve 63% teaching, 22% research, and 15% service. The ideal workload trend of less teaching and more research and service held true regardless of school type, enrollment, mission, or community.

The Nation's First D.M.A. in Choral Music: History, Structure, and Pedagogical Implications

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree (D.M.A.), which evolved and proliferated during third quarter of twentieth century, has become a mainstay for academic preparation of college and university professors in music performance areas. The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) School of Music and Harold A. Decker, UIUC Director of Choral Music (1957-81), are widely credited with seminal D.M.A. degree in area of choral music. (1) For example, Don V Moses, Director of UIUC School of Music (1988-97), said it was the first in United States, and a brilliant response to need for better preparation of choral conductors. (2) But UIUC choral D.M.A. did not occur spontaneously or without precedent. Like many terminal performance degrees now accredited by National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), apparently it was result of efforts of numerous music educators whose aim was to attend to a void left unfilled by its predecessor, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music degree. Though D.M.A. remains one of academe's significant twentieth century curricular developments, little research has addressed its origin, growth, and current status. (3) Therefore, this article seeks to add to current scholarship by documenting history and structure of what became one of more far-reaching and influential of such degrees, UIUC D.M.A. in Choral Music. It will ask following research questions: (1) What were historical events nationally and at UIUC specifically that led to UIUC D.M.A. in Choral Music being instituted? (2) What were degree's prerequisites, requirements, and salient characteristics? And (3) what changes in choral pedagogy resulted from development of UIUC D.M.A. in Choral Music and numerous terminal choral degree programs that followed nationwide? History In 1934, NASM and Music Teachers National Association formed a Commission. Chaired by Howard Hanson (1896-1981), Director of Eastman School of Music at University of Rochester (1924-64), Commission's initial charge was to study, over a period of several years, Master of Music degree, Master of Arts in Music degree, and Doctor of Philosophy in Music degree. At that time, Ph.D. was a research degree awarded in psychology of music, music education, composition, and musicology. (4) Having served as Dean of Conservatory of Fine Arts at College of Pacific in California prior to his appointment at Eastman, Hanson had observed that college and university administrators were exhibiting an increased fondness for advanced (5) Within this shifting paradigm, according to Hanson, even an exemplary performer who did not possess a doctorate might be denied appointment or tenure. (6) He speculated that German university model, emulated in many American universities--a model that promoted a bifurcated relationship between scholarly activity and preparation of musicians--would eventually lead to a shortage of qualified music professors in performance areas. (7) Therefore, while he conceded that research degrees were important, he also argued need for a different kind of terminal degree--one better suited to performing musicians. (8) That degree, a performance doctorate, would advance a system of academic recognition for performing musician similar to that of a medical doctor. Specifically, his/her acknowledgement would not be for scholarly activity alone, but would also include exhibiting proficiency as a composer, conductor, or performer. In 1951, after years of planning, Graduate Commission recommended that a terminal performance doctorate be established to follow B.M. and M.M. (9) The following year, NASM approved several requests for granting of such degrees. The Universities of Southern California, Florida, and Indiana received permission to award D. …

Health Promotion Courses for Music Students: Part 1

The September 2006 issue of MPPA included a Special Article and an Editorial on health promotion in schools of music, based on work done by the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Consensus was reached on four declarations/recommendations at the Health Promotion in Schools of Music Conference in 2004. The second recommendation, reported in the Special Article, was to "develop and offer an undergraduate occupational health course for all music majors." The Editorial contained a call for descriptions of courses that have been developed and offered for this purpose. Below are the descriptions of five courses from music schools across the country. The courses are notable for their diversity in faculty, ranging from musician-educators to occupational and physical therapists to physicians. Readers will note some common areas of content among the courses. Student feedback is included in the first course description. Future work in this area should focus on evaluation of the impact of this type of coursework, which is now part of the NASM accreditation standards.

