Music education, Issue 5 (1999)

Contents:

1) Albert LeBlanc, Young Chang Jin, Charles S. Simpson, Lelouda Stamou, Jan McCrary: Pictorial versus Verbal Rating Scales in Music Preference Measurement.

2) Efi Makropoulou: Performance Anxiety and Pianists.

3) Jana Fallin & David Royse: Common Problems of the New Music Teacher.

4) Liana Haratsi: Piano Methods.

5) Erifili Damianou - Marini: Dissonant and Consonant Intervals.

Abstracts:

1) Albert LeBlanc, Young Chang Jin, Charles S. Simpson, Lelouda Stamou, Jan McCrary
Pictorial versus Verbal Rating Scales in Music Preference Measurement*

The purpose of this study was to compare pictorial and verbal rating scales as measures of music preference opinions. Preference opinion is defined as a reaction to a stimulus while in its presence. Two hundred thirty eight (238) students from Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 from four schools in the states of Michigan and Ohio in USA took the same listening test four times, with a 2-week interval between each testing: twice with a verbal scale answer booklet and twice with a pictorial scale answer booklet. The same test form was never administered twice in succession. The order of response scale administration was counterbalanced among the classrooms involved.
The results of the study indicated no significant difference between preference scores generated by participants using either form of response scale. Test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.65 to 0.88 using a 4-week interval, with higher grade levels associated with higher reliabilities and the pictorial scale generally associated with higher reliabilities. Internal consistency reliabilities measured by coefficient alpha ranged from 0.90 to 0.93 for verbal scale and 0.92 to 0.93 for pictorial scale. A large and statistically significant majority of participants (84%) expressed a preference for using the pictorial scale to record their music listening preference.
Many participants went far beyond our instructions to just draw a nose no the face that best expressed their opinion of the music and made creative and interesting drawings on the faces. Of the four grade levels that participated in the study, Grade 6 showed the highest preference for the pictorial scale. Students tended to like the pictorial scale because it provided something interesting to do (draw on the face) while listening. The results of this study generated several thoughts on the possible advantages and disadvantages of the use of the pictorial scale compared to the verbal rating scale in music preference measurement.
* From Journal of Research in Music Education, Fall 1998. Copyright © 1998 by MENC. Translated and reprinted with permission.

2) Efi Makropoulou
Performance Anxiety and Pianists

This article is concerned with the multi-faceted physiological and psychological phenomenon known as performance anxiety or more commonly as "stage fright". Musicians of all ages, both genders, novice and seasoned veterans, seem to suffer to some extent from the tensions of performance. Memory slips, dropping of the bow, sweating, are some of the negative effects of performance anxiety. Both the sources as well as the copying strategies to reduce anxiety depend to a large extent on the individual's personality. Nevertheless, there are some techniques, apart from tranquillisers, that can reduce the physiological aspect of performance anxiety, amongst them being the Alexander technique, techniques of progressive relaxation, biofeedback, having positive thoughts about one's performance and techniques of breath control. However, we should bear in mind that only a solid preparation that is based on the development of a) the inner hearing, b) proper memorization techniques and c) a good co-ordination can permanently treat the negative effects of performance anxiety.

3) Jana Fallin & David Royse
Common Problems of the New Music Teacher*

Beginning music teachers often face problems such as maintaining classroom control and keeping students focused on the day’s lesson. Jana Fallin and David Royse offer ways to stop these problems before they start.
* From the Journal of Music Teacher Education, 4 (1), Fall 1994, p.p. 13-18. Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Reprinted with permission.

4) Liana Haratsi
Piano Methods

Nowadays, by the terms "Piano Method" we mean the books presenting in a systematic and logical way organised to teach music to a beginner. In a method, the aim is to give the learner all the necessary information to help him/her understand the pieces of music and express them musically on the piano. Choosing the suitable method for a particular student is a combination of many factors. Depending on its content, the teacher examines whether the method is full and whether it meets his/her aims as well as the needs of the learner. Moreover, the age and the aims of the beginner play a major role while choosing the method. A short list of method on the Greek market is also to be found in the article. Finally, the reader will also find representative examples of each kind of method.

5) Erifili Damianou- Marini
Dissonant and Consonant Intervals

Intervals can be classified differently depending on various points of view. The most important classification, however, is that which divides them according to consonances and dissonances. There are strict rules about resolving the dissonant intervals from which tables are derived. Poor students memorize and use them without knowing why dissonances have to be resolved this way. This article refers to the role that dissonant intervals play in major and harmonic minor scales and the role of the leading note in resolving dissonances into consonances. This creates a solid background and solves the problems of short-term memorization of tables.