School Music Programs Research Articles

Guided listening as meaningful learning: A study of Israeli secular Jewish High School music programs

Guided listening is vital in music education, fostering self-expression, skill development, and academic achievement. Yet, its limited use in Israeli high schools creates a gap between its recognized value and practice. This mixed-method study examines guided listening integration in secular Jewish-Israeli high school music programs based on four philosophical and pedagogical approaches—esthetic, Praxial, active, and peer instruction—to understand teachers’ objectives, methodologies, implementation, and optimal learning environments. Data was collected from an online questionnaire, structured interviews, direct observations of Western Art Music History lessons, and the researcher’s reflective journal. Key findings: (1) teachers tend to use a repeated five-step teaching pattern (reviewing, lecturing, analyzing, listening while following a score, summarizing); (2) teachers usually do not write lesson plans with detailed, step-by-step guidelines; and (3) teachers use recommended guided listening approaches in a limited capacity, likely due to pressure from preparing students for exams, and the perception that such methods are not fully suitable for Israeli high school music students. The paper explores teachers’ challenges in adopting guided listening pedagogical methods while balancing curriculum demands and promoting inclusivity. It offers recommendations for policymakers and educators on professional development and curriculum revisions, emphasizing detailed lesson planning for effective learning outcomes.

Fostering inclusivity: Transforming South African school music programmes through the dalcroze approach

This article explores the transformative potential of the Dalcroze Approach in South African school music programs, with a focus on fostering cultural inclusivity. Employing a qualitative research methodology grounded in content analysis, the study systematically examines diverse sources, including archival materials, books, and peer-reviewed journal articles. The triangulation method enhances the robustness of data by cross-referencing information from platforms like Google Scholar, JSTOR, ResearchGate, and university repositories. The Dalcroze Approach, rooted in holistic and embodied learning experiences, emerges as a transformative pedagogy with the capacity to address historical disparities and celebrate South Africa's diverse musical traditions. Findings indicate a compelling alignment between the approach and inclusivity goals, emphasising the adaptability of the Dalcroze principles to the nation's cultural tapestry. The findings of this article reveal that educators, administrators, and students play pivotal roles in shaping the success of implementing the Dalcroze Approach. Educators witness positive impacts on student engagement and creativity, administrators recognise its strategic value, and students experience a transformative shift in their music learning journey. In conclusion, this article advocates for comprehensive professional development programs, collaboration with curriculum developers, and ongoing research initiatives to ensure the sustained integration of the Dalcroze Approach. By embracing this transformative pedagogy, South African music education can evolve into a more inclusive and culturally responsive domain, reflecting the nation's rich musical heritage.

Family first: Yahritza y Su Esencia, family bands and the musical education of Mexican Americans

Beginning with a description of música Mexicana’s rising stars, Yahritza y Su Esencia, a ‘family band’ of young Mexican American musicians, we suggest that school music educators become more informed of the musical interests, involvements and learning styles of Mexican American students at home, within their families and in the communities that surround them. Yahritza’s trademark sierreño style is described and contextualized in light of other notable genres such as mariachi, música nortena, son jarocho, banda, grupera and trap corridos. The phenomenon of family bands within Mexican American communities is explored as a means of children’s musical enculturation away from school, juxtaposed with a history of exclusion of Mexican American students from school music opportunities. The article addresses limitations of the American model of school music programmes, including (1) the need for opportunities for Mexican American (and other) populations to access meaningful musical education experiences, and (2) the gap between the music genres offered within the curriculum and those that Mexican American (and other) students experience at home and within their communities. Even as we acknowledge and applaud the presence of family bands and other strong music community music practices among Mexican Americans, we call for a national initiative among music educators to ensure that the music which students learn in school is at least germane to students’ home experiences.

Artistic expression as a property of resonant musical experience: an interview study with upper secondary school music teachers

