Colloquium Series: Events & Speakers: 2020-2021

The Adolescent Singer: Vocal Development, Self-efficacy, and Identity
Presented by Shawna Hinkle

Abstract
The adolescent singing voice can be a force to be reckoned with. The purpose of this literature review was to examine research studies, peer reviewed and professional journal articles, and additional materials available to choral music educators teaching adolescent singers. Music teaching strategies and pedagogical practices affecting the vocal development of adolescent singers specifically related to the male and female changing voice were included. Researchers have found adolescent singer self-efficacy and identity as a member of the choir to be associated with the stages of vocal development. This literature review was designed serve as a point of reference for choral music educators who may find themselves feeling inadequate as they work with adolescent singers. The intent of the literature review was to focus on the adolescent singer vocal development, the impact of the stages of vocal development on self-efficacy, and personal identity as a choir member. It was not designed to encompass all research associated with the adolescent singer and gender identity.

Bio
Shawna K. Hinkle is currently a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University and 6-12 vocal music teacher for Dover City Schools. She previously taught middle and high school vocal music for Brunswick City Schools and Copley Fairlawn City Schools, general and elementary music, and private keyboard. She holds degrees from Muskingum University (BME) and Kent State University (MME). Her research interests include student learning related to self-efficacy and middle and secondary choral rehearsal pedagogical practices.

Social Justice-Based Choral Music Education: A Review of the Literature
Presented by Dalton Phillips

Abstract
Why should music educators be interested in social justice? According to Jorgensen (2015), justice “underlies conceptions of humane and civil society”, or simply put, what is “right” (p. 8). Music education serves the purpose of conveying musical beliefs and values, and so decisions are inherently made about the “right” music for students. Jorgensen expressed that justice is also about respecting and validating people, as well as negotiating conflicts and differences of opinion and perspective through dialogue. These issues of equity and fairness are addressed in music teaching and learning every day, as the culture of students is either respected and validated or not. Dialogue for the purposes of understanding differences is either had or not. The purpose of this review of literature is to examine applications of social justice-based education within choral music education. Exploration of this topic is guided by questions including: What is social justice-based education? How and why are choral educators engaging in social justice-based education? Findings in the literature will be synthesized and discussed in terms of thematic patterns in order to provide an understanding of current knowledge on the topic. Implications of these findings will be applied to the field of choral education.

Bio
Dalton Phillips is a second-year PhD student and graduate assistant in music education at Kent State University. Previously, he taught middle and high school choir in the Mansfield City and New London Local school districts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Allegheny College and Master of Arts in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University. His current research interests include social justice-based music education, community music, informal music learning, and choral music education.

Contemporary Commercial Music: Pedagogical Practices for the Choral Director
Presented by Eric Bable

Abstract
Contemporary commercial music is an area that is often excluded from collegiate study and is a field that many choral music educators view as a pedagogical weakness due to lack of exposure. Historically, contemporary commercial music has been at the center of debate in the choral music education profession based on possible vocal health risks and an affront to the traditional choral repertoire. The purpose of this literature review is to provide choral music educators with research-based information to improve their pedagogical concepts and understanding of contemporary commercial music as it pertains to vocal practices. The literature has shown that many vocal processes in contemporary commercial music require greater vocal energy and differentiation of resonating spaces across the vocal range.

Bio
Eric Bable is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. He also serves as the high school band director and coordinator of the theatre program in the Crestview Local School District. His research interests include motivation and the education of students in rural places.

Choral Communities, Culture, Teamwork, and Identity: A Review of Literature
Presented by Bill Klein

Abstract
This review of literature is catered to practicing choral music educators. Its purpose is to provide methods and pedagogies in four areas: choral communities, culture, teamwork, and identity. These topics are four of many that could be reviewed for professional development or research purposes. These topics were selected because of the breadth of scholarship in the areas. This review will provide a detailed analysis of the literature and how it relates to choral music education. Methods of implementing the literature into classrooms will also be offered. Links to other areas of music education, such as general music, will also be explored in less detail.

Bio
Bill Klein is currently the director of vocal music and drama departments at Austintown Fitch High School. He has held this position for nine years. He is currently a third-year doctoral student studying music education. Bill earned his B.M. from Youngstown State University and his M.M. from Kent State University. His current research interests are teacher education and choral teaching and learning.

