The purpose of this descriptive study was to discover Texas middle school choir directors’ perceptions and applications of multicultural education in their classrooms. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1) What were middle school choir director’s perceptions about multicultural music education?; (2) How did middle school choir directors apply multicultural music pedagogy in their classrooms?; and (3) How did middle school choir directors perceive professional development opportunities in multicultural music education? Texas middle school choir directors perceived that the purpose of multicultural music was to expose students to different cultures and diverse worldviews through music. Teachers listed several social and musical benefits of studying multicultural music including broadening musical horizons, cultural appreciation, and expansion of student worldviews. Teachers consciously programmed multicultural music for most of their concerts, and some chose literature based on their students’ cultural backgrounds. Although most teachers tried to make multicultural music experiences genuine for students, authenticity was the foremost pedagogical concern regarding multicultural music pedagogy. Teachers tended to utilize a combination of music concept and sociocultural approaches when teaching multicultural music by comparing multicultural music to Western music and using classroom discussions to discuss social issues that lend context to the music. Professional development opportunities in multicultural music education were available through the state music organization (TMEA), but rarely at the district or the campus level. Teachers also reported opportunities at the national level for professional development.

No description available.

ABSTRACT With the change of regime in 1994, South African education policies for the arts have been created without a conceptual base. Music is on the outskirts of the present educational master plan that favours mathematics, science and literacy. The current situation of teacher shortages and emphasis on ‘basic’ subjects does not make posts possible for specialist music teachers in primary schools. The generalist trained Arts and Culture teacher is tasked to teach drama, music, and the visual arts. The attempt by policy makers to blur the outlines of individual art forms has created the generic Arts and Culture teacher who is unsure of the art forms in which he/she has little or no training. This lack is exposed and justification for the necessity of a philosophy of music education for South Africa will be proposed. A philosophy of music education refers to a system of basic beliefs, which underlie the operation of musical enterprise in an educational setting, whether school, community centre, or tertiary institution. A philosophy of music education would investigate and create an understanding of the underlying assumptions and principles governing the teaching and learning of music.Music is a modelling system for human thought and is a cognitive activity with forms of knowledge as important as any school subject. The ‘out of school’ influences of music are all-encompassing and ubiquitous to intercultural communication between peoples. Evidence is overwhelming that the political history in South Africa has interfered with and disrupted an enculturation of a musical life for children. The literature research shows that music education in South Africa was used as a political tool to support apartheid doctrines and processes. The restoration of a culture of co-operative musicing would help music teachers. Their active agency would positively affect policy in the arts. Furthermore making music or ‘musicing’ in a collaborative manner would break downbarriers because musicing encourages inter-racial rapprochement in a society where racial barriers are no longer dominant. Such harmonious communicating will help to create a new and idiomatic South African music culture. For this purpose I have proposed the adoption of the musical genre called quodlibet, a technique of composing music for many voices which are played simultaneously. This provides a platform for the collaboration of musicians, teachers, policy makers, and parents, within the wider community from which the pupils come to from. The quodlibet becomes a guiding principle and metaphor for the entire study. The central focus is to articulate the need for a philosophy of music education and to propose and defend conditions that would facilitate the growth of a conceptual centre for music education.

Gerald Anthony Petersen Jr., Ph.D.The University of Arizona, 2005Director: Brian D. Ebie The purpose of this study was to provide specific data regarding the level of multiculturalism of Arizona elementary general music teachers and their utilization of multicultural music education in curriculum and activities. Data gathered was used to investigate the relationship between a teacher's life experience, personal attitudes, personal behavior, and professional behavior with their developing and employing multicultural music education. Subjects included Arizona elementary general music teachers (N=280) during the 2004-05 school year. The Personal Multicultural Assessment and the Music Specialist's Multicultural Music Education Survey were sent to the teachers along with a demographic report sheet. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlational analysis (Pearson-Product Moment Correlation), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and a multiple regression. The results of the survey indicated that Arizona elementary general music teachers are functioning at varying levels of multiculturalism. The teachers' Personal Multicultural Assessment mean scores ranked at the third level of the Multicultural Personae in the areas of Personal Behavior, Professional Behavior, and on the Composite score. The areas of Life Experience and Personal Attitude ranked at the second level of the Multicultural Personae. Statistically significant relationships were found between the population of the teachers' hometown and the Life Experience subscale score and the Composite score. The undergraduate institution from which the teacher graduated was positively related to the Personal Behavior subscale score and the Composite score. Though the majority of Arizona elementary general music teachers felt inadequately prepared for teaching multicultural music education or have ethnic instruments, they reported utilizing the majority of regional-specific world music. Life experience was a significant factor in determining music teachers' utilization of multicultural music education. This study demonstrated that Arizona elementary general music teachers' personal attitudes, personal behavior, and professional behavior regarding multiculturalism may not have effected their utilization of multicultural music education.

Numerous studies emphasise the importance of music-making as an integral human experience, but only a handful focus on the perceived benefits of participating in a university choir as experienced by the singers themselves. An extensive literature search revealed that no research has been conducted that specifically focuses on this topic within a multicultural South African university choir. There is an increasing interest in the attributed values associated with membership in a collective music activity, especially with regard to choirs. The aim of this ethnographic case study was to explore the perceived benefits of choir participation for choristers who are members of a multicultural university choir in South Africa and to examine to what extent if at all social capital is generated as a by-product of their choir participation. A qualitative research approach was most suitable in order to gain an in-depth perspective of choristers' personal perceptions. Data collection included interviews, focus groups and observations of rehearsals and performances, involving 76 members of the University of Pretoria Camerata. The findings of this research highlight the personal, social and musical values attributed to membership within the choir as perceived by its members. The main findings revealed that the experience of singing in a choir is polygonal, and that such experiences are rewarding, plentiful, and even challenging at times. Choristers perceive their participation to be beneficial to their health and see the choir environment as safe and conducive to forming important relationships. Cultural integration takes place as an extension of being associated within a diverse group of people and a wealth of trust is generated amongst the singers, regardless of their cultural, religious or language differences. Findings indicated some negative perceptions as experienced by the singers, as cultural barriers still exist between members which were exacerbated by political tensions on campus at the time of data collection. Another stressful element of choir participation is the extensive time and commitment required due to the demanding and eventful choir calendar, as well as full academic programmes for which they are registered. The study provides empirical evidence of how two types of social capital, namely bridging- and bonding social capital, are generated within the choir. Bridging social capital exists amongst students from different ethnic backgrounds; while bonding social capital is evident between specific language-, racial- and cultural groups within the choir. As a result of choir participation, social norms and values are shared amongst the singers and networks and connections are established across all types of boundaries, creating an environment of reciprocity between singers. Results from this study highlight that the Camerata establishes a wealth of trust between its members, on a personal, professional and musical level. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.