This article presents the findings of a study that explored the composition of Canadian educational music. Particularly, the authors focus on the analyses of composers' scores on creating new string compositions for young musicians within the "New Sounds of Learning Project." On a macro level, the composers predominantly composed…

Making Music: Composing "with" Young Musicians is 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 (age 11 to 18) to write a piece of music. This article outlines findings on the analysis and…

Using an action research methodology, I conducted a self-study to improve my capacity to implement creative music pedagogies with Grade 4 and 5 students (N = 43) in a school on the Canadian prairies. Data sources included: field notes, student assessments, video recordings, debriefing sessions, small group conversations, and surveys. Qualitative…

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…

This paper describes an action research project that investigated female high school orchestral students' reflections after they had spent a term playing an all-female composed repertoire set. Analysis of conversational interviews showed that participants commonly held two misconceptions: that few women composed music in the past and that there is…

We conducted two field studies to examine whether songwriting retreats held in a natural setting would increase nature connectedness, as well as improve emotional well-being and performance on a creative reasoning task. In the first study, high school students took part in songwriting instruction either in their school or at a national wildlife…

What can be done to re-orient a field of education like music, when far too many teachers teach the way they were taught using traditional procedures that stupefy and deaden students to the subject matter, rather than working creatively to invigorate and empower them to become thoughtfully engaged, independent music makers? The essays in this…

Situated within an increasing trend of globalization and internationalization, many universities pride themselves on the number of international students they recruit. At Canadian universities, there are more international students from China than any other country. However, Chinese international students tend to demonstrate lower spoken English…

The purpose of the present study was to learn about the characteristics of independent music teachers, their beliefs about music teaching, and their studio practices. A self-report survey included questions about the teachers' (a) background experiences, (b) pedagogical approaches, (c) use of digital technologies, and (d) professional development…

This article reviews the design and implementation of a game as an instrument for dialogue, both as a social tool and a shared interface for music performance. Beyond describing the design of "Game Remains," the article shares the details of an impact story of how an installation in Guelph's Musagetes Boarding House Arts in Canada has…

The purpose of this research is to examine how one music education program strengthens students' sense of place. Enhancing students' understanding of the people and places that surround them is integral in creating 21st century citizens. Making music allows people to be part of their culture; and engaging in group music-making activities provides…

The body of research examining deliberate practice and self-regulation in musical instruction has grown extensively over the past decade. Compelling evidence indicates that students with higher levels of self-regulation develop superior performance skills and experience more fulfillment as musicians. But in order to develop the self-regulatory…

This article reports a case study of an experienced teacher of composing working with secondary school students in a large urban centre in Ontario, Canada. Results suggest authentic assignments connect student composing to the "real world", and so have meaning and life beyond the music classroom. Teachers can facilitate the development…

Discusses the changes in musical experiences, such as live versus recorded music, as society has developed technologically. Presents a crossword puzzle that focuses on the traditions and musicians of baroque, classical, and romantic music each originating in Europe. Includes the clues and word list. (CMK)

The Genesis Project is a multi-phase research project designed for the purpose of developing an in-depth understanding of the nature of musical creativity by investigating how composers compose. In this first phase of the project, an understanding of the four dimensions of musical creativity: (1) the "person", (2) the compositional…