The purpose of this study was to investigate the rehearsal characteristics of "superior" middle and high school band directors. A total of 131 respondents from Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina who received a "superior" rating for 4 out of the past 5 years, completed an open-ended essay question online asking them to…

Neuroscientists have worked for over two decades to understand how the brain processes music, affects emotions, and changes brain development. Much of this research has been based on a model that compares the brain function of participants classified as musicians and nonmusicians. This body of knowledge reveals a large number of benefits from…

The article is based on a phenomenological way of thinking about knowledge and learning and will treat the concepts of response and critical friends as ways of sharing experience in higher music education. The problem area I want to illuminate is how teachers, who educate musicians, can use and facilitate development of their students' skills…

Preservice elementary education majors are required at many colleges and universities to take a course in music methods to become certified in their field. These courses are offered because they are a valuable component of a well-rounded liberal arts education and helps preservice educators to teach students in a well-rounded fashion. They are…

Music education researchers and conducting pedagogues have identified numerous behaviors that contribute to increased verbal and nonverbal teaching effectiveness of conductors on the podium. This article is a review of literature concerning several conductor behaviors that may (a) increase the effectiveness of rehearsals, (b) enhance the…

The purpose of this project was to examine adult learning perceptions of a model music program with group piano instruction and group percussion ensemble for beginning-level musicians (ages 60-86 years). Participants were matched by age and education to two 16-week music programs. Forty participants completed a post-training questionnaire related…

Recent research indicates students of low socioeconomic status (SES) who participate in the arts have better social and academic outcomes than those who do not participate in arts instruction. Because many students in urban areas are from low SES, music instruction could be particularly beneficial. However, because of various factors, enrollment…

The purpose of this article is to consider the impact of social skills on the potential success of future music educators. Studies indicate that effective social skills directly affect success in the classroom and in the social context of educational environments. Ineffectual social skills can contribute to feelings of isolation, burnout,…

This study investigated influences encouraging active music engagement beyond the high school and college years among nonmusic majors who are actively engaged in music. A web survey yielded a 50% response rate (N = 476) from nonmajor students enrolled in performing organizations at a large Midwestern public university, whose responses addressed…

Various issues relating to education and religion continue to appear in federal court. One issue that is most relevant to music educators is the use of religious music in school music curriculum. Although no federal guidelines exist as to what is acceptable usage, a number of federal cases have addressed the various issues, from the use of…

It is the aim of this investigation through literature review to identify teacher characteristics that may best promote social capital in students, thereby improving their ability to succeed in society. This review defines success as the procurement of a career-aimed occupation or a prestigious occupation. Consequently, it intends to (a) provide a…

This content analysis sought to determine information related to users uploading, general content, and specific characteristics of music education videos on YouTube. A total of 1,761 videos from a keyword search of "music education" were viewed and categorized. Results for relevant videos indicated users posted videos under 698 different…

This qualitative study investigated the role of music in the lives of those affected by the Holocaust. Participants were identified through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques, and a total of five were selected based on their connection to the Holocaust. Participants included those incarcerated in camps and ghettos, those who escaped…

The purpose of the study was to describe research leaders' perceptions of the relative importance of various research preparation opportunities for future music education professors. The 122 questionnaire respondents answered 38 Likert-type and open-ended content questions that asked about research experiences, research skills, research…

Based on the needs for viable melodic dictation strategies and thoughtful approaches to teaching prerequisite skills, the central research question guiding this qualitative study was as follows: What strategies do dictation takers describe having used on successfully completing a standard melodic dictation? Six sophomore music majors, recommended…