Examines group influences regarding music preferences to determine the effect that conformity has on the decision-making process. The study tested participants selections of popular and orchestral excerpts which had altered pitch and/or tempo. Concludes that preferences of music majors regarding orchestral music are not significantly affected by…

Describes a class for ninth graders at a private school that used the study of music to help develop six basic intellectual skills and to provide a foundation for further creative work. Discusses using the inquiry/discovery method, applying the intellect, listening to and learning from pop music, the dangers of this approach, and the final exam…

Presents results of a test of nonmusic majors' ability to remember song titles. Suggests that, although the process of categorization seems to be a basic function of perception, appropriate categorization needs to be learned. Supports the view that music learning, like verbal learning, involves a categorization of stimuli based on holistic…

Considers Allan Bloom's criticism of popular music in "The Closing of the American Mind." An examination of the music popular with young people, including a look at Afro-American music, suggests that it has virtues that will survive and that love for contemporary music is not the moral and cultural dead end Bloom has suggested. (SLD)

Composer and classical/jazz musician Wynton Marsalis believes that jazz (of all art forms) requires the most democratic skills-such as manners and ability to negotiate with others. Jazz at Lincoln Center is launching a jazz curriculum in fall 2001 that will help kids realize who they are and how to act. (MLH)

Discusses the importance of music for brain development, pleasure, retention and motivation, and problem solving and critical thinking. Describes methods for including music in education that are related to music acquisition. Suggests classroom music activities and notes the importance of making instruments available, displaying written music, and…

Each new MENC president chooses a theme that will express his or her philosophy and intended focus for the organization. The theme the author has chosen is Music: The Heart of Education. Why this theme? Where did it come from? What meanings can be read into it or gleaned from it? When it comes to building lasting relationships with students and…

Fifteen-sixteen years old Fenno-Swedish compulsory school pupils' written descriptions of "strong" experiences were used for comparing (a) the frequency of experiences related to music and to other aesthetic areas (literature, drama etc.) and (b) the frequencies of music experiences related to different basic modes of confronting music:…

Music has an important place in the lives of many people as shown through this compilation of descriptive statements on music. One hundred and three people responded to a request from music educators to share their thoughts about how music has influenced their lives. Comments of leaders in entertainment, government, and business are contained in…

Article described a music program designed to develop individual learning skills, involvement, appreciation, and enjoyment of both music and literature for children of all ages. (Author/RK)

The issues related to aesthetic education are examined, recent curriculum developments (such as the Central Mid-Western Education Laboratory) are described, and school programs (including Project Impact, an interdisciplinary model arts program for children and teachers) are discussed. (CL)

Explores which styles, genres, and trends in contemporary music are most popular among 15 year-old high school students in the German Democratic Republic. Contends that such information is important for helping teachers improve planning and instruction in music education classes. (RKM)

The study investigated (1) consistency of terminology used by Japanese and U.S. college students to describe the music of the two cultures; (2) subjects' preferences concerning music; and (3) relationships between the musical experience and preferences. Concludes that subjects with greater musical experience generally employed a wider range of…

A series of activities are described to introduce students to musical instruments. Children learn about woodwind, string, percussion, and brass instruments through observation of musicians, hands-on experiences, and recordings. Sample recordings and a bibliography are listed. (DF)

Significant differences between Indians and Canadians in verbal responses to musical intervals support the hypothesis that these cultural groups differ in their reactions to these elementary musical materials. (Author/AM)