The teaching of choral sight singing Analyzing and understanding experienced choral directors perceptions and beliefs
The teaching of choral sight singing Analyzing and understanding experienced choral directors perceptions and beliefs
The teaching of choral sight singing Analyzing and understanding experienced choral directors perceptions and beliefs
Dissertation
W
ANALYZING AND UNDERSTANDING EXPERIENCED
2015
ProQuest Number: 3708172
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
W
IE
EV
ProQuest 3708172
Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author.
This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346
W
IE
EV
PR
© 2015 by
RONALD BYRON SANDERS
All rights reserved
PR
EV
IE
W
Acknowledgements
inspiring.
W
improved upon a few of my superficial ideas and suggested ways to make
IE
them more significant in the field of music education. I thank him for
his drive for perfection, which inspired me through the final phases of
EV
this process. I also want to thank Dr. Vu for his comprehensive analysis.
This document is more relevant because of Dr. Vu. I also want to thank
PR
Guerra, Joy Hirokawa, Bill and Jana Williams who, through sleepless
music teachers, Mrs. Irma Taute, Drs. Robert Matthews, Kenneth Fulton
iv
and Charles Hausmann who, through their encouraging words,
education.
Special thanks to the focus group members who took part in the
data collection. Thank you for your kind participation and professional
W
I wish to also express my heartfelt thanks to all my colleagues who
are currently serving as music educators. I salute you for your tenacity
IE
and genuine care you show your students every day. I am encouraged
EV
by your skills, your ability to problem-solve, and by your insatiable
v
THE TEACHING OF CHORAL SIGHT SINGING:
W
ABSTRACT
high school and middle school choral music educators addressed seven
PR
vi
independent, self-reliant musicians. Individual sight-singing assessment
W
more efficient and more effective in today’s choral music classrooms.
While there are some very good sight-singing materials in print, music
IE
publishers who contemplate printing new instructional material should
EV
offer a holistic approach to musicianship. Adjudicators for choral sight-
not merely on performing the correct notes and rhythms. Many more
vii
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I ............................................................................................ 1
Introduction .......................................................................................... 1
Purpose of the study. ................................................................ 5
Rationale for the study. ............................................................. 7
Methodology .............................................................................. 9
Delimitations. ......................................................................... 11
Importance of the study. ......................................................... 12
CHAPTER II ......................................................................................... 15
Literature Review ................................................................................. 15
Sight singing history in the United States. ............................... 15
W
Sight singing research. ............................................................ 19
Sight singing assessment. ....................................................... 31
Sight singing in choral music education. ................................. 39
IE
Summary of the review of literature. ........................................ 45
CHAPTER III ........................................................................................ 48
Methodology ........................................................................................ 48
EV
Overview and identification of research design......................... 49
Identifying the subjects. .......................................................... 51
Research procedure................................................................. 59
Pilot study. .......................................................................... 59
Enlisting the subjects........................................................... 60
PR
viii
Dolores Peadmont ................................................................ 80
Elise Whitenhauser .............................................................. 81
Research question number one. .............................................. 83
Creating self-reliant singers. ................................................ 83
Confirming self-reliant singers. ............................................ 89
Cultivating self-reliant musicians. ........................................ 92
Developing a musical ear. ................................................. 92
Developing a confident musician. ...................................... 93
Research question number two. .............................................. 94
Moveable Do - understanding its benefits and limitations. .... 95
Fixed Do - understanding its benefits and difficulties. ........ 101
Numbers - understanding its benefits and limitations. ....... 105
Research question number three. .......................................... 107
1. Sing at Sight .................................................................. 108
W
2. Songs for Sight Singing .................................................. 112
3. University Interscholastic League Sight Singing Pieces ... 115
4. InSight-Singing - Volume I & II....................................... 117
IE
5. Keys to Sight Singing Success ........................................ 120
6. The Folk Song Sight Singing Series, Grade I–IV .............. 122
7. Music Reading Unlimited ............................................... 125
EV
8. Patterns of Sound .......................................................... 126
9. Music Literacy for Singers, Volumes I – IV ...................... 127
10. Ninety Days to Sight-Singing Success........................... 128
11. Rhythmic Training ....................................................... 129
12. Sight Singing................................................................ 129
PR
ix
Secondary choral music teachers. ...................................... 187
College and university choral music educators. .................. 187
Public school principals and fine arts administrators. ........ 188
High school sight-singing contest boards of governors. ....... 189
Adjudicators of choral sight-singing contests. ..................... 190
Composers of sight-singing music. ..................................... 192
Publishers of sight-singing materials for classroom use. ..... 192
Publishers of sight-singing music for contests and festivals.195
Students. ........................................................................... 196
Future research. ................................................................ 197
Final thoughts. .................................................................. 200
APPENDIX A ...................................................................................... 202
IRB Approval ..................................................................................... 202
W
APPENDIX B ...................................................................................... 204
First Contact Letter ........................................................................... 204
IE
APPENDIX C ...................................................................................... 205
Follow Up Electronic Mail .................................................................. 205
APPENDIX D...................................................................................... 206
EV
Informed Consent .............................................................................. 206
APPENDIX E ...................................................................................... 210
REFERENCES ................................................................................... 225
PR
x
1
Chapter I
Introduction
for others, formal singing as an art form may take years of study to
and 10.1 million children in the United States participate in some form of
W
interest in singing into public education, music educators have sought
the most effective means for educating young singers in the art of
IE
singing.
