<p> The Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) is the choral division of the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), the state chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). This mixed methods study examined non-participation in AVA All-State Choral Festival and AVA State Choral Performance Assessment (SCPA) among Alabama public high schools (N = 355). Quantitative data were event choral program participation lists for 2012 &ndash; 2013 provided by the state AVA office and demographic statistics found on the Alabama State Department of Education website including ethnicity (percentage of White students), FRL (percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch), and school size (total enrollment) for all Alabama public high schools. Qualitative data were transcripts and field notes (N = 56 pages) from interviews (N = 26), a focus session at the 2014 AVA Fall Workshop with AVA members (N = 35), and follow-up personal communications (N = 39) with choral teachers representing all AVA districts (N = 7). An Analysis of Variance revealed two significant indicators for AVA participation: (a) FRL, F(1,353) = 169.5, p &lt; .001 (non-participating schools M = 63.74 FRL; participating schools M = 49.05 FRL) and (b) school size, F(1,353) = 48.39, p &lt; .001 (non-participating schools M = 414.99 students; participating schools M = 983.03 students). Ethnicity, F(1, 352) = .458, p = .499, was not found to be a significant indicator of AVA participation. Qualitative findings suggested administrative support, financial limitations, teaching classes other than choral music, and lack of communication between AVA and some choral teachers accounted for non-participation in AVA events.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of high school choral teachers&rsquo; inclusion of popular music in current teaching practices by (a) determining the frequency of inclusion, (b) developing a profile of teachers, schools, and choral programs that include popular music in the curriculum, (c) determining which demographic characteristics affected the amount of popular music included, and (d) developing a profile of popular music implementation details. The <i>Popular Music Survey,</i> a researcher designed online survey, was developed to collect demographic data and information concerning the participants&rsquo; inclusion of popular music in their high school choral classrooms. Participants were high school choral teachers in the Commonwealth of Virginia (<i>n</i> = 104). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Macintosh, Version 22.0. </p><p> Results of the study revealed that 100% of participants include popular music in the choral curriculum as performance literature and/or instructional materials. Descriptive statistics of demographic data of the teacher, school, choral program, and ensemble were used to develop a profile to describe the typical high school choral teacher who includes popular music. Descriptive statistics were also used to develop a profile to describe how high school choral teachers included popular music in the choral classroom. </p><p> The majority of participants (n = 91, 87.4%) responded that the percentage of popular music performed was 30% or less of their total performance literature. Pearson Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance were used to determine the extent to which popular music was included in the high school choral curriculum. The achievement of a master&rsquo;s degree was the only teacher characteristic that significantly affected the amount of popular music included in the high school choral curriculum (p = .028). Participants with a master&rsquo;s degree included more popular music than participants who did not have a master&rsquo;s degree. </p><p> Implications for music education were discussed in relation to the findings of the current study. Recommendations were made for future research regarding the inclusion of popular music in choral classrooms, as well as in other areas of music education.</p>

<p> This study explored with high school choral directors and singers, their experiences of musical expression in the choral classroom setting. A phenomenological approach to a collective case study was used to address the notions of &ldquo;what&rdquo;, &ldquo;why&rdquo;, and &ldquo;how&rdquo; in regard to the relationships and interactions between choral directors, singers, their personal experiences and musical texts as they pertain to musical expression. Four high school choral programs participated in this study. One choral director and a focus group of 4-7 students from each program participated in open-ended, semi-structured, interviews. Video recorded observations of choral rehearsals provided media for additional stimulated recall interviews that used both open-ended and framing techniques. These interviews served as the primary method of data collection to help examine how the participants conceptualized and practiced musical expression. </p><p> The high school choral directors and singers of this study described musical expression in broad terms but agreed that it can be understood as both a means of conveying and understanding meanings