University Music Students Research Articles

Self-determined motivation for practice in university music students

This study adopted self-determination theory as means to understanding the motivation of university music students. The self-determination theory framework contends that three psychological needs of competence, relatedness, and autonomy must be fulfilled in order to maintain psychological wellbeing. In turn, needs fulfilment results in autonomous motivation, in which activities are perceived to be aligned with the self and are consequently experienced as personally important, interesting, and enjoyable. We surveyed students ( N = 392) from schools of music in nine universities in Australia and New Zealand to examine whether needs fulfilment and autonomous motivation within the university music learning context would explain context-specific affect and behaviour. Hypothesised relationships were tested using structural equation modelling. Psychological needs fulfilment and autonomous motivation explained more frequent practice, more frequent quality practice, and a higher preference for challenging tasks. This study is among the first self-determination theory studies in the domain of music learning at the university level, and thus the results are described in terms of the potential of this theory to more fully explain interesting and under-researched aspects of this environment, including student wellbeing, anxiety, preparations for a long-term career in music, and pedagogical implications.

Bi-musicality and dialogical musicality: Influences of Javanese gamelan participation on Western instrumental learning

This qualitative research examines the influence of learning Javanese gamelan on aspects of musicianship, attitudes and approaches relating to the learning and performance of Western instruments experienced by a sample of UK university music students. In addition to benefits to musicianship, students delineated positive developments in attitudes and approaches to learning and performance. While bi-musicality may be the prerogative of only those who can maintain expertise concurrently in more than one musical style, the concept of dialogical-musicality is proposed as a construct emphasising productive inter-relationships arising from practical engagement with different musical styles at any level.

Unmasking the Hidden Enemy: Perfectionism in Undergraduate College Music Students

Unmasking the Hidden Enemy: Perfectionism in Undergraduate College Music Students

English

Few studies have been conducted on music students’ psychological well-being and happiness. The purpose was to assess the psychological well-being, happiness and educational satisfaction among a group of university music students. Students participated voluntarily and filled out a socio-demographic questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) and a questionnaire for educational satisfaction. Participation rate was 92.0%. Participants had mild depression, moderate anxiety and mild stress. Educational satisfaction was not related to students’ academic achievement. First and second year students and female participants were more satisfied with their education. Significant relationships were found between psychological well-being, happiness and educational satisfaction. Depression, stress and anxiety had a negative impact on happiness. Putting curricula of health promotion and prevention into practice at music departments could be a good starting point to diminish both physical and psychological injuries among students and artists. Key words: Music students, happiness, psychological well-being, educational satisfaction.

Music in mind? An experience sampling study of what and when, towards an understanding of why.

Imagining music in the course of everyday life has only recently graduated from anecdote to the subject of scientific investigation. Although recent empirical studies concern Involuntary Musical Imagery (INMI, Liikkanen, 2008), or earworms that stick or repeat in mind, this article adopts a broader perspective in its concern for any form of imagined music that might occur, whether or voluntary, persistent or fleeting. An experience sampling study of university music students' everyday imaginings of music (Bailes, 2006, 2007) found that musical imagery occurred both spontaneously and as an corollary of a voluntary musical activity such as performing or thinking about music. Broader questions of volition arise. Liikkanen (2008) acknowledged the potential importance of voluntary control in involuntary musical imagery, by conceptually separating activation and upkeep components; the former occurring outside of attention, and the latter allowing for mental control. Individual differences in thought suppression and schizotypy predict experiences of INMI (Beaman & Williams, 2013). Mullensiefen et al. (2014) found a relationship between obsessive- compulsive attributes in a nonclinical population and INMI disturbance and frequency, speculating that deliberate attempts to suppress unwanted INMI might in fact enhance its occurrence. However, the authors note a potential weakness with their reliance on retrospective questionnaires, which might have led to a greater focus on INMI than would occur with the use of time-sensitive methods such as experience pling. with this, Beaty et al. (2013) report a discrepancy between their own two studies of musical imagery that they attribute to method: their retrospective questionnaire study revealed a relationship between neuroticism and reports of music being stuck in the head, whereas their experience sampling study revealed no such relationship.There are many reasons to favor experience sampling methods (ESM) in the study of ephemeral phenomena such as musical imagery (see Bailes, 2006). Retrospective methods such as questionnaires and diary studies are particularly prone to memory and reporting biases, and do not capture fine-grained longitudinal patterns. Bailes (2007) used ESM to observe musical imagery experiences as they occurred, rather than through retrospective recall. Respondents filled out an Experience Sampling Form (ESF) each time they received a signal on their mobile phone. Six signals were sent each day, at semirandom times throughout the day (10 a.m.-10 p.m.), for a period of 7 days. The form comprised both closed and open questions, with the advantage of capturing a quick snapshot of each episode that could be readily compared with other episodes by the same individual and other respondents, as well as capturing qualitative data describing the context and feel of the episode (qualitative detail that was not recorded in the recent experience sampling study of musical imagery by Beaty et al. (2013)). Respondents imagined music on average 35% of the sampled time, melody and lyrics were rated as the most vivid components of their mental image, and respondents reported imagining music most when interacting with others, working or traveling. The number of episodes of imagined music dropped in the final 2-hr time period of the day (8 p.m.-10 p.m.). However, Bailes (2006, 2007) was limited by a relatively small sample size (N ^ 11, 417 completed ESFs), but also by a focus on the experiences of university music students. The aim of the current article is to expand this earlier research by using the same qualitatively rich ESM to investigate 47 members of the wider public. It will ask whether findings from the previous ESM study with music students can be generalized to a wider population, and address the question of what and when people imagine in everyday life.What Do We Imagine?Regarding what is imagined, people report imagining music that is familiar to them (Bailes, 2007), a form of memory (Halpern & Bartlett, 2011), although a minority imagine their own composed music (Bailes, 2006, 2007; Beaty et al. …

