Master of Arts, Miami University, 2005, Speech Pathology and Audiology

Motor learning literature demonstrates that training in a specific motor movement can improve performance for that movement and other similar tasks. Vocalises are exercises used in vocal training to improve quality and precision in singing performance. It was hypothesized that a short-term training program using a specific vocalise would improve singing performance on the practiced vocalise and vocalises of similar and greater complexity. Twelve female sopranos were divided into two groups, only one of which completed the short-term vocalises training program. Performance was assessed for pitch and rhythm accuracy. Results indicated that the group that completed the short-term training program did not significantly improve their pitch and rhythm accuracy on the three vocalises compared to the group that did not complete the training. Also, no carryover effect was seen after a 1-week rest-period for either group. This study demonstrates that short-term training in vocalises may not improve motor performance.

Committee: Susan Baker (Advisor) Subjects: Health Sciences, Speech Pathology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1974, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Music

Master of Music Education, University of Toledo, 2011, Judith Herb College of Education

The purpose of the study was to determine if tonal and rhythm pattern instruction and ear training exercises improve middle school students' sight-singing ability. Participants (N=73) were designated to a control or experimental group based on class schedule. Both groups received sight-singing instruction using sight-singing examples accompanied by the piano. Additionally, the experimental group was given tonal and rhythm pattern instruction, and ear training activities based on Music Learning Theory. Solfege syllables and hand signs designed by Zoltan Kodaly and John Curwen were also incorporated in sight-singing instruction for the experimental group to help with pitch accuracy. Each participant sang the assigned sight-singing test twice with resulting audio samples of 219 pre-test and post-test recordings. The assessment procedures for both tests were identical and the measurement tool's Cronbach's Alpha reliability was .88. Evaluation was based on the abilities to sing in tune, sing correct rhythms, and sing correct solfege syllables. Results indicate that after two weeks of instruction, both groups improved their sight-singing ability. The pre-test mean results shows that the control group scored significantly lower than the experimental group. Due to that significance, the post-test improvements in the experimental group did not surpass the gains in the control groups mean scores. Possible time restrictions of the study may have inhibited the improvement of the experimental group's scores.

Committee: Timothy Brakel Dr. (Committee Chair); David Jex Dr. (Committee Member); Christopher Williams Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Music Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Music

This study was designed to address the need for research examining the sight-singing backgrounds and behaviors of students who had finished a secondary school education, but had not yet begun a college curriculum. Sample subjects (N=40) were self-selected from the population of first-year undergraduate students who auditioned for a choral ensemble at a large Midwestern university. Data were gathered from questionnaire responses, video observations and audio recorded evaluations of a sight-singing task. A large majority (97.4%) of students entering college choral ensembles had participated in a variety of choral ensembles throughout their high school (M=3.36 years) and middle school (M=1.92 years) educations. Many students (43.5%) had also participated in a variety of instrumental ensembles (M=2.9 years). Most students (84.6%) reported receiving some type of sight singing instruction and 77% reported receiving instruction in a specific sight-singing system with a large majority (75%) receiving instruction in movable tonic systems. A majority (59%) of students reported that they had been instructed regarding specific strategies to prepare for sight-singing performance. Students were asked to sight sing a newly constructed melody written in common time and in the key of F major. Students spent an average of six minutes and thirty-two seconds preparing for sight-singing performance. Students spent the most time singing (M=320.23 seconds) and also spent time tonicizing (M=25.13), in silent study (M=30.51), writing (M=26.38) and keeping an external beat (M=25.62). Students also played the starting pitch (M=10.91 occurrences), made error detections (M=9.54) and started again (M=10.79). Ordinary Least Squares regression analysis showed years of high school choral participation to be the strongest predictor of sight-singing success, with years of instrumental ensemble participation also found to be a significant predictor. Analysis of high and low scorers showed that h (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Patricia J. Flowers PhD (Advisor); Hilary Apfelstadt PhD (Committee Member); Leila Heil PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music Education

Master of Music, Cleveland State University, 2007, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

The purpose of this study was to examine the types of music literacy and sight-singing techniques and/or approaches that elementary and middle school general music teachers and choir directors employ in their classroom. Data from this study includes survey questionnaire responses from 66 elementary and middle school general music and choral directors from urban, suburban, and rural school districts in the Northeastern Ohio area. The survey asked the music teachers to indicate the methods and materials they prefer, and how much time they spend on sight-singing instruction. Results revealed that the majority of teachers include weekly sight-singing instruction teach in the suburban schools, but almost 40% of them spend 10 minutes or less a week on sight-singing in their music classrooms. Movable-do was preferred over mixed-do, numbers, and neutral syllables by the respondents for teaching pitch recognition, and the Kodaly method and count singing were the rhythm reading systems that were being used more often. In addition, the Kodaly hand signs were the most frequently used sight-singing visual aids, and only 25% of the subjects listed certain instructional books as a way to enhance sight-singing training. Such findings could help present and future music teachers decide which systems they prefer, which could increase the sight-singing retention levels of their students.

Committee: Rita Klinger (Advisor) Subjects: Music