In this article, I explain how percussion and groove are at the core of many musics created and enjoyed today, yet they can be overlooked in music teaching and learning. A pervasive culture of pitched-instrument prejudice makes it difficult to take rhythm and groove seriously, although these can be at the core of meaningful music-making…

This mixed methods study aimed to explore how using Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) in an aural skills classroom can promote student motivation and engagement. Aural skills courses, which focus on ear training and sight singing, benefit from MEAs--activities that require students to create models to solve progressively complex problems. As…

The aim of this study, whose theoretical framework is based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, was to investigate the effectiveness of including a metacognitive approach in teaching expressivity at the piano. Questions addressed the perceived effect of metacognition by investigating the processes allowing young pianists to elicit an expressive…

This research explored the impact of informal learning (IL) in primary music initial teacher training. A small group of undergraduate student teachers had an opportunity to learn about and facilitate an IL approach. Data were collected from interviews, participant reflective logs and researcher reflections. The findings show that perceived…

Musical expression is often not explicitly addressed in secondary instrumental rehearsals due to the perception of expression as an obscure concept and the instructional time constraints on music educators. Secondary music educators, however, are encouraged to discuss expressive performance goals with instrumental students from the beginning of…

To sing while taking melodic dictation is a strategy employed by some Ear Training students as an aid, but there is a disagreement among the literature about its efficiency. Thus, it is important to disambiguate this question examining the contributions related to vocalization. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence singing…

Collective cultural transformation is needed to save the Earth from the growing effects of the human-caused environmental problems. Music education, too, can take part in preparing future generations with the knowledge and skills needed to address the world's complex challenges and create a more sustainable future. Approaching music education from…

The ability to identify errors by sight and sound--commonly referred to as "error detection"--is a musical ability needed in a variety of music professions. Instructors of undergraduate aural-skills courses often agree that strong error-detection skills are an essential outcome of these courses; however, error-detection activities are…

The learning styles of students vary both among individuals and across different disciplines they choose to study. In higher education, academic discipline appears to be a key factor influencing students' distinctive learning styles. This study, which aims to determine the dominant learning styles and models of talented pre-service teachers, was…

One way to build a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable music education is through the inclusion of popular music in curricula. However, it can be challenging for teachers to bring popular music into the classroom for many reasons. We suggest that since many teachers are educated in the Orff Schulwerk approach, this can be one way to teach…

Rote versus note beginning instrumental pedagogy has been an active topic for music educators. Traditional method books have often comprised a significant portion of beginning instrumental curricula, though content has varied and may have been based on convention. Advocates of a rote-before-note approach have recommended that singing, movement,…

Addressing the disparate levels of aural skills that students may have acquired through their daily musical experiences prior to formal schooling can be difficult. Placement tests within the Western classical musical tradition typically involve structural decoding and formal concepts of elementary music theory. In this manuscript, we discuss the…

Although playing by ear has important benefits for the development of musicianship, one-to-one instrumental teaching has traditionally overlooked it. The current research describes the strategies applied by three woodwind teachers with their students in a Spanish music school through a multiple-case embedded study. Data were collected through…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two listening strategies on rhythmic dictation scores. In a within-subjects design, 54 undergraduate music majors completed two-measure rhythmic dictations under each of three conditions: (a) no prescribed approach, (b) required listening before writing, and (c) required writing while…

Celtic traditional musics, such as those originating in Ireland and Scotland, are typically transmitted outside formal avenues. Most studies regarding the learning of Celtic traditional music have focused on the experience of teachers and students, but less is known about the philosophies of organization directors who create contexts for…