▼ The purpose of the study was to conduct a multiple case study of six exemplary band directors' repertoire selection processes. Two collegiate, two high school, and two middle school band directors were nominated based on their outstanding reputations as instrumental music educators and their knowledge in repertoire selection. Each band director was interviewed in person and asked ten semi-structured interview questions on the repertoire selection process they use for the ensembles that they teach. Each interview lasted approximately 45 minutes and was video-recorded and transcribed. The band directors identified a number of factors that are important in the repertoire selection process with the most important being that the music is high quality. The band directors use different criteria in determining quality of music, which include form, harmony, scoring, variety, and unpredictability. The directors select music that is appropriate for their ensemble's ability level by selecting works that will challenge the students but also allow them to be successful in making music. The band directors indicated that an effective concert program has a variety of composers and styles as well as works that appeal to the audience, students, and conductor. The band directors also offer suggestions on how young band directors can become more effective in the repertoire selection process. Advisors/Committee Members: Hayward, Carol.

▼ The purpose of this study was to conduct a case study of a band director who uses comprehensive musicianship instruction in middle school bands. To determine the subject of this study, I selected ten directors based upon their reputation of success and my knowledge of middle school band directors in District 1 of the Ohio Music Education Association. I then e-mailed them a request to complete a survey that ascertained their understanding and use of comprehensive musicianship. Mr. Richard Brimmer, Director of Bands at Lake Local Schools, was chosen as the subject of this case study because his survey answers demonstrated clear knowledge and implementation of comprehensive musicianship. I visited Brimmer's school for a total of 16 full school days in March, April, and May of 2012, and collected data in the following ways: (a) entrance and exit interviews consisting of semi-structured questions conducted during my first and last full weeks of observation; (b) observations of the four middle school bands that I documented in a journal notebook; (c) observation notes that served as prompts for end-of-week reflective discussions with Brimmer to gain his reactions to class events; (d) a survey distributed to assenting band students during my final visit to determine their reactions to Brimmer's instructional methods; and (e) artifacts, including method books used, quizzes and tests, major projects, performance assessment rubrics and any additional resources used in class. Analysis of the data collected revealed the following four instructional themes in Brimmer's teaching: (a) music theory, (b) performance skills, (c) musical independence, and (d) music's relationship to other aspects of life. Although the research literature has shown that the primary reason teachers do not use comprehensive musicianship is performance demands, Brimmer's use of it keeps performance at the center of his instruction. While he does not follow one specific comprehensive musicianship model, he uses comprehensive methods to achieve his performance goals because he believes it is essential to developing musical understanding in his students. His teaching, interview responses, and discussion comments demonstrated his belief that using comprehensive musicianship in the middle school band provides students with the conceptual understanding that is required to effectively perform advanced literature in the high school band and to be knowledgeable consumers of music. Advisors/Committee Members: Kantorski, Vincent.

▼ The purpose of this study was to determine novice middle school and high school band directors’ knowledge of techniques and pedagogy specific to the horn. Ten band directors currently teaching middle or high school band and who were in their first through fourth year of teaching were interviewed. Questions were derived from current brass methods textbooks and placed in one of the following six categories: (a) collegiate background; (b) teaching background; (c) embouchure, posture and right hand placement; (d) construction of single and double horns; (e) muted, stopped and miscellaneous horn pedagogy; (f) care and maintenance. Findings from this study indicate that novice middle and high school band directors have varying amounts of knowledge and expertise of the horn and, in general, are lacking fundamental knowledge of specific horn techniques. In addition, it appears that directors have more knowledge and understanding of concepts relating to the horn that are common to all brass instruments as opposed to concepts associated specifically with the horn. Advisors/Committee Members: Hayward, Carol.

▼ The purpose of this study was to write a history of three African-American women who made important contributions to music education between 1903 and 1960. The three women who are presented in this study are Emma Azalia Smith Hackley (1867 – 1922), Harriet Gibbs Marshall (1869 – 1941), and Lulu Vere Childers (1870 – 1946). Emma Azalia Smith Hackley established the Vocal Normal Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Harriet Gibbs Marshall founded the Washington Conservatory of Music and School of Expression in Washington, D.C. Lulu Vere Childers was responsible for developing the small music program at Howard University in Washington, D.C. first into a Conservatory of Music, and then into a School of Music. I gathered information for this thesis from both primary and secondary sources. For primary sources, I obtained information about Emma Azalia Smith Hackley from the Detroit Public Library, which has a collection of rare African-American music, drama, and dance materials, including those of Hackley. I also visited the University of Detroit Mercy Library to acquire rare newspapers that featured articles pertaining to all three women. In addition, I contacted the Moorland–Springarn Research Center at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for information about Childers and Marshall. I used the following online databases as secondary resources: (a) Music Index, (b) WorldCat, (c) Music Educators National Conference, (d) ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, (e) Music Education Resource Base, and (f) Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval Service System. Implications for music education included the importance of raising the awareness of the significant contributions to music education made by the African-American women in this study. One of several suggestions for further research was that similar historical studies should be done about other African-American women and men in music education. Advisors/Committee Members: Kantorski, Vincent J.

▼ The purpose of this study was to develop a curriculum for a first-year heterogeneous (violin, viola, cello, and bass) beginning string class. Participants in this study were 19 undergraduate music education majors enrolled in a beginning string course at Bowling Green State University, a second-year graduate student in music education at Bowling Green State University, and the researcher, who was also a second-year graduate student in music education at Bowling Green State University. The curriculum was tested by the researcher (a string player) and the second graduate student teaching three lessons based on the curriculum. SCRIBE 4.0.2 was used to (a) observe the effect of the lesson plans on instruction and student learning, (b) to compare performance results from teaching based on identical lesson plans delivered by two teachers, and (c) to identify which aspects of student performance the two teachers focused on during instruction. Rehearsal frames were categorized according to targets and analyzed to determine if they were successful or unsuccessful. Results indicated that Teacher I (the researcher) focused on problems with tone and intonation most frequently, while Teacher II (the second graduate student) focused on problems with fingering patterns and instrument position most frequently. Teacher I’s students were able to successfully perform desired tasks in 87.18% of rehearsal frames, while Teacher II’s students were able to successfully perform desired tasks in 80.65% of rehearsal frames. Students were more successful when teachers provided clear and concise directives and gave students a chance to have multiple correct repetitions of skills before moving on. Advisors/Committee Members: Colprit, Elaine.

▼ The purpose of this study was to determine attitudes of high school band directors and students regarding Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Large Group Adjudicated Events. Subjects were high school band directors (n = 11) and students (n = 214) from 12 bands in OMEA District I, which consists six counties in Northwest Ohio (Defiance, Fulton, Lucas, Napoleon, Williams, and Wood). Subjects represented each of the OMEA performance classifications (AA, A, B, C, and D) and three geographic regions (rural, suburban, and urban). Participants completed the OMEA Large Group Adjudicated Events Survey, which consisted of three sections: (a) background information, (b) personal opinion, and (c) free response. Based on data collected from survey responses, both directors and students agree that Large GroupAdjudicated Events are an important part of high school band programs. Subjects also agree that, although the rating earned at contest is important, making music and receiving comments from adjudicators are of higher importance. Advisors/Committee Members: Thompson, Kenneth.