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This descriptive study reports analyses of titles (N = 636) and authors (N = 1,012) of published research papers presented at the 1st through 27th International Society for Music Education (ISME) Research Commission (RC) seminars from 1968 through 2018. We considered global impact based on manuscript citations, times countries or specific global regions appear in titles, country affiliation of authors, and sole or collaborative authorship. We further examined 7,348 individual words contained in the published paper titles. Data showed a chronological shift from sole to collaboratively authored manuscripts and an increase in the number of words used in titles (ranging from 2 to 31). Citations (N = 9,713), different countries (N = 158), and global regions (N = 40) in titles, and country affiliation of authors (N = 47) represent a strong global impact. Substantive keywords used in two or more titles align well with the founding principles and purposes of the commission. Perhaps the most salient finding is the manner in which collective data in this study supports and reinforces the extraordinary aspirations and intent of the ISME RC from 1968 to 2018 showing the past, present, and continued necessity of this unique organization of the ISME.

Acquiring nonverbal skills necessary to appropriately communicate and educate members of performing ensembles is essential for wind band conductors. Virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) provide a unique setting for developing these proficiencies. For this feasibility study, we used an augmented immersive VRLE to enhance eye contact, torso movement, and gestures of novice wind band conductors. Ten undergraduates randomly assigned to no VRLE (n = 3), VRLE with head tracking (n = 4), or VRLE without (n = 3) head tracking received eight treatment sessions over a 4-week period. While participants conducted a live ensemble, their eye contact, torso movements, and gestures were measured. A comparison of pretest and posttest scores showed that students using the augmented immersive VRLE with head tracking demonstrated greater conducting skill improvement than those not using virtual reality.

This study examined the effects of virtual reality immersion with audio on eye contact, directional focus and focus of attention for novice wind band conductors. Participants (N = 34) included a control group (n = 12) and two virtual reality groups with (n = 10) and without (n = 12) head tracking. Participants completed conducting/score study sessions twice a week for four weeks. Individual videotaped conducting sessions of a live ensemble before and after treatment served as pre and posttest measures. No significant (p > 0.05) changes due to virtual reality immersion were found. Further analyses with a larger dataset (N = 68) showed those working with audio (n = 34) significantly increased (p < 0.05) eye contact for the fast portion of the musical selection. Findings indicate (a) a sense of reality is created during virtual reality immersion and (b) the use of sound during score study may be beneficial for increasing conductor eye contact.

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 usernames, with postings under a single username ranging from 1 to 51. Users' self-reported country affiliation varied across 58 different countries. The number of countries represented in this sample indicates YouTube users from around the globe are interested in sharing music education content. Results relating to the content of videos categorized as relevant to music education (n = 1,352) revealed the most observed categories were performance (36%), followed by teaching (28%), public relations (27%), and industry (10%). Teaching videos were mostly tutorials (65%). Participants across all video categories were predominantly adults, university age, or fit multiple age categories.

University students (N = 30) individually listened to the Billboard 100 top-ranked musical selection for their most and least liked musical genre. Two minutes of silence preceded each musical listening condition, and heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded throughout. All HRV measures decreased during music listening as compared with silence. Dependent t-tests found significant decreases for beats per minute (p less than 0.01, like; p less than 0.001, dislike) and low frequency (p less than 0.01, like; p less than 0.05, dislike). A significant decrease in low-frequency/high-frequency ratio (p less than 0.05) was found for the dislike-music listening condition. A sign test showed no significant difference in the number of mean readings that increased or decreased for either music listening condition. Findings may support previous research that HRV decreases during mentally engaging tasks but may not support previous research that HRV readings could be a measure of emotional responding. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study compared face-to-face and videoconference private music lessons of one saxophone and two tuba students. One value of this study is the magnitude of the data analysis. More than 28,800 frames of digital video and verbatim scripts of all lessons were analyzed for time spent engaged in sequential patterns of instruction, performance, focus of attention, eye contact, and other nonverbal behaviors. Findings revealed teacher modeling occurred 28% more often (p less than 0.05) and off-task behaviors comprised 36% more time (p less than 0.01) during face-to-face lessons. Student performance increased more than 22% (p less than 0.05) and all eye contact increased during distance lessons. Overall, only a few differences were found for focus of attention and venue confining behaviors. Activities such as touching, instructors marking students' music, and pointing to specific places in the music occurred less than 1% of the time during face-to-face lessons. (Contains 2 tables.)

The study examined the effect of virtual reality immersion on eye contact, directional focus and focus of attention of thirty-eight undergraduate conductors. Subsequent to pretest conducting of a live ensemble, experimental groups were immersed in a virtual ensemble environment with (n = 13) or without (n = 12) motion-tracking. Control participants (n = 13) received no virtual reality exposure. All participants completed focus of attention questionnaires and live ensemble posttest conducting. Results showed a significant increase (p< .001) in mean eye contact and directional focus from pre to posttest for all groups; however, there was no significant difference among groups, nor was there a significant interaction (p > .05). While nonsignificant, questionnaire analyses showed virtual reality participants with motion-tracking focused their attention more on eye contact than participants of the other groups. Results should help guide future decisions regarding appropriate adaptations of virtual reality for music teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of computer generated virtual reality graded exposure on the physiological and psychological responses of performing musicians. Three upper division undergraduate saxophonists, two female and one male, performed while immersed in four virtual environments each designed to gradually increase the expected anxiety level of the performer. Heart rates and subjective measurements were taken throughout the exposure period. Results of this study indicated that virtual reality graded exposure did elicit physiological and psychological indications of increased anxiety in musical performance environments designed for that purpose. Findings also corroborated previous research that found gender to be a predictor of heart rate during performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an examination of the effect of computer-generated virtual reality graded exposure on the physiological and psychological responses of performing musicians. Eight university saxophone majors, five men and three women, participated in twelve 15- to 20-minute weekly practice sessions during which they were immersed in one of four different virtual environments designed to elicit various anxiety levels. Baseline heart rates and subjective measurements were taken prior to immersion and continued throughout the exposure period. In addition, heart rate and subjective measurements were recorded for three live performances given by each subject before beginning the virtual reality exposure and after completion of the sixth and the twelfth exposure sessions. Findings indicated that the virtual environments did elicit a sense of presence and may have provided the means for desensitization. Heart-rate readings and psychological indications of anxiety did not always correspond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]