Journal of Research in Music Education

The purpose of this study, grounded in near-transfer theory, was to investigate relationships among music sight-reading and tonal and rhythmic audiation, visual field articulation, spatial orientation and visualization, and achievement in math concepts and reading comprehension. A regression analysis with data from four high schools (N = 98) in the American Midwest yielded a 4–variable model that included reading comprehension, rhythmic audiation, visual field articulation, and spatial orientation, F = 21.26, p < 0.001, accounting for 48% of the variance on music sight-reading. The results support previous studies in music education, cognitive science, and neuroscience that have shown that music reading draws on a variety of cognitive skills that include reading comprehension, audiation, spatial-temporal reasoning and visual perception of patterns rather than individual notes.

The purpose of this study was to examine sight-singing requirements at junior and senior high school large-group ratings-based choral festivals throughout the United States. Responses to the following questions were sought from each state: (1) Are there ratings-based large-group choral festivals? (2) Is sight-singing a requirement? (3) Are there specific levels or classes of difficulty ? (4) Is musical content specified for each level or class ? (5) Is there an overall rating that includes both the performance and sight-singing ratings? Data revealed that less than half of all states require sight-singing at large-group festivals at both the junior high and high school levels. Fewer states delineate levels of difficulty, outline musical content to be assessed, and use the sight-singing rating in an overall final rating. Frequency of “yes” responses to all questions was consistently lower at the junior high level. The author suggested further analysis of the most evolved state sight-singing assessment systems to develop a more uniform, sequential system of content, materials, and assessment.

This study is an investigation of what musicians consider to be their aesthetic experience with jazz music selections that vary in level of conceptual advancement (melodic complexity during improvised solos). Music major participants (N = 128) were assigned to either the jazz musician (n = 64) or nonjazz musician (n = 64) group. Data were gathered as participants manipulated the dial of a Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) to indicate the magnitude of their aesthetic responses as they listened to four audio selections. Written responses were collected following each session via a questionnaire. Statistical analysis of group responses indicated a significant difference between the two participant groups only for the most conceptually advanced selection. An analysis of group graphs indicated that jazz musician participants rated this same selection higher. These findings suggest that greater instrumental jazz ensemble experience is related to greater aesthetic interest when listening to a jazz selection containing a high level of conceptual complexity.

The purpose of this study was to examine the implications of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) for the kindergarten general music classroom. Ethnographic procedures (classroom observations, interviews, and artifact collection) were used to collect data in three kindergarten music classrooms throughout an academic year. Data were coded using five global dimensions of DAP (creating a caring community of learners, teaching to enhance development and understanding, constructing appropriate curriculum, assessing children's development and learning, and establishing reciprocal relationships with families), as published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Findings included practices congruent with DAP such as engagement as co-learners, inclusion of children's requests, inclusion of play, adjustment to individual needs, assessment in authentic contexts, and respect for family contexts. Incongruent practices included favoritism, lack of response to developmental needs, inflexible curricular decisions, and sparse communication with families. Implications included the need for early childhood coursework and mentorship.

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of harmonic accompaniment on the tonal achievement and tonal improvisations of young children. The specific problems of this study were the following: (1) Does the addition of a root melody accompaniment to song instruction affect the tonal achievement of children in kindergarten and first grade? (2) Does the addition of a root melody accompaniment to song instruction affect the tonal strength of the improvisations of children in kindergarten and first grade? Results indicated that song instruction with a root melody accompaniment had no significant effect on the tonal achievement of children in kindergarten and first grade. However, children who received song instruction with root melody accompaniment improvised melodies with implied harmonic functions while maintaining the tonic pitch and tonality of the song better than those children who did not have such instruction.

This study was designed to determine if adults are able to remember how much time they actually spent practicing during a past time period of their lives where detailed daily records were kept of actual number of minutes practiced. It also addressed how past practice time relates to their highest level of musical performance across the 30 years on a scale of top-level expert to competent. Responses were divided into six classifications: (1) professional, (2) semiprofessional, (3) free-lance musician/college instructor, (4) music teacher, (5) community musician, and (6) jury/senior recital. Results indicated that after a 30-year period, students are not accurate in assessing past amounts of applied music practice when comparing records of actual practice time to later perceptions of this practice time. Also, there is not a strong relationship between practice time and their highest level of performance, although most participants indicate that they believe that there is.