Globalization and increased diversity within student populations generate a growing impetus toward a multicultural approach to music education. Additionally, the National Standards in Music Education require that students experience the music of other cultures. However, not all multicultural music programs are equivalent in content, depth of…

Background: Educational guidelines and reforms focused on literacy, including No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), have contributed to a music education culture and climate focused on language literacy rather than on the core content literacies inherent in music itself. Purpose: The purpose of this…

This study examines characteristics of teachers participating in the national Guitars in the Classroom program in the 2007-2008 school year. 96 teacher participants from programs across the United States completed an online survey at the start of their professional development programs, usually 6-10 hours. 75 percent of teachers electing to…

This study explored the skills students develop through participation in instrumental music and the effect it has on their academic achievement through student and parent/guardian surveys. Fifty-eight percent of cognitive skills were identified as being obtained by a majority of students, 70% of affective skills, and 71% of meta-cognitive skills…

Background: After trying to define the reason why the piano ended up with 88 keys, I found patterns to explain ways of playing the piano with an 8:8 ratio which gives purpose to why the piano has 88 keys on it. Purpose: The first purpose is to enable piano teachers and music students to benefit from understanding how to play piano and be…