Pau e lata para uma educação musical: uma partitura de vidas

The field of experience and reflection in this dissertation is the Pau and Lata: Artisticpedagogical project and its activities in the field of music education It was created in 1996, by the Community School Sementes da Luz, located on Tabuleiro do Martins district, Maceió / AL. The work extended to the Rio Grande do Norte and later returned to Alagoas, keeping their activities in both states, involving approximately 280 people. The issues that moved us front the experience of Pau e Lata were: What are the main references and theoretical-methodological elements that constitute the formation of the musician in Pau e Lata? How members perceive this project and include themselves in the educational process of music formation? How it works and what is the meaning of the use of instruments and the learning of musical writing and reading? These questions lead us to undertake this dissertation, in order to deepen reflection on the processes of musical training on Pau e Lata, relating the experiences of its members in the process and the theoretical references governing their educational practice. In this sense, we outline the research objectives, which are: describe the Pau e Lata project, focusing on their context of action and their methodological processes; investigate the relationship between the effective participation of its members in the process of composition of the artistic and pedagogical repertoire and its performance in the field of cultural militancy in the environment where it operates. The writing process of this research is based on the phenomenological perspective. Therefore constitute our methodological research path two roads that communicate: 1) the organization and description of historical record of Pau e Lata (supporting documents, certificates, posters, etc.) and memories of the researcher and from other members of the group. 2) the formation of focal groups and writing and sending, via online, testimonials the participants of Pau and Lata relating to issues scrap and onomatopoeia, respectively. Participated in this process 11 components, adding the presence of the researcher, with the age between 21-45 years, all members of Pau e Lata, Core UFRN. The results of this research are focused on the discussion of three axes that describe and guide the work of the Pau e Lata: collective work, the use of the scrap as instrument and the onomatopoeia as base of a methodological process of musical training. This score was composed of three parts. The first part is presented from a collection of references from Pau e Lata, composed of printed and videographic records. The second part refers to the instrument used by Pau e Lata, and the perception of group members on these instruments, which occurs so that they are integrated in the training of the musician.The third axis tells how and what it means learning of music writing and reading, that occurs in two related aspects: the teaching-learning process and the body as a musical element in this process, associated with other actions characterized as studies and theoretical deepening

Differences in mismatch responses to vowels and musical intervals: MEG evidence.

We investigated the electrophysiological response to matched two-formant vowels and two-note musical intervals, with the goal of examining whether music is processed differently from language in early cortical responses. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we compared the mismatch-response (MMN/MMF, an early, pre-attentive difference-detector occurring approximately 200 ms post-onset) to musical intervals and vowels composed of matched frequencies. Participants heard blocks of two stimuli in a passive oddball paradigm in one of three conditions: sine waves, piano tones and vowels. In each condition, participants heard two-formant vowels or musical intervals whose frequencies were 11, 12, or 24 semitones apart. In music, 12 semitones and 24 semitones are perceived as highly similar intervals (one and two octaves, respectively), while in speech 12 semitones and 11 semitones formant separations are perceived as highly similar (both variants of the vowel in 'cut'). Our results indicate that the MMN response mirrors the perceptual one: larger MMNs were elicited for the 12-11 pairing in the music conditions than in the language condition; conversely, larger MMNs were elicited to the 12-24 pairing in the language condition that in the music conditions, suggesting that within 250 ms of hearing complex auditory stimuli, the neural computation of similarity, just as the behavioral one, differs significantly depending on whether the context is music or speech.

Adieu New York, bonjour Paris ! : l es enjeux esthétiques et culturels des appropriations du jazz dans le monde musical savant français (1900-1930)

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle avec l'Université Paris-Sorbonne et l'Université de Montréal. Composition du jury : M. Laurent Cugny (Université Paris-Sorbonne) ; M. Michel Duchesneau (Université de Montréal) ; M. Philippe Gumplowicz (Université d'Evry-Val d'Essonne) ; Mme Barbara Kelly (Keele University - Royal Northern College of Music) ; M. François de Médicis (Université de Montréal) ; M. Christopher Moore (Université d'Ottawa)

Contribuições da inserção musical para a qualidade de vida no trabalho em ambiente laboral fabril

