<p> Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects multiple systems including the respiratory tract. Thickened secretions in the airway must be removed to prevent deterioration of pulmonary function. Airway clearance techniques are based on physiological principles such as cephalad airflow, the combination of expiratory airflow with high frequency oscillation at the chest wall or oral cavity, and repetitive cough. Diaphragmatic breathing, respiratory muscle training, and voicing during therapy have also been shown to improve or maintain pulmonary function in CF patients. The physiology of airway clearance is similar to the physiology of singing, which involves controlled airflow resulting in pressure oscillations and vibration. Singers build awareness of their bodies and learn to manage their breath. It is also a relatively inexpensive and enjoyable activity that requires little equipment or space. Singing should not replace medically recommended therapies, but it may be a viable adjunct therapy.</p><p> In this concurrent mixed methods collective case study, the effects of nine private singing lessons on the pulmonary function, measured by FEV₁ and quality of life, measured by the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) of four CF patients were investigated. Participants also completed an exit questionnaire to determine their satisfaction with the lessons and impressions of the study. Lessons were taught by the same teacher and tailored to the needs of each participant. The teacher kept a journal of the proceedings of each lesson. To evaluate the efficacy of the lessons, the teacher assessed each participant before and after the lessons using a rubric and helped the participants to create modified phonetograms. Two single-factor analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were performed on the phonetograms to compare the pre and post voice lesson effects in terms of maximum and minimum sound pressure levels. Due to the small sample size, no further statistical analysis was performed, and the results of the study will be pilot data for future research.</p><p> Effects on FEV₁ were inconclusive, but the teacher observed all participants coughed during singing and not during conversation, suggesting the mobilization of mucus. All participants improved in the domain of body image on the CFQ-R. This, combined with comments from participants on the exit questionnaire about gaining confidence, suggests an overall improvement in self-esteem resulting from the lessons. Most participants also improved in the domain of physical functioning. Two participants improved significantly in terms of maximum vocal intensity as indicated by their phonetograms. The teacher was well informed about CF but did not need to structure the musical aspects of the lessons in any specialized way, although an emphasis was placed on breathing and the allowance and encouragement of coughing from participants, which is deviant from the norm. All participants reported satisfaction with the treatment and wrote about breath control being one of the most important gains from the lessons. All but one reported they would continue lessons if given the chance. The results suggest singing lessons may provide some airway clearance and improve the quality of life of adult CF patients. Further investigation of this topic is warranted.</p>

<p> Benjamin Britten wrote five pieces for the viola, the most well-known being the <i>Lachrymae, Op. 48: Reflections on a song of Dowland</i> written in 1950 for the Scottish violist William Primrose. Britten&rsquo;s other viola works were composed in 1930-1932 and were written for himself to perform as the violist. They were not published until after his death and have only recently been available for purchase. The intent of this treatise is to help make these lesser-known works to be more accessible for instructors in order to teach these pieces to young advancing violists. For the purpose of this study, advancing violists may be defined as students who generally are in high school or college with well-developed techniques such as vibrato, shifting, spiccato, and bow control. </p><p> This document includes a short biography of Benjamin Britten along with a pedagogical analysis of the pieces <i>Reflection for Viola and Piano (1930), Elegy for Viola Solo (1930), Two Portrait (1930) No. 2</i>, and <i> There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook</i>. The author studied each piece and worked with a pianist to establish proper tempos and fingerings. For rhythmically challenging ensemble passages, the author created original exercises for piano and viola to be played together. The author also has created original exercises for practicing difficult passages and improving techniques such as shifting. Musical examples, with alternate bowing and fingerings, are also discussed in this study.</p>

