Musical independence has always been an essential aim of musical instruction. But this objective can refer to everything from high levels of musical expertise to more student choice in the classroom. While most conceptualizations of musical independence emphasize the demonstration of knowledge and skills within particular music traditions, this…

The disconnect between the need for music composition instruction at the precollege levels and the content of music education curricula across North America has been a concern for over two decades. To be able to effectively teach their students how to compose, music educators need to have both experience and comfort in the creative process of…

In an increasingly technologically driven world, there is proliferate discussion among education and government authorities about the necessity to rethink education in the twenty-first century. The evolution of technology and its pervasive influence on the needs and requirements of society is central to this mindset. Innovations in online…

Historically, music programs in K-12 schools have emphasized performance opportunities for children and young people. Until the release of the 1994 National Standards in Music, targeted instruction in composition was frequently overlooked due to the emphasis on performance as well as the expectations of what a school music program ought to produce…

In an increasingly connected world, our students are listening to and making music outside the school context. As music educators, we need to better understand the media they use and incorporate this technology in our daily teaching to enhance music literacy in our classrooms.

Music is often regarded as a thing of the creative realm, something that sits to the side of the main core subjects, but music in the classroom shows music can be much more than a complement to a poetry unit. The author's journey through the Country Music Hall of Fame's Words & Music program revealed that delving into the world of songwriting…

Although recent advances make it easier than ever before for students with severe visual impairments to be fully accommodated in the music classroom, one of the most significant current challenges in this area is most music educators' unfamiliarity with current assistive technology. Fortunately, many of these tools are readily available and even…

School music programs are changing. For years the music education profession has emphasized large ensemble experiences for reasons that include quality of music making, sense of community, and individual and collective pride for many of the students involved. As a high school saxophonist, I valued that experience, but other high school…

Greater diversity and inclusivity in music curricula are goals that permeate discussions in education. Achieving these goals, however, is complex and presents inherent difficulties as music not only values tradition but also promotes the past. Many music traditions were exclusionary and unintentionally cultivated a culture in which many people…

Herein, Tricia Tunstall presents a critique of the article by Melissa Lesniak published in the December 2012 "Music Educators Journal," and offers a new perspective on the Venezuelan youth orchestra program known as "El Sistema." The program, which began in Caracas thirty-eight years ago, is dedicated to changing the lives of…

This column offers the personal reflections of the author on being a member of the band Touch, an iPad performing ensemble composed of music education faculty members and doctoral students at the University of South Florida. The ensemble primarily performed its own arrangements of popular music selections from a number of genres including, but not…

Interdisciplinary teaching and interpretation of technology for various applications provides a challenging and engaging environment for students to enhance their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This paper presents results of a joint effort between faculty in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology and the…

A conversation between the Director of the University of Manchester's Science & Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub and the Education Director of England's Halle Orchestra explores the relationship unfolding between science and music. The interview focuses on synergies between music and science and how the two subjects can…

This study examines "L'Histoire du Soldat" from the conductor's perspective. The review of literature examines texts on score study and conducting technique, analyzes writing on the interpretation of Stravinsky's conducting approach and his view on conductors, and provides works on the history and analysis of "L'Histoire du…

Improvisation, the third content standard for the National Standards for Music Education (Music Educators National Conference, 1994), has received less attention from music teachers. This article advocates for more improvisation specifically free improvisation in general music classrooms. The nature of free improvisation, and its evolution in the…