The effect of varying encoding conditions on jazz, instrumental, and choral musicians’ memorization accuracy: Implications for music literacy

The primary purposes of this study were (1) to determine the effect of three encoding conditions (singing, playing, studying silently) on participants’ music memorization accuracy; (2) to examine potential differences between choral, jazz, and concert band musicians’ accuracy in completing the music memorization task; and (3) to determine whether ensemble affiliation yielded any performance advantages among the three presentation conditions. Three folk melodies were selected for memorization under the three encoding conditions. Participants ( N = 81) had 75 s to commit each melody to memory while studying silently, singing, or playing on a keyboard. Participants then notated the three melodies using conventional staff notation. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures on one factor revealed significant differences based on participants’ ensemble affiliation. A Tukey’s honest significant difference (HSD) post hoc test revealed the jazz group had higher accuracy scores than the band group. No significant differences were found based on encoding conditions, and no significant interactions were found between the encoding conditions and ensemble groups. The experiment is framed by questions related to memory, reading, and differing notions of literacy.

High School Band Directors’ Perceptions and Applications of Democratic Rehearsal Procedures in Concert Band Rehearsals

The purpose of this study was to examine inservice high school band directors’ perceptions and applications of democratic rehearsal procedures in concert band rehearsals. Respondents ( N = 216) were members of the National Association for Music Education who were currently teaching concert band at the high school level. Respondents indicated that “identify and describe opportunities for individual and ensemble performance improvement” and “student-led sectionals” were considered the most important democratic rehearsal procedures for their students to experience. These same procedures were also the most frequently used democratic rehearsal procedures. Analysis of open-ended responses revealed that respondents believed student ownership, student engagement, and student growth as musicians and leaders were advantages to implementing democratic rehearsal procedures. Potential disadvantages included issues related to student ability, rehearsal time limitations, unfamiliar classroom dynamics, and availability of classroom resources. Implications for music teachers are discussed.

Retired Chinese Workers, Musical Education, and Participant-Observation in The Beijing Sunshine Wind Band Art Troupe

The Beijing Sunshine Wind Band performs in community concerts in Beijing year round. The band began in 2007, founded by Lin Yi and her husband Zhao Yinglin. Lin Yi underwent cancer surgery in 1995 and recovered to form the band of around 100 retirees. Members begin musical training in retirement, and as adult learners practice hours gaining musical profi ciency. The music is Chinese and in jianpu numerical notation, but all of their instruments are Western woodwinds, brass, and percussion. The band performs at national events, museums and libraries, and toured Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau. Concert bands are civilian versions of military bands. Their marches include “The People’s Liberation Army March,” and lyrical songs such as “My Country” from a 1956 fi lm. Their performances draw revolutionary sentiments in suites such as The Red Detachment of Women, and the band performs songs from post-Mao decades, such as “Dare to Ask the Way,” from the television series Journey to the West. Trevor Herbert stated that concert bands serve communities as “rational recreation.” The goal of this article is show how a Chinese national concert band reached and created healthy lifestyles for retired workers recovering from cancer and other disabilities.

Cross-Validation and Application of a Scale Assessing School Band Performance

This is the sixth and culminating study in a series whose purpose has been to acquire a conceptual understanding of school band performance and to develop an assessment based on this understanding. With the present study, we cross-validated and applied a rating scale for school band performance. In the cross-validation phase, college students rated recordings of two high school concert band performances using a scale developed for mid-level band performance. The result was a 25-item School Band Performance Rating Scale (SBPRS) for use at middle and high school levels. Consistent with previous research, the scale was unidimensional, containing one strong second-order factor and three distinct primary-order factors: Rhythm–Technique, Tone Quality–Intonation, and Expressiveness–Musicianship. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency. In a field test, adjudicators used an online version of the SBPRS to assess school band performances. The online form allowed adjudicators to view other adjudicators’ ratings in real time. Good interrater agreement resulted. In another field test, judges used a nonlive version of the SBPRS, and lower interrater agreement resulted. The SBPRS reflects the conceptual structure of school band performance and can be applied advantageously to serve adjudicators and school band ensembles.

Examining Relationships Among Concert Band Directors’ Efficacious Sources, Self-Efficacy for Teaching Strategies, and Effective Teaching Skills

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent that concert band directors’ self-efficacy for teaching strategies was influenced by its four sources: mastery experiences, verbal persuasions, vicarious experiences, and physiological state. A secondary purpose was to investigate possible relationships between directors’ self-efficacy and self-perceptions of effective teaching. Participants were high school concert band directors ( N = 610). They responded to the Concert Band Directors’ Self-Efficacy for Teaching Strategies Scale, Sources of Self-Efficacy for Concert Band Teaching Scale, and a scale for effective teaching abilities. Directors’ self-efficacy for teaching strategies were influenced most by mastery experiences, followed by verbal persuasions, physiological state, and vicarious experiences. Participants’ self-efficacy scores associated with their experience level and the influence of each source on self-efficacy differed between early-, mid-, and late-career directors. Furthermore, participants who reported greater self-efficacy for teaching strategies also rated themselves as more confident for using effective teaching skills.

