High school students' musical achievement and improvisation on the steel drum
Date
2015
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between high school students' musical achievement and improvisation on the steel drum. Research questions guiding this inquiry were: (1) What effect does audiation-based instruction in improvisation have on students' ability to improvise (a) melodically, (b) harmonically, and (c) rhythmically on the steel drum? (2) What is the relationship between students' performance of steel drum repertoire and their ability to improvise? and (3) How do students describe audiation-based instruction using the steel drum? Using an explanatory mixed methods design, I (a) instructed beginning steel band students ( N = 11) from a mid-Atlantic United States high school, using a curriculum comprised of audiation-based instruction in aural learning and improvisation, (b) recorded participants' performances of repertoire and improvisation, (c) facilitated a focus groups ( n = 3) to document students' descriptions of audiation-based instruction in improvisation, and (d) used qualitative findings to explain quantitative results. I concluded that (a) improvisation is a viable part of a comprehensive music education, (b) aural learning is important in developing students' musical vocabularies, and (c) regardless of students' prior experience in music, the steel band can be an inclusive ensemble.