Journal of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among instrumental sight-reading ability and seven selected variables: (1) Technical Proficiency, (2) Rhythm Reading Ability, (3) Sight Singing Ability, (4) Cumulative Grade Point Average, (5) Cumulative Music Theory Grade Point Average, (6) Cumulative Performance Jury Grade Point Average, and (7) Major Instrument Grade Point Average. Thirty-two wind instrumentalists, selected at random from undergraduate music theory classes at the University of South Carolina, served as subjects. During the spring semester of 1980, the subjects took tests designed to measure their abilities in sight-reading, technical proficiency, sight singing, and rhythm reading. Data were collected from each student' s permanent record regarding each of the other variables. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) A strong positive relationship exists between wind instrumentalists' general sight-reading ability and the ability to sight-read rhythm patterns. (2) Rhythm-reading ability is the single best predictor of wind instrumentalists' sight-reading scores. (3) Rhythm-reading ability and performance jury scores combine to make the best predictors of wind instrumentalists' sight-reading performance scores.

Throughout Western history, various philosophies of music education have been articulated by intellectual, political, and religious leaders. A common factor in the various philosophies is the relationship between music education and society. Since the middle of the 20th century, writers on music education philosophy have been mostly music educators, rather than societal leaders. They have, for the most part, abandoned the many historical justifications of the profession in favor of aesthetic philosophy. The utilitarian values of music education that have formed its historical philosophical basis have been rejected during the last 30 years because they have little to do with music. Music is now taught for the sake of music, and the link that has historically connected aesthetics with societal needs has been broken.

This study attempted to determine if persons in a noninstitutionalized, elderly population vary significantly in musical discrimination abilities as indicated by scores on the Musical Aptitude Profile (Gordon, 1965) . Subjects in three age groups differed significantly in Tonal Imagery scores. For that portion of the MAP, the oldest age group scored lowest, the youngest age group scored next lowest, and the middle age group scored highest. There was little difference in the Tonal Imagery mean scores of the youngest and the middle age groups. Subjects in the three age groups did not differ significantly in their Rhythm Imagery, Musical Sensitivity, or composite scores on the MAP. The results indicate that elderly persons have some musical ability, as measured by the MAP, and that it does not necessarily decrease with age after 65 years.

This study investigated the effect of subdivision activity on rhythmic performance skills in high school mixed choirs. Three matched choirs (N = 96) were involved in the ten-week project, with one choir receiving subdivision treatments, another imitation treatments, and the third serving as a control group. The pretreatment test, posttest, interview procedure, and musical activity questionnaire were developed by the investigator. The data were analyzed using the three-way ANOVA and Pearson Product-Moment subprograms in the SPSS. The results indicate significant differences (p ≤ .01) in favor of the subdivision approach for performing rhythms accurately, maintaining one' s own pulse, and maintaining a pulse established by an outside visual source. This was generally true at both fast and slow tempi as well as for all ability strata. Students demonstrating a high degree of rhythmic ability often indicated they used analytical subdivision procedures, although they may not have previously received such instruction. Finally, instrumental experience other than keyboard had the strongest relationship with rhythmic skills. The amount of choral experience was not a good predictor of rhythmic competency.

Genuine Froebelian implications in early childhood song texts depend upon the extent to which they adhere to Friedrich Froebel' s goals and purposes, rather than whether they refer to him or paraphrase his material. Turn-of-the-century songs sometimes neglect genuinely childlike, and thus Froebelian, considerations. Even the most important revision of Froebel' s Mother-Play and Nursery Songs, Susan Blow' s The Songs and Music of Froebel' s Mother-Play, leaves something to be desired in genuine Froebelian philosophical thought. Texts that deal with religion, morality, and ethics tend to tell rather than to suggest subtly and therefore miss a fundamental Froebelian methodological point. Only those song texts that accurately reflect Froebel' s teachings, philosophy, and methodology have truly Froebelian implications.

This study examined several predictors of music achievement for general music students in the upper elementary grades: attitude toward music, self-concept in music, music background, academic achievement, and gender. Subjects were 144 fifth- and sixth-grade students in two Midwestern towns who received regularly-scheduled instruction from a music specialist. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the best single predictor of music achievement was the academic achievement test. The addition of the music attitude or self-concept measure produced a moderate increase in predictive power; the remaining variables were not effective predictors. The results of the study suggest that a teacher may be able to heighten music achievement by stressing music attitude or self-concept during music classes.