Experiencing Joy in Music Class: How Young Children Come to Value Music
Presented by Lisa Heinrich

Abstract
This presentation will explore ways young children come to value general music class. The experiences a child has with music outside of school depends on the family’s musical engagement and can be disparate from one child to another. As American society moves from a culture of music makers to music consumers, actively making music is a foreign concept to many individuals. The music room needs to be a safe place for students to overcome anxiety and enjoy music. As students experience music through a variety of modalities, they begin to appreciate music for its aesthetic value.

Bio
Lisa Heinrich teaches K-5 Music at Cloverleaf Elementary School in Seville, Ohio. She holds a Master’s of Music (Cleveland State University) with a Bachelor of Arts in German and Bachelor of Music Education (Bowling Green State University). General music training includes Orff Schulwerk, Music Learning Theory, and Eurhythmics. Her research interests include teaching diverse music and best practices in general music classrooms. Lisa is currently a first-year doctoral student in music education at Kent State University.

Music and Vocation for Mutual Success in the Urban School System: A Philosophical Perspective
Presented by Chad Pittman

Abstract
School policies and systems strongly impact the work of music educators in the modern urban/city district. These large, high poverty, and often under-funded districts react to constantly changing law and mandates from state legislatures. Additionally, high poverty, variable attendance, and significant socio-emotional and personal needs require today’s music teachers to develop and pace curricula to meet student needs while providing a high-quality artistic education. Secondary ensemble rehearsal and collaboration require and develop the same skills needed for any kind of job after high school. Specifically relating artistic success in choir, band, or orchestra with vocational success provides a relevant bridge between the two topics and most often results in mutual success. This philosophical perspective references two northeast Ohio urban school systems, a few of their unique policies, and rationales for considering the stated curricular perspective.

Bio
Chad Pittman is Director of Choirs at Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio, where he conducts and maintains an active choral program, teaches classes in music theory/history and career-technical education in music, and coordinates the voice area of the Akron School for the Arts. Choirs under his direction have received invitations to perform with prominent community, professional, and higher education organizations, and special sessions of OMEA and ACDA. He also serves as Director of Music and Organist for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Massillon, where he administers a thriving music program, leading adult and children’s vocal and instrumental ensembles. A doctoral student in Music Education at Kent State University, he holds degrees from Cleveland State University (Master of Education in Educational Administration) and Baldwin Wallace University (Bachelor of Music Education and Organ Performance). Research interests include choral music methods, philosophy of music education, and gender spectrum in music teaching.

From Product to Process: Music, Students, Community in the COVID Era 
Presented by Timothy Daniels

Abstract
It is likely that COVID-19 and the educational changes it brought about, will influence music education into the future. The first step is to understand 1) What changes have already occurred in music education?, and 2) How are music educators dealing with these changes to create meaningful musical experiences? Beginning with the experience in one suburban Pittsburgh school district, it is important to document and track the changes necessitated by COVID-19 policies. Through the lens of student motivation and community expectations, this presentation will explore the shift in focus in one high school band class, from a heavy focus on performance, to one more focused on the process of teaching and learning. Conclusions will focus on critical questions as we continue to navigate a rapidly changing educational landscape.

Bio
Timothy Daniels currently serves as the Director of Bands at Norwin High School (PA), where he directs the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in music theory and music technology. Tim earned is BME from Youngstown State University and MM from Duquesne University. Research interests include student motivation, assessment practices, high school band, and curriculum design. He is currently a first-year doctoral student at Kent State University.

COVID-Nein Teach: A Case Study Investigating Music Education Student Teachers Perceptions on Perusing a Career as a Music Teacher During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presented by Bill Klein

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of student teacher’s likelihood to continue in the profession of music education accompanied with the onset COVID-19. Interviews of current, or recently graduated, student teachers were done to attain data (N=3). Questions were devised in part by the author and the work of Schmidt, C.P., Zdzinski, S.F., Ballard, D.L. (2006). Questions asked participants about their prior expectations of student teaching, the student teacher experience, and if the onset of COVID-19 during their student teaching experience altered their career trajectory. Research questions guiding the study were: a) In what ways has COVID-19 affected the perception of education as a profession for student teachers? and b) How has COVID-19 effected perception for music education student teachers about perusing the profession as a music teacher? Data was analyzed and coded for themes and trends. Preliminary findings suggest COVID-19 not to be a determining factor of remaining in the profession.

Bio
Bill Klein is currently the director of vocal music and drama departments at Austintown Fitch High School. He has held this position for nine years. He is currently a third-year doctoral student studying music education. Bill earned his B.M. from Youngstown State University and his M.M. from Kent State University. His current research interests are teacher education and choral teaching and learning.