A Comparison of Virginia Band Performance Assessments in Relation to Director Gender

The purpose of this study was to compare the concert band assessments of male-directed ensembles and female-directed ensembles in the state of Virginia. Data included overall ratings of male-directed and female-directed bands ( N = 3,229) that performed at District Concert Assessments held across the state in the past 6 years (2013–2018), which were publicly available on the website of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association. Results showed a statistically significant association between ratings and director gender at both the middle school and high school levels. In both instances, male-directed ensembles were more likely to receive a I rating, whereas female-directed ensembles were more likely to receive a II rating. This association was more pronounced at the high school level. Implications include a need for further exploration of possible bias in band festival rating systems as well as increased sensitivity to equitable hiring and representation of women in the field of secondary band teaching.

An examination of democratic educational processes within concert band rehearsals

This dissertation consists of three projects that I designed to examine high school band directors' and collegiate musicians' experiences and perceptions of democratic educational processes within concert band rehearsals. The first investigation is a review of literature about democratic educational principles and their application in non-music and music classrooms. The second investigation is a phenomenological study of collegiate musicians' lived experiences with democratic rehearsal procedures in a concert band setting. Emergent themes included (a) the value of multiple perspectives, (b) ownership and musical agency, (c) engagement, (d) the ability to provide feedback, and (e) concerns with the amount of rehearsal time. The third investigation was a survey study of high school band directors' attitudes toward democratic rehearsal procedures, self-reported use in a typical rehearsal cycle, and perceived disadvantages and advantages. Results indicated that respondents believed several democratic rehearsal procedures were important for their students to experience; however, the frequency of their application was inconsistent. Taken together, results from these three projects indicated that democratic educational principles may be beneficial for students and teachers by providing opportunities for students to (a) actively engage in their learning, (b) exercise their agency, (c) work collaboratively, and (d) develop skills related to musical independence.

Effects of Ensemble Size and Repertoire Difficulty on Ratings of Concert Band Performances

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of ensemble size and repertoire difficulty on listeners’ perceptions of concert band performances. Undergraduate music majors ( N = 210) viewed an audiovisual stimulus consisting of various images of large and small concert bands paired with identical audio performances of either an easy or difficult composition. Participants rated each ensemble’s tone quality/intonation, musicianship/expression, and rhythm/articulation using a 10-point Likert-type scale. Results indicated no main effects for ensemble size or order. There was a significant main effect for repertoire difficulty, with difficult repertoire being evaluated more positively than easier repertoire. We also found a significant Ensemble Size × Repertoire Difficulty × Order interaction, indicating that results were moderated based on order. Within the four orders, the largest mean difference in scores occurred in Order 3 (small/difficult, large/easy, small/easy, large/difficult), with the smallest mean differences occurring in Order 2 (large/difficult, small/easy, large/easy, small/difficult). The small/easy and large/easy videos and the small/difficult and large/difficult videos resulted in positive changes in ratings only when seen first and last, respectively. We recommend blind evaluation and the use of required “test pieces” in concert band festivals as ways to possibly mitigate effects of repertoire difficulty and ensemble size.

"Beso Mediterráneo", tangos flamencos

Los tangos son uno de los palos más conocidos y reconocidos del universo flamenco. Su versatilidad les ha permitido adaptarse a diferentes enfoques, confiriéndoles de este modo la posibilidad de adherirse a una amplia variedad de estéticas sin perder por ello sus señas de identidad. Este artículo pretende dar a conocer, analizando sus aspectos más relevantes, una de mis más recientes composiciones, unos tangos flamencos sinfónicos, Beso mediterráneo, escritos originalmente para clarinete solo y arreglados para banda de música. "Tangos flamencos" are one of the best known and recognized flamenco music styles. Thanks to its versatility and since the first appearance of tangos in history, many of them have been adapted in many different ways without losing their main characteristics. This article has been written to speaks about Mediterranean kiss, a symphonic tangos flamencos for concert band. Although they were originally written for solo clarinet, the composer has just orchestrated this piece for symphony band. For getting a better understanding of the mentioned work, this article will analyse many of the most relevant aspects of this band music composition.

Intermediate and High School Band

This chapter examines the assumptions and perceived boundaries of intermediate and high school concert band in an attempt to enhance and expand beyond traditional approaches to instruction. Extensive research on the skills necessary for preservice teachers to be successful are presented. The socialization and identity development of young instrumental teachers are also explored in detail. A comprehensive approach to teaching musicianship in band is advocated, one that reaches a larger and more diverse student population. It is recommended that the direct instruction model common in intermediate and high school band programs be complemented with more meaningful connections to students’ musical lives outside of school, aural learning experiences, and small peer-led learning opportunities.