When I Sing: The Nature and Value of Choral Music Education

Author(s): David J. Elliott

Source: The Choral Journal , MARCH 1993, Vol. 33, No. 8 (MARCH 1993), pp. 11-17
Published by: American Choral Directors Association

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23548672

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms

American Choral Directors Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and
extend access to The Choral Journal

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
When I Sing:
The Nature and
Value of Choral
A

Music Education

by David J. Elliott

This discussion introduces several ideas from a new phi- tices. In short, to sing musically is to achieve changes of a
losophy of music education.1 Underlying this philosophy is a musical kind through actions that are taken up deliberately or
new way of thinking about music; not new in the sense that it at will.3 It follows from the above that to sing musically is to act
says things that no one has ever said before, but new in that it thoughtfully and knowingly. Why? Because selecting, directing,
provides new reasons to believe that "music" and "musical adjusting, and judging are all forms of thinking and knowing,
understanding" are far richer than past aesthetic theories have There is a consensus among philosophers and cognitive
assumed. It is beyond the scope of one article to explain some- scientists today that thinking is not always and only verbal,
thing as large as a philosophy of music education. This article's Instead, thinking and knowing take a variety of forms.4 Action
present purpose is therefore modest. It proposes that musician- is a form of thinking in and of itself. Put another way, thinking
ship is the key to musical enjoyment, both now and in the and knowing are exhibited not only in words but also in
future. In this "praxial" philosophy, all music students (general actions, including the actions of musical performing. Philoso
music students and performance students alike) ought to learn pher Gilbert Ryle puts it this way: "Overt intelligent perfor
music in the same fundamental way: as reflective musical prac- manees are not clues to the workings of minds; they are those
titioners engaged in the kind of active, cognitive apprenticeship workings."5
we call music education. Indeed (as I argue elsewhere),2 the Singing done well is an exquisite form of what Donald
natures and values of music and musicianship point to the Schon calls "thinking-¿«-action" and "knowing-/«-action."s In
conclusion that authentic music-making (which necessarily choral singing, one's musical knowledge is not manifested ver
involves intelligent music listening) ought to be at the center of bally but practically: it is manifested in one's singing itself. For
all music education curricula. The following discussion elabo- example, when a school chorus achieves an artistic perfor
rates these proposals in the context of choral music education. manee of a given work, such as Bach's "Duet and Choral "from
Cantata No. 93/ the quality of their performance reflects the
The Nature of Singing quality of their musical thinking and knowing. Another term
At root, singing is a particular form of intentional action. for knowing-in-action is procedural knowledge. When a student
When I sing, I select a specific musical context with an inten- is singing musically, he or she is demonstrating a rich form of
tion in mind. When I sing, I deploy, direct, and adjust my procedural knowledge called musicianship.
singing actions to make changes of a certain kind in sounds of a Two points deserve emphasis. First, although it is common
certain kind. In addition, I judge the results of my singing in for people to describe singing as a skill or a behavior, these old
relation to the standards and traditions of specific choral prac- ways of talking are inaccurate and reductive. They fail to ac
knowledge the rich cognitive nature of musical singing as
musical knowing-in-action.
David J. Elliot is Professor of Music and Chair of Music Second, the level and quality of a person's musicianship is
Education at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. not equivalent to what a person is able to say about pieces and
procedures. Again, musicianship is a form of knowledge that is