Digging Up Roots: Perception of a Fundamental Pitch within Three-Pitch Collections
Presented by Jeremey Poparad

Abstract
This study aims to test whether the music theory concept of harmonic chord root is audibly perceptible to listeners. By presenting recordings a series of triads in various qualities, inversions, voicings, and transpositions, participants selected which of the three pitches in the chord sounded most strongly to them as the root. For the most part, the results mirrored the rules of music theory. The theoretical root was chosen nearly always for all forms of major and minor triads. For inversions, there was a slight increase in selection of the lowest pitch, regardless of which harmonic tone it was. Augmented chords showed a much more uniform distribution of answers, again with a stronger preference for the lowest pitch. For diminished triads, the theoretical root was somewhat preferred in most cases, but not as strongly as in major or minor triads, with one exception: for 1st inversion triads in both open and closed voicings there was an even split in preference for the root and third of the chord. The results reinforce the music theory concept of chord root with major triads most strongly perceived, followed by minor, diminished, and augmented. The competing root candidate for 1st inversion diminished triads agrees with the common practice that minor 6 chords are functionally distinct chords, despite containing exactly the same notes. Curiously, a similar split didn't occur for 1st inversion minor chords and its equivalently respelled major 6 chord.

Bio
Jeremey Poparad is a guitarist, bassist, composer, educator, and recording engineer in the Northeast Ohio area. In addition to performing with many jazz and rock bands, classical ensembles, and theatre orchestras, he teaches both privately and as an adjunct professor at Ashland University and Mount Union University and is the proprietor of Popemobile Studios. He is a 2006 graduate of the University of Akron with bachelor's degrees in jazz studies and music composition, a 2018 graduate of Cleveland State University with master's degrees electric guitar performance and music composition, and is currently pursuing a PhD in music theory/composition at Kent State University.

The Relationship of Reading Level, Musical Aptitude, and Aural and Visual Congruence of Musical Examples Among 5-9-year-olds
Presented by Kristin Koterb

Abstract
The study was designed to investigate how visual and aural congruence relate to reading level and musical aptitude in kindergarten through third graders. Another area of interest was if there were any differences in children who also participate in extracurricular activities such as dance, music lessons, and/or sports. The hypotheses were that children with higher music aptitude and/or reading level will also have a high level of aural and visual congruence, and additionally, children who participate in extracurricular activities will have both higher music aptitude and aural and visual congruence. Parents were asked to self-report their child’s reading ability according to their child’s report card (‘at,’ ‘above,’ ‘below’) and extracurriculars. The testing instrument was designed using the Selmer Music Guidance Survey to determine music aptitude and a researcher designed aural and visual congruence test using Musograms. Data was analyzed using a multivariate regression model.

Bio
Kristin Koterba holds a B.M. in Music Education and Flute Performance from Kent State University and a M.M. in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Currently, Kristin is a doctoral student in Music Education at Kent State and is a band director in the Shaker Heights City School District teaching fifth and sixth grade band, assisting with high school marching band, and teaching adaptive music. She has made poster session presentations at OMEA, served on various panel discussions, as well as presented at the International Society for Music Education’s 2018 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Who Am I and How Did I Get Here?: Music Ensemble Participation and Identity
Presented by Eric Bable

Abstract
This study investigates the development of identity and how it may change over time as it relates to ensemble participation in middle school and high school. Participants included graduates of a specific high school in the north east, all of which participated in a performing ensemble in high school or middle school. Research questions include: (1) If participants identify as musicians, when does this develop? (2) How did participation in musical ensemble affect identity development? Data was collected through remote interviews and analyzed using document analysis. Analysis revealed that participants often formed their identity as musicians after beginning participation in high school performance ensembles. Participants who studied music at the collegiate level identified more strongly as musicians than those who participated in music recreationally. Most participants indicated their interpersonal relationships formed through ensemble participation help shape their identities, even though these may not have been related to a musical identity.

Bio
Eric Bable is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. He also serves as the high school band director and coordinator of the theatre program in the Crestview Local School District. His research interests include motivation and education of students in rural places.

Implicit Racial Bias among Classically Trained Musicians
Presented by Will Kish

Abstract
This investigation was designed to measure whether musicians trained in Western classical music had implicit racial bias for white faces when compared with black faces. Participants (N = 29) answered demographic questions employed to ascertain their method of advanced musical training, their race, and their age. In order to investigate levels of implicit racial bias, participants then took a survey-software version of the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT). Research questions examined were: 1. Will people with extensive training in Western classical music show bias for white faces on the IAT? and 2. Will people with training in non-Western classical musical genres show more or less racial bias on the IAT? Demographic data and the IAT results were collected using a researcher built Qualtrics survey. Results showed slight bias for white faces among participant musicians. Musicians trained in other genres in addition to Western classical music demonstrated less bias, but this difference was not statistically significant.

