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TitleThe effects of instrumental training on the music notation reading abilities of high school choral musicians
NameKlemp, Barbara A. (author), Hackworth, Rhonda (chair), Berz, William (internal member), Chrisman, Richard (internal member), Nicosia, Judith (internal member), Kunkel, Jeffrey (outside member), Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts,
Degree Date2010-01
Date Created2010
SubjectMusic Education,
Sight-singing,
Sight-reading (Music),
Musical notation
DescriptionThis study examined the effects of instrumental training on the music notation reading abilities of high school choral musicians. Subjects (N = 46) were members of two curricular choral ensembles who engaged in contrasting treatments between pretest and posttest assessments. Survey results indicated musical backgrounds and experiences of the sample, in addition to a demographic profile with regard to age, grade level, and gender. Subjects were placed in subgroups dependent upon 1) their instrumental ensemble experience and 2) whether they had at least one year of private piano study. Throughout the 6-week 300-minute treatment, members of the control group experienced a vocal-only approach to sight-singing, and the experimental group a vocal-instrumental approach, using keyboards. Pretest to posttest score comparisons were made in various configurations within the sample.
Significant differences were found to exist between pretest scores of subjects with and without at least one year of private piano study, but not between students with and without instrumental ensemble experience. There was a significant improvement from pretest to posttest scores within the two groups, but not between. Control group subjects without instrumental ensemble experience and with at least one year of private piano study showed significant improvement in pretest to posttest scores. In the experimental group, subjects with instrumental ensemble experience, and those with and without at least one year of private piano study showed significant improvement from pretest to posttest scores.
Examination of statistical results and raw score analysis indicated the vocal-instrumental method to be more effective in training high school choral musicians to sight-sing. Background factors, particularly piano experience, were found to have a positive effect on sight-singing achievement. Further research investigating the impact of antecedent factors to sight-singing achievement may assist educators, parents, and curriculum specialists in designing comprehensive school music programs that realize the potential of student ability in the area of reading music notation.
Significant differences were found to exist between pretest scores of subjects with and without at least one year of private piano study, but not between students with and without instrumental ensemble experience. There was a significant improvement from pretest to posttest scores within the two groups, but not between. Control group subjects without instrumental ensemble experience and with at least one year of private piano study showed significant improvement in pretest to posttest scores. In the experimental group, subjects with instrumental ensemble experience, and those with and without at least one year of private piano study showed significant improvement from pretest to posttest scores.
Examination of statistical results and raw score analysis indicated the vocal-instrumental method to be more effective in training high school choral musicians to sight-sing. Background factors, particularly piano experience, were found to have a positive effect on sight-singing achievement. Further research investigating the impact of antecedent factors to sight-singing achievement may assist educators, parents, and curriculum specialists in designing comprehensive school music programs that realize the potential of student ability in the area of reading music notation.
NoteD.M.A.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references (p. 103-118)
Noteby Barbara A. Klemp
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttp://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10000700001.ETD.000052344
Languageeng
CollectionMason Gross School of the Arts Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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