Second, once a technical foundation and concrete interpre- tation are formed, performers are free to execute physical movements, or gestures, that match the intent of the music on the page. For example, in an orchestral setting entire sec- tions move together in unison and adhere to the same bow- ings, thereby creating an expressive visual.


Third, in terms of musical perception, musicians’ perfor- mance motion forms the audience’s conception of the ba- sic range of musical characteristics of the composition and emotions, figurative images, and recalled experiences in response to the music. From the composition, to the per- former’s interpretation and physical gestures, to audience perception, listeners ultimately reach a level of emotional arousal—whether it be positive or negative emotions.


Jason T. Aylward (Central Michigan University), The Benefits of Multi-Instrumentalism in Studying and Professional Musicians


The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate the benefits of learning multiple instruments. Research from the fields of music, athletics, and neuroscience present four trends regarding the topic. Music educators anecdotally as- sert that instruments too far unrelated from a musician’s first instrument can hinder the primary instrument’s embouchure, though no empirical research has documented actual occur- rences of such a negative effect. More often musicians who double vastly different instruments find similarities between the two, and suggest that the first instrument informs the playing of the other. One such doubler describes similarities between the embouchure of a trumpet and a flute. Almost universally, working multi-instrumental musicians docu- ment the benefit of increased work opportunities, as well as a heightened sense of musicality, as the inherent lyricism of a particular instrument might inform an instrument consid- ered more technical or rhythmic. Research of instrumental methods classes within educational institutions finds that these classes are important for different reasons. Some stu- dents focus on learning the musical tendencies of these in- struments to teach their ensembles in a more informed, more musical manner. Research of cross training in athletic fields has long suggested developing muscles beyond the capacity developed in a single field, for instance, with football play- ers learning ballet. Such positive results are corroborated in neuroscience research of cross-education, where the brain teaches one limb what the other limb is independently learn- ing, diffusing this education throughout the body, preparing it for multiple specialized functions, such as playing an in- strument. Although benefits of multi-instrumentalism can be directly found and indirectly implied from the literature, there is no empirical research exploring the implications of multi-instrumentalism. Therefore, this paper serves as a call for empirical research concerning the subject, with sugges-


45


tions for particular avenues of inquiry.


Jason Rose (Oakland University), Leaders of the Band: The Nature of Peer Scaffolding in the Beginning Band Classroom


(see abstract under paper presentations)


Brandon L. Haskett (Saginaw State University), The Curricular Implications of U.S. K-12 and University Steel Band Directors’ Literature Selection


This study examines the curricular implications of U.S. K-12 and university steel band directors’ literature selection. First, concert programs were collected that span the past seven years; over forty programs have been collected from a wide variety of schools and universities. These programs were re- quested via e-mail and through a Facebook group dedicated towards steel band directors. Only formal concert programs were included; set lists were not included, as the pieces on the list may or may not have ultimately been rehearsed or performed.


Programs initially were grouped by the steel band’s level (university, high school, or middle school). These programs were then analyzed; occurrences of specific pieces were counted, the frequency of composers and arrangers was tracked, and the balance of genres examined. Pieces were grouped into genres based on recordings of the specific ver- sion of the work noted in the program. If a recording was not available, the director in question was e-mailed for clari- fication. Additionally, pieces on the concert program were categorized as published or unpublished, as steel band direc- tors traditionally arranged popular music for their ensembles without publishing the work. Lastly, a comprehensive list of steel band literature with publishers’ difficulty ratings was used to track overall trends in literature difficulty based on program level. These findings are presented with tables and analytical narratives.


Since we largely consider an ensemble’s literature to be a direct reflection of the curriculum, I then address the implied curriculum present based on trends in steel band program- ming. For example, concert pieces may or may not imply instruction in improvisation or may omit certain Latin styles (and therefore specific rhythmic constructions). These trends may also differ based on the level of the program (univer- sity, high school, or middle school). This study addresses a significant gap in the literature. No published studies have examined literature selection practices for steel band or ad- dressed their curricular implications.


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