This study was about composing collaboratively. General music classrooms are often creative, fun and spontaneous spaces in which improvisation and composition exist in different degrees. Time is a limitation in the general music classroom and rarely do students have the time to re-work their compositions. On the other hand, the large ensemble provides the students with time to evolve and refine their work. In the large ensemble however, the creative choices are usually out of the students’ hands. This study aimed to understand the experience of students and a teacher composing music together. The specific focus was to understand the creative process: (preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification) as it may exist in a large ensemble format where young composers write for and with their peers. The study took take place in a New York City after school program in the South Bronx called UpBeat NYC. UpBeat is a not-for-profit, free of charge music program for the community. The participants were high school instrumentalists who participate regularly in large ensembles such as Orchestra and Jazz Band. The ensemble met once a week for the duration of an academic year. Data collection included interviews, brainstorming sessions, field notes, and the teacher’s journal. Through a deeply reflective and reconstructive narrative, the author’s engagement with the data uncovered themes relating to culture, community, representation and colonialism. Through the author’s vulnerabilities, mistakes and process, the study not only offers a window to look at possible strategies for a composing ensemble, but it also offers a reflection about research and ethnographic positionality.

For many years scholars, educators, and internationally minded social workers have tried to find a common denominator of understanding for the many varied languages and customs of the earth. While most of these efforts have failed, there has been one area in which all men, regardless of race, culture, or creed have found a noticeable degree of unity. That area is music. Music of' some form is evidenced in all cultures and there has been a tremendous amount of interchanging and adaptation of the music of one culture to another. / Typescript. / "August, 1952." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education." / Advisor: W. L. Housewright, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 29-30).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be defined as group of complex disorders of brain development that includes difficulties with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors (Autism Speaks, n.d.). It is estimated that roughly one in every 68 children has been identified as being on the autism spectrum (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). This number has increased since the first epidemiologic research was conducted in the late 1960s, in which only one in every 2500 children were identified, and researchers suppose this increase is due to better awareness and recognition in diagnostic practices (Blumberg et al., 2013; Schieve et al., 2011). The greater number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has led to more services available to help, including music therapy. As ASD has developed clearer definitions and information, music therapists have begun to expand their interventional approach (Reschke-Hernández, 2011). However, to date, no study has examined what types of interventions are being used. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the types of professional collaborations, use of non-musical technology, and music therapy interventions that are incorporated by music therapists when working with children in the ASD population. Participants (N= 582) for this study were board-certified music therapists in the United States that were contacted through The Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) organization and held at least a Bachelor's degree in music therapy. After giving consent, each participant completed a survey created by the researcher. This survey contained single answer, multiple choice answer, and fill-in-the-blank questions. Data was analyzed to create sums, percentages, and means for each research question. The data revealed that of the music therapists who participated in this study, they indicated always collaborating with other professionals and therapists when working a client with ASD. Furthermore, this collaboration happened regardless of environment or length of time working in a particular environment, and sometimes happened multiple times a week. Data also found that music therapists altered their therapy approach to some capacity while collaborating with other professionals. Finally, participants relied heavily upon non-musical equipment as a supplement, especially technology, and used it regularly during therapy sessions. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Spring Semester 2016. / March 2, 2016. / ASD, collaboration, intervention, Music therapy, technology / Includes bibliographical references. / Kimberly VanWeelden, Professor Directing Thesis; Clifford Madsen, Committee Member; Alice-Ann Darrow, Committee Member.