MARCH 1993 PAGE 11

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
evidenced in the practical action of artis- the performing arts and athletics, where edge is inert and unmusical. Verbal con
tic music-making. Practical musical sue- thinking intelligently in action is what cepts about musical pieces and procedures
cess validates musicianship, not words counts, the relationship between proce- should be viewed as nothing more or less
about music. Said another way, musician- durai knowledge and formal knowledge than resource materials for improving the
ship is what excellent music-makers know is highly variable. reliability and portability of a student's
how to do. Choral singing is sufficiently complex musical thinking-in-action. In short, to
This is not to say that verbal concepts that formal knowledge is inevitably called become part of the students musician
about pieces and procedures are unim- upon when needed. Verbal facts and prin- ship, formal knowledge should be intro
portant. As explained next, musicianship ciples about matters of tongue position, duced parenthetically (as needed, or
draws upon several kinds of knowledge in musical phrasing, melodic structure, mu- "by-the-way") in the context of ongoing
surrounding and supporting ways, includ- sical form, and so on can influence, guide, efforts to solve musical problems through
ing verbal knowledge. But verbal knowl- shape, and refine a student s singing (think- active music-making,
edge is secondary to the primary mode of ing-in-action and knowing-in-action). Halfway between procedural and for
knowing in music—procedural knowing, Some choristers grasp principles mal knowledge is informal knowledge. By
or knowing-in-action. nonverbally in the action of singing and this I mean the musical "savvy" developed
in the course of seeing and hearing mod- by music-makers who learn how to make
Musicianship els of how to sing musically. Others re- music well. Informal musical knowledge
in Choral Performance quire that principles be verbalized before represents what the truly musical per
Learning how to sing musically in- they can be converted into action. Some former takes to be obvious about music
volves developing, combining, and students will be full of verbal information making. Such knowing is hard to get at.
proceduralizing four kinds of musical about what they do; others will get along It is not found in textbooks,
knowledge: formal, informal, impression- very well without it. Overall, most young For example, to achieve a musical per
istic, and supervisory musical knowledge, singers grasp principles both nonverbally formance of Ella Fitzgerald's A-Tisket, A
By formal musical knowledge is meant and verbally. Tasket,8 as arranged by the author, one of
textbook-type information: verbal facts, The important issue for choral music the many things that young singers must
descriptions, theories. In domains such as educators is this: by itself, formal knowl- learn is how to "swing." What this means

choral conducting

4-121M993 1 Frieder Bernius, director of the world renowned St

Kammerchor, is internationally recognized as one of th
choral conductors of our day. His work is not limite

Namur, Belgium CQ one genre; he is well acquainted with a cappella-, lar

phonic- and early music choral works. A workshop
q him is a rare occasion since he does not normally te
T% musiC school.
Come to Namur, Belgium this summer for a unique
jf* nity to encounter the technique, sound and artistic
■ Frieder Bernius.
ivaoHon

J
This Masterclass is organized in cooperation between the International Center for Choral For more information, contact:
Music (ICCM) and the Centre de Chant Choral de la Communaute franqaise de Belgique km International Center for Choral Music, 175, rue des Brdsseurs,
(CCC) in the frame of the INstitut Europeen de Chant Choral (INECC).
B-5000 NAMUR—Belgium Tel: +32 8mf.l3.01 Fax: +32 81/24.11.64