Bio
Will Kish is in his second year as a PhD student at Kent State University. He is a music teacher and band director in the Norwalk City Schools in Norwalk, Ohio. He earned his master's degree from Kent State in 2008, and his bachelor's degree in music education from Ohio State in 1999.

Silent Cacophony: The Impact of Silence and Music During Yoga
Presented by BethAnn Hepburn

Abstract
The aim of this current study was to examine the impact of silence (the absence of music) or different music styles including stimulative and relaxation during yoga on the participant’s perceived psychological and physical states. The mixed methodology included interviews, three self-reporting surveys of the participants (N=14), participant-researcher field notes and experimental yoga classes. The experimental design of this study was implemented during two separate Vinyasa yoga classes. Experiment 1 examined the impact of participants’ perception of silence and relaxation music during yoga class, Experiment 2 compared relaxation music and stimulative music and examined the impact perceived by the participants. The study investigated the following research questions: 1. How is a yoga participant’s psychological and physical states impacted by relaxation, or stimulative music during yoga? 2.In what ways does silence (absence of music) effect participants during yoga class? 3. What impacts a yoga instructor’s choices of music for instruction? Silence, or complete absence of music, was determined to have the largest impact on the subjectively reported cognitive arousal of the participants. Additionally, silence was found to have a negative impact on the participants’ perceived tension, anxiety, and mood. Participants indicated relaxation music best encouraged bodily flow and breathing. Relaxing instrumental music (without lyrics) best supported the clear mindfulness aim of yoga and a sense of calming for the participants, whereas silence created brain chatter, overthinking, physical tension, and difficulty breathing. Stimulating music empowered the participants, however, did not support their indicated intension to achieve relaxation by relieving tension and anxiety.

Bio
BethAnn Hepburn is a doctoral student in Music Education. Her research interests include Music History, Elementary Music education, and Orff Schulwerk. BethAnn is the professional development chair for the OMEA, a board member for the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, and Teacher Education Instructor for the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.

The Influence of Different Media on Popular Music in the United States
Presented by Yifei Zhang

Abstract
Different media, such as wax cylinder, gramophone, radio, tape, CD, and streaming services play an indispensable role in American popular music. Through these media, people can listen to all kinds of music more conveniently. They do not have to travel thousands of miles to a music scene to hear their favorite musicians because they can hear them through these media. Different media create a diachronic and synchronic unity. The media create convenience for music listeners and create more income for musicians and explore more musical possibilities. Moreover, the emergence of different media also provides the music industry, especially the record industry, with rich profits and development prospects. In this presentation, Zhang will illustrate the influence of several vital media, such as the gramophone, tape recorder, records, radio, and television, on American popular music.

Bio
Yifei Zhang is an ethnomusicology graduate student from China. She completed a master’s degree in Musicology in Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China before entering Kent State University. While studying for her master’s degree in China, her research direction was Chinese traditional music, particularly focus on the traditional music of Northeast China. And Zhang’s undergraduate major also was also Musicology in at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China. Her decision to choose to pursue a master’s degree in ethnomusicology in the United States centers on its melting pot of multi-culture. She intends to participate in critical thinking and creative thinking in the American education system to stimulate her inspiration, thinking, and keep it in a "thinking state."

The Role and Influence of Youth in Hip-Hop Music
Presented by Ziwen Zhou

Abstract
Rap is often labeled as "edgy" and new, as if it were something new in the 21st century, but rap music has a long history in the United States. What was the last grass-roots art in America in the 20th century has become a global culture, especially among young people, and has a huge impact on them. From Europe to Asia, from Africa to America, you can see a group of hip-hop teenagers in baggy clothes, their bodies moving to the beat and their mouths talking. As a carrier of resisting the mainstream society and expressing the real-life state and self-identity of black youth, hip-hop culture is of great significance to the growth of contemporary black youth in America. In terms of behavior, psychology, and language, they begin to participate in social affairs, create slang, and constantly enhance their sense of self-identity. At the same time, rap is unique because it inherits the linguistic features of Black English that make rap so successful and even change the English language itself. Based on the background of hip-hop culture, namely the oppressed black American society, the value of hip-hop culture from a rapper or typical rap song allows us to understand national culture, examine its influence on youth groups, as well as global music culture and adolescents’ reaction to rap music culture. Lastly, the unique language characteristics of rap music are analyzed.