Background The concept of artistic expression is present in the curriculum for upper secondary school music program in Sweden. Being a criterion for assessment, no definition is provided by the National Agency of Education and there exists no consensus of how to interpret artistic expression among music teachers and music teacher students. Methods In order to explore how teachers understand, teach, and assess the concept and phenomenon of artistic expression, twelve qualitative interviews with music teachers were conducted and analyzed through an open coding process. Results The findings show that the concept of artistic expression is multifaceted and evasive. The results focus on two analytic threads: (i) situatedness and (ii) entanglement. (i) AE is situated due to context-specific parameters which underpins the meaning of the concept in this particular educational setting. (ii) Furthermore, the phenomenon of artistic expression is entangled (a) with the ongoing relationship between teacher and student, and (b) in a temporally unfolding and interactive musical event. The phenomenon of artistic expression as entangled is discussed, primarily through Hartmut Rosa’s concept of resonance, which brings into focus the intersubjective character of aesthetic experience. Doing so questions understandings of – and assessment procedures surrounding – artistic expression that relies on skill-based interpretations or reductions of entanglement. One example of such reduction is assessment of recordings of student performances which limits the (a) relational perspective (if assessed by a third person) or (b) the entanglement with the musical event. The perspective of resonance brings forth the teacher’s role during a student performance as characterized by self-efficacy and active listening, thus co-constitutive of artistic expression. Conclusions The article concludes with reflections on how the findings may contribute to the continuous discussion on how scientific grounding and proven experience may inform both the music education at upper secondary school and music teacher education. The concept of resonance provides a possibility to reframe conceptions of artistic competence in art education as being grounded in intersubjective and relational terms, rather than being reified as a set of measurable skills, an understanding which in turn risks replacing learning with criteria compliance.

Advancing computer science in education: integrating digital music technology into elementary school music programs

Advancing computer science in education: integrating digital music technology into elementary school music programs

A demographic profile of high school music courses in New York

ABSTRACT Previous scholarship has provided a broad overview of demographic trends in secondary school music enrolment across the United States. However, there exists a gap in the literature in how students with disabilities are represented in school music, and the demographics of students enrolled in experiences outside of band, orchestra, and choir. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine demographic trends in music courses across New York, which has implemented a variety of course offerings that exist outside of band, orchestra, and choir. Using data obtained from the State Department of Education’s Student Information Repository System (SIRS), this article provides a profile of school music in the state. Results demonstrate how students with disabilities are underrepresented in school music programmes and differences in participation by race, gender, socioeconomic status, and native language across a variety of traditional and non-traditional school music experiences. Specific music experiences, such as Guitar and Piano, help to balance the demographic profile of school music programmes with disproportionately White and more affluent large ensemble courses.

Inservice Music Teachers’ Vernacular Practices: A Self-Study of Curricular Application

The purpose of this self-study was to explore how a college-level vernacular music course might have played a part in shaping inservice music educators’ teaching practices. Nineteen music teachers who graduated from the same teacher preparation program completed a 23-item researcher-constructed questionnaire that identified how they viewed, incorporated, and negotiated vernacular music practices in their classrooms. Overall, participants indicated that incorporating vernacular approaches in school music programs was important and that the vernacular music course positively impacted how they conceptualized music teaching. Participants reported including a wide variety of informal learning activities that involved technology, aural learning, and student-directed music projects. Conversely, participants identified time limitations, lack of resources, classroom management, and performance tensions as distinct challenges. Future directions include documenting turning points in students’ vernacular learning, monitoring curricular changes in PK–12 music programs, and fortifying preservice music teachers’ preparation in multimusical learning.

Pasquale Ciricillo (1907-1978): From “Melephone Wonder” to “Music Man” Schoolteacher

Pasquale “Pat” Ciricillo (1907-1978) was a twentieth-century musician-teacher who incorporated multiple musical approaches in his work. Born to an Italian family in Cleveland, Ohio, Ciricillo’s affinity for wide-ranging musicianship afforded him a storied career as a professional trumpet player in New York City. His success as a jazz, popular, and classical musician served as a catalyst for the latter part of his career, when he became a school music teacher who created innovative school curricula based on his extensive musical background. This biographical investigation features three distinct periods in Ciricillo’s career: early life in Cleveland, Ohio (1907-1929); life as a professional performer in New York City (1929-1956); and life as a school music teacher in The Bronx and the Rockland County (NY) Schools (1956-1976). Of special interest are the intersections between Ciricillo’s performer and teacher identities and the pedagogical practices that he enacted in the music classroom. Ciricillo’s life and career hold implications for current and future teaching practices in school music programs.

A history of popular music education in the United States

Despite many current popular music styles originating in the United States, there has typically been a lack of inclusion of popular music in school-based music education contexts in the United States. In recent years, however, the incorporation of popular musics has become more commonplace with the propagation of modern band programmes and initiatives designed to diversify the genres of music included in school music. With the increased presence of popular music education (PME) in US schools, it is timely to further examine the history of popular music in school music programmes as well as the social conditions and educational rationales that led to the emergence of PME in US school music programmes. This article combines existing research on the history of PME into one document while adding further research and descriptions of important events in the history of PME in the United States not yet in print.

