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In 2005, the Barenboim-Said Foundation launched the Early Childhood Music Education project in Andalusia (Spain) to promote music education for young children. Ten years later, an initial study was performed to evaluate the influence of the project on the development of the participating children. The results of this study form part of a broader ongoing research project, in collaboration with the University of Seville, aimed at investigating the influence of the Early Childhood Music Education project on general aspects of child development. This study has a quasi-experimental design, framed in Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, consisting of an experimental and a control group (n = 1101) and the administration of a questionnaire, adapted to measure and compare means between the two groups, as the sole measurement tool. The results, analysed using an independent samples t -test for the comparison of means and Cohen's d effect size, reveal statistically significant differences in the means of the dimensions of the experimental and control groups. This confirms the hypothesis that the Early Childhood Music Education project has a positive impact on the different dimensions, in accordance with Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of moral crisis in Indonesia is increasing quite rapidly for the past 20 years. Many experts believe that the crisis is indicator of failures in character and spiritual educations. Education has failed to build positive character . On the other hand selfishness, ignorance, aggressive and destructive behaviors become dominant in society. Therefore, appropriate educational solutions are needed to overcome this problem. Indonesia needs educational concepts, designs and implementations that can reintegrate aspects of cognitive, emotion, and spiritual intelligences. Music as one of aesthetic creations is believed to be able to positively contribute to the process of character building. This research aims to identify impacts of music on character building, and to identify its mechanism. Delphi technique was used in the process of collecting data. A group of experts consist of 3 academicians and 2 musicians were chosen as the data source and reference. Qualitative approach was used in analyzing the data and enhanced by comprehensive literature research. The research concluded that music influences various aspects of human; include physical, mental-spiritual, and behavior through its melody and harmony. The result strongly recommends music as medium in building the foundation of positive and noble characters. Therefore it is recommended to include music as part of instructional programs in every stage of education, most importantly in early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergraduate education must address student's developmental needs, as well as their learning needs. Yet, there has been little discussion regarding music therapy students' epistemological development, how that influences their education and clinical training, and how that understanding can in form educators and clinical supervisors. As part of an introductory music therapy course that was taught using collaborative learning consensus groups, students provided written and verbal comments about their experience and some students agreed to a series of interviews (Luce, 2002). This hermeneutic analysis of that data was based upon Perry's Scheme and Women's Ways of Knowing suggested that (a) the students' comments reflected the various perspectives or positions within the models, (b) the collaborative learning consensus groups facilitated transitions and movement within the models, and (c) there was a need for more research to understand music therapy students' developmental needs, to enhance teaching methods and pedagogy, and to address students' developmental needs as they prepare to enter the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop both personality and demographic profiles for students who are interested in majoring in music education or music therapy. Two primary questions were addressed in the study: (a) Are there similarities and differences in the personality types of music education and music therapy majors as measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)? (b) Are there similarities and differences in demographic characteristics of music education and music therapy majors in regard to (i) principal instrument studied in college, (ii) grade point average, (iii) scholarship awards, (iv) high school participation in private study and (v) ensembles, (vi) church/community participation, and (vii) volunteerism in high school? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essential part of music education/therapy is selecting music that will be meaningful to clients and students in order to motivate engagement and success in music activities. This study explores the concept of meaningfulness of music by drawing from theoretical interpretations and investigating possible factors associated with the term. Based on the constructs of purpose, security/efficacy, worthiness/self-worth, and value/importance, 10 statements were developed to identify factors associated with the perception of meaningfulness in a music listening task. Thirty-three college students utilized music identified as meaningful and not particularly meaningful, rating agreement with the ten statements. Results indicated that certain factors appeared to be more associated with the perception of meaningfulness in music than others. Specifically, being moved by music, the occurrence of memories or associations to music, and considering music as valuable, important, or a reflection of personal identity were important factors associated with meaningfulness. Suggestions for further research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I attempt to pull together sociological and geographical perspectives in the study of music to understand the ways in which pop and rock music are socio-cultural products with political and moral meanings and implications. I examine state engineering of moral panics, focusing on a case study of pop and rock music in post-independence Singapore. Such engineering is aimed at political and ideological ends, in particular, ‘nation’-building outcomes. In engineering moral panics through both discursive and legislative acts, the contours of a moral geography are delineated at various spatial scales. First, at the scale of the national and global, moral geographies are inscribed by the state, with the demarcation of national