PAGE 12 CHORAL JOURNAL

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
is that students must learn how to inter- Lastly, supervisory knowledge is some- at least four and often as many as six
prêt and perform A-Tisket in relation to times called metaknowledge or metacognition. simultaneous dimensions of musical ex
the particular standards and traditions of This form of knowledge includes both the pression, "information," or meaning,
the blues-rooted, "4-beat" swing practice, disposition and the ability to monitor and The first two dimensions of a heard mu
of which this piece is a part, and of which adjust one's musical thinking-in-action. sical work are the performance dimension
Ella Fitzgerald was an acknowledged mas- The necessity of supervisory musical and the design dimension. Whether live or
ter. True, some concepts about "swing feel" knowledge becomes obvious when sing- recorded, every piece of music we listen to is
can be put into words and notation; but ing is compared to activities like reading a an expressed interpretation of a composer's
this is not enough. At best, words and notes book or adding a sum. In reading and design, or an improvised design,
are rough approximations of rich nonverbal arithmetic, thinking and knowing are de- Indeed, if the interpretation-perfor
understandings. To sing A-Tisket musically, ployed in predictable or closed contexts. manee dimension was not fundamental
singers must develop a nonverbal action- In contrast, the thinking-in-action we call to music as a performing art, then any
concept oí how swing goes. singing often occurs in front of others accurate sounding-out of a score (like a
and in uncertain or unfamiliar circum- numbered print) would be as good as any
stances (open contexts). The same holds other. But this is not what happens in
Authentic music- for many other kinds of reflective practice practice. Performing does not exist merely
(e.g., teaching or athletics) where super- to produce sounds for people who cannot
_ / * / , , / _ , visory knowledge is essential to succeed- read scores in their heads. The knowledge
making ought to be at ¡ng -on one.s ¿and .¡n the momenl. able action of performing is a matterBo
j r 11 • Supervisory musical knowledge develops giving audible form to (of breathing mus
the CenteY OJ ULL music through interaction with a learning envi- cal life into) an otherwise abstract design
. , . i ronment centered on musical performing Part of what knowledgeable listeners at
eaucation CUTTICUICI. in relation to challenging musical works. tend to while listening is the particular u
We can summarize this section by say- derstanding of a composition that is presented
ing that to perform and listen intelligently in the moment-to-moment artistry of, say, a
How is such informal knowledge ac- requires the development of musicianship.
quired? Through progressive musical prob- To develop this form of procedural knowl
lem-solving in the action of music-making. edge requires, in turn, that four other
MUSIC FOR
The informal knowledge component of kinds of knowing develop and interweave
musicianship develops from a singer's ef- in musical action, CHILDREN'S CHOIR
forts to develop personal solutions to au
thentic musical challenges in relation to Musical Challenges
the standards, traditions, history, and lore Why is musicianship such a rich form
DOVE'S CAROL, THE
of specific musical practices. of knowing? Because excellent musical
Warner/Watson $.65
In other words, informal knowledge is a works are multidimensional challenges to
form of "situated knowledge."9 It is a form our powers of consciousness—our pow I LOVE TO THINK THAT JESUS SAW
of knowing that is highly sensitive to and ers of attention, cognition, emotion, Skemp/Lafford
in $.50
highly dependent upon the specific context tention, and memory,
LET ALL THE WORLD IN EVERY
in which it is encountered and used. The complexity of musical works is
CORNER SING
Through artistic music-making in relation often underestimated. For example, mu Walter Watson $.60
to traditions of practice (and through listen- sic education's past philosophy of "aes
SING A NEW SONG
ing that is directly related to music-making), thetic education"10 rests on the narrow
Walter Watson $.80
students develop the informal knowledge and widely disputed assumption that mu
they need to sing musically. sic is a collection of autonomous objects
SONG OF THE BUMBLE BEE
Another component of musicianship or pieces that exist to be contemplated for Dorothy Master $.80
is impressionistic musical knowledge. This their aesthetic qualities (or formal ele
kind of knowing is often called "musical ments) alone. In short, past doctrine adWHAT SHALL WE CHILDREN GIVE?
Walter Watson $.80
intuition." Impressionistic knowledge is a vocales a one-dimensional, acontextual
strongly felt sense that one line of action concept of musical works,
is better than another, or not quite right, In opposition, the praxial philosophy
and so on. Music-makers acquire nonver- outlined here argues that music is never a
bal impressions, or a "sense of things," matter of pieces alone, and pieces of mu
while doing, making, and reflecting in sic are never a matter of aesthetic qualities
specific musical contexts. These impres- alone. Instead, music is a diverse human
TUDWIG
-Li M U S I cVJ
PUBLISHING CO., INC.
557 EAST 140th STREET
sions influence our subsequent efforts, practice, and musical works are always
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44110-1999
Impressionistic knowledge is another form multidimensional constructions. More (216)851-1150
of situated knowledge. specifically, musical works always involve