Professional Perspectives of Music Therapy: A 30-Year Retrospective Introduction

Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it... -George Santayana, Life of Reason [1905-1906], Volume I, Reason in Common Sense, Chapter 12, 1906. In 1976, the United States was celebrating its Bicentennial, Jimmy Carter was President of the United States, and the Olympics were being hosted in Montreal. Disco fever was rampant, the movie, Rocky, was awarded best picture at the academy awards, and Mary Tyler Moore Show won an Emmy for best comedy series. In 1976, schools across the country were gearing up to implement PL94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which called for a free and public education in the least restrictive environment. National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT), then located in Lawrence, Kansas, had recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and Dr. Charles Braswell served as NAMT's president. American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT), then located in New York City, was celebrating its 5th anniversary under the leadership of Leo Shatin. At the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, Dr. Himie Voxman (director of the School of Music) had received a letter from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) notifying him that the music therapy curriculum proposed by Dr. Erwin Schneider had received formal authorization. Music Therapy Program at University of Iowa was now open for business. For the youngest cohort within our profession, these events may seem like little more than desiccated facts once memorized for a test in Orientation to Music Therapy. For those of us old enough to retain vivid memories of 1976, these events may seem as if they happened just yesterday despite the torrent of societal and scientific changes that have influenced us these past three decades. Anniversaries such as the 30th Anniversary of the Iowa Music Therapy program offer opportunities for us to reflect upon and honor past events and contributors and to see how the past has influenced current practices. At moments such as these, we move beyond the tyranny of daily deadlines and reflect on lessons learned and cherished traditions. These reflections can help us to take stock and see the big picture, which, in turn, helps us move more judiciously in future directions. In honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Iowa Music Therapy Program, we commissioned a series of presentations for the 2006 Midwestern Regional Conference of AMTA, which were delivered on March 30th-April 1st. This group of presentations, which we also refer to as The Iowa Anniversary Lectures, was possible thanks to financial support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at University of Iowa. Subsequently, each presenter has prepared their verbal presentation into a written form that now appears as the following collection entitled, Professional Perspectives in Music Therapy: A 30-Year Retrospective. While one might presume that this series is essentially of local relevance (that is, relevant to Iowa alums), nothing could be further from the truth. purpose of this lecture series, which was an integral part of the 2006 Midwest Regional Conference, was to create an opportunity for music therapists to think about the big picture-where our profession has been, where we are now, and where we should we be headed. We asked a group of music therapists, each of them an expert in a particular area of our field and whose collective professional experiences comprise over 250 years, to prepare papers on the past, present, and future as it relates to their own subspecialty. By reflecting on their past experiences, they bring into sharp relief important professional issues that shape music therapy practice today. …

Music Courses for Elementary Education Majors: An Investigation of Course Content and Purpose

We prepared a survey instrument to determine the purpose, format, and content of courses available to undergraduate elementary education majors at institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). We examined the types of music courses offered to elementary classroom teachers, the content of the courses, the instructor's purpose for each course, and factors that influenced curricular decisions. We mailed the questionnaire to 530 schools listed in the NASM directory. An initial and two follow-up mailings yielded 316 responses (60%). The Kruskal-Wallis test for independent samples revealed statistical significance beyond the .01 level for the fundamentals course, F (2, 27) = 17.17. The study's results show there was stronger agreement among respondents who taught fundamentals courses than among respondents who taught methods or combined courses.

Career Programs in Higher Education

publications were nonexistent. I sent questionnaires to most of our colleges and universities, inviting them to provide information on their new programs or revised programs. This article summarizes the results of that research and draws upon additional information supplied by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

An Analysis of State Requirements for College or University Accreditation in Music Education

colleges and universities that prepare music teachers have been many and varied. This study attempts to organize some of the existing requirements in music curriculum and professional laboratory experiences on the state level ints some meaningful order.1 All states with a state supervisor of music are included in this study. In addition, information for New Jersey, which does not have a state music supervisor, was obtained from its department of education. A total of 34 states participated in the questionnaire study. A letter requesting assistance was sent to each of the states, and a f{>llow-up letter was sent to those that were slow in replying. All but one of the 34 states returned the questionnaires. The questionnaire sent to the New Jersey department of education was also returned. The first section of the questionnaire determined whether the state departments of education accredit colleges and universities in entirety or the specific curricula within the institutions. The data showed that 12 states (35 percent) accredit colleges and universities in entirety, and 15 (44 percent) accredit specific curricula. Six states (18 percent) do not accredit either institutions or curricula, and one state accredits both. All states that accredit specific curricula (including those that accredit both the institution and the specific curricula), indicated that this includes the area of music education. Several states indicated that they rely on other agencies for either all accreditation or for accreditation of teachers who have been educated in another state. The three most important agencies are the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and one of the six

Off-Campus Student Teaching in Music Education

"The enclosed article and pictures are submlitted in response to a suggestion in the Music Education Source Book (p. 59) that 'Those who are responsible for a project (in student teaching) are urged to prepare articles for use in such publications as the Music Educators Journal….' I trust that other directors of this important aspect of teacher preparation will do likewise, for there is need for a zider dissemination of information regardilng student teaching curriculums in music. "We here at U. T. are proud to claim the distinction of being the first music education departnmentof a university School of Music to have been part of an evaluation by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education of a university School of Education and related teacher education areas. I should like to recommend that other colleges take advantage of such an evaluation for not only will it strengthen the music education program evaluated, but also it will help to give music education the added prestige other subject matter areas of teacher training or other areas of the music curriculum enjoy through AACTE and/or NASM (National Association of Schools of Music) ezvaluations.