However it may be exercised, a band director's control over the type of instrument to be played in the school band can cost parents unnecessary dollars and can prevent some children from participating in a school band program. (Author)

The Music Industry Council serves as a liaison between the music educators of the United States and the manufacturing and publishing firms that supply the materials and equipment used in music education. Here are specific suggestions for the guidance of music educators in the business contacts essential to their teaching programs. (Editor/RK)

Author stressed the point that music educators must pay attention to the oft neglected percussionist and make certain he has a fulfilling education and experience with music. (Author/RK)

A few years ago the synthesizer was an expensive musical instrument. Today prices have dropped tremendously. Explains why the synthesizer is not out of reach of the school classroom and how a solid instructional program can be developed with its use. (Editor/RK)

Facing the ambiguous status of in-school music literacy, this follow-up eight-year study aims to touch on the effects of traditional staff notation (SN) learning on student's intuitive symbolizing behavior and musical perception. Subjects were 47 second-graders attending a religious Jewish school in Israel. One "pre-literate" meeting, in…

The Suzuki Method was created by 79-year-old Shinichi Suzuki. Here it is described and its originator evaluated. (RK)

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…

Discusses categories of music, interaction of musical styles, status of musicians, and the roles of African music scholars and teachers. (Reprinted from African Report.) (DB)

In this article, the author states that, when he teaches instrumental technique to beginners, especially in a general music class, he discovers that most students often do not coordinate their muscles effectively when they start playing a musical instrument. He specifically discusses teaching the students how to play the xylophone and techniques…

The National Standards for Arts Education encourages teachers to help students make connections between music and other disciplines. Many state curriculum guides likewise encourage educators to integrate curricula and find common ground between different subjects. Music--particularly vocal music--offers ample opportunities to find relationships…

Classroom teachers have numerous reasons to read to students. Reading to students aids in the understanding of story structure, broadens familiarity with different styles of books, and helps to increase vocabulary. Book language is often different from spoken language, and reading allows students to hear different ways of expressing thoughts.…

Because young wind players need to develop and strengthen their embouchures, they need to play many tong tones at slow tempos. Drummers are on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are using some of the larger, more developed muscles in their bodies and must learn to control them to play many notes rapidly. They need much more than the whole,…

Although the National Standards include achievement standards for improvisation for elementary school students, music teachers sometimes are reluctant to pursue improvisation study with young students. First- and second-year instrumental students, often older elementary or middle school students, may have difficulty studying improvisation because…

Author presents an analysis of American popular music. (RK)

Musicians practice to build endurance, flexibility, and dexterity. They practice to maintain good performance, to sight-read better, to memorize, and simply, to enjoy music making. There are other motivations for practice, but one, more than others, is a catalyst for consequential change in musical development--practicing to solve performance…