The presence of popular music education in schools has expanded significantly in the past two decades within the United States in part due to the expansion of modern band programming. Initially developed and propagated by the non-profit organization Little Kids Rock (LKR), modern band is a term used to describe school-based ensembles that use…

The history of female piano teachers, especially those working with children, remains largely unstudied. Estelle Philleo (1880-1936) is one example from the early 20th century who specialized in group lessons for beginners. A New Woman who never married, she began as a junior piano teacher at the Michigan Female Seminary before graduating in 1902.…

The purpose of this study is to explore the life and work of Pierre Sancan (1916-2008), an exemplary piano teacher who, like many masters in the apprenticeship tradition, is chiefly remembered today by his pupils alone. An all-round musician, Sancan had early success as a composer when he won the Prix de Rome in 1943, and enjoyed a flourishing…

Anthony Johnson Showalter (c. 1853-1924) was a music educator, gospel composer, publisher, and considered a pioneer in gospel music and education in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Showalter is notably mentioned in numerous texts and studies related to gospel music; however, little data has been collected regarding the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the life and work of Frank William Westhoff (1863-1938), a leader in music education during the progressive era (circa 1890s-1950s). Research questions focused on his work as a music supervisor, teacher educator, pedagogue, and textbook author. I also explored Westhoff's contributions to the profession and…

By the middle of the twentieth century, American universities had evolved into powerful institutions with aggressive cultural agendas. Renewed interest in the arts provided a platform for composers employed by these universities to grow into powerful civic leaders. This article investigates the contributions of four modernist composers--Walter…

This study documents the music teaching and learning that took place in the U.S. Navy band program at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station (GLNTS) near Chicago during World War I, led by Lieutenant John Philip Sousa. The following six research questions helped guide this investigation: How did Sousa organize the Navy band program? What were the…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the historical development of Brazilian music education legislation in relation to the Brazilian public school, Colégio Pedro II. Located in Rio de Janeiro, Colégio Pedro II has consistently offered music instruction since its inception in 1837. The historical narrative presented in this article details…

The literature of pedagogical music for the piano was the center of unparalleled critical dialogue and scholarly discourse in nineteenth-century Europe. Focusing on the theory of piano pedagogy and the merit of pedagogical music, this discourse was unique not only because of its subject matter but also because it was shared, shaped, and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the life and work of Solomon W. Straub, who worked as a music teacher, composer, and publisher during the late nineteenth century. Straub was born in Butler Township of DeKalb County, Indiana, in 1842. He taught music in Dowagiac and Lansing, Michigan, before moving to Chicago, Illinois, in 1873. Straub…

The Cambiata Concept was one of the first methodologies used in the United States to teach boys to sing during the adolescent voice change. Previous practices of choir masters was to rest the voice during this time. They felt that by having boys sing during the voice change was damaging to the voice and would ruin the ability to sing after the…

"Music Educators Journal" is the profession's oldest continuously published journal, and it has grown to encompass the largest worldwide readership of any music education publication. It did not start that way. The journal began as an informal pamphlet known as "Music Supervisors' Bulletin" in 1914, changed its name to…

Originally rooted in aesthetics, David Elliott's thoughts about jazz education have changed considerably from his 1983 dissertation through his 1995 landmark book, "Music Matters," which outlined his praxial music education philosophy. The purpose of this article is to extrapolate the apparent evolution of David Elliott's thoughts about…