This study investigated undergraduate conductors’ perceptions of instrumental conducting curricula. Participants (N = 173) completed an Internet-based survey consisting of questions about their perceived level of conducting and rehearsal preparedness and the extent to which instructional time was devoted to specific topics by their conducting teachers. Responses to these questions were rated using 5-point Likert-type scales. Participants also wrote responses to three open-ended questions addressing their confidence while conducting and were asked to provide one suggestion for curricular improvement. Participants’ mean ratings for items relating to rehearsal preparedness were lower than items for conducting skill preparedness. Results of one-way analysis of variance tests indicated significant differences between ratings based on gender. Respondents felt most confident about their conducting patterns, least confident about error detection and correction, and most frequently indicated the need for additional podium time during undergraduate conducting courses.
AtterburyB. W. (1992). Old prejudices, new perceptions. Music Educators Journal, 78, 25-27.
2.
BellC. L. (2002). Enhanced rehearsal strategies for the undergraduate choral conductor. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 11(2), 22-27.
3.
BergeeM. J. (2005). An exploratory comparison of novice, intermediate, and expert orchestra conductors. International Journal of Music Education, 23, 23-36.
4.
BoardmanS. M. (2000). A survey of the undergraduate instrumental conducting course in Region Seven of the National Association of Schools of Music (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Georgia, Athens.
5.
ByoJ. L. (1997). The effects of texture and number of parts on the ability of music majors to detect performance errors. Journal of Research in Music Education, 45, 51-66.
6.
ByoJ. L.AustinK. R. (1994). Comparison of expert and novice conductors: An approach to the analysis of nonverbal behaviors. Journal of Band Research, 30(1), 11-34.
7.
DeCarboN. J. (1982). The effects of conducting experience and programmed materials on error-detection scores of college conducting students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 30, 187-200.
8.
EllisB. L. (1994). Selected band conductors’ preparation to conduct selected band compositions. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section A. Humanities and Social Sciences, 55(09), 2626.
9.
ForsytheJ. L.WoodsJ. R. (1983). The effects of conducting on the error detection ability of undergraduate and graduate instrumental conductors. Contributions to Music Education, 10, 27-31.
10.
GoolsbyT. W. (1997). Verbal instruction in instrumental rehearsals: A comparison of three career levels and preservice teachers. Journal of Research in Music Education, 45, 21-40.
11.
HarrisF.Jr. (2001). Conducting with feeling. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music.
12.
HartleyL. A.JagowS. (2007, May). Past, current, and future trends of the participation of gender and racial/ethnic minorities in band conducting. Paper presented at the Second Biennial Colloquium for Teachers of Instrumental Music Methods, Mount Sterling, OH.
13.
JohnsonC. M.FredricksonW. E. (1995). The effect of aural commentary, written comments, and behavioral self-assessment on conductor intensity. Journal of Band Research, 30(2), 27-38.
14.
JuslinP. N.PerssonR. S. (2002). Emotional communication. In ParncuttR.McPhersonG. E. (Eds.), The science and psychology of music performance. Creative strategies for teaching and learning (pp. 219-236). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
15.
ManfredoJ. (2008). Factors influencing curricular content for undergraduate instrumental conducting courses. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 175, 45-62.
16.
McKeageK. (2004). Gender and participation in high school and college instrumental jazz ensembles. Journal of Research in Music Education, 52, 343-356.
17.
O’NeillS. A. (1999). The role of motivation in the practice and achievement of young musicians. In YiS. W. (Ed.), Music, mind, and science (pp. 420-433). Seoul, Korea: Seoul National University Press.
18.
OrzolekD. C. (2002). The effect of imagery and movement exercises on the ability of students to conduct expressively. Journal of Band Research, 37(2), 61-78.
19.
PorterA. M. (2000). The development of an exploratory conducting course for nonmusic education majors. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section A. Humanities and Social Sciences, 53, 2729.
20.
RominesF. D. (2003). A survey of undergraduate instrumental conducting curricula. Journal of Band Research, 38(2), 80-90.
21.
RunnelsB. D. (1992). Practices in the teaching of instrumental conducting at the undergraduate level among colleges and universities in the upper Midwest (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Missouri-Kansas City.
22.
SheldonD. A. (2004). Effects of multiple listenings on error-detection acuity in multivoice, multitimbral musical examples. Journal of Research in Music Education, 52, 102-115.
23.
SheldonD. A.HartleyL. (2010). What color’s your baton, girl? Gender and ethnicity in band conducting. Paper presented at the meeting of the Biennial Music Educators National Conference with a Special Focus on Research in Music Education and Music Teacher Education, Anaheim, CA.
24.
StipekD. J. (1998). Motivation to learn: From theory to practice (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
25.
TaitM.HaackP. (1984). Principles and processes of music education: New perspectives. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
26.
TeachoutD. T. (1997). Preservice and experienced teachers’ opinions of skills and behaviors important to success in music teaching. Journal of Research in Music Education, 45, 41-50.
27.
Wehr-FlowersE. (2007). Differences between males and females in confidence, anxiety, and attitude towards learning jazz improvisation. Journal of Research in Music Education, 54, 337-349.
28.
WorthyM. D. (2005). The effects of self-evaluation on the timing of teacher and student behaviors in lab rehearsals. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 15, 8-14.
29.
YarbroughC. (1975). Effect of magnitude of conductor behavior on students in selected mixed choruses. Journal of Research in Music Education, 23, 134-146.
30.
YarbroughC.PriceH. E. (1981). Prediction of performer attentiveness based upon rehearsal activity and teacher behavior. Journal of Research in Music Education, 29, 209-217.
