Enhancing students' experience in music composition through music notation software

A project was undertaken in a Hong Kong primary school to investigate the role of music notation software in leaching music composition. The project was divided into three stages. During the first stage, appropriate hardware equipment and software applications were installed in the school music room, and four teaching plans were developed on the models and strategies derived from findings in the local and international literature. During the second stage, these teaching plans were implemented in Grade One, Grade Three, Grade Five and Grade Six classes of the school. During the third stage, the effectiveness of these teaching activities was evaluated by comparing the experiences from the second stage to the corresponding findings from similar projects undertaken in other Hong Kong primary schools, as well as to findings from the international literature. The results demonstrated that tile visual and audio stimulation created by computer"based technology can motivate students to successfully engage in music composition. Moreover, computer"based technology provides an opportunity for students to compose music in an atonal idiom. However, a large number of students were unable to demonstrate the concept of structural design in their musical products, and one of the findings from this investigation was that teachers need to be more purposeful in their teaching by directing students to employ the technique of repetition of interesting musical fragments or phrases in order to achieve a sense of unity in their pieces.

Perceptions of multiculturalism in music education: what matters and why

Pre-service teacher education students from two Australian universities were interviewed about their understandings of cultural diversity in music education. These initial findings revealed varied but generally consistent enthusiasm about including music from different cultures in teaching. However comments revealed an almost haphazard exposure to other musics. These were generally informal rather than learned in their formal education. Interviewees recognised the training that they had received in their tertiary studies in other cultures (both Western and non-Western) and expressed the intention to pursue professional development in their future careers. Engaging with the music of other cultures allows teachers and students to develop understanding and empathy with others. This is in line with current governmental initiatives on values that states that values education is intended to 'inspire and educate the next generation to see their world through the eyes of others. We want children to become adults who are caring, tolerant, fair and compassionate' (Department of Education, Science and Training, n.d., p. 2). Comments from the interviewees illustrate just such attitudes and understandings. It behoves us as educators to prepare students for teaching in multicultural classrooms that reflect the wider Australian society.

Sharing music and culture through singing in Australia

This article discusses the notion of sharing music and culture as an effective platform to celebrate diversity in Melbourne, Australia. My research project ‘Celebrating Music Making and Finding Meaning’ investigates and illustrates a context of diversity, one that promotes respect in a multicultural society sharing music and culture of a minority group. In 2007, I interviewed members of the South African choir in Melbourne; here I report on some data regarding why members sing in the choir, what are their understandings of a so-called South African identity and what they would like to share with the wider Australian community. I present some theoretical perspectives focusing on the notion of cultural and musical identity within a multicultural society. Such findings may have similar implications for other multicultural educational settings exploring the possibilities of valuing cultural diversity and making music across ages through a choir where difference can be shared and celebrated.

A study of the effectiveness of music appreciation TV programs for young children in Hong Kong

This paper provides a preliminary report of a small-scale research examining the effectiveness of a series of Music Appreciation segments of “Pre-school: Learn to Fly”—a locally designed and produced early childhood TV program in Hong Kong. Four aspects of young children’s musical development were studied: 1) musical exposure; 2) attention span; 3) response to music; and 4) musical memory. The findings enrich local understanding of early childhood music education and media, and provide more information for the production of the next series from late 2004.

Early childhood teachers' professional development in music : a cross-cultural study

This paper deals with professional teacher development. It specifically focuses on a research study of early childhood teachers' views and involvement in teaching music to young children. It presents findings from a comparative study of 38 teachers in three childcare centres in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and 24 teachers in four childcare centres in South Australia. Two research questions are discussed and answered: (1) What are early childhood teachers' levels of involvement in professional development in music? (2) Are there any significant relationships, that is differences and commonalities, in the findings between teachers' levels of involvement in these two cultural contexts? A unique research tool entitled Teachers' Music Development Scale was devised to collect data and measure teachers' involvement in music development. Specific findings and their implications are presented in the paper.

Chime Intro Stinger 2 BRIGHT

A short and distinctive introduction or stinger that features synth chimes.

