Piano literature (or keyboard repertory studies) is commonly included in piano performance and some piano pedagogy degrees in the United States. This single or sequential course is required by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) at both undergraduate and graduate levels. While most universities include such courses in their degree…

This study was designed to fill a need to explore the hypothesis that students who participate in middle school bands and or chorus have higher math cognitive functioning than their non-music peers. Using the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), this study identified specific math domains that middle school music students showed higher functioning…

Undergraduate applied saxophone study revolves around the conservatory model. This inflexible model, often referred to as a master-apprentice relationship, can create an instructor-centric power dynamic which does not address the needs of the modern student. A classroom where the power lies so heavily with the instructor can stifle student…

Kinesthetic movement has gained significant attention within the flute community over the last several decades as a performance enhancement tool. Somatic therapies such as the Alexander Technique, body mapping, Feldenkrais, and Dalcroze-Eurythmics incorporate kinesthetic movements into their practices. Although most musicians seek out these…

Currently, there exist little materials to introduce elementary students to auxiliary percussion instruments. There is a need for the creation of more instructional material for this age group that provides pedagogy descriptions for the instruments as well as playing examples. The purpose of this project is to create a method book that provides…

This research studied prevalence, manifestation, and associated factors of Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) in school band directors. Band directors (N = 625) who were members of the National Association of Music Education (NAfME) completed the survey which included the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI) and demographic questions.…

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of current and former instrumental music educators regarding the reasons behind music teachers leaving the profession. The study aims to provide evidence to better understand these issues and their implications for educational leadership. By conducting semi-structured interviews with seven former…

This dissertation aimed to better understand how violin and viola private instructors teach Mental Practice in their studios, investigating different approaches on how to apply and teach auditory, motor, and visual imagery, score study, and auditory modeling, as well as its benefits. This research was divided into two different stages. In the…

"Accompanist" is the old term. "Collaborative pianist" is the new one. "Accompanist" implies a mostly subservient role, whereas "collaborative pianist" gestures toward a more equitable relationship between the soloist and pianist, no longer a mere follower. Degree programs that prepare collaborative piano…

For music educators the continued mandate for inclusion has accentuated the importance of being able to instruct students with a wide variety of learning differences. Even so, music educators have expressed frustration with a potential lack of competencies and resources related to teaching students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was…

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of music educators' perceptions of ways in which marching band and college music education curricula connect. By examining the music educators' perceptions, the study hoped to influence existing collegiate music education programs by providing possible avenues of interdisciplinary…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how high school marching band instructors described extra-musical life skills teaching strategies in Northern California within the Western Band Association (WBA) organizational circuit. Theoretical foundations of this study were social emotional learning (SEL) based on the seminal…

Collegiate class piano for music majors has grown substantially since its beginnings in the mid-twentieth century and has been developed by music teachers and organizations. Research on collegiate group piano has increased in the past forty years, and literature on teaching strategies, professional development, technology, and perceptions of…

Students with disabilities represent a group of the population subject to "othering" (Kalymon et al., 2010); that is, being set apart from neurotypical students because of their disabilities. Within the realm of instrumental music, this treatment has followed the pattern of prejudice noted by Allport (1954). Band directors have resisted…

Non-major music students are an integral part of university music departments, as they both bolster the department's enrollment numbers and bring diverse perspectives to the ensembles, lessons, and classes in which they participate. Although most non-majors focus their time on ensembles, a few choose to include lessons as part of their experience.…