A priority of music educators across the globe continues to be the incorporation of music from various cultures into the classroom. In this article, the term "authenticity" is introduced as it applies to music education. Authentic music teaching experiences for use in the classroom from the West African Ewe music, Cuban cha-cha-chá, and…

The constrained action hypothesis states that focusing attention on action outcomes rather than body movement improves motor performance. Dexterity of motor control is key to successful music performance, making this a highly relevant topic to music education. We investigated effects of focus of attention (FOA) on motor skill performance and EMG…

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, values, and beliefs of New York music teachers towards the inclusion of popular music in the classroom. This research was guided by the following questions: (1) To what extent are K-12 teachers interested in teaching a variety of popular music instruments and styles?; (2) What attitudes and…

We asked school- and college-aged instrumentalists (N = 32) to imagine an ideal performance of a brief passage of music, record a performance of the passage, and describe discrepancies they noticed between their imagined and actual performances. The more experienced participants took at least as much time to imagine their idealized performances as…

Despite the inclusion of undergraduate conducting coursework in music teacher preparation programs in the United States, the performance of novice conductors may require further development during their field experiences. The clinical music educator fills a critical role in facilitating conductor skill development, yet no comprehensive framework…

Social and emotional growth is an important aspect of child development. Children spend their formative years engaging with parents, peers, teachers, religious leaders, and other community members--each one of these interactions plays a vital role in the social and emotional development of every human. The purpose of this study was to investigate…

This document is an analysis of the problems facing public school string education and what is actively being done currently to help with the problems. It catalogs the issues of teacher retention, teacher recruitment and failure to reach underserved populations. This document also examines what current solutions are in place such as after school…

Song leading sections for children are available on a weekly basis in religious settings in Hong Kong, yet there has been limited amount of research drawn over this learning platform on developing children's social and emotional competence. This study aims to investigate the extent to which Song Leading sections in Hong Kong Protestant churches…

The purpose of this multiple explanatory case study was to investigate the preparation of underserved school band programs for a Music Performance Assessment (MPA). Specifically, I examined racial, economic, and social inequalities, which are well documented in the research literature, and the related achievement gaps of underserved public school…

Dr. Hal Abeles is a foundational leader in developing music performance assessments, conducting program evaluations of arts partnerships, and publishing basic research on the effects of arts instruction on learning in and across cognitive, social and personal domains. This article explores the theoretical and practical issues in music performance…

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…

Miao Nationality music represents a profound and longstanding musical heritage from the cultural legacy of the Miao community in Yunnan Province, China. This qualitative research study endeavor aims to explore the historical development and transmission of Miao Nationality music, emphasizing its significance within the context of ethnomusicology,…

The purpose of this descriptive research study was to examine collegiate instrumentalists' applications of practice strategies and their motivation orientations to practice. Respondents (N = 128) were music majors who enrolled in concert band or orchestra. Results indicated that pianists spent more time in practice followed by percussionists,…

The Dong Pipa, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, is a significant element of the Dong ethnic group's cultural heritage. The objective is to investigate the historical development of the Dong Pipa, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, in literacy functions and educational occasions. The research was conducted in Liping, Congjiang, and…

The Guqin is a string instrument that has been played in China for over 3,000 years. It is famous for its meditative, soothing sound and is frequently associated with Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese literati culture. The instrument has seven strings that can be plucked with a plectrum or with the fingers. The Guqin's sound is said to resemble a…