and emotions. The participants addressed considerations and conditions such as engagement, their emotional response to the repertoire, composer intent, the classroom environment and obstacles such as the difficulty of the score or external distractions. They described specific approaches such as collaborative meaning making of musical contexts, formal elements of a score, and text. Implications are addressed for the ways choral directors approach repertoire selection, classroom configuration, rehearsal strategies, building relationships, delivering content, helping students to develop vocal skills and techniques and the use of collaborative learning and dialog to encourage ensemble interpretations. Participants also described optimal experiences of musical expression in regard to enjoyment, release of tension and perceived time and space. This study helped to uncover some of the ways high school choral directors and singers attempt to acknowledge each member&rsquo;s individuality while working toward a unified ensemble expression. The data revealed that collectively, the four participating programs shared many common ideas and yet each ensemble had a unique and nuanced approach to musical expression that reflected the values, beliefs and experiences of the choir and its members.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vibrato and pitch-varied vocal models on acoustic measures of high school and undergraduate singers&rsquo; vocal performance. Participants&rsquo; perception of vocal models was also examined to explore a possible relationship between perception and production. The following primary questions guided this research: 1) Is singers&rsquo; intonation affected by vibrato or pitch-varied vocal models? 2) Is singers&rsquo; vibrato rate affected by vibrato or pitch-varied vocal models? 3) Is singers&rsquo; vibrato extent affected by vibrato or pitch-varied vocal models? 4) Is singers&rsquo; intensity affected by vibrato or pitch-varied vocal models? Secondary questions under investigation were: 1) Do singers respond differently to vocal models of pitch patterns versus song phrases? 2) Does age and experience influence singers&rsquo; response? 3) Do singers perceive the differences in vocal models? </p><p> Participants (<i>N</i> = 76) were male (<i>n</i> = 38) and female (<i>n</i> = 38) singers who were undergraduates (<i>n</i> = 40) currently participating in a choral ensemble at the Florida State University or high school students (n = 36) currently enrolled in the choral program at a nearby high school. Participants responded to twelve vocal models of the same gender that were varied in melody, vibrato, and intonation conditions. Vocal models consisted of either a short pitch pattern (<i> sol-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do</i>) or familiar song excerpt (Are You Sleeping?), both performed on the neutral syllable <i>&ldquo;tah.&rdquo;</i> Model melodies were sung in vibrato and minimal vibrato conditions, with each model having a specific 3rd and 5th scale degree that was presented in tune, sharp, or flat (mistuned pitches &plusmn; 25 cents relative to equal temperament). After responding to vocal models, participants were asked via written questionnaire if they perceived differences in vocal models and, if so, to describe them. </p><p> Audio recordings of participants&rsquo; responses were analyzed acoustically, with the specific 3rd and 5th scale degrees in each model analyzed for the dependent measures of intonation, vibrato rate, vibrato extent and intensity. Repeated measures analyses were conducted on the acoustic measures. An alpha level of .01 was used in all statistical tests. Written responses on the questionnaire were analyzed for keywords reflecting vocal technique or musical elements. Keywords were then identified and coded for frequency of response. </p><p> Significant differences in intonation were found, with responses to minimal vibrato models performed more flat than responses to vibrato models. Main effects were also found for gender, with male participants showing overall more flatness than females. Responses to pitch-varied models tended towards flat intonation, with flat models producing the greatest deviation particularly with male participants. Two interactions, both involving melody condition of models, also produced differences in intonation. </p><p> Significant differences in measures of vibrato rate and extent were also observed. Vibrato rates were faster and vibrato extents were wider in response to vibrato models. High school participants responded with similar vibrato rate and extent to both vibrato model conditions, whereas undergraduates responded with significantly faster vibrato rate and wider extent to vibrato models. Undergraduate vibrato rates were similar between genders, however high school males were significantly slower in vibrato rate than high school females. </p><p> Intensity results for both high school and undergraduate participants showed significantly higher intensity levels for 5th scale degrees than 3rds. High school males performed both scale degrees at similar intensity levels, while high school females sang 5ths with higher intensity. Significant