Ambient thing loop 2

Ambient Thing is an uplifting, melodic and motivational track featuring synths, piano,drums. Atmospheric and reflective, yet incredibly inspiring, it expresses positivity, strong emotional connection and success. Upbeat and positive, it is suitable for your business/corporate projects, videos, websites, films, creative pursuits and more.

Autonomy 2 synth stinger

An uplifting electronica synth stinger created on both analogue and software synths.

Fear of music : sounded poetry and the poetry soundtrack

This essay proposes the term ‘poetry soundtrack’ for a form of sounded poetry that I have been practising for some years (examples of which can be found in this issue of Axon). The poetry soundtrack is a sonic object made up of original poetry, music, and sound design. Such a form is now being produced—under various names—by numerous poets, thanks to the development of the Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW). In my essay, I argue that the poetry soundtrack has occupied an aesthetic no man’s land between avant-garde ‘sound poetry’ and documentary-style recordings of poetry readings. I propose that a general ‘fear of music’ has led critics to favour such forms, and concomitantly to ignore musico-poetic forms of sounded poetry. In addition, I analyse the ‘digital poetics’ that can be found in producing sounded poetry with a DAW, especially with regard to the ‘vocal staging’ that such technology can produce in the poetry soundtrack.

Opportunities and challenges : preparing generalist teacher education students in music education in Australia

The Australian Curriculum ‘the Arts’ will be implemented across Australia from 2014. This curriculum is expected to replace existing State and Territory curricula where educators are given the opportunity to review, renew, and refresh their practice. Music tertiary educators are faced with opportunities and challenges to effectively prepare and engage pre-service teachers (PSTs) as generalist classroom teachers. This paper focuses on PSTs within the Bachelor of Primary Education course at Deakin University (Melbourne, Australia). Within this course PSTs undertake two Arts units as generalist teachers, in Trimester one where they are introduced to music elements and creative music making. In Trimester two they focus on pedagogical issues and classroom implementation. In 2013, I gained ethical permission to undertake a research project titled “Pre-service teacher attitudes and understandings of Music Education”. This case study draws on semi-structured interview data with music lecturers who taught in Trimester two at Deakin University in 2013 (10 x 3 hour workshops). Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis I analyzed and codified the interview data and report on two themes: ways of teaching and creative music making. This paper also highlights the challenges and opportunities sessional staff face when preparing PSTs in music education as generalist teachers.

Preservice music students explore African music in an Australian tertiary context

Music, Markets and Consumption

The article reviews the book "Music, Markets and Consumption" by Daragh O'Reilly, Gretchen Larsen, and Krzysztof Kubacki.

Sad music as a means for acceptance-based coping

Self-identified sad music (SISM) is often listened to when experiencing sad life situations. Research indicatesthat the most common reason people give for listening to SISM is “to be in touch with or express feelings ofsadness”. But why might this be the case? We suggest that one reason people choose to listen to sad musicwhen feeling sad is to accept aversive situations. We tested if SISM is associated with acceptance copingand consolation. We hypothesized that SISM relates to acceptance-based coping via the recognitionand identification of emotional states, and that people will report more acceptance from SISM than selfidentifiedhappy music when seeking consolation. In Study 1, participants recalled how happy or sadthe music sounds that they normally listen to for consolation, and if they listen to this music to gainacceptance of negative moods and situations. In Study 2, participants reported their goals when listeningto sad music during a recalled time in which they experienced an adverse life situation and whether thislead to acceptance. Study 1: People reported that they were more likely to listen to sad music than happymusic when seeking consolation, though they preferred happy music in general. Listening to SISM (butnot self-identified happy music) when seeking consolation was associated with acceptance of both anegative situation and the associated negative emotions. Additionally, seeking to deal with emotions wasassociated with both SISM listening (for consolation) and acceptance. Study 2: Listening to SISM to get intouch with and express affect was the most important self-regulatory strategy (of six examined) throughwhich acceptance was recalled to be achieved. Experiencing adverse situations or seeking consolation,people report that listening to SISM is associated with acceptance coping (through the re-experiencing ofaffect). Implications for music therapy and theories of emotional coping are discussed.