Gender stereotypes in musical instrument selection have been studied for over 40 years. However, little research has been conducted on the importance of reducing the impact of factors that affect the stereotyping of musical instruments within the framework of sociology. Gender stereotypes of musical instruments emerge in early childhood and have…

In higher music education, there remains a tendency toward instruction that places the teacher at the center and keeps the role of students as recipients of knowledge bestowed upon them by the instructor. And while there are innovations in education that challenge this paradigm, the research on these innovative techniques, particularly in higher…

In this descriptive study, we examined the influences and experiences motivating students to enter college-level music schools as reported by a population of precollegiate students auditioning (but not yet accepted) to music education degree programs. As a follow-up to a published pilot study, this research was designed to quantify the various…

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) has been employed as a theoretical framework that predicts and explains an individual's intention to engage in a certain behavior. The TPB postulates that an individual's behavior is influenced by behavioral intentions, and behavioral intentions are caused by three distinct factors: attitude toward behavior,…

Asmus's model of achievement motivation in music established a framework for the study of motivation in music education. Student perceptions of self were included in the model as a dynamic factor in student motivation to accomplish music learning tasks. Research has revealed further teacher influence on student motivation and perceptions of self…

Background: Despite increasing interest in teachers' and students' conceptions of learning and teaching, and how they influence their practice, there are few studies testing the influence of teachers' conceptions on their students' learning. Aims: This study tests how teaching conception (TC; with a distinction between…

Music teachers may feel most comfortable teaching the music they know, in the way that they were taught and in the way that they were taught to teach it. Music and the teaching of music is a strong part of their professional musical identity. Adolescents have a passionate attachment to music but insist that this must be on their terms, which may…

Boys who sing in school are often marginalized, taunted, sometimes called "gay." What if "singer" is someone's whole identity, and that person also happens to be gay? This autoethnography (Ellis, 2004) is a story of the education and development of such a singer and how, within this context, a voice teacher with an empowering…

When the author retired from teaching after thirty-seven years, he had taught elementary school, junior high school, and thirty years at Johns Hopkins University. He always loved being in the classroom with his students. They energized him, inspired him, humbled him, and taught him in many ways. He learned more from them than they learned from…

Why do so few students continue to participate in choral music through high school? How do home influences, peers, prior music experiences and teachers, self-perceptions of ability, and musical experiences outside of school contribute to decisions concerning participation in school music? This study attempted to identify some of the factors and…

Describes the life of Nadia Boulanger and her influence on musicians and the twentieth century musical scene. A simulated lecture consisting of quotes from lectures, interviews, and conversations over the last 50 years presents Boulanger's outlook on education, teaching, music, art, and life. (AM)

Presents results of a study of the relationship between the diagnostic skills of string music teachers and the performance competencies of their students. Reports no significant relationship between teacher skills and student competencies. Presents teacher ratings of the influence of 22 factors on students' musical achievement. (SG)

Examines influence of classroom environments, measured by the Classroom Environment Scale, Form R (CESR), on vocal and instrumental ensembles' musical achievement at festival contests. Using random sample, reveals subjects with higher scores on CESR scales of involvement, affiliation, teacher support, and organization received better contest…

Profiles music scholar Charles L. Seeger and his contribution to U.S. musical life. Seeger played a significant role in introducing vernacular music to schools, extending the definition of U.S. music in the curriculum, presenting music as a cultural subject, and promoting musical diversity in the classroom. (MJP)

Presents an interview with premier jazz pianist Billy Taylor. Taylor talks about the support and encouragement he received from his family and schools. He also discusses his work with young people and his support for education and the arts. (MJP)