The effect of directing attention on melodic dictation testing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of guiding students through remembering and understanding a melody on their melodic dictation scores. Two matched groups of university music students ( N = 64) took a dictation, but those in the treatment group received instructions directing their attention for the purpose of aiding their memory and understanding. In every comparison (rhythm, pitch, and overall score), the control group scored higher than the treatment group. Results suggest that instructions guiding students through the memory and understanding phases may not be helpful to students. Early dictation instruction that focuses attention on important aspects of a melody without requiring a full transcription, however, may help to build students’ melodic memory and understanding.

Physical activity helps to control music performance anxiety.

We evaluated if regular physical activity could influence musical performance anxiety (MPA) in college music students. Levels of MPA, as measured with the Kenny MPA Inventory, and a survey about the physical activity habits were obtained from 87 students of music. The results showed that physically active musicians had lower MPA scores (p<0.05) than non-active ones, independent of gender. We conclude that there is an association between physical activity and minor MPA, and studies with a longitudinal design should be done to explore this important issue.

Perception of melodic intonation in performances with and without vibrato

We compared perception of mistuned intervals in unaccompanied melodies performed by trumpet, violin, and voice, and examined whether there were differences between the three timbres in performances with and without vibrato. Participants were 144 university music students. Listeners heard the three unaccompanied solo performers in two vibrato conditions (with and without vibrato), and three intonation conditions (selected melodic intervals were in tune, sharp 25 cents, or flat 25 cents relative to equal temperament). All three stimuli were perceived as more out of tune when there was no vibrato compared to vibrato. In performances without vibrato, violin was judged as more out of tune than voice and trumpet across all three tuning conditions. Melodies performed with vibrato were judged differently: Violin was judged as least in tune for intervals mistuned in the flat direction, trumpet was heard as least in tune for intervals mistuned sharp, and voice was judged least in tune when intervals were in tune (relative to equal temperament). Differences in perception between timbres may be influenced by characteristics of the vibrato itself such as modulation width, rate, and type.

Artistic reciprocity as course-based practice of crossing ‘mono-artistic’ boundaries in higher visual arts and music education

While music education research has examined facets of inter-arts collaborations at professional level, there is little on inter-arts collaborations among students of different arts departments in the framework of common university courses. This article explores aspects of the learning of university visual art students and music students undertaking the course ‘Inter-Artistic Creative Thinking’, which concentrates on the stirrings and transformations of the role of the individual artist-student that are inexorably set in motion when learning occurs within an inter-arts collaborative environment. Topics addressed include artistic reciprocity through practical socialization and practice to ‘make the familiar strange’, inter-artistic creativity through sonic engagement, and ways to facilitate novel musical, visual and educational experiences and outcomes for both visual art and music university students beyond superimposed institutionalized specialisms.

The Effect of Conductor Expressivity on Choral Ensemble Evaluation

Abstract Visual information can contribute significantly to the opinion one makes, the meaning one ascribes, and the interpretation one derives from musical information. An ongoing series of studies has examined whether a conductor’s use of gesture in a manner considered either “expressive” or “inexpressive” affects listeners’ evaluations of an ensemble performance. Prior results have indicated that among university music students instrumental performances led by conductors deemed to be expressive were evaluated more positively than those led by inexpressive conductors even when the performances were actually identical. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a similar response pattern would be observed (a) among younger and less experienced music students and (b) for choral performance examples, as well as (c) to compare responses against evaluations of performances presented in an audio-only condition. Students (N = 429) enrolled in secondary level music classes rated the expressivity of two pairs of two identical choral performance excerpts (four excerpts in all) using a 10-point Likerttype scale. One group (n = 274) watched a video performance of the four excerpts featuring conductors who demonstrated either high-expressivity (HE) or low-expressivity (LE) conducting techniques. There was a significant effect of conducting condition on both the conductor and choral performance evaluations. When compared with the evaluations of a second group of participants (n = 155) who heard the same excerpts presented in an audio-only format, LE performance ratings were significantly lower; there was no difference between HE and audio-only ratings.