The current state of the public education system in the United States is rooted in standards-based curriculum. The standards outline milestones that all students must achieve in order to demonstrate competency in their grade level. New curricula have been created to satisfy these standards and implemented in schools across the country. Music therapy has been used in schools to work with students on a variety of goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate three elementary reading curricula and provide implications for integrating music therapy into these programs. Using a basic curriculum analysis approach, the curricula were evaluated on a number of criteria, and all three were found to have the qualities of an effective curriculum. Only one of the programs used music, however, music could be added to the lessons in each curriculum with ease. Sample music therapy interventions are provided to demonstrate the incorporation of music therapy in all three curricula. The results of this study suggest that music therapy has the potential to effectively enhance academic instruction. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the Master of Music. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 10, 2017. / curriculum, integration, music therapy, reading / Includes bibliographical references. / Lori Gooding, Professor Directing Thesis; Alice-Ann Darrow, Committee Member; Dianne Gregory, Committee Member.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the use of tactile finger placement markers (FPMs) for beginning string players. Of particular interest was finding a tool or strategy that would reduce the number of muscle memory errors acquired, and to minimize the amount of time it takes students to reach proficiency, while simultaneously developing accurate aural and physical skills. Research questions were as follows: (1) Is beginning violin and viola students’ intonation affected by tactile markers? (2) Is beginning violin and viola students’ posture affected by tactile markers? (3) Does intonation improvement occur prior to the addition of tactile markers, during treatment, or afterwards? (4) Does improvement in posture occur during the tactile marker treatment or afterwards? (5) Does the removal of tactile markers affect beginning violin and viola students’ intonation? (6) Does the removal of tactile markers affect beginning violin and viola students’ posture? The present study used a modified multiple baseline design across individual participants over thirteen weeks of instruction as a way to measure individual progress towards intonation accuracy: each participant served as their own control. Participants (N = 14) for this study were seventh (n = 9) and eighth grade (n = 5) middle school violinists (n = 7) and violists (n = 7) from one beginning orchestra class in the southeast region of the United States. The only stipulations for participation were: (1) having no prior experience playing a string instrument, and (2) selecting violin or viola as the chosen instrument. After all open strings were tuned by the research assistant, participants performed the ascending portion of the D major tetrachord to measure the students’ intonation and posture. Throughout the thirteen-week study, participants were recorded individually. Once participants began the tactile FPM treatment, one of the three recordings each week was completed on an instrument free of all FPMs as a technique to gauge when FPMs should be faded. The beginning of the thirteenth week, the tactile FPM treatment was withdrawn from every participant to examine if the treatment had a lasting effect. At the conclusion of the study, participants completed a short post-treatment questionnaire, which was analyzed to compare participants’ perceptions with the actual intonation and posture data. Audio recordings of participants were analyzed acoustically for intonation accuracy, measured by cents deviated from equal temperament tuning. Analysis was completed once the pitch was stabilized. The three notes analyzed were the fingered notes on the D-string in first position: E, F-sharp, and G. Video recordings of participants were measured using the ratings of three outside experienced string orchestra directors from different regions of the United States. Posture ratings were calculated using the researcher-designed detailed rubric. Participants’ posture ratings were examined through descriptive methods. Data suggests the tactile FPM treatment had a positive effect on improving intonation accuracy for all participants and reduced variability when compared to baseline. All participants demonstrated improved overall posture ratings when comparing the post-test (withdrawal phase video) to the pre-test (baseline). Despite the positive results and given the limitations of this study, generalization of findings should be done with caution. Implications, and future research are discussed. Keywords: beginning strings, instruction, finger placement markers, kinesthetic, tactile cues, motor control, music performance, intonation, posture / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2018. / June 4, 2018. / beginning strings, finger placement markers, intonation, music performance, posture, tactile cues / Includes bibliographical references. / Katarzyna A. Bugaj, Professor Directing Dissertation; Alexander E. Jiménez, University Representative; John M. Geringer, Committee Member; Steve N. Kelly, Committee Member; Clifford K. Madsen, Committee Member; Kimberly D. VanWeelden, Committee Member.

This project began with a Preliminary Study, in which the members of the 1985 final-year class at the SACM were interviewed to investigate their goals and the way in which these goals related to their curricula. The main findings of this study were that the students were unclear about their goals, their reasons for studying music at the SACM, and their future prospects. In addition, their perception of the SACM included criticism of items of curricular content and teaching methods. These findings led to a central goal question which was to become the focus of a more objective, broadly based, interpretative study that would be more apposite for investigating a topic of this complexity. This goal question is: "WHAT ISSUES DO THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AT THE SACM PERCEIVE AS AREAS OF CONCERN, IN RESPECT OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AT THE SACM, AND WHAT ARE THESE CONCERNS?" Accordingly, the main part of this investigation took the form of an attempt to sketch a collective perception of the nature of the education provided at the SACM. An institution like this is the theatre of numerous simultaneous agendas and interpretations. Its activities, directions and the education which it provides will appear different trom different perspectives. It was thus decided to obtain responses from a range of people connected with the SACM, to reflect these different perspectives. The sample who contributed to this perception is drawn from among the teachers, administrators, students, past students, parents of students and others professionally connected with the SACM.

This subject was chosen becasue I felt a need of a method for the teaching of brass instruments. Most teachers whose major instrument is not a member of the brass family have had too little opportunity to study and find out what is necessary for developing a good breass instrument player. In far too many cases a teacher is expected to be able to teach the brass instruments after completing a three or four months course. This method is intented to be used as a guide, in conjunction with other material. The aim is to put in writing the proper fundamentals necessary for good brass playing. The exercies are written progressively and are to be take up only when the student is ready for them. It is for this reason that supplementary material must be used.

No description available.

This investigation of a repertory of music, grew out of a need to find a link between the societal structures created, and the activity of a group of people for whom they are intended. Music is a universal phenomenon but has definite cultural boundaries. Ever since the author became a student at the University of Cape Town, he came under the deep impression of differing cultural activities. This dissertation is a result of cultural differences observed by him from childhood, concerning a group of people, who are termed 'Cape Malay', for the lack of a more appropriate term. 'Cape Ma lay' music, which refers to the who le repertory of moppies, ghommaliedjies, nederlandsliedere, ouliedere, £udjies and djiekers of the 'Cape Malay', was observed by him as a way of life of many South Africans. This is not always realised, and it is the hope of the author that educational authorities would try to recognise not only this 'Malay' musica l culture, but also make provision for its inclusion in the syllabus. The basic philosophy which the author has tried to convey, is that education should link up with the pupil's social environment. Allied with this, is an attempt by the author to develop and awareness of 'Malay' music amongst those South Africans who might not be aware of this repertory of music, which is unique in the world. The reading material is extensive, as may be ascerta ined from the lengthy bibliography at the end of this dissertation. Unfortunately, it is not nearly complete. Two very important sources are regrettably not included: A pre liminary thesis by Erica Mugglestone completed for a master's degree at Monash Un iversity in Australia, relating to the topic of this dissertation; and van Warmelo's work, which relates to 'Cape Malay ' music, and from

No description available.