Elementary School Children' s Concept of Tonality

Abstract

The study was conducted over a five-year period simultaneously with a study of children' s vocal ranges. Data were drawn from 1, 062 testings of 496 children, including 40 who comprised three longitudinal (L) groups. Results were derived from ascending and descending major scale patterns and a child-selected song. The concept of tonality (scales and songs) is a “ learned” concept, not related at a significant level to voice range. The sample population performed better on song singing; the L groups performed better on scale singing. Consistent teaching of both tasks is required in order for children to develop a concept of tonality in their elementary years. Individual differences among the three L groups were noted. The study indicated that performance testing avoids verbalization problems encountered by receptive/interpretive testing. Positive responses of children to non-Western musics may be due to the lack of differentiation among tonal systems or to other factors that are more easily discerned: loudness, timbre, or rhythm.