Music conservatories play an important role in the musical development of musicians. Students often choose to attend a conservatory because they are seeking to focus their efforts on honing their skills as performers, composers, or both. The use of music technology has increased in recent years as hardware and software has become more user friendly, resulting in the incorporation of music technology into the professional practice of musicians. While the innovation of technology has been swift, the adoption of music technology by educators in music conservatories has been slow when compared to those in other institutions of higher education. With each passing year, conservatories are graduating an increasing number of musicians who are met with greater expectations than those of previous generations. This multi-site case study investigated the perceived role of technology in the conservatory curriculum as reported by conservatory students and faculty. Further, this study examined the supports that are in place, for both students and faculty, in regard to integrating technology into current and future curricula. Research has been conducted to investigate the integration of technology into curricula; however, the research tends to focus on challenges for technology integration rather than technology as a tool for supporting sound pedagogical practice. Findings from this study indicate that students wish to see an increased presence of music technology in the curriculum as they hone their skills during their studies. Further, increased access to music technology, as well as support on using music technology in effective and engaging ways during instruction was identified. Conservatories can benefit from additional staff positions to support the use of music technology, frequent and relevant professional development for faculty, additional computer laboratories for student and faculty use, and increased communication between students, faculty and administration on the use of music technology throughout the conservatory. The implications of the findings and recommendations have the potential to positively impact the experience of students in conservatory communities. Future avenues of research might investigate the relevance of conservatory pedagogy in modern music performance and composition, pathways to support consistent and relevant professional development, and necessary supports to increase access to music technology for faculty and students.

Creating and performing electroacoustic music utilising interactive systems is now a well-established paradigm. Sensing technology can map gestures to sound generating processes, capturing the nuances of a gesture and sculpting the sound accordingly. Interactive installations enable audiences to become part of the process of realising a creative work. Yet many of the models and frameworks for interactive systems, specifically music focused systems, are strongly oriented around a MIDI event based framework, with little or no provision to accommodate the potentials of more dynamic approaches to creative practice. This research seeks to address the lack of appropriate models currently available and come to a more contemporary understanding of interactive music making. My approach follows two trajectories. Firstly, I undertake a comprehensive review of interactive creative works, encompassing the live electronic music of the 1950s and 1960s, interactive installation, digital musical instruments and computer networked ensembles. Secondly, I explore and draw together proposed definitions, models and classifications of interactive systems, clarifying concepts such as mapping, processing, gesture and response. The concepts are tested in a folio of creative works that form the creative research. VIDEO AND AUDIO FILES CAN BE ACCESSED AT UWS LIBRARY / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2002. / Title from electronic submission form. Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-254). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2007. / A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Communication Arts, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Title from title screen. Includes bibliographies. Thesis minus video and audio files also available online at: http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/35367.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2010. / "Graduate Program in Communication, Information and Library Studies." Includes bibliographical references (p. 232-251).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2002. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Technology non-use or active resistance towards technology is a pertinent issue in Human Computer Interaction, especially when we contemplate the ongoing changes regarding the concept of usability. By combining Theory of Practice and Theory of Materiality with Theory of Affect this thesis explores the resistance towards online streaming music technology among music enthusiasts devoted to vintage Vinyl music culture and also takes an effort to understand any possible effect of this voluntary non-use on the digital music industry. Qualitative research analysis is employed on ten in-depth semi structured interviews showing that material aspects and nostalgia, create an individualistic image and passion for record collection; furthermore, these aspects play a role behind the choice of non-use of online music technology.

Over the last decade digital technologies have brought significant changes to classroom music, promising support for the realisation of a musical education for all students. National curricula and exam specifications continue to embed technology more deeply. While these changes increasingly impact on music classrooms, there is a growing awareness that the presence of digital technologies may not always promote meaningful compositional development, particularly at GCSE level. A ‘musical’ curriculum seeks to promote meaningful compositional development by building upon a student’s previous musical experience and by providing practical, integrated and collaborative composing experiences. Existing empirical research demonstrates that a wide range of digital technologies are used in secondary classrooms to support students’ compositional processes. When used successfully, such technologies give rise to computer- mediated environments which promote musical composing experiences. At the same time, current models of compositional development do not adequately account for the ways in which such contextual factors mediate students’ compositional development. In response to this, the current research employs a multiple case study approach to explore the ways in which two secondary music students’ compositional development proceeds when working with digital technologies. Drawing from both symbolic interactionism and activity theory as complementary theoretical lenses, students’ own views of their developing composing process are positioned in a critical and reflexive dialogue with the researcher’s own constant analysis. Tools for data collection include a novel synchronous multiple video capture technique (SMV) developed to meet the demands of the project. The methodology draws on ethnographic techniques and the framework for analysis is based on an adapted constant comparative procedure. Set in the context of a UK secondary school the thesis explores several themes which emerge from the stories of Sam and Emily, our two student cases, and which add to current understanding of compositional development with computer-mediated environments. A theoretical model is proposed which presents the process of compositional development in terms of four connections that emerge from Sam’s and Emily’s ways of working. They are: connecting in institutional space, connecting in personalised space, connecting in emancipated space and connecting in shared space. Four developmental points are offered within these spaces: a point of enabling, a point of discovery, a point of transformation and a point of connection. Each point of development is linked to a type of development which, drawing on the literature, have been given the following titles: scaffolded development, serendipitous development, computer-mediated development and creative development. Finally, the study suggests several implications for teachers and avenues for further research relating to the nature of personalised spaces, providing varied contextual opportunities, understanding computer- mediated composing and promoting student ownership.