Search

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, 2018, and 2019 American String Teachers Association's National Orchestra Festival (NOF). Analysis revealed that 83.64% of all participating orchestras earned a I/Superior or II/Excellent overall rating. A logistic regression model revealed that both school level and instrumentation were not significant predictors of earning a I/Superior overall rating. Individual members of each three-judge adjudication panel assigned identical ratings to 61.82% of orchestra performances and possessed a mean internal consistency of .90. Orchestra teachers can use the results of this study to weigh the educational benefits of participating in the NOF.

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 pieces of music by 158 different composers. "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky, "Carmen Suite No. 1" by Georges Bizet, and "Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture" by Mikhail Glinka were performed most frequently. Approximately three quarters of all compositions were written after 1850, and only 7.14% were composed after 2000. Compositions by Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, and Brahms were the most frequently performed, and female composers only wrote 0.78% of the repertoire performed by youth orchestras during their 2015-2016 season. Conductors should use these findings as an impetus to identify culturally diverse repertoire appropriate for youth orchestras by non-male composers.

Adjudicated festival ratings can affect developing musicians, ensemble directors, and music programs long after festival performances end. With prior research demonstrating that adjudicators provide an abundance of positive ratings at festivals, this article discusses how ratings--both appropriate and inappropriate--may influence students' musical development and the growth of music programs, as well as ensemble directors' professional development. Based on their personal teaching philosophies and the discussion points in this article, directors are encouraged to determine whether their current adjudicated festivals stimulate or obstruct the development of their students, their music programs, and themselves.

This study examined the relationship between library instruction and student achievement. Dependent variables included grade in course, course completion rates, and overall GPA. There were significant relationships between participation in library instruction and completion of the course for which library instruction was attended, participation in library instruction and grade in course, and participation in library instruction and GPA. The results indicate that library instruction is an instructional strategy that faculty can use to contribute to improved student performance. This article describes the research study, the results of this study, and makes recommendations for future actions and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to examine attitudes toward private lesson teaching of a cross-section of string instrument instructors ("N" = 1,617). The participant pool was drawn from the membership of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Results were similar in many ways to responses in previous studies also involving music faculty and music students. These groups indicated that they liked teaching, liked the challenges of teaching musicians, and believed preparation for teaching is important. Depending on the age of their students, they also enjoyed talking about pedagogical issues with students. Engaging the membership of organizations such as ASTA will be necessary if the profession is to find additional ways to provide educational opportunities for musicians interested in teaching. (Contains 1 table.)

Social work is invested in supporting positive change for individuals and communities grappling with natural disasters within a changing climate. This scoping review investigated the extent, range and nature of longitudinal research examining contextual influences on experiences of post-traumatic growth (PTG) following a natural disaster. Literature searches of four databases were conducted from December 2021 to April 2022 to identify thirty-two longitudinal studies. Thematic analysis identified themes relating to the impacts of contextual factors on experiences of individual growth, across relational, social, structural and time dimensions. The quality and quantity of relational and social support were found to be significant in facilitating growth; these findings have important implications for social work practice in disaster recovery, which utilises a person-in-environment lens to strengthen the contextual resources that support positive changes. Other contextual factors that may influence PTG, including structural, cultural and time factors, remain understudied. In advocating for a critical person-in-environment approach, social work is uniquely positioned to move beyond existing individualistic conceptualisations and contribute a more holistic understanding of growth to enhance future disaster recovery interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A considerable number of scientific journals have been launched recently. Evolutionary Ecology Research seeks to operate liberal dissemination rules and to publish as cheaply as possible. Animal Cognition covers cognitive issues across a broad range of species, but will have to compete with several journals already publishing papers on this subject. Pattern Analysis and Applications seeks to focus on unusual techniques and industrial applications of pattern recognition.