Middle School Students’ Response to Live Brazilian Music


Editor’s Note: This research article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education. Elisa Macedo Dekaney


Abstract: This study examined middle school students’ perception of Brazilian music following a live performance. Twenty-four sixth graders enrolled in an urban school expressed in writing their overall impression of the concert. The responses yield six emerging themes: 1) the ensemble’s overall performance (professionalism, enthusiasm); 2) audience participation; 3) music elements (instruments, rhythms, singing); 4) Brazilian cultural characteristics (language, environment); 5) music familiarity; and 6) dancing. Results revealed that young students have the ability to discriminate when a performance is well prepared, sophisticated, and professional. They enjoyed the upbeat, fast, and loud aspects of Brazilian music and appreciated the information about Brazilian culture, geography, and language. They also enjoyed being included in the performance by clapping or singing. Musicians should not be afraid to add educational and extra-musical components to their performances and should work with classroom teachers to enhance the learning outcomes that these performances can generate.


The human response to music has been the focus of numerous investigations. Findings suggest that music preference, across all ages, is affected by factors such as familiarity with the music stimulus, age, musical training, cultural environments, socio- economic status, and others (Demorest and Schultz, 2004; LeBlanc, 1984; Shehan, 1985). Additionally, early studies indicated that children prefer popular and rock music to classical music (LeBlanc, 1981; Shehan, 1981), probably due to familiarity.


Most of the research examining music preference utilized a recorded stimulus. Some relied on self- report techniques such as questionnaires, rank orders, and Likert-type scales while others have employed behavioral observations such as operant listening time, the Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI), and unobtrusive measures (Dekaney, Macedo, and Coggiola, 2010; Flowers, 1980; Frederickson and Coggiola, 2003; Madsen, Brittin & Capperella-Sheldon, 1993). Some researchers have also collected data through physiological measurements such as respiration rates and skin conductance response (Egermann, Sutherland, Grewe, Nagel, Kopiez, and Altenmüller, 2011). Results suggest that music preference is affected, across all ages, by factors such as familiarity with the music stimulus, age, musical training, cultural environments, and socio- economic status, among others.


While recorded stimuli have been preferred, other studies have examined the complexities of performer and listener’s interaction during live music performance. Gabrielsson (1985) examined the communication sequence between performers and listeners during live music performances and identified three levels. First, there is a cognitive level, a means through which performers communicate their ideas. Then, a behavioral (motor) level by which the performer’s idea is transformed into sounds (the acoustical level or sound structure) progressing to a perceptual (listening) level. Finally, the listener processes this information at a cognitive level demonstrating understanding of the music, which is influenced by many different factors. How do music educators


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maximize the communication interactions of listeners and performers during school events? Shehan (1986) suggested that concerts at schools by professionals have been considered by some as an effective tool for the strengthening of musical ideas and performance techniques while providing a venue for the development of adequate concert etiquette.


Sigursdon (1971), when evaluating


student achievement as a result of a concert experience and instruction, reported that fifth grade students showed significant improvement in identifying instruments after only a single concert experience. These students also demonstrated an increased interest in symphonic music as a result of concert exposure. Shehan (1986) suggested that “A live performance of music with brief commentary and demonstration of musical concepts and techniques may be an effective avenue of developing music listening skills within the school’s domain, although its impact on conceptual learning and attitude has not been objectively explored” (p. 52). Additionally, Shehan (1986) proposed that live performances might be an effective tool in the understanding of a previously unfamiliar music genre. Live music, she contended, may transpose the music experience from an abstract to a more human activity. While the majority of studies in music preference use recorded music stimuli to investigate participants’ preference, the current study investigated adolescents’ expressed music preference after a live performance of Brazilian music. This study aimed to answer the following research question: What musical and cultural characteristics made it possible for participants to have a positive music experience during this live music performance?


Method A live performance of Brazilian music took place at an urban city school in the northeast region of the United States. The school was a k-8 urban environment in an impoverished area of the city. All grades attended the performance.


regularly at public schools presenting a varied program of music, story telling, dance, and social studies. The repertoire includes purely instrumental music using traditional Brazilian drums in the styles of Maracatu, Samba-Reggae, Samba, and Samba- Funk and a variety of songs in Portuguese including folk melodies, popular music, and indigenous music of Brazil. One of the songs was choreographed. Following the performance, twenty-four sixth graders, instructed by their regular classroom teacher, wrote ‘thank you’ notes to the ensemble’s directors. The notes were all typed, and varied in length from to two to five paragraphs and were written within one week of the performance.


Results


An analysis of the written responses identified six emerging themes with sub-themes: 1) the ensemble’s overall performance (professionalism, enthusiasm); 2) audience participation; 3) music elements (instruments, rhythms, singing); 4) Brazilian cultural characteristics (language, environment); 5) music familiarity; and 5) dancing.


Overall Performance The most prevalent responses were about the overall performance.


Students described the The


performing ensemble was a non-auditioned group that specializes in the performance of music from various regions and styles of Brazil. Although no audition is required, the ensemble performs


performance as educational, fun, and energetic: “The songs were good too and the drumming was spectacular. The way you explained the things you were going to do next and the way you explained the instruments was great” and “We also liked the beats and the music you played. We enjoyed it a lot and we were happy when you guys came.” Students commented that “The performance was so spectacular, fun, and interesting; it was hard to feel bored. I felt really involved” and “You guys made me feel elated and vivacious.” Students appreciated the performance’s professional level: “Thank you for performing a sophisticated performance. Usually performances [at our school] are lame, but your performance was off the chain.” Another student remarked, “The music that you played was so good that I wish you could play every day, but I know that could never happen, so I hope you could play every year.” The performance was captivating and caught the student’s attention: “I loved the


February/March 2016


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