differences in intensity were also found with undergraduates, with responses to vibrato models yielding higher intensity. Male undergraduates were found to sing with higher intensity in response to vibrato models, whereas females sang with similar intensity between vibrato-varied conditions. Interactions involving scale degree or melody condition of models also produced significant differences in intensity. </p><p> Analysis of written questionnaires showed that 71 (93%) participants perceived differences in models. The most frequently used keyword(s) was <i> vibrato/straight tone,</i> with 36 participants (51%) noting this as a perceived difference between models. <i>Timbre/tone quality</i> was the next most used word(s) by 13 participants (17%), followed by <i> intonation/pitch</i> used by 12 participants (15%). More males noticed changes in tone quality, intonation, and vowels than females, whereas the latter recognized vibrato changes more than males. Undergraduates perceived vibrato changes and intonation differences more than high school participants. </p><p> Many complex factors were thought to contribute to results of this study, including perception, experience, vocal development, and vocal production. While some findings support prior research, other results raise questions that warrant additional investigation. Implications and ideas for future inquiry are discussed.</p>

<p> Although many teachers use concurrent instructional strategies, little is known about how or when they function in rehearsal, or how frequently they are employed. The purpose of the present study was to examine pitched and unpitched concurrent instructional behaviors as they occurred naturally in secondary choral rehearsals over time. Three master teachers (two male, one female) with at least 10, 20, and 30 years of teaching experience, respectively, recorded their rehearsals over the course of approximately six weeks, from the introduction of a new piece of literature, through the point in time when it is deemed &ldquo;performance-ready&rdquo; by the director. Data were recorded, on average, twice per week, in the form 15&ndash;20 minutes of audio footage, and sent to the researcher for analysis. Results indicate that mean concurrent instruction was present for 25.88% of a given rehearsal. The most frequently used pitched behavior was singing and the most frequently used unpitched behavior was the academic hustle. Potential implications for music education practitioners and directions for future research are discussed. </p><p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that motivate high school students to participate in school band. The relationships between music education, academic success, and social engagement in school were explored. A survey questionnaire and interview questions were used to generate response data from 45 high school band members. Data were gathered, coded, and analyzed using qualitative survey and structured interview design techniques. A systematic approach was used to create a viable narrative that, when added to existing literature, provided a better understanding of the topic for those decision makers struggling to find justifications for how and why band is an important option for high school students. Findings from this study support earlier research and provide a strong case for the claim that many students are intellectually, emotionally, expressively, and musically nurtured by membership in school band. Stress relief was a powerful theme throughout student responses and many students indicated that band was an important place where they were able to build their strongest support relationships. The information acquired from this study provided insight into student perceptions about the value of band participation from environmental, behavioral, and cognitive viewpoints and highlighted the importance of band as a social and emotional support space where students are able to find sanctuary from the stressors of their lives. </p><p>

Este trabalho teve como objetivo compreender as relações que permeiam as concepções e expectativas de alunos do Ensino Médio a respeito da aula de música na escola. Os objetivos específicos procuram examinar suas concepções e os significados atribuídos à escola e à aula de um modo geral, à música, aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem em música e à aula de música na escola. Para tanto, parto de uma revisão de literatura no sentido de conhecer estudos que tratam das diferentes concepções de juventude, das relações entre os jovens e a música, dos sentidos atribuídos pelos jovens à escola, e de alguns estudos acerca das renovações propostas na legislação em vigor no Brasil para o Ensino Médio, frente à situação que se evidencia na realidade das escolas. A seguir, aponto os elementos elaborados por Bernard Charlot (2000) para "uma teoria da relação com o saber", e enfoco alguns termos e conceitos utilizados pelo autor, que permeiam a análise dos dados da pesquisa. Na metodologia trago o método de grupo de discussão e discorro a respeito da escolha dos participantes e da formação dos grupos, dos procedimentos de coleta dos dados e dos procedimentos de análise dos