Family Music Concerts

This article describes how conductors of the top performing groups and music education faculty at one university collaborated to create a Family Concert Series for parents and children of all ages, including infants in arms. Recognizing the conflict between “The first three years of life are the most important for educating a young child in music” and “Children under the age of six are not allowed to attend the concert,” the Family Concert Series is an attempt to resolve the issue. The Family Concerts require a minimum of extra work for conductors and are becoming a curriculum component for university music education students. This article also includes strategies that teachers might use in classrooms with recorded music when live music is not available.

Relationships Between Depression, Anxiety, and Pain in a Group of University Music Students

There is emerging interest in studying the incidence of music-related injuries and problems among students. The current study drew on a data set collected from 287 music majors and minors at a large US midwestern university school of music in order to determine if correlations existed between anxiety and/or depression and the reported presence of physical pain, and to understand the nature of any such relationships. Physical pain symptoms were scored on a scale of 0 (none) to 10 (excruciating) and summed across 21 body regions. Depression and anxiety symptoms were scored as none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), or severe (3), and each summed across either 13 symptoms for depression or 8 symptoms for anxiety. The potential linear relationship among these variables was evaluated using F-tests (as part of ANOVAs) and linear regression parameter estimation techniques. The explanatory value of these relationships was evaluated using R² values. Results indicate a clear positive linear relationship between both depression and pain, and anxiety and pain. However, the presence of depression and/or anxiety symptoms was insufficient to explain variability in pain scores of these participants.

Attitudes of select music performance faculty toward students teaching private lessons after graduation: A USA pilot study

The present study was designed to pilot test an adjusted version of a questionnaire, used in earlier studies with college music students, to determine opinions of college music faculty on the topic of private lesson teaching. Full-time tenure-track college music faculty, with primary appointments in applied music at two universities in the United States, were contacted for the project. Thirty-two of 51 completed the task with no negative comments about the format, focus or specific questions in the instrument. Results were similar in many ways to previous student responses, and this group felt strongly that they liked teaching, training for teaching is important, and that their applied music lesson students would likely teach someday themselves. They enjoyed talking about pedagogical issues with students and liked the challenges of teaching musicians. Future research with this instrument should focus on larger groups with delineations in specialty area, faculty appointment, institution type/size, teaching assignment, and global representation.

Depression and Anxiety in University Music Students

Performance anxiety among musicians and music students has been widely addressed, but far less attention has been given to examining the rates and characteristics of broader mental distress in this population. This study examined depression and anxiety in music students at one university. A considerable number of students reported symptoms indicative of anxiety or depression. Even though prevalence rates were not markedly different than those described in the literature for other university students irrespective of major, the high rate of untreated anxiety and depression among the music students is concerning. Music educators can help prepare their junior high and high school–aged students for the stressors of university music study by helping them develop coping strategies, fostering awareness of anxiety and depression as common and treatable conditions, and promoting acceptability of seeking treatment when necessary.

Auditory risk assessment of college music students in jazz band-based instructional activity

It is well-known that musicians are at risk for music-induced hearing loss, however, systematic evaluation of music exposure and its effects on the auditory system are still difficult to assess. The purpose of the study was to determine if college students in jazz band-based instructional activity are exposed to loud classroom noise and consequently exhibit acute but significant changes in basic auditory measures compared to non-music students in regular classroom sessions. For this we (1) measured and compared personal exposure levels of college students (n = 14) participating in a routine 50 min jazz ensemble-based instructional activity (experimental) to personal exposure levels of non-music students (n = 11) participating in a 50-min regular classroom activity (control), and (2) measured and compared pre- to post-auditory changes associated with these two types of classroom exposures. Results showed that the L eq (equivalent continuous noise level) generated during the 50 min jazz ensemble-based instructional activity ranged from 95 dBA to 105.8 dBA with a mean of 99.5 ± 2.5 dBA. In the regular classroom, the L eq ranged from 46.4 dBA to 67.4 dBA with a mean of 49.9 ± 10.6 dBA. Additionally, significant differences were observed in pre to post-auditory measures between the two groups. The experimental group showed a significant temporary threshold shift bilaterally at 4000 Hz (P < 0.05), and a significant decrease in the amplitude of transient-evoked otoacoustic emission response in both ears (P < 0.05) after exposure to the jazz ensemble-based instructional activity. No significant changes were found in the control group between pre- and post-exposure measures. This study quantified the noise exposure in jazz band-based practice sessions and its effects on basic auditory measures. Temporary, yet significant, auditory changes seen in music students place them at risk for hearing loss compared to their non-music cohorts.