MARCH 1993 PAGE 13

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Robert Shaw, Jessye Norman, or Chicago tween the cultural-ideological beliefs that resentations in addition to the other four
Symphony Chorus performance. anchored nineteenth-century Romanti- dimensions explained above.
In addition to these first two dimen- cism and the compositional processes and In summary, musical performances of
sions, an excellent musical performance is products of Romantic composers. These compositional designs are never a matter
always expressive of the standards and relationships are part of what intelligent of aesthetic qualities alone. The perfor
traditions of the musical practice of which performers and listeners understand, at- manees we make and listen for are multi
it is a part. For example, one dimension tend to, and enjoy in the process of per- dimensional expressions of musical, social,
of a truly excellent performance of Bach's forming and listening for Romantic works, and cultural relationships. Accordingly, the
B Minor Mass is an expression of the Last but not least, music can be ex- best "description" of a musical work is a
standards and traditions of Baroque mu- pressive in two other senses. First, pieces performance of that work.12 For it is only
sical practice as understood by knowl- and performances can be expressive of in an artistic performance of a composition
edgeable Baroque artists. specific human emotions (e.g., sadness, that all its dimensions of expression are
The fourth dimension is the cultural- joy, melancholy). In addition, musical fully presented and realized as a whole.
ideological dimension. All works are ex- sound can represent or characterize the Implicit in these thoughts is another
pressions of their time and place; musical attributes of natural phenomena, events, key point: listenership does not merely
works are never autonomous aesthetic individual personalities, places, and so on. overlap with musicianship; listenership is
objects. Musical practices and the musi- As a result, some (but not all) musical rooted in musicianship. How so? Because
cal outcomes they produce are social-cul- works involve one or both of these last what listeners actively "put together" while
tural constructions. Music is made by two dimensions. For example, while a listening for any given piece of music is
people and for people; conversely, music- great deal of instrumental music does not always a multidimensional performance of
makers are influenced, to greater and lesser involve musical representations of people, one kind or another. To know how to
degrees, by their social worlds. places, or things, the complex relation- listen for musical performances requires
Leonard B. Meyer offers a clear ex- ships between texts and compositional knowledge of music as a "performative pres
ample of this two-way relationship. In a designs in choral works mean that choral ence." Put another way, what listeners must
recent study of Romantic music," Meyer performances frequently involve musical know to listen intelligently includes the
highlights many direct relationships be- expressions of emotion and musical rep- same five categories of musical knowledge
that intelligent performers must meld to
gether in action to perform musically: pro
cedural, formal, informal, impressionistic,
NEW CHORAL MUSIC and supervisory musical knowledge.
Educationally speaking, then, to develop
from Theodore Presser Company & affiliates
intelligent listeners we must first develop
SATB and Piano (except where stated otherwise)
intelligent music-makers. Learning to listen
Alexander's Ragtime Band TTBB (Roberton 392-00822) ...Berlin/Hood intelligently will 2.50
not develop by listening to
Fa una canzona a cap. (Coronet 392-41779) Vecchi/Thompson .85 recordings and/or dabbling in musical
Fall on Me Like a Silent Dew SA (Presser 312-41631) Coleridge-Taylor "means
.85 behaviors." In order for listenership
Gloria (from Mass in G) SAB(Ç) (Coronet 392-41731) Schubert/Wyatt 1.20
to improve beyond a beginning level, stu
Gloria in Excelsis (Coronet 392-41699) Mozart/Ross 1.40 dents must develop musicianship. This re
The Gospel Train TTBB (Presser 312-41641) Spiritual/Arch 1.00 quires, in turn, that students be inducted
Kyrie (from Mass in G) SAB(C) (Coronet 392-41732) .... Schubert/Wyatt into
1.00musical practices.
O Jesu Christ, Meins Lebens Licht, BWV118 opt. inst. accomp. Moving "inside" and becoming part of
(Presser 312-41571) J.S. Bach/Ross 1.40 musical practices by learning to make
Sanctus a cap. (Presser 312-41618) Thomas 1.00 music well is the only way that all the
t Silent Hymns (Excelsior 392-00821) Zinn 4.50 component knowings of musicianship
develop and cohere. Learning to interpret
Available through your music dealer Prices subject to change.
and perform music is a matter of progres
£<
sive musical problem-finding and prob
t YES! Please send me a FREE SAMPLE COPY of David Zinn's Silent Hymns
(392-00821). Limit one per individual or institution. lem-solving. It is through active
Name music-making, in relation to standards and

Address
traditions of creative musical practice, that
early, middle, and secondary school stu
City/State/Zip
dents develop musicianship. It follows from
MAIL TO: Dept. 4C[ at the address below before 3/31/93.
this that the ideal listener for a given per
formance is the music-maker who has
THEODORE PRESSER COMPANY achieved a proficient level of musicianship
with respect to the musical practice of
1 Presser Place • Bryn Mat/ur, PA • 19010-3490 which that performance is "a piece."