dados. As falas dos alunos são analisadas sob a perspectiva de Bernard Charlot no que diz respeito às relações de identidade, às relações sociais e às relações epistêmicas. A análise é organizada em subcapítulos, nos quais busco compreender as relações que envolvem as concepções e os significados atribuídos pelos alunos do Ensino Médio à escola, à aula, à música, à aula de música da escola e ao ensino e à aprendizagem em música. A identificação e a distinção dessas relações me permitiram perceber que a música tem sentido para os alunos e que a aula de música na escola é reconhecida como um espaço/momento de aprendizagens específicas relacionadas à música, e contribui para aprendizagens que levam ao desenvolvimento do sujeito no sentido amplo. / This work aimed at to understand the relations that underlie students' conceptions of, and their expectations to, the school music class. More specifically, it aimed to examine the students' conceptions and the meanings attributed to the school and to the class in general, to music, to the processes of music teaching and learning music and to the school music class. I started by reviewing the literature in order to understand the studies done about the different conceptions of youth, the relationships the youths establish with music, the meanings the students attribute to the school and, finally, some studies about that discuss proposed renewals in the legislation in force in Brazil for the secondary education, facing the situation that shows up in the reality of the schools. After that, I point out the elements elaborated by Bernard Charlot (2000) about the "theory of the relation with knowledge" and I focus on some terms and concepts elaborated by the author that will guide the data analysis. The research methodology presents the method of group discussion, the process of choosing the participants and of the formation of the groups, the procedures of data collection and the procedures of data analysis. The speeches of the students are analyzed under the perspective of Bernard Charlot in what concerns the relations of identity, the social relations and the epistemic relations. The analysis is organized in subchapters, aiming to understand the relations that involve the conceptions and the meanings attributed by the students of the secondary education to the school, the class, music, the music class and the processes of music teaching and learning. The identification of those relations allowed me to perceive that music has a meaning to the students and that school music class is recognized as a distinct space to learn music that also contributes to the students' development in a broad sense.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo compreender as relações que permeiam as concepções e expectativas de alunos do Ensino Médio a respeito da aula de música na escola. Os objetivos específicos procuram examinar suas concepções e os significados atribuídos à escola e à aula de um modo geral, à música, aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem em música e à aula de música na escola. Para tanto, parto de uma revisão de literatura no sentido de conhecer estudos que tratam das diferentes concepções de juventude, das relações entre os jovens e a música, dos sentidos atribuídos pelos jovens à escola, e de alguns estudos acerca das renovações propostas na legislação em vigor no Brasil para o Ensino Médio, frente à situação que se evidencia na realidade das escolas. A seguir, aponto os elementos elaborados por Bernard Charlot (2000) para "uma teoria da relação com o saber", e enfoco alguns termos e conceitos utilizados pelo autor, que permeiam a análise dos dados da pesquisa. Na metodologia trago o método de grupo de discussão e discorro a respeito da escolha dos participantes e da formação dos grupos, dos procedimentos de coleta dos dados e dos procedimentos de análise dos dados. As falas dos alunos são analisadas sob a perspectiva de Bernard Charlot no que diz respeito às relações de identidade, às relações sociais e às relações epistêmicas. A análise é organizada em subcapítulos, nos quais busco compreender as relações que envolvem as concepções e os significados atribuídos pelos alunos do Ensino Médio à escola, à aula, à música, à aula de música da escola e ao ensino e à aprendizagem em música. A identificação e a distinção dessas relações me permitiram perceber que a música tem sentido para os alunos e que a aula de música na escola é reconhecida como um espaço/momento de aprendizagens específicas relacionadas à música, e contribui para aprendizagens que levam ao desenvolvimento do sujeito no sentido amplo. / This work aimed at to understand the relations that underlie students' conceptions of, and their expectations to, the school music class. More specifically, it aimed to examine the students' conceptions and the meanings attributed to the school and to the class in general, to music, to the processes of music teaching and learning music and to the school music class. I started by reviewing the literature in order to understand the studies done about the different conceptions of youth, the relationships the youths establish with music, the meanings the students attribute to the