A study on the relationship between musical ability and EFL pronunciation proficiency

This study investigates the relationship between musical ability and pronunciation proficiency of English as a foreign language [EFL] of university students of English philology. English pronunciation of the participants is evaluated by academic teachers of English in three categories: the general impression of the foreign or native accent, the accuracy of production of English sounds and the use of word stress and intonation. This experiment was conducted entirely online. Participants’ musical ability was tested using Gordon’s Advanced Measure of Music Audiation [AMMA]. The results of this study demonstrate a moderately positive correlation between musicality and FL pronunciation proficiency. The more musical students, the higher marks from the judges. The present findings seem to be consistent with other studies which suggest that musical skills may positively affect the acquisition of foreign language pronunciation.

Perspectives on Developing a Music Therapy Programme Within an Educational Setting for Adolescents with Mental Health Issues

<p>This thesis outlines exploratory research that sought to find out how music therapy could most effectively address the needs of the students and support the ideas and learning objectives of staff at an innovative new school for adolescents with mental health issues. This was achieved by involving staff and students (n=12) in a series of group interviews, in combination with reflections from a research journal. Amongst other things, the findings suggested that students valued the opportunity to learn new musical skills, relax and express themselves. The staff appeared to value the way music therapy could support therapeutic and educational objectives within the school; for instance, by providing students with opportunities to work together in small groups, or by providing individual students with a way of relaxing and experiencing success. The writer describes efforts to tailor music therapy to fit with the needs of the setting and concludes by suggesting possible avenues for future music therapy research in a setting of this kind.</p>

Perspectives on Developing a Music Therapy Programme Within an Educational Setting for Adolescents with Mental Health Issues

<p>This thesis outlines exploratory research that sought to find out how music therapy could most effectively address the needs of the students and support the ideas and learning objectives of staff at an innovative new school for adolescents with mental health issues. This was achieved by involving staff and students (n=12) in a series of group interviews, in combination with reflections from a research journal. Amongst other things, the findings suggested that students valued the opportunity to learn new musical skills, relax and express themselves. The staff appeared to value the way music therapy could support therapeutic and educational objectives within the school; for instance, by providing students with opportunities to work together in small groups, or by providing individual students with a way of relaxing and experiencing success. The writer describes efforts to tailor music therapy to fit with the needs of the setting and concludes by suggesting possible avenues for future music therapy research in a setting of this kind.</p>

Music and Social Interaction in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Aphasia

Cerebrovascular disease is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide, with about one third of stroke survivors initially suffering from communication disorders, including aphasia. Symptoms in aphasia vary from person to person, ranging from repeated failures in verbal expression to comprehension deficits that may occur in both the spoken and written modality. The current work synthesizes almost a decade of research on aphasia following left-hemispheric stroke in individuals with preserved right-hemispheric function: musical skills and formulaic expressions embedded in social interaction. Moving beyond the traditional scope of clinical linguistics, this work argues that preserved right-hemispheric function not only provides valuable resources in speech-language therapy, but also a possible foundation for psychotherapy in individuals with post-stroke aphasia and concomitant depression. An integrative summary introduces key developments in a line of research spanning from 2013 to 2021, to conclude with an outlook on forthcoming contributions and a commentary on the underlying conceptual framework. Each separate piece of research has been published previously in peer-reviewed journals. Here, the selected studies are assembled in an interdisciplinary context at the intersection of clinical neuroscience, speech-language pathology, and psychotherapy.

Music achievements of being an English chorister

This study aims to highlight the uniqueness of the English choristers’ education, what special musical skills it passes on to youngsters and how these may help them in later life. It investigates the perceptions of 30 ex-choristers who attended a broad selection of English choir schools between 1940 and 2010 using semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that music training of choristers forms a solid foundation to enhance the development of an all-round musicianship. In particular, it gives them significant sight-reading skills due to the huge volume of rehearsals and public performances. Although in most cases their instrumental skills are not sufficient for them to become professional soloists in their instrument, many ex-choristers found it relatively easy to achieve a music scholarship or pursue a music career if they wanted. Many of them retained a passion for music which was not necessarily limited to choral singing. The findings are considered in relation to the possible reasons for this, and the implications for education.