Large Ensemble Teachers’ Support for Popular Music Courses in High Schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether large ensemble teachers supported the inclusion of authentic popular music courses in high school music programs. We distributed the 61-item Popular Music in High School Questionnaire (PMQ) to a nationwide, stratified sample of 1,000 high school large ensemble teachers. Participants perceived several obstacles to widespread adoption of popular music courses in high schools, with their support for curricular inclusivity dependent on region of the country, teaching assignment/duties, and teaching experience. We discuss broad implications of the findings and highlight the cyclical relationship between music teacher preparation programs and curricular music content delivered in U.S. secondary schools.

Valuing Racialized Student Voices: Transforming Learning Through Peer Mentoring

Although the practice of peer mentoring has had a place in education for many years, it has not routinely served as a platform for racialized students to use their voice in constructing their classroom learning. The history of music programs in the United States, with their dependence on Eurocentric music and disregard for the music of racialized persons, is a reminder that through the years, and continuing today, many programs only pay attention to some of the voices in the classroom. In this article, I investigate the promise that peer mentoring holds in equalizing the conversation. Although researchers have found many benefits in peer mentoring for racialized students and their teachers, their findings are contradictory and create paradoxes. These anomalies involve power structures in the classroom, othering of students, reproductive vs. transformational learning, and the potential for peer mentoring to reaffirm whiteness in school music programs. Drawing upon feminist pedagogy, with its collaborative construct of knowledge, inclusive sharing of experiences, and empowerment of all voices, I explore and critique how music teachers can use peer mentoring to create brave spaces for learning where racialized students share their knowledge and experiences while learning.

Preventing noise induced hearing loss: Issues and challenges facing musicians

National and state education standards now require collegiate and public school music programs to address concerns for noise induced hearing loss related to consuming, learning, and performing music. The expected outcomes include ensuring awareness, knowledge, and self-efficacy for managing music-related exposures and activities. Based on extensive efforts to implement these standards in a large College of Music and across an independent school district that includes numerous middle and high school choir, orchestra, and band programs, this session will provide insight into the various challanges and opportunities related to positively influencing cultural norms and traditions within the music discipline.

Modern Band: A Review of Literature

The recent increase in popular music education in K–12 school music programs is in part due to the expansion of modern band programming throughout the United States. Modern band is a term used to describe school music ensembles that include popular music instruments and focus on performing music that is meaningful to the students while incorporating songwriting. The purpose of this literature review was to examine relevant research related to modern band music programs in the United States and provide implications for music teaching and learning. Music researchers and professionals have recently addressed specific issues related to increasing the diversity of school music programs, addressing elements of culturally responsive curricula, and positively affecting the social and emotional development of students through modern band. Throughout this literature review, I provide implications for music teachers and discuss areas for future research.

PROBLEMS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE ABILITIES OF STUDENTS OF PRIMARY CLASSES THROUGH A.ESBAEV SONGS

The article considers the development of creative abilities of young students. The concepts of "ability", "creativity", "creative ability" are studied in detail in the work of scientists. Also, there was discussed the issue and the question of regeneration of virtues, inherited from our forgotten ancestors, rooted in our blood and roots. In particularly, our national traditions, language and music, literature, customs, especially, our national spirit must always remain in our heart. In the framework of "Spiritual Revival" is a detailed analysis of the use of the song by Abilahata Espaeva in school music programs, which correspond to the problem of education. In particularly, the composer's songs in music lessons are intended for the development of creative abilities of young schoolchildren. The authors thoroughly studied the content, character and theme of the song of the composer.

Authentic learning in senior secondary music pedagogy: an examination of teaching practice in high-achieving school music programmes

AbstractAuthentic learning approaches are designed to immerse students in contexts that promote real-life applications of knowledge, and provide meaningful learning experiences beyond the abstract instruction of the classroom. In a grounded theory study of music teaching practice in high-achieving schools, 50 teachers from 23 schools across New South Wales (NSW), Australia, were asked to describe how they taught their senior secondary students and the musical environment they curated within their school. Through examination of the interview data, authentic learning exposed itself as uniquely situated in classroom music teaching of high-achieving music programmes for senior secondary students in NSW. This is shown through the use of thorough inquiry-based and student-centred learning tasks like video journals, the use of professional resources and expertise and collaborative learning in authentic contexts, in and outside of the classroom.