PAGE 14 CHORAL JOURNAL

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 That listenership is embedded in mu- David Perkins reminds us that humans consciousness.16 Another word for con
sicianship and that music-listening de- are sapient beings.15 We have the ability to sciousness is "self." Human beings, says
pends on knowing how to make music represent the world to ourselves and to Csikszentmihalyi, strive to ensure the integ
are not new ideas. Gilbert Ryle made these elaborate upon our representations of the rity and growth of the self.17
same points decades ago in his influential world. Accordingly, humans are not only How do humans order and strengthen
book, The Concept of Mind-. concerned with satisfying deficiency needs; consciousness? Two interlocking condi
humans also have achievement needs. In tions must be in place; 1) something to
The knowledge that is required the same vein, Aristode reminds us that a do (a challenge), and 2) the capability to
for understanding intelligent central tendency of the human species is the do it (know-how). Csikszentmihalyi sug
performances of a specific kind is desire to know, including the desire to know gests that the prerequisite for self-growth
some degree of competence in oneself. To the American psychologist Mihaly is a match, or a least a balance, between a
performances of that kind. The Csikszentmihalyi, a central tendency of the specific kind of challenge and the specific
competent critic of prose-style, human species is to strengthen and order abilities required to meet that challenge.18
experimental technique, or em
broidery, must at least know how
High Anxiety
to write, experiment, or sew. . . .
* or Frustration
. or Frustration
The one necessary condition is that
he has some mastery of the art or
procedure, examples of which he is
to appraise. . . . the capacity to a>
<D
o>
U)
appreciate a performance is one in Musical
Cc
type with the capacity to execute it.13
O0) Enjoyment +
In fact, Aristotle laid the foundation aj
"Ôj -i jSelf Growth
for this praxial viewpoint in his discus
sion of the nature and value of music OO
education. The following passage occurs
in The Politics: cu
(B
■
o
■ ■■■
mm

And now we have to determine the (/>

Boredom
^Boredom
3 ¥¥
question which has been already
raised, whether children should be 2 1i
1i
themselves taught to sing and play |I

or not. Clearly there is a considerable 1i

difference made in the character by Low 1i

the actual practice of the art. It is

Musicianship Expert
Novice
difficult, if not impossible, for those
who do not perform to be good
Figure 1
judges of the performance of others.
. . . We conclude then that they

C-S TRAVEL SERVICE INC.

should be taught music in such a way
as to become not only critics but
performers.14
"The Concert Tour Co."™
The Value of Singing presents
presents
Recall two main points. First, choral
singing requires a rich form of knowing
in-action called musicianship, which in EUROPEAN CONCERT TOURS
cludes listenership. Second, the musical
— Qualitative Concerts!
compositions we perform and listen for
are multidimensional challenges to our — Excellent
— Excellent arrangements!
arrangements!
powers of consciousness. In other words, — The finest tour at the best cost!
an excellent musical composition is an
exquisite kind of "thought-generator."
These are the keys to understanding the Write orcIow,a/c
Call Todayuae
10031 s ROBERTS
10031 ROAD ROAD
s- ROBERTS
C-S TRAVEL SERVICE, INC. cai ljii i e „ , lkmio cnyicc
primary values of performing in general
and choral singing in particular.
1*0043».7883 PAL0S
1-800-428-7883 HILLS'
PAL0S ILLIN0IS
HILLS' 60465
ILLIN0IS 604