City Branding Ambon City Of Music Sebagai Folk Identity Music Di Maluku

The article of city branding on Ambon City of Music discusses the legalisation of folk music identity in Maluku. By using the qualitative research method with a case study approach. Data obtained were primary data in the field, and the secondary data were obtained from various media. Data was collected by doing direct interviews and essential documents. Ambon City of Music is an iconic branding that becomes the identity for the people of Maluku. The people of Maluku have music DNA so that it is worth mentioning as a City of Music. It can be seen through the selection of Ambon city as a City of Music by UNESCO in October 2019. Ambon City has become a new identity to introduce the musical culture of the Maluku people. Music is used as social capital in creating peace, while the acculturation of the folk music genre is a symbol of community identity in Maluku. The author argues that the branding of Ambon City of Music itself elevates the dignity of folk music identity. The people of Maluku are known as having the highly musical skills, singing, and experts in playing traditional instruments, such as tifa, totobuang, bamboo flute, tahuri, etc. The recognition by UNESCO strengthens the musical identity of the people of Maluku in the world. Ambon city branding is a legitimation of Maluku folk identity in music and singing and a city of peace because of the music, with the result of the people of Maluku collectively having an awareness of primordial relations.

The gesture enigma: Reconciling the prominence and insignificance of choral conductor gestures

Curious as to why conducting gesture are both acknowledged and ignored by choral singers, this article investigates the enigmatic nature of the act of conducting. Education and research are biased toward gestural aspects of the choral conductor role. At the same time, research shows that gestural skills rank strikingly low compared with other musical skills and interpersonal skills. This study endeavors to unpack this enigma, based on 40 interviews with choral singers and conductors in Norway and Sweden. Taking a phenomenological approach, analysis of the fieldwork reveals that singers are more aware of gesture when something out of the ordinary happens, is unclear, or is even particularly appealing. The enigmatic role of gesture is partly due to conceptual ambiguity—gestures are signals that conductors “do” as well as embody the integral conductor “being.” Moreover, four “enigma busting” contextual dimensions were found: complexity of the music, the irreplaceability of gestures in the specific situation, singers’ receptiveness to gestures, and the gestural proficiency of the conductor. The article points at some implications for education as well as future research.

Forms and methods of organizing extracurricular musical and educational work

The article is devoted to the review and analysis of forms and methods of organization of extracurricular music-educational work, which would promote the development of children, the formation of their musical culture, creative attitude to life and art. As well as these forms and methods will contribute to the development of patriotism and students’ aesthetic. Extracurricular music-educational work complements music lessons and aims to expand the musical horizons of children, deepen their knowledge, as well as improve performance skills and abilities. The organization of extracurricular musical activities involves compliance with certain guidelines. The success of a variety of work combined to develop musical skills depends largely on how well students master and feel the need for different musical activities. The obtained musical skills of the participants have a way out: together they prepare themed evenings, concerts, perform at holidays and reviews. This gives them the opportunity to feel the need and importance of the ability to own a musical instrument. In the process of teaching singing, the teacher solves many problems related to the development of students' voices and the acquisition of vocal and choral skills and abilities necessary for artistic expression. With choral singing activists, you can prepare an article for the school wall newspaper, in which to talk about the importance of creating a choir, the prospects for its development and immediate tasks; draw up a colorful poster announcing the organization of the choir, where to indicate the days and hours of listening to all who wish to sing.

Handel’s singers from the London choirs

Handel’s musical career in London was largely centred on the theatre—the annual seasons of operas and oratorios, and their performers, often dominated by castratos and sopranos. There was, however, an alternative strand to his creative achievement that related to the singers who held posts in London’s major ecclesiastical choirs—the Chapel Royal, Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral—with particular strengths in alto and bass voices, and treble soloists. This relationship stretched from his first years in London, including the ‘Utrecht’ canticles, to the Thanksgiving service and the Foundling Hospital Anthem in 1749. Handel seems to have developed a social relationship with the choir musicians during his first years in London, and his music for the Chapel Royal bears evidence to the musical skills of singers such as the alto Francis Hughes and the bass Samuel Weely. Although these singers formed an independent professional circuit, there were some overlaps in personnel, as for example the tenor John Beard, who had been trained in the Chapel Royal but developed a career as a theatre and concert singer, and the bass Robert Wass, who sang as an oratorio soloist for Handel while also serving as a regular member of the choirs. The ensemble of singers was influential (via, for example, the Coronation Anthems) in the development of chorus movements as a characteristic element in Handel’s theatre oratorios. The choir members also contributed directly as chorus singers for his oratorios, particularly in his later years, and he had similar reliance on ‘church’ singers for his oratorio performances at Oxford and Dublin.