<p> Mariachi programs have gained interest and acceptance among music educators in most regions of the United States. Successful mariachi programs are energizing students and creating positive relationships between the schools and their communities. Mariachi programs are growing as more students identify and connect with this Mexican folkloric music. An example of a flourishing mariachi program can be found in the Las Vegas Clark County School District, which has seen its program grow from 250 students to over 3,000 since 2002. Considering that the Hispanic population is expected to reach about 106 million in 2050, about double what it is today, the potential for mariachi instruction in public schools will likely follow these growing population trends. However, due to the highly stylized idiomatic music that is mariachi, music educators not familiar with its innate teachings might hinder the art form at a pedagogical level. This research paper explores three current approaches to mariachi pedagogy in U.S. public education: informal, formal, and a hybrid approach between the two aesthetics. The hybrid approach will be the basis of rehearsal practice in preparing for &ldquo;Se&ntilde;or Trompetas&rdquo; in my graduate recital to test its efficacy to teaching authentic mariachi music.</p>

<p> The study of music performance is one that requires a great deal of time spent practicing independently. However, managing that practice time effectively is a challenge for student musicians and professional performers alike. A multifaceted approach to this problem, based on neuroscience principles, is proposed for making practice sessions more efficient and productive. </p><p> The purpose of this project is to answer one overarching research question: How can musicians achieve more efficient and better-informed practice sessions through an understanding of neuroscience research findings and principles? By gathering, synthesizing, and expanding upon previous research in the fields of neurobiology and music performance, this paper focuses on three important elements of the independent practice session - approaching new or unfamiliar pieces, scheduling practice time, and memorizing music.</p>

<p> Much of the operatic music of the eccentric French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) is overlooked, especially from his first full opera <i>Benvenuto Cellini.</i> This is due in part to many misconceptions surrounding Berlioz&rsquo;s vocal compositional style, which stem from the political atmosphere at the time of the opera&rsquo;s premiere in 1838 Paris when ill-willed critics renamed it <i>Malvenuto Cellini.</i> A general ignorance of this work and its music pervades the world of vocal pedagogy, having been excluded from the standard repertoire anthologies, where it can ironically be the most useful. The research presented in this project comprises original data from pedagogical and aesthetical surveys, as well as analytical comparisons of numerous arias and scenes.</p><p> The pedagogical surveys demonstrate that the work is mostly discounted or unknown among nationally respected pedagogues, who almost never assign any of these arias or scenes to their students. Yet, the aesthetical surveys show an appreciation of the music from an unbiased populous. Additionally, a study of the international production history of this opera, including cost and revenue statistics, supports the perpetuated trend of undeserved negativity towards <i>Benvenuto Cellini</i> when these supposed deterrents do not inhibit productions of other highly expensive or lesser-known operas. A microcosmic analysis of audition data furthers the idea that the world of vocal pedagogy is married to a canon of arias, which leaves little room for repertoire diversity or experimentation for voice students and creates an educational gap in their lack of exposure to this music. As pedagogical tools, respected voice professors almost universally use specific styles of arias and scenes from different eras and cultures to teach their students technical, musical, and dramatic stage concepts. In the case of nineteenth-century French Romanticism, the diverse music from <i>Benvenuto Cellini</i> fulfills these needs and also incorporates Italianate influences, while simultaneously serving as a reference point for succeeding Germanic declamatory style. It encapsulates Romantic thought and factors into the plethora of works that feature the life of Renaissance Mannerist sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571). Comparative analyses of arias and scenes from Berlioz&rsquo;s opera to the works of other composers included in the standard repertory, such as Mozart, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Donizetti, and Verdi, elucidate the equivalent quality and invaluable importance of this music.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2004. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 56 p.; also includes illustrations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 56). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