MARCH 1993 PAGE 15

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Self-growth results from the active exten- to meet the full challenge of a particular is this matching of choral musicianship
sion of one's powers of consciousness. The work, this lack of "fit" may be experienced and carefully selected choral challenges that
kind of feedback that orders conscious- as anxiety or frustration. Alternatively, when results in student self-growth and enjoy
ness is that which arises from successful a particular work falls below the current ment. As one song puts it: "When I sing,
action—from taking up challenges that level of a singers musicianship, the singer it's a funny thing, I just feel a lot better, feel
match and extend one's powers of atten- may experience boredom, a lot better . . . when I sing."22
tion, awareness, and memory. Excellent choral music educators are The task of music education is to make
Moreover, when a persons know-how able to sustain a matching relationship musicianship and musical enjoyment ac
matches a given challenge, there is an af- between student musicianship and chal cessible to all children. All children? Yes.
fective payoff of positive satisfaction or deep lenging choral works. Indeed, even for a For while it is true that some children
enjoyment. There is no anxiety or disrup- young singer who is just beginning to have higher levels of musical intelligence
tion when consciousness is ordered by the internalize the standards of specific musi than others, the majority of children have
incoming feedback that, "I am this person cal practices, singing provides second-by sufficient levels of musical intelligence to
who is doing this thing well." second feedback about how well he or she achieve a competent (if not a proficient)
Choral singing offers participants the is "musicing." Of course, singing also pro level of musicianship, given the kind of
two necessary conditions for achieving self- vides expert singers with feedback about music program described above.
growth and musical enjoyment: musical how well they are performing in relation In conclusion, musical achievement
challenges and musical know-how or musi- to the goals and standards of the practices pivots on a multidimensional form of
cianship. When a singer's level of musician- they know so well. knowledge called musicianship. Musician
ship, beginner to expert, is matched with an Most choral practices are dynamic ship can be taught and learned. All music
appropriate level of musical challenge, this practices. Dynamic practices are those in education programs, including general
matching relationship brings order to con- which the musical challenges and the music programs, ought to enable chil
sciousness. Singing done musically (i.e., in musicianship that ground the practice spi dren to develop musicianship through ac
relation to the standards and traditions of a ral upward in complexity, thus allowing tive music-making. Robert Shaw says it
musical practice) engages the whole self. for the continuous matching of musician best: "Musical artistry is not a privilege
The energy resource we call attention is ship and musical challenge.21 What this for the few, but a necessity for all."
completely absorbed in the thoughtful ac- means, in turn, is that one's powers of
tions of singing. All the resources of con- consciousness are also propelled "upward" NOTES
sciousness are engaged. Such experiences in terms of complexity and integration, 1 This new philosophy is explained in David J
are what Csikszentmihalyi refers to as opti- In summary, choral singing is intrinsi Elliott, Music Matters: A New Philosophy
mal experience, autotelic experience, or cally valuable. Singing is not merely a of Music Education (New York: Routledge),
"flow."19The term for optimal experience in "means behavior" in general music pro in press.
fite musical context is musical enjoyment, grams as past music education philosophy 2 Ibid.
Figure 1 (after Csikszentmihalyi)20 brings maintains. Instead, singing is a logical, vi 3 Cf., Stuart Hampshire, Thought and Action
the above ideas together. able, and appropriate end for general mu (London: Chatto and Windus, 1965),
As the diagram shows, when a singer's sic programs and performance programs 154.
musicianship falls below the level required alike. Learning to sing musically is some 4 See V.A. Howard, ed., Varieties of Thinking
thing worth doing "for its own sake, " which (New York: Routledge, 1990).
is to say, "for the sake of the self." Singing 5 Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind (London:
is a unique and major source of the most Hutchinson, 1949), 57.
EAR TRAINING important kind of knowledge human be 6 Donald A. Schon, The Reflective Practitioner

made
made easy. easy, » ings can achieve: self-knowledge. (New York: Basic Books, 1983), 50.
7 J. S. Bach, "Duet and Choral" from Cantata
Because
Because it's pocket
it's pocket Conclusion No. 93, ed. Doreen Rao (New York:
size,
size,youyou
can take
can take
Learning to sing musically is an endeavor Boosey & Hawkes, 1991), OCTB6592.
aa Franz
FranzQuartz Pitch Pitch
Quartz
Pipe
Pipe tonetone
generatorgenerator ( worth doing by all children. Musical per 8 Ella Fitzgerald, A-Tisket, A-Tasket, arranged
everywhere
everywhere and because and becausex^giv
forming through choral singing is a funda by David J. Elliott (New York: Boosey &
weprovide
we provide
a choicea ofchoice of y
softoror
soft loud
loud volumes,
volumes, it can be ——
it can be mental way human beings in all societies, Hawkes, 1966), OCTB6456.
used
usedanywhere.
anywhere. ForFor
these reasons
these and and
reasons past and present, bring order to conscious 'John S. Brown, Allan Collins, and Paul
because
becauseitit
offers
offersan extremely
an extremely accurateaccurate ness and achieve optimal experience. Musi
20-note
20-notechromatic
chromatic rangerange
plus guitar
plus guitar
and and Duguid, "Situated Cognition and the
bowed
bowedinstrument
instrument pitch pitch
sequences
sequences cianship, in turn, is the way to self-growth Culture of Learning," Educational
and
andnine
ninevariable
variable
"A" "A"
pitches,
pitches,
the the and enjoyment in the choral context. Researcher 18 0anuary-February 1989):
Franz
FranzPocket
Pocket Quartz
QuartzPitch Pipe is
Pitch the is the
Pipe In this view, choral music educators are
incomparable
incomparable pitch/interval
pitch/interval recognition
recognition 32-42.
training
trainingtool.
tool.
Only
Only
$54.95
$54.95
at all at
better
all better right in focusing their efforts on the devel10 For critical discussions of "aesthetic
musicstores—or
music stores—or sendsend
youryour
check check
to to
opment of student musicianship through education," see Wayne Bowman, "An
FRANZ
FRANZMANUFACTURING
MANUFACTURING CO., CO.,
240
240Sargent
Sargent Drive,
Drive,
NewNewHaven,Haven,
CT 06511.
CT 06511. progressive musical problem-solving in bal Essay Review of Bennett Reimer's A
Add
Add$3.00
$3.00forfor
shipping.
shipping. anced relation to excellent choral music. It