school and, finally, some studies about that discuss proposed renewals in the legislation in force in Brazil for the secondary education, facing the situation that shows up in the reality of the schools. After that, I point out the elements elaborated by Bernard Charlot (2000) about the "theory of the relation with knowledge" and I focus on some terms and concepts elaborated by the author that will guide the data analysis. The research methodology presents the method of group discussion, the process of choosing the participants and of the formation of the groups, the procedures of data collection and the procedures of data analysis. The speeches of the students are analyzed under the perspective of Bernard Charlot in what concerns the relations of identity, the social relations and the epistemic relations. The analysis is organized in subchapters, aiming to understand the relations that involve the conceptions and the meanings attributed by the students of the secondary education to the school, the class, music, the music class and the processes of music teaching and learning. The identification of those relations allowed me to perceive that music has a meaning to the students and that school music class is recognized as a distinct space to learn music that also contributes to the students' development in a broad sense.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo compreender as relações que permeiam as concepções e expectativas de alunos do Ensino Médio a respeito da aula de música na escola. Os objetivos específicos procuram examinar suas concepções e os significados atribuídos à escola e à aula de um modo geral, à música, aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem em música e à aula de música na escola. Para tanto, parto de uma revisão de literatura no sentido de conhecer estudos que tratam das diferentes concepções de juventude, das relações entre os jovens e a música, dos sentidos atribuídos pelos jovens à escola, e de alguns estudos acerca das renovações propostas na legislação em vigor no Brasil para o Ensino Médio, frente à situação que se evidencia na realidade das escolas. A seguir, aponto os elementos elaborados por Bernard Charlot (2000) para "uma teoria da relação com o saber", e enfoco alguns termos e conceitos utilizados pelo autor, que permeiam a análise dos dados da pesquisa. Na metodologia trago o método de grupo de discussão e discorro a respeito da escolha dos participantes e da formação dos grupos, dos procedimentos de coleta dos dados e dos procedimentos de análise dos dados. As falas dos alunos são analisadas sob a perspectiva de Bernard Charlot no que diz respeito às relações de identidade, às relações sociais e às relações epistêmicas. A análise é organizada em subcapítulos, nos quais busco compreender as relações que envolvem as concepções e os significados atribuídos pelos alunos do Ensino Médio à escola, à aula, à música, à aula de música da escola e ao ensino e à aprendizagem em música. A identificação e a distinção dessas relações me permitiram perceber que a música tem sentido para os alunos e que a aula de música na escola é reconhecida como um espaço/momento de aprendizagens específicas relacionadas à música, e contribui para aprendizagens que levam ao desenvolvimento do sujeito no sentido amplo. / This work aimed at to understand the relations that underlie students' conceptions of, and their expectations to, the school music class. More specifically, it aimed to examine the students' conceptions and the meanings attributed to the school and to the class in general, to music, to the processes of music teaching and learning music and to the school music class. I started by reviewing the literature in order to understand the studies done about the different conceptions of youth, the relationships the youths establish with music, the meanings the students attribute to the school and, finally, some studies about that discuss proposed renewals in the legislation in force in Brazil for the secondary education, facing the situation that shows up in the reality of the schools. After that, I point out the elements elaborated by Bernard Charlot (2000) about the "theory of the relation with knowledge" and I focus on some terms and concepts elaborated by the author that will guide the data analysis. The research methodology presents the method of group discussion, the process of choosing the participants and of the formation of the groups, the procedures of data collection and the procedures of data analysis. The speeches of the students are analyzed under the perspective of Bernard Charlot in what concerns the relations of identity, the social relations and the epistemic relations. The analysis is organized in subchapters, aiming to understand the relations that involve the conceptions and the meanings attributed by the students of the secondary education to the school, the class, music, the music class and the processes of music teaching and learning. The identification of those relations allowed me to perceive that music has a meaning to the students and that school music class is recognized as a distinct space to learn music that also contributes to the students' development in a broad sense.