The present thesis aimed at understanding how the insertion of music in the work environment contributes to achieving Quality of Work Life. - QWL, under the perspective of biopsychosocial and organizational well-being. As to music insertion we considered the theoretical-empirical perception about how music is inserted at work and its functions on such place. The context where the study was taken was the manufacturing area of a major textile company, located in Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in which music is used during labor activities. The only study case was the research strategy adopted, with exploratory and descriptive purposes. The primary data were collected through the focus group technique, applied to the collaborator in the manufacturing sector. The semi-structured interview was done as a complementary tool, directed to the supervisor in that sector. Respecting the theoretical saturation criterion, we formed four focus groups, each one composed of eight members randomly selected, among the seventy-six collaborators in the sector. The data were analyzed qualitatively, through the content analysis technique, more specifically the category analysis. We identified twenty-eight QWL attributes. Six of them were found present in the four focus groups and in the interview. Among these ones, the attribute of Interpersonal Relationship at Work, contemplating the Psychological and Organizational dimensions, was the only one anticipated in four out of fifteen theoretical models here listed. The attribute Music at Work Environment could be inserted in the four QWL dimensions, highlighting the power and relevance of this attribute for the research participants. The way music has been inserted in the labor environment contributes to promoting well-being at work, which goes against theoretical conceptions, especially when it comes to musical genre. We identified nine functions of music at work, among which, Improving Work Conditions, Improving Interpersonal Relationship at Work and Favoring Motivation for Work had to be emphasized for being associated to three QWL attributes. In the total, we highlighted seven associations. The most affected QWL dimension through the insertion of music at work was the Psychological one, followed by the Organizational one. We conclude that music insertion provides biological, social and, above all, psychological and organizational well-being to the contributors, thus contributing to obtaining QWL at the labor environment researched. However, we should consider the context and proceed to periodical plans and adjustments in the way of music insertion so as to avoid health and well-being problems to those people at work

EXTENDED-RANGE OBOE: THE IMPACT OF TECHNICAL AND MUSICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN 19th-CENTURY AND CONTEMPORARY OBOE REPERTOIRE

I believe that the purpose of expanding the oboe’s repertoire is to not only create original compositions, but to also utilize technical advancements in order to achieve access to a wider range of repertoire through the art of transcription. This paper examines the various paths to achieving such expansion, including utilizing unique performer skills, use of auxiliary instruments, advancements in the instrument itself and musical developments that challenge the perception of the oboe’s solo role in a particular era of music history. The oboe need not be relegated to the confines of a compositionally limited stereotype. The goal of my “extended-range” dissertation project is to expand the “range” of programmable repertoire, with a focus on music in both the 19th and 21st-centuries, while simultaneously expanding the technical capabilities and expectations of the modern oboe—in part by exploiting the new possibilities of the recently invented low-A extension key.

The role of musical aptitude in the pronunciation of English vowels among Polish learners of English

It has long been held that people who have musical training or talent acquire L2 pronunciation more successfully than those that do not. Indeed, there have been empirical studies to support this hypothesis (Pastuszek-Lipińska 2003, Fonseca-Mora et al. 2011, Zatorre and Baum 2012). However, in many of such studies, musical abilities in subjects were mostly verified through questionnaires rather than tested in a reliable, empirical manner. Therefore, we run three different musical hearing tests, i.e. pitch perception test, musical memory test, and rhythm perception test (Mandell 2009) to measure the actual musical aptitude in our subjects. The main research question is whether a better musical ear correlates with a higher rate of acquisition of English vowels in Polish EFL learners. Our group consists of 40 Polish university students studying English as their major who learn the British pronunciation model during an intense pronunciation course. 10 male and 30 female subjects with mean age of 20.1 were recorded in a recording studio. The procedure comprised spontaneous conversations, reading passages and reading words in isolation. Vowel measurements were conducted in Praat in all three speech styles and several consonantal contexts. The assumption was that participants who performed better in musical tests would produce vowels that are closer to the Southern British English model. We plotted them onto vowel charts and calculated the Euclidean distances. Preliminary results show that there is potential correlation between specific aspects of musical hearing and different elements of pronunciation. The study is a longitudinal project and will encompass two more years, during which we will repeat the recording procedure twice to measure the participants’ progress in mastering the English pronunciation and comparing it with their musical aptitude.

Contribuições da inserção musical para a qualidade de vida no trabalho em ambiente laboral fabril

The present thesis aimed at understanding how the insertion of music in the work environment contributes to achieving Quality of Work Life. - QWL, under the perspective of biopsychosocial and organizational well-being. As to music insertion we considered the theoretical-empirical perception about how music is inserted at work and its functions on such place. The context where the study was taken was the manufacturing area of a major textile company, located in Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in which music is used during labor activities. The only study case was the research strategy adopted, with exploratory and descriptive purposes. The primary data were collected through the focus group technique, applied to the collaborator in the manufacturing sector. The semi-structured interview was done as a complementary tool, directed to the supervisor in that sector. Respecting the theoretical saturation criterion, we formed four focus groups, each one composed of eight members randomly selected, among the seventy-six collaborators in the sector. The data were analyzed qualitatively, through the content analysis technique, more specifically the category analysis. We identified twenty-eight QWL attributes. Six of them were found present in the four focus groups and in the interview. Among these ones, the attribute of Interpersonal Relationship at Work, contemplating the Psychological and Organizational dimensions, was the only one anticipated in four out of fifteen theoretical models here listed. The attribute Music at Work Environment could be inserted in the four QWL dimensions, highlighting the power and relevance of this attribute for the research participants. The way music has been inserted in the labor environment contributes to promoting well-being at work, which goes against theoretical conceptions, especially when it comes to musical genre. We identified nine functions of music at work, among which, Improving Work Conditions, Improving Interpersonal Relationship at Work and Favoring Motivation for Work had to be emphasized for being associated to three QWL attributes. In the total, we highlighted seven associations. The most affected QWL dimension through the insertion of music at work was the Psychological one, followed by the Organizational one. We conclude that music insertion provides biological, social and, above all, psychological and organizational well-being to the contributors, thus contributing to obtaining QWL at the labor environment researched. However, we should consider the context and proceed to periodical plans and adjustments in the way of music insertion so as to avoid health and well-being problems to those people at work

Adieu New York, bonjour Paris ! : les enjeux esthétiques et culturels des appropriations du jazz dans le monde musical savant français (1900-1930)

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle avec l'Université Paris-Sorbonne et l'Université de Montréal. Composition du jury : M. Laurent Cugny (Université Paris-Sorbonne) ; M. Michel Duchesneau (Université de Montréal) ; M. Philippe Gumplowicz (Université d'Evry-Val d'Essonne) ; Mme Barbara Kelly (Keele University - Royal Northern College of Music) ; M. François de Médicis (Université de Montréal) ; M. Christopher Moore (Université d'Ottawa)

El ejercicio y el desempeño musical: doce semanas de actividad física mejoran la capacidad de ejecución de un instrumento musical en estudiantes de conservatorio

Con el fin de evaluar los cambios que produce un programa de actividad física en la percepción que tienen los músicos sobre su capacidad de ejecución de un instrumento musical, se realizó una intervención con un programa de actividad física basado en la técnica Pilates, durante 12 semanas, en el Conservatorio de Música de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, con estudiantes del programa de música instrumental. Se midieron parámetros de la aptitud física (capacidad cardiorrespiratoria, fuerza, flexibilidad y composición corporal) y de la percepción de la capacidad de ejecución (fatiga muscular, nivel de esfuerzo, dolor y fluidez) antes y después de la intervención. Los resultados arrojaron cambios positivos en la aptitud física logrando un aumento significativo en la flexibilidad y resistencia de los miembros inferiores en 14 participantes (70% de la muestra), y en la percepción de la capacidad de ejecución instrumental con el retraso en la aparición de la fatiga muscular mientras se está ejecutando el instrumento (30 minutos en promedio). Esto permite a los músicos abordar un repertorio extenso con menor fatiga, minimizando el riesgo de lesión o alteraciones musculo-esqueléticas que influyan directamente en su desempeño técnico y artístico.

Capturing Australian indigenous perception of virtual landscape

This short paper presents a means of capturing non spatial information (specifically understanding of places) for use in a Virtual Heritage application. This research is part of the Digital Songlines Project which is developing protocols, methodologies and a toolkit to facilitate the collection and sharing of Indigenous cultural heritage knowledge, using virtual reality. Within the context of this project most of the cultural activities relate to celebrating life and to the Australian Aboriginal people, land is the heart of life. Australian Indigenous art, stories, dances, songs and rituals celebrate country as its focus or basis. To the Aboriginal people the term “Country” means a lot more than a place or a nation, rather “Country” is a living entity with a past a present and a future; they talk about it in the same way as they talk about their mother. The landscape is seen to have a spiritual connection in a view seldom understood by non-indigenous persons; this paper introduces an attempt to understand such empathy and relationship and to reproduce it in a virtual environment.

Review article : ecological approach in studying the relation of perception-action : review of the theoretical and empirical data

In daily activities people are using a number of available means for the achievement of balance, such as the use of hands and the co-ordination of balance. One of the approaches that explains this relationship between perception and action is the ecological theory that is based on the work of a) Bernstein (1967), who imposed the problem of ‘the degrees of freedom’, b) Gibson (1979), who referred to the theory of perception and the way which the information is received from the environment in order for a certain movement to be achieved, c) Newell (1986), who proposed that movement can derive from the interaction of the constraints that imposed from the environment and the organism and d) Kugler, Kelso and Turvey (1982), who showed the way which “the degrees of freedom” are connected and interact. According to the above mentioned theories, the development of movement co-ordination can result from the different constraints that imposed into the organism-environment system. The close relation between the environmental and organismic constraints, as well as their interaction is responsible for the movement system that will be activated. These constraints apart from shaping the co-ordination of specific movements can be a rate limiting factor, to a certain degree, in the acquisition and mastering of a new skill. This frame of work can be an essential tool for the study of catching an object (e.g., a ball). The importance of this study becomes obvious due to the fact that movements that involved in catching an object are representative of every day actions and characteristic of the interaction between perception and action.