PAGE 16
CHORAL JOURNAL

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Take a step up this year!
■ ■■■■■■

Kapell
Philosophy of Music Education," and David in Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The _Custo
J. Elliott, "Music Education as Aesthetic Psychology of Optimal Experience (New Single and
Education: A Critical Inquiry." Both York: Harper and Row, 1990), 74. Double

articles appear in The Quarterly Journal of 21 Csikszentmihalyi, 30. Height

Music TeachingandLeaming2 (Fall 1991). 12 Bill Henderson, When I Sing, arranged by Choir Stools

11 Leonard B. Meyer, Style and Music: Theory, David J. Elliott in Some Sung Songs (New
History, and Ideology (Philadelphia: York: Boosey & Hawkes, 1992), Kapellmeister Enterprises, Inc.
59932 Tamarack Drive
University of Pennsylvania Press, 1989). OCTB6456.
St. Helens, Oregon 97051
12 Here I follow the thoughts of Peter Kivy as (503) 397-4773
presented in his book, Music Alone:
-CI
Philosophical Reflections on the Purely
Musical Experience (Ithaca: Cornell
University Press, 1990). Kodály Center of America
13 Ryle, 53-54. 15 Denton Road, Wellesley, MA 02181-9614 (617) 235-8784 or 332-2680
14 Aristotle, The Politics, ed. Stephen Everson RESOURCE MATERIALS
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, of outstanding quality and proven effectiveness
1988).
15 David N. Perkins, "Art as Understanding,"
Need A Little Wit & Whimsey In Your Children's Choir?
The Journal of Aesthetic Education 22 Try 5 Songs On Haiku Texts, for upper elem. & j.h., 7 min.
(Spring 1988).
• The Tree Frogs Sing - Two-Part
16Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi and Isabella
• Little Grey Cuckoo - Two-Part
Csikszentmihalyi, eds., Optimal Experience:
• A Leaf is Falling - Two-Part
Psychological Studies of Flow in Consciousness
• High On A Mountain - Two-Part
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, • Sudden Shower - Unison
1988).
Simple, sometimes profound texts in imaginative settings with an occasional
17 Ibid., 24.
modal surprise — delightful with images of Spring abounding!
18 Ibid., 30.
A $10 subscription fee entitles you to our KCA Catalogue and Newsletters.
19 Ibid., 3ff.

20 The original version of this diagram appears

Attention Aspiring Composers of

Sacred ChoraC Music!

The Cate composer, John Ness (Becf created the Jo/in Ness (Beef Foundation "exfCusiveCy for
charitahCe purposes to enhance and further the career, study, education and experience of promising
composers and arrangers in choraC composition and arrangement oftraditionaC church music ". In
1993, a paneCof estahdshed composers seCected 6y the 'Foundation wiCCaward $2,000.00prizes
to a masjmum of five unpuôdshed composers who suSmit manuscripts 6efore May 30, 1993.
Composers interested in suômitting compositions may request an application 6y writing to: The
John Ness (Beef Foundation, (P. O. (Boxl4369, CoCumôus, Ohio43214. Awards witt 6e announced
after JuCy 30,1993.

MARCH 1993 PAGE 17

This content downloaded from

143.107.3.237 on Sun, 07 Mar 2021 23:02:30 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms