This report is a summary of two studies. In the first, we compared examples of Irish fiddle performances with Western classical violin performances. Acoustical analyses showed that both classical examples produced average spectral centroids higher in frequency, higher harmonic to noise ratios, more use of vibrato, more disjunct intervals, and less…

This article presents the findings of a study that explored the composition of Canadian educational music. Particularly, the authors focus on the analyses of composers' scores on creating new string compositions for young musicians within the "New Sounds of Learning Project." On a macro level, the composers predominantly composed…

There is an expected increase in the need to provide adequate string-specific training for non-string specialists in the future and for preservice music teachers to develop the requisite pedagogical content knowledge to teach a variety of instruments. A multiyear instrumental lab ensemble university course was designed to help preservice music…

The purpose of this study was to examine K-12 instrumental music education in North Carolina. Specifically, we investigated course offerings, teacher demographics, teaching responsibilities, and music program funding. We administered a survey to the members of the North Carolina Music Educators Association listserv who indicated band or orchestra…

The purpose of this study was to examine the assigned ratings, interrater reliability, and possible influences of school level and instrumentation on adjudicators' evaluations of orchestra performances at a national-level adjudicated music festival. Data consisted of the overall ratings assigned to orchestra performances (N = 55) at the 2017,…

The pedagogical literature strongly suggests that when a musician works on a specific piece of repertoire, one should choose practice strategies tailored to the challenges presented by that material. Such a behavioral choice could represent an instantiation of focused and deliberate practice, a critical aspect of the relationship between…

The case presented in this study focused on the experiences of students enrolled in a Saturday day music program situated in an underserved community. Students in this community represent a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, and we were interested in whether younger students in the program would benefit from receiving lessons from an older…

The rise in demand for string teachers is a sign of support for string programs across the United States. Despite an increase in string teacher positions, there is growing concern regarding the lack of qualified string music education graduates to fill the vacancies, sometimes leading administrators to close programs. This study investigated the…

The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between the extent of high-level violin performers' movement during performance and evaluators' perceptions of their musicality. Stimuli were 10 excerpts of solo violin performances from the 2015 "Tadeusz Wronski International Violin Competition for Solo Violin," selected to…

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine the status of school orchestra programs in Oregon and to explain the reasoning behind the descriptive data. The quantitative phase of the study reported the data on the number of school districts and schools by type that offer orchestra instruction as well as the profile…

The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of repertoire performed by youth orchestras in the United States. Through an online survey, youth orchestra administrators (N = 39) provided information about repertoire performed by their program's premier orchestra during their 2015-2016 season. Orchestras performed 302 different…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tonic drone accompaniment on the intonation of violinists and violists. Twenty-eight middle and high school students performed an ascending diatonic line and a descending dominant 7th arpeggio on the violin or viola in three trials: pretest, posttest accompanied with drone, and posttest…