EV
MENC, the Music Educators National Conference (now known as
specific musical skills that each state should adopt in their standard
PR
repertoire of music;
(MENC 1994).
In 2014, the NAfME replaced the 1994 standards with what are
now called the National Core Music Standards (NAfME, 2014). These
W
new standards of music education reflect a more technology-enhanced
artistic concepts and ideas conveyed by others. The new standards also
place a new focus on college and career readiness and place a greater
PR
the new standards place an emphasis upon the development and refining
at sight (NAfME, 2014). The present study considered the fifth element
3
W
to his survey included sight-singing instruction as a regular part of their
United States. For example, in 1992, the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
among choral directors concerning the nature of sight singing itself, its
For example, for what purpose was sight singing taught? Were
4
qualities in each of the melody reading systems - fixed Do, movable Do,
and Numbers? How were they different? How were they the same? How
were they viewed and what were the perceived contributions they each
W
made in choral music classrooms?
make better sight singers (Parker, 2007; Potts, 2009)? Further, there
Curwen hand signs were able to read music at sight with greater
accuracy than those who do not use hand signs (Durocher, 2006;
5
mindset?
Additionally, how does one assess a student who had been taught
how to sing at sight? Why have some choral music educators believed
W
1994)? How did directors prioritize the teaching and learning of sight
singing? How have these priorities been formed? What was a director’s
IE
level of expectation regarding sight singing? What contributions and
EV
insights could experienced choral directors offer concerning these
issues?
Kuehne’s (2003), Smith’s (1998), and Demorest’s (1998) calls for further
sight singing.
focus group interviews (Creswell, 2013) data were gathered and analyzed
W
B. Describe observations that have shaped this belief.
signs?
abilities?
assessment.
7
W
given the paper music and expected to perform the correct notes and
singing methods (Folkerts, 1998; Goss, 2010; Kuehne, 2003; May, 1993;
McClung, 2008; Munn, 1990; Norris, 2004; Smith, 1998; Snider, 2007;
W
conducted a survey of choral education research but his dates of
for example, with one year experience was weighted the same as a
mailed to 927 teachers [N=927]; however, only 192, just over 20%, had
W
Finally, Demorest suggested “more studies … could be done using
11).
PR
Methodology
pilot study, a focus group, consisting of two highly qualified choral music
appropriate wording, meaning and the degree to which the questions can
appropriate content for the study. The focus group was also asked to
10
and the research questions in this study. After the pilot study was
analysis.
W
data. Criteria for Clark (1998) were set for the focus group, and the
“experience the world” (p. 2), thus, for this study, how they experience
school choral directors, three junior high choral directors and one
teacher who taught in a high school and middle school daily were
11
were told during the interviews. Data were categorized according to the
Delimitations.
W
learning of sight singing in secondary public schools from a purposeful
professionals.
discussed.
W
4. Sight singing approaches of teachers in K–5 music
discussion questions.
secondary campuses.
W
what good sight-singing teachers do and believe” (p. 11).
would benefit from the use of hand signs in a classroom setting. Some
PR
could achieve success in sight singing without the use of hand signs.