The effects of audiation-based composition on the music achievement of elementary wind and percussion students

With the intent to improve beginning instrumental music instruction, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of audiation-based composition on the music achievement of beginning wind and percussion students. The research questions were: (1) Does audiation-based composition promote music achievement in beginning wind and percussion students? (2) What are the relationships among music aptitude, music achievement, and treatment group for students in this study? and (3) What are students' perceptions regarding the music reading process for those engaged in audiation-based composition?; Sixty-four 4th-grade students from two elementary schools were randomly assigned to an experimental group (Group X) or a control group (Group C) within each school. Instruction was designed to promote audiation for all students; curricula varied only in the inclusion of audiation-based composition (Group X) or in additional music reading activities in place of composition (Group C).; Students were administered the Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP) at the beginning of the 2003--2004 school year. During the last of thirty-two weekly half-hour lessons, students sang and played three criterion etudes. Performances were evaluated for tonal, rhythm, and expressive achievement. ANOVA and regression procedures were implemented to answer research questions 1 and 2 respectively, and four student interviews were conducted to address research question 3.; Group X scored significantly higher than Group C in: (1) overall singing achievement; (2) overall singing and playing achievement; (3) singing performances for each etude; (4) singing performances for the tonal, rhythm, and expressive dimensions; (5) playing performances for Etude 1; and (6) playing performances for the tonal dimension. Higher MAP scores were associated with lower scores for overall singing achievement for students in Group C suggesting that members of the control group with high music aptitude may have underachieved when asked to sing from notation in an instrumental music setting. In addition, four students from Group X described an approach to music reading based on pattern recognition and comprehension that resulted in an ability to sing from notation. Based on this initial study, there is evidence to suggest that audiation-based composition may promote music achievement for beginning wind and percussion students.