The Relationship between Musical Instrumental Performance Skills and Postsecondary Musical Independence (How Important Are Scales, Etudes, Solos, Sight-Reading, Improvisation, Etc.?)

N

45

Bands (Music); Educational Research; Fine Arts; Higher Education; Music; Music Activities; Music Education; Musicians; Secondary Education; Student Characteristics; Student Experience; Student Surveys

This study examines the relationships among a variety of secondary/postsecondary experiences and activities and postsecondary students' musical independence (MI). The paper reports on the impact Instrumental Performance Skills (IPSs) have on the students" MI development during private lessons, band rehearsal, and individual practicing. The study also explores whether excellent or good MI students emphasize these IPSs differently than poor or weak MI students and identifies ISPs that might have a negative impact on MI. The Instrumental College Survey-2 (ICS-2), Colwell's Music Achievement Test 3 (MAT3), and Colwell's Music Achievement Test 4 (MAT4) were administered to 354 instrumentalists in the bands at Ball State University, Florida State University, and Wichita State University. The study concluded that: (1) individual practicing is the primary means by which instrumental music majors learn and master instrumental performance skills; (2) private teachers guide the students, but the students must make the trip by themselves; (3) students should emphasize a different selection of IPS during practicing than they do during private lessons; (4) perceptions are often very misleading and do not have an important relationship on the student's MI growth; (5) music fundamentals represent the foundation by which a student develops MI skills; (6) the sequencing of IPS may have a large impact on the development of student MI; (7) the use of a particular statistical treatment has a major impact on the study's findings and conclusions; and (8) college music majors do not know how and when to use a metronome. Extensive charts and graphs accompany the text. (EH)

1996

ED393757