Developing musical and educational identities in university music students

The musical and educational identities of music students are often at odds with one another, and yet teaching plays a role in the working lives of almost all musicians. Similar conflicts arise when music education majors view themselves as either musicians or educators, but not as both. This article reports results from parallel studies in two urban universities, one in Australia and the other in the USA. Seventy-two participants contributed drawings and textual responses on three surveys administered across a semester. Surveys were designed to record emerging perceptions of musician and teacher identities. Results indicated that the musical identity presents first, and that it provides a framework for making relevant the pedagogical techniques and theoretical models encountered in education courses and initial fieldwork. The combination of textual and non-textual data provided insights that would not otherwise have been evident, including the suggestion that emerging music teachers construct their identities consistent with the ‘possible selves’ model of development.

Music Therapy Career Aptitude Test

The purpose of the Music Therapy Career Aptitude Test (MTCAT) was to measure the affective domain of music therapy students including their self-awareness as it relates to the music therapy career, value in human development, interest in general therapy, and aptitude for being a professional music therapist. The MTCAT was administered to 113 music therapy students who are currently freshman or sophomores in an undergraduate music therapy program or in the first year of a music therapy master's equivalency program. The results of analysis indicated that the MTCAT is normally distributed and that all 20 questions are significantly correlated with the total test score of the MTCAT. The reliability of the MTCAT was considerably high (Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha=0.8). The criterion-related validity was examined by comparing the MTCAT scores of music therapy students with the scores of 43 professional music therapists. The correlation between the scores of students and professionals was found to be statistically significant. The results suggests that normal distribution, internal consistency, homogeneity of construct, item discrimination, correlation analysis, content validity, and criterion-related validity in the MTCAT may be helpful in predicting music therapy career aptitude and may aid in the career decision making process of college music therapy students.

Social Support and Performance Anxiety of College Music Students

This study characterized perceived social support and performance anxiety of college music students, compared characteristics to those of non-music majors, and explored the relationships between social support and performance anxiety. Subjects (n = 609) completed a questionnaire that included demographics, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and visual analog scale measures of performance anxiety. Results showed that music majors perceived significantly lower levels of social support from significant others when compared to non-music majors. Perceived social support was significantly correlated with measures of performance anxiety. Students with greater perceived social support reported less frequent anxiety and lower levels of impact of anxiety on ability to perform. These findings may have practical implications for schools of music and conservatories.

Stage fright: its experience as a problem and coping with it

This questionnaire survey of 190 university music students assessed negative feelings of music performance anxiety (MPA) before performing, the experience of stage fright as a problem, and how closely they are associated with each other. The study further investigated whether the experience of stage fright as a problem and negative feelings of MPA predict the coping behavior of the music students. Rarely addressed coping issues were assessed, i.e., self-perceived effectiveness of different coping strategies, knowledge of possible risks and acceptance of substance-based coping strategies, and need for more support. The results show that one-third of the students experienced stage fright as a problem and that this was only moderately correlated with negative feelings of MPA. The experience of stage fright as a problem significantly predicted the frequency of use and the acceptance of medication as a coping strategy. Breathing exercises and self-control techniques were rated as effective as medication. Finally, students expressed a strong need to receive more support (65%) and more information (84%) concerning stage fright. Stage fright was experienced as a problem and perceived as having negative career consequences by a considerable percentage of the surveyed students. In addition to a desire for more help and support, the students expressed an openness and willingness to seriously discuss and address the topic of stage fright. This provides a necessary and promising basis for optimal career preparation and, hence, an opportunity to prevent occupational problems in professional musicians.

Measuring distinct types of musical self-efficacy

This research examines the specific nature of self-efficacy beliefs within music. Separate questionnaires assessing self-efficacy for musical learning and self-efficacy for musical performing were developed and tested, and the reliability of the new questionnaires was demonstrated using internal reliability tests and exploratory factor analysis. A sample of 250 conservatoire and university music students completed the two questionnaires and provided self-ratings of musical skills and attributes. The learning and performing questionnaires produced robust Cronbach alphas of .82 and .78, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a single underlying factor within each questionnaire, and the stability of these questionnaires over time was established through the absence of significant differences in test—retest scores over a period of two to four weeks. Conservatoire students’ self-efficacy for musical learning was higher than that of university students, whereas there were no significant differences between conservatoire and university students in self-efficacy for musical performing. The two questionnaires also showed different patterns of correlations with a range of self-assessed musical skills and attributes, further demonstrating their distinctiveness. These results, which underline the need for differentiation in musical self-efficacy, highlight the importance of specificity and correspondence when measuring self-efficacy beliefs. The implications for measuring self-efficacy within other domains are discussed.