boundaries as the boundaries within which morality resides and beyond which belong negative decadent forces. Second, at the scale of the local and everyday, moral geographies are constructed in terms of certain nightspots, which are thought to be morally damaging, and to be contained. Third, at the spatial scale of the individual self, the body becomes the site of moral judgement. Through the policing of all these scales, moral geographies contribute to the construction of desired ‘Singaporean’ identities. Inasmuch as geographies are inscribed with moralities, so too music. The ‘new’ ‘western’ sounds of particular historical times, and more especially, the performative aspects of music embodying the sensual and the violent, are imputed with moral meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the third study in a line of inquiry whose purpose has been to develop a theoretical model of selected extramusical variables' influence on solo and small-ensemble festival ratings. Authors of the second of these (Bergee & McWhirter, 2005) had used binomial logistic regression as the basis for their model-formulation strategy. Their final model included as statistically significant variables time of day (morning/afternoon), type of event (solo/ensemble), performing medium (vocal/instrumental), school size classification (larger/smaller), district level of expenditure per average daily attendance (high/middle/low), and type of event by performing medium interaction. For the present study, we examined the stability of their model for a different data set. (the following year's ratings) by means of a similar but modified strategy. Among other modifications, we used multinomial instead of binomial logistic regression. Ultimately, the present study's model converged strongly on Bergee and McWhirter's preliminary one. Time of day, type of event, school size, district expenditure per average daily attendance, geographical district (metropolitan/nonmetropolitan), and the time of day by geographical district interaction contributed significantly to the present study's multinomial model. Theoretical modeling thus far suggests that performing as a soloist later in the day and entering from a large, metropolitan-area, relatively high-expenditure school serve as success influences. The multinomial model showed a gradation of influences from ratings of I through II to ≤ III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was conducted to assess the uses of microcomputers by college music therapy educators in their core program courses. Questionnaires were sent to the directors of 67 college programs. The questionnaires asked for information concerning whether respondents used microcomputers in their courses, whether the computers were used as a subject area focus or a hands-on teaching tool, what specific areas of focus the computer use involved, and in what areas respondents indicated the need for more information. Results are discussed and compared with the results of a previous survey in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information related to conceptualizing, initiating, and maintaining a private practice in the music therapy field. The author discusses her experience in establishing Music Therapy Services of Arizona (MTSA), an independent agency for providing services in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Contents include a description of the agency's concept and service provision and a discussion of practical business considerations for therapists considering private practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes six studies examining various facets of in formation processing in the remedial reading setting. The purpose was to determine whether dichotic presentation of vocabulary words and their definitions in one ear with music in the other would result in improved vocabulary scores. Subjects in all studies were seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students in a special reading program who were reading two to four grade levels lower than normal. Sixty vocabulary words were selected from graded vocabulary lists; 30 were used in the dichotic tape with music and the other 30 were used in both channels of the words/definitions-only tape. Sessions using dichotic tapes averaged 5 minutes in length, and all treatment sessions occurred over four consecutive classroom days. Students were pre and posttested to assess their knowledge of the vocabulary words. Each study is discussed in terms of the dichotic listening condition presented and the results obtained. Implications for future research examining hemispheric processing are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sedative instrumental background music on EMG-assis ted biofeedback relaxation training of spastic cerebral palsied adults. One group of subjects (n = 3) received EMG bio feedback relaxation training only, while the second group (n = 3) received similar treatment with a sedative instrumental music background. The sedative instrumental background music served as the independent variable; the dependent variable was the degree of tension of the finger extensor muscles of the arm of greatest involvement, as measured by the biofeedback mechanism. Each subject received three 20-minute training sessions per week for a 5-week period. Results showed a 32.5% mean decrease of muscle tension in the group receiving only the EMG biofeedback training. The group receiving the EMG biofeedback training with sedative background music demonstrated a mean decrease of 65%. Although results strongly favored the background music condition, the sample size was not sufficient for statistical analysis. Replication is suggested, using a sample size that would permit valid statistical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the correlation of music and self-esteem in elementary school boys with learning and behavior problems. It details the procedures for music development and behavioral research as well as the Coopersmith self-esteem measures including Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and Behavior Rating Form (BRF). It concludes that musical skill development may increase self-esteem and self-confidence in socially disadvantaged and problem students.

Narrates the author's encounter with two Pennsylvania couples who told him about how music had affected their lives. Couples' memories of their music education and music teachers; Inadequacy of opportunities to play music after high school; Value of music to children; Role of music teachers in shaping children's musical attitudes and involvement.