<p> This study examined the use of teaching aids to support or remediate left and right hand setup in beginning string students. 148 teachers of beginning strings students were surveyed to examine what commercial and homemade aids, props or devices they use to help their students establish or correct setup of the left wrist position, left hand fingering, right hand bow hold, and the ability to bow straight. Teachers were also asked to rate the perceived effectiveness of the teaching aids used. A catalog of all teaching aids described in the study is included in the appendix. </p><p> 82.2% of teachers surveyed did not use teaching aids to establish or correct the left wrist position, although the teachers who did use teaching aids for this purpose considered the aids effective. For developing the left hand position and intonation, the surveyed teachers were almost unanimous in their use of teaching aids: 99.4% used teaching aids for this purpose, and 93% of those teachers indicated that the aids were effective. 79.3% of survey respondents used teaching aids to develop or remediate the bow hold, and 98.3% of those teachers indicated that the bow hold teaching aids they used were effective. Only 59.3% of respondents reported that they used teaching aids to help students develop the ability to bow straight, although 97.7% of those teachers considered that the teaching aids were effective for this purpose. More than half of the teachers surveyed were considered &ldquo;experienced&rdquo; (eleven or more years of teaching) and were the largest group of users of teaching aids for all four set-up areas. The use of teaching aids did not seem to be contingent upon the number of students taught at a time. </p><p> Experienced and less-experienced teachers used both commercial and homemade teaching aids when teaching any size of group, from individual students to large ensembles. Many creative ideas for homemade aids were shared by the respondents and are included in the comprehensive catalog of teaching aids described in the study.</p><p>

In 1983, Howard Gardner shook the foundations of intelligence testing and the field of education by suggesting that there are seven distinct intelligences. These intelligences had testable and distinct attributes that were supported by his research at the Boston Veterans Administration. This research cited the existence of savants and prodigies, isolation by brain damage, and psychometric findings as support for Multiple Intelligence Theory. Widely accepted by the education community at large, the application of MI principles has been further elaborated in the writings of Thomas Armstrong and David Lazear. Can the principles of Multiple Intelligence Theory be applied in the area of modern vocal pedagogy? After surveys of the foundations of vocal pedagogy and the principles ofMI theory, the author suggests they can. What follows is an analysis of two current vocal pedagogy texts, Van Clu·isty's Foundations in Singing and Jan Sclunidt's Basics of Singing to determine the variety and use ofMI principles in each. After the analysis, the author suggests applications of MI principles, using aspects of their song learning chapters as a template that can be adapted to any vocal pedagogy text.

The fundamental purpose of teacher professional development programs is to improve instructional effectiveness and increase student learning. However, the target district offered no programs that focused on helping teachers develop strategies to meet state standards in music education. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate elementary and middle school music educators' perceptions regarding the need for targeted professional development programs. Self-determination theory served as the foundation for this study. Research questions concerned participants' views of the impact of district professional development programs on their competency in enhancing students' musical skills and their decision-making and connectedness with other music education teachers. Participants included a unique purposeful sampling of 9 music educators. Data from individual questionnaire interviews, a focus group, and a reflective field journal were analyzed for key themes. These themes were relevant professional development, limited access to resources, and lack of time for music professional development. Participants perceived that effective professional development provided music educators with sufficient time to plan, network, and collaborate with one another and incorporated relevant resources. Based on these findings, a professional development workshop was designed to help music educators in developing a professional learning team. Targeted professional development programs, such as the one developed in this study, may help music educators increase student achievement, which may potentially result in positive social change.

Due to a break in its practice and pedagogy during the Classical and Romantic Eras, many misconceptions regarding the Baroque natural trumpet remain today. As newly discovered instruments and pedagogical materials have become known and disseminated, a resurgence in the performance of the natural trumpet has occurred, but its practice is still often conceived as wholly separate from modern trumpet technique. This study clarifies long-held misconceptions about the natural trumpet, describes its physical, pedagogical, and technical traits in comparison with the modern trumpet, and demonstrates that its concurrent practice with the modern trumpet is not only possible, but significantly beneficial. Qualities unique to the Baroque natural trumpet bestow upon it tremendous pedagogical potential for its simultaneous study with the modern trumpet. The possible benefits of this concurrent practice include increased embouchure strength, efficiency and endurance, the elimination of even badly entrenched negative habits, stronger fundamental abilities, and a better understanding of the performance of Baroque trumpet music. The plausibility of these pedagogical gains is evidenced by both modern and Baroque pedagogical literature, the scientific principles behind playing both types of trumpet, and the experiences of professional trumpeters who have demonstrated high levels of proficiency on both instruments.