Abstract
Welcome to the May issue of IJME: Practice. We have had a change of editorship and this issue represents our first issue as editors. We would like to thank the outgoing editors, Timothy Brophy and Jane Cheung, for their marvellous efforts over the past several years. Since assuming the editorship late last year, we have acquired a real appreciation of the amount of work that goes into this role! A number of our editorial board also retired at the end of 2012. We would like to record our thanks to Patrick Freer, Andrea Giraldez, Mary Kennedy, Inok Paek, Valerie Ross, Jonathan Stephens and Kari Veblen. We also welcome some new reviewers to our team: Brydie Bartleet, Chen Hsiao-Shien Jessie, Marc Duby, Dawn Joseph, Christian Onyeji, Ann Power, Amanda Watson and Rita Yip. Welcome aboard!
Other changes in the IJME processes include the new online submission and review system, SAGE Track, now being implemented for all new submissions. This will streamline our review and publication processes enormously and increase the quality and quantity of the articles received for the journal. We have also instituted Online First, so authors do not have to wait for the print issues to be available in order for their work to be in the public domain.
This issue brings another array of interesting practice-based research into the international arena. Clive Kronenberg shares with us the pedagogical value of the Brouwer Études Simples for guitar, and this is followed by another intriguing look at pedagogical approaches through Gemma Carey’s innovative research into the one-to-one environment. Graham McPhail also interrogates the one-to-one setting, with a focus on student autonomy. Student autonomy is also a theme in the work of Scott Harrison and his team, who look at parallels between the ensemble setting in the tertiary environment and the realities of the profession (this article was processed by the previous editorial team). Koji Matsunobu describes his experiences with Shakuhachi makers and how making the instrument can provide insights into learning ethnic music. Beatriz Ilari shares her perspectives on singing and cultural understanding. Anita Collins’ work on the interface between music and neuroscience illuminates pathways for cross-disciplinary research.
We hope that this issue continues the great tradition of fine practice-based research over many decades and we look forward to sharing many more articles with you in the years to come. By the way, please celebrate with us the 30th anniversary of the International Journal of Music Education, which was founded in 1983!