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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design a valid and reliable instrument—the Ralston Repertoire Difficulty Index (RRDI)—to measure the difficulty of solo vocal repertoire. Another aspect of this study was to determine the RRDI's ability to be used by voice teachers of all experience levels and to discriminate songs' difficulty into levels. Seven criteria—range, tessitura, rhythm, phrases, melodic line, harmonic foundations, and pronunciation—were incorporated in the instrument. The RRDI was tested by 34 postsecondary voice teachers. Results of the study showed that each criterion was significantly related to one overall rating established by Boytim (1982). The results also indicated high validity and reliability, and analyses revealed that the RRDI discriminated across difficulty levels and was used similarly by teachers of all experience levels.

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The Development of an Instrument to Grade the Difficulty of Vocal Solo Repertoire

Abstract

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