Process and Product: the Sight-Singing Backgrounds And
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PROCESS AND PRODUCT: THE SIGHT-SINGING BACKGROUNDS AND BEHAVIORS OF FIRST-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Doctor of Philosophy in The Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Victoria J. Furby, B.M. M.A. ******** The Ohio State University 2008 Doctoral Examination Committee Approved By Dr. Patricia J. Flowers, Advisor ________________________ Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt Advisor Dr. Leila Heil Graduate Program in Music ABSTRACT 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 ii 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 high scorers spent less total time than low scorers in preparing for sight-singing, and a larger proportion of preparation time in non-singing behaviors, including writing, silent study and external beat keeping. Low scorers restarted the example significantly more often than high scorers. Analysis of sight- singing instruction showed that students who had received sight-singing instruction, especially in regard to specific preparatory strategies, were more successful sight-singers. Varied musical experiences and the inclusion of sight-singing instruction were shown to be the best predictors of sight-singing success. iii Dedicated to my family iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost I thank my advisor of the last four years, Dr. Patricia Flowers. Without her unwavering support and advice, this project would never have come to fruition. I would also like to thank the members of my committee, Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt and Dr. Leila Heil for their support and the unselfish donation of their valuable time. Finally, I would also like to thank the other valued professors of The Ohio State University for the education that made this project possible. I wish to thank Anthony Brock, David Tomasacci and Marci Major for their help with the evaluation portion of this project. Harold Weiss, of the sociology department, has also been of invaluable assistance in the completion this project. I would like to thank my fellow music education graduate student, Elizabeth Thacker, for the countless hours of support and advice. I would also like to acknowledge my students for their understanding and cooperation as this project was completed. Finally, I thank my friends and family, for their encouragement, not only for this project, but for pushing me to reach my goals. To my brother Oliver and my sister-in-law Kristen, thank you so much for taking the time to assist in the final stages of this research. To my mom and dad, Andrea and Brian, words cannot express what your support has meant to me over the last four years. As I end this journey I will never be able to thank you adequately for all you have done and for what you mean to me. v VITA June 15, 1979…………………………………Born- Waterford, Ireland 2000………………………………..B.M., Education, Capital University 2001-2004……………….….Choral Director, Pickerington High School 2005……………..….M.A. Music Education, The Ohio State University 2004-present……………………………….Graduate Teaching Assistant The Ohio State University FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Music vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Dedication iv Acknowledgments v Vita vi List of Tables ix 1. Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Problem 2 Research Questions 4 Definitions 5 Method 6 Significance of the Study 7 2. Chapter 2: Review of Relevant Literature 9 The History of Sight-Singing Practice 9 Ideology of Sight Singing 18 Systems for Sight-Singing Instruction 21 Current Trends in Sight-Singing Research 31 Conclusion 45 3. Chapter 3: Method 46 Purpose 46 Design 47 Procedure 49 Characteristics 50 Musical Example 54 Audio Evaluation 55 Observations 56 4. Chapter 4: Results 59 Sample Characteristics 59 High and Low Scorers 67 Summary 73 5. Chapter 5: Summary, Discussion and Conclusion 76 Summary 76 Discussion 83 Conclusion 91 References 94 Appendices 103 vii Appendix A: Recruitment Letter 104 Appendix B: Consent to Participate in Research 105 Appendix C: Questionnaire 109 Appendix D: Sight Singing Test 111 Appendix E: Audio Evaluation Form 112 Appendix F: Tables 114 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 2.1 Movable-do solfége syllables 22 2.2 Fixed-do solfége syllables 23 4.1 Means and Standard Deviations for Timed Behaviors of the Sample 63 4.2 Linear Regression of Reported Independent Variables 65 4.3 Linear Regression of Observed Independent Variables 66 4.4 Means and Standard Deviations for Timed Behaviors of High Scorers 69 4.5 Means and Standard Deviations for Timed Behaviors of Low Scorers 70 4.6 Descriptive Data for Top and Bottom Scorers on Sight Singing Test 72 F.1. Years of High School Participation-Sample 115 F.2. Type of High School Choral Ensemble-Sample 116 F.3. Years of Middle School Participation-Sample 117 F.4. Type of Middle School Participation-Sample 118 F.5. Years of Private Voice Lessons-Sample 119 F.6. Years of Instrumental Ensembles-Sample 120 F.7. Type of Instrumental Ensemble-Sample 121 F.8. Years of Private Instrumental Lessons-Sample 122 F.9. Type of Instrumental Private Lessons-Sample 123 F.10.Educational Background of Sight-Singing Instruction-Sample 124 F.11. Sight-Singing System Utilized-Sample 125 F.12. Descriptive Statistics of Observed Behaviors-Sample 126 F.13. Years of High School Participation-High Scorers 127 F.14. Type of High School Choral Ensemble-High Scorers 128 F.15. Years of Middle School Participation-High Scorers 129 F.16. Type of Middle School Participation-High Scorers 130 F.17. Years of Private Voice Lessons-High Scorers 131 F.18. Years of Instrumental Ensembles-High Scorers 132 F.19. Type of Instrumental Ensemble-High Scorers 133 F.20. Years of Private Instrumental Lessons-High Scorers 134 ix F.21. Type of Instrumental Private Lessons-High Scorers 135 F.22.Educational Background of Sight-Singing Instruction-High Scorers 136 F.23. Sight-Singing System Utilized-High Scorers 137 F.24. Descriptive Statistics of Observed Behaviors-High Scorers 138 F.25. Years of High School Participation-Low Scorers 139 F.26. Type of High School Choral Ensemble- Low Scorers 140 F.27. Years of Middle School Participation- Low Scorers 141 F.28. Type of Middle School Participation- Low Scorers 142 F.29. Years of Private Voice Lessons- Low Scorers 143 F.30. Years of Instrumental Ensembles- Low Scorers 144 F.31. Type of Instrumental Ensemble- Low Scorers 145 F.32. Years of Private Instrumental Lessons- Low Scorers 146 F.33. Type of Instrumental Private Lessons- Low Scorers 147 F.34. Educational Background of Sight-Singing Instruction- Low Scorers 148 F.35. Sight-Singing System Utilized- Low Scorers 149 F.36. Descriptive Statistics of Observed Behaviors- Low Scorers 150 F.37. Reported Characteristics Correlation Coefficients 151 F.38. Observed Variable Correlation Coefficients 152 F.39. Histogram Report Test for Heteroskedasticity 153 F.40. P-plot Test for Heteroskedasticity 154 F.41 Mean Score and Years of High School Participation 155 x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION One of the primary goals of music education, or indeed any educational endeavor, is to produce interested and independent learners. Music literacy, or the ability to read musical notation, is a necessary component of musical independence. In modern instrumental ensembles this skill is often the first thing taught, interrelated to the actual playing of one’s primary instrument. However, the situation is much different in the modern choral ensemble. The ability to sing is not tied to the ability to read music. Students are taught to sing parts by rote, a process by which the instructor teaches each part without relating aural recognition of the melody to the written musical notation. The apparent ease of rote teaching leads to the exclusion of sight singing and music reading instruction. Many singers can participate in school related activities and never learn to read music accurately and/or respond to written musical notation. The goals of a modern choral director are often different than the goals of music teachers throughout the history of American music education.