The Role and Influence of Performance in School Music Programs: A Grounded Theory

The purpose of this grounded theory research was to investigate music teachers’ perceptions of the role and influence of performances in K–12 music programs and the processes by which these performances impact music teaching and learning. Three specific research questions informed this study: (1) What role do performances play in school music programs? (2) How are music teachers’ pedagogical decisions informed or influenced by their efforts to mount performances? and (3) What other aspects of the music teaching-learning process are influenced by efforts to mount performances, and what form does this influence take? Five themes emerged to describe the ways in which efforts to prepare and mount performances interact with the music teaching and learning process: community expectations, student motivation, time management, teaching strategies, and teacher views of performance. These themes were used to generate an emergent theory including two interlocking process cycles that illustrate the ways in which performances are situated within school music programs. Implications for the field of music education and for future research are discussed.

English

The research is aimed to evaluate the impact of fine arts high school music department program on the piano playing skills of students. In this context, it was determined to what degree fine arts high school students thought the school program contributed to their piano playing skills and differentiation of student opinions as per their gender and class was also examined. A cross sectional descriptive design was conducted. The sample of the research consists of 356 students attending five different Music Departments of Fine Art High Schools. A questionnaire, consisting of 23 items, was formed by the researcher to collect the data. The results showed that majority of students considered that the program was insufficient to contribute to development of their piano playing skills. For example, almost half of the students thought that the school program did not adequately develop their sills which include production and performance of musical ideas, transposition and composition skills in relation to piano playing skills. On the other hand, most of the students think that the program developed their independent instrument learning skills and their skills to evaluate the pieces which they played. Key words: Music education, high school, piano education, student evaluation, piano playing skills.

Making Music: Composing With Young Musicians Program Evaluation

Making Music: Composing with Young Musicians is a research-commissioning project that involves a partnership between the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa and Curriculum Services, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). Over a three-year period, 18 new research-based compositions for students enrolled in school music programs were created, studied and premiered in local schools by teachers and their students. The purpose of this presentation is to provide the findings from three focus groups, each representing one of the three years of the Making Music Project. Overall, the participants indicated that the experience was very positive; they appreciated the opportunity for their students to connect with professional composers and they indicated an eagerness to participate in future projects. The major strength of the project was the opportunity for teachers and their students to collaborate with living composers in the creative process, and the major weakness was the composers’ lack of experience composing educational music (a wide-spread problem in Canada). Based on their experience in the project, the teachers indicated that they were more willing to teach music composition in their classes. They noted that the composers were far more involved in the students’ learning process than would normally occur with a standard commissioning program. The teachers also noted that their own involvement shifted towards a facilitating role rather than that of teacher-directed instruction. The project could be improved through better promotion to the schools and a prior meeting with the participants to articulate roles, responsibilities and process.

Composing Together II: The Development of Musical Ideas with Teachers and Students

Contemporary Canadian pieces are uncommonly performed and studied in school music programs due to their complex nature. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Canadian Music Centre commissioned composers to write a piece of educational music in a multi-year, multi-site research project entitled Making Music: Composing with Young Musicians. The musical pieces were written in collaboration with teachers and students. The following research question was addressed: How can musical ideas be conceptualized and developed with students and teachers? Through composition reports, the composers indicated the importance of listening to students. Listening enabled them to know with what the young musicians were familiar and helped the composers discern the students’ instrumental abilities. Musical ideas were also developed when students worked individually and in groups. Furthermore, composer-teacher feedback as well as teacher facilitation spawned a healthy flow of musical ideas. The findings will be of interest to music teachers, post-secondary music educators, composers and Canadian music publishers.

What’s stopping you? Impediments to incorporating popular music technologies in schools

This study explores why music technologies are not more often used in school music programmes despite their wide accessibility in the private sector. We examine how four popular products are perceived by music teachers in Norwegian primary and lower secondary schools: Rocksmith 2014, Soundation, GarageBand and Skoog. Our study determines what participants see as impediments to using these specific products, as well as music technologies in general. Through analysis of interviews conducted within a clinical trial of technology products, four factors were identified as perceived impediments to product use in schools: expense, accessibility, attitude and usability. Although expense is an especially prominent concern, we found that each factor can potentially prevent acquisition and incorporation of music technologies. Further, the influence of other agents besides the music teachers themselves is perceived as playing a vital role in this process, such as the school’s administration and characteristics of the local community.