Middle school students are old enough to be capable of abstract thought and critical thinking while still being playful and joyfully goofy! Through music composition in general music classes, middle school students can be challenged to make musical decisions. Composition can be especially exciting in middle school because they will be motivated to…

The notion of the spiral for progression and development is familiar both in general educational discourse and in the domain of music education. This brief article considers the spiral within the context of lower secondary school group composing in England. Through the use of examples taken from two schools in the English midlands, it argues that…

This study examines the learning processes that take place when upper secondary students apply and generate theories while drawing on their preferred music and writing songs of their own. One music theory teacher and two researchers collaborated to design an emergent sequence of lessons focusing on students' interests, questions and creative work.…

The purpose of this narrative action research study was to tell Marcus's story as an ensemble director learning how to teach composition in his middle school orchestra program. Marcus collaborated with Sam, a university professor, and designed a study to examine his teaching in his 49-member advanced orchestra class. As time passed, the focus of…

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to chronicle high school students' creative experiences in a songwriting course. Ten students in Grades 10-12 composed original songs, learned to accompany themselves on keyboard and 'ukulele, and performed their songs in class and at a coffee shop. Data sources consisted of classroom observations,…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of the Curriculum Design Coherence Model (CDC Model -- Rata, 2019) on the design practice of two music teachers in a middle school music class in New Zealand. The CDC Model proposes that deep learning first requires deep design coherence. This coherence is generated by three interrelated design…

The solfege course, which is carried out in conservatories where western music is taught in Turkey, covers solfege, theory, dictation and ear training studies in terms of content. Solfege course, which contributes greatly to the development of basic music knowledge and skills of students, also forms the infrastructure of other practical courses.…

The purpose of this study was to examine participating orchestras and performed repertoire at the American String Teachers Association's (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival from 2004 through 2020. Participating orchestras (N = 309) primarily consisted of string orchestras and high school-level orchestras with a majority originating from the…

St. Pierre (2015) suggested that researchers consider entering into research through an interest in, and a deep investigation of, a specific concept. Deleuze and Guattari (1994) maintained that a concept is a nebulous structure of a network of ideas that continuously remains unfolding. Therefore, researching a concept becomes an attempt at…

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

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

Feedback plays an essential role in music education, helping individuals learn to consider creative works from multiple perspectives. In this article, we explore the Critical Response Process, a four-step process for engaging with artistic works in progress. Founded on the principle that both artists and responders play active roles in feedback,…

In a global society, 21st century skills are fundamental for every student. Furthermore, in today's digital world, technology is expected to be part of students' learning experiences. In the following research-to-resource article, I provide practical strategies and ideas for integrating technology into a performing ensemble program in order to…

Making Music: Composing "with" Young Musicians was a multi-year, multi-site research project partnered with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Canadian Music Centre to commission composers to collaborate with teachers and students to write educational music. On-site observations undertaken by the co-author and examined…

In Western countries, music educators have made efforts to revitalise enthusiasm for music education by integrating more mainstream and culturally-relevant genres into their curriculum. Conversely, current research indicates that popular music pedagogy in mainland China is not encouraged and faces many obstacles, as school music education is used…