Music perception: sounds lost in space

A recent study of spatial processing in amusia makes a controversial claim that such musical deficits may be understood in terms of a problem in the representation of space. If such a link is demonstrated to be causal, it would challenge the prevailing view that deficits in amusia are specific to the musical or even the auditory domain.     

School-University Partnerships in Music Education: A Status Report

A survey was distributed to the members of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC)'s Society for Music Teacher Education that presented members with seven questions about the types and nature of their school-university partnerships. The majority of respondents (N = 251) reported that they engaged in multiple partnerships that included not only universities and schools, but also music education associations, community and private arts organizations, individuals, and businesses. The benefits of these partnerships to preservice music teachers were (a) improved learning experiences, (b) the opportunity to gain real-world teaching experience and apply theory to practice, and (c) interaction with musicians and ensembles. The primary benefits to the university and school-based teachers were (a) professional development opportunities, and (b) opportunities for collegiality. Challenges to partnerships were (a) the difficulty of scheduling, (b) a lack of time, and (c) communication. Results revealed that respondents perceive partnerships as being between individuals, that one person usually takes the lead to develop the partnership, and that the benefits of the partnerships outweigh the challenges. Suggestions for policymakers are provided to address the challenges of partnership work.     

Early Childhood Music Education in Australia: A Snapshot

Policy for early childhood music education (birth to eight years of age) in Australia covers a complex and diverse range of curriculum guidelines and legislation relating to the contexts of day care, preschool, and the early years of school. Australian models and policies vary from state to state and according to setting. Furthermore, early childhood education is constantly changing and evolving, responding to new practices, altered government priorities and funding, and community needs. In this article, the author aims to provide a snapshot of the situation by reviewing and analyzing educational policies, teacher training, and providers of early childhood music programs as well as suggesting some future directions.     

Music and emotions in the brain: familiarity matters

The importance of music in our daily life has given rise to an increased number of studies addressing the brain regions involved in its appreciation. Some of these studies controlled only for the familiarity of the stimuli, while others relied on pleasantness ratings, and others still on musical preferences. With a listening test and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment, we wished to clarify the role of familiarity in the brain correlates of music appreciation by controlling, in the same study, for both familiarity and musical preferences. First, we conducted a listening test, in which participants rated the familiarity and liking of song excerpts from the pop/rock repertoire, allowing us to select a personalized set of stimuli per subject. Then, we used a passive listening paradigm in fMRI to study music appreciation in a naturalistic condition with increased ecological value. Brain activation data revealed that broad emotion-related limbic and paralimbic regions as well as the reward circuitry were significantly more active for familiar relative to unfamiliar music. Smaller regions in the cingulate cortex and frontal lobe, including the motor cortex and Broca's area, were found to be more active in response to liked music when compared to disliked one. Hence, familiarity seems to be a crucial factor in making the listeners emotionally engaged with music, as revealed by fMRI data.     

Knowing Music, Making Music: Javanese Gamelan and the Theory of Musical Competence and Interaction

Knowing Music, Making Music: Javanese Gamelan and the Theory of Musical Competence and Interaction. Benjamin Brinner. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. 363 pp.