Why should bringing the power of music into student learning be a challenge--even more so when the class comprises students deemed in need of "special education"? To address this question, three case studies are presented of Hong Kong special schools music teachers experienced in teaching students with intellectual disabilities at senior…

This paper discusses new empirical evidence for a positive relationship between musical learning and desistance from crime. On investigating the learning processes occurring within a Javanese gamelan project in a young offender's institution, parallels between musical learning processes and the development of certain attributes linked to…

In Wales, one of the seven core aims of the Welsh Government is the importance of allowing the voices of young people to be heard. This investigation placed pupil voice at its centre, exploring the impact of "Musical Futures" during the 2011-2012 pilot in three schools in Wales. Semi-structured interviews with focus groups of six to…

The body of research examining deliberate practice and self-regulation in musical instruction has grown extensively over the past several decades, while at the same time many practices in the independent music studio remain unchanged and/or under-researched. Compelling evidence indicates that students with high levels of self-regulation experience…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of singing video games on the pitch-matching skills of undergraduate students. Popular games like "Rock Band" and "Karaoke Revolutions" rate players' singing based on the correctness of the frequency of their sung response. Players are motivated to improve their…

This article reports a qualitative study that examined students' experiences of creating podcasts within an undergraduate music education course. Future music educators used digital media technology to assemble and share reflections on significant interactions with music throughout their lives, combining spoken narrative and musical excerpts…

The purpose of this study was to estimate, at a national level and over time, the participation rates of males and females among those students who formally enrol in American high school music ensembles. Ten cohorts of nationally representative samples of students from 1982 and 2009 were analysed using data from High School Transcript Studies…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the practice strategies that collegiate music majors chose to employ in preparing for a jazz improvisation performance, and the relationships among selected practice behaviours and achievement in instrumental jazz improvisation. Participants for the study (N = 62) were enrolled as music majors…

Students now-a-days have to develop international skills to be successful in this global environment, and choosing a sound destination country is a crucial issue to the success of their overseas study. On the other hand, since international students may contribute a great deal to the host country's educational quality and its economy,…

This paper evaluates three teaching approaches to improving sight-reading skills against a control in a large-scale study of advanced pianists. One hundred pianists in four equal groups participated in newly developed training programmes (accompanying, rhythm, musical style and control), with pre- and post-sight-reading tests analysed using…

The claim of whether music education can create social benefits in the school environment was tested in 10 Finnish schools with an extended music curricular class and control classes. The quality of school life (QSL) was assessed by a representative sample ("N" = 735) of pupils at years 3 and 6 (9- and 12-years-olds). The results showed…

There is now an accepted need for initiatives that support older people's well-being. There is increasing evidence that active engagement with music has the potential to contribute to this. This paper explores the relationship between musical possible selves and subjective well-being in later life. The research reported here formed part of a…

This article reports the findings of a pilot project undertaken by a professional freelance chamber orchestra in collaboration with conservatoire-based researchers exploring the potential value of professional development activities for musicians and their employers. Key members of the orchestra took part in two improvisation workshops,…

Literature reviews suggest that traditional approaches in folk music education are not necessarily compatible with the conventions of formal music education. Whilst many recent studies have tended to define these non-classical music learning contexts as "informal", the practice of folk transmission music appears to be much more complex…

This article reports on a study into factors that contribute to the employability of music graduates as teachers. By considering the results of a survey that covered a range of contexts, as well as interviews with secondary school head teachers, it considers the relationship between self-identity and employability. It finds that, in developing…