Bio
Ziwen Zhou is a master’s student in piano performance from Anhui, China. She received her undergraduate degree from Anhui Normal University.

Merging to a New Sound: Puerto Ricans and the Harlem Hell Fighters 
Presented by Jorge Mercado

Abstract
The invasion of Puerto Rico in 1898 by the United States led to many forms of relations between both countries. As the United States created the Jones Act in 1917 that gave Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship and entered to World War I, this led many Puerto Ricans to migrate Puerto Rico to the mainland U.S.A. or to participate in the war. James Reese Europe, a jazz musician and soldier, was commanded to organize a military band. Due to the music history of Puerto Rico, James Reese Europe recruited Puerto Rican musicians to participate in the Fifteenth Regiment (Colored) of the New York National Guard (Harlem Hellfighters) military band. Mercado will examine how and why there was an interest to recruit Puerto Ricans to the military to participate in a war and at the same time a military band. Due to the music that the band played - mostly jazz - this could be one of the first connections between North American jazz musicians and Puerto Rican musicians to understand the contemporary sound of Puerto Rican popular music.

Bio
Jorge Mercado is an Ethnomusicology graduate student from Puerto Rico at Kent State University. Before being at Kent State University, Mercado was a history teacher at Academia Santa Rosa de Lima at Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Simultaneous with teaching, he worked as a professional musician with various urban, alternative, and jazz groups offering performances and recording sessions. Currently, Jorge Mercado is participating with various groups like Thai Ensemble, African Ensemble, and two wind ensembles, while occasionally studying tuba with Prof. Ken Heinlein. Jorge Mercado runs a radio show called Notas Desconocidas for Radio Universidad, a public radio station from Puerto Rico.

A Preliminary Study of Rapping Techniques 
Presented by Jingwen Lin

Abstract
In 40 years of development, hip-hop rap has developed into more than 20 styles, mainly consisting of old-school, gangsta rap, hardcore rap, and trap. Its main characteristics are the content has a story plot, the musical vocabulary is large, the lyric rhyme characteristic is outstanding, the rhythm of the rap song is complex and changeful and fast, the melody is relatively simple, and the theme is repeated constantly. Among them, the most prominent and most popular features for the audience are the speed of speech, the truth of the content, and the good rhyming of the lyrics. Rhythm is divided into syncopation, dot, triplet, and the application of sixteenth notes and thirty-second notes. This paper mainly discusses the verbal skills of rappers, including the language ability of rappers, as well as the interpretation of the lyrics and rhythm of rap songs. It also includes the creative ability of hip-hop singers, mainly discusses the creation of lyrics in hip-hop songs, lyrics content, and rhyming.

Bio
Jingwen Lin is a graduate student majoring in piano performance at Kent State University from Chongqing, China. Her undergraduate school is Sichuan Conservatory of Music, where she majored in piano accompaniment, and often cooperated with vocal music.

Parents' Perceptions of Elementary Music for Students with Disabilities
Presented by Lisa Heinrich

Abstract
Music teachers are responsible for adapting instruction to accommodate students on IEPs and 504 plans. Though many music teachers do this successfully, music educators and the students they teach may benefit from increased communication and involvement with parents of students with special needs. Previous research on parental involvement and students with disabilities in music education is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of parents of students with disabilities regarding their children’s elementary music experiences. The two research questions to be answered were: How do parents of children with disabilities view music education in their children’s lives? How do parents of children on IEPs believe music educators could better assist children with disabilities? Three parents were interviewed about their own experiences with music and their expectations regarding music education for their children with disabilities. All three parents reported taking music classes during their K-12 school education and expressed that music class should be an enjoyable experience for their children. Parents indicated an interest in knowing what their children did in music, but did not wish to be more involved in their children’s music education.

Bio
Lisa Heinrich teaches K-5 general music in the Cloverleaf Local Schools in Seville, Ohio. She has completed various professional development courses in Orff Schulwerk, Music Learning Theory, and Eurhythmics. She is the 2019 Medina County Teacher of the Year and a first-year doctoral student at Kent State University.

Sources and Perceptions of Stress for High School Band Directors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presented by Timothy Daniels

Abstract
Educator stress can have a significant impact on student achievement and the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new sources of stress for band directors. The purpose of this study was to understand job demands and the sources and effects of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on high school band directors. Using the Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) as a theoretical framework, I examined demands facing high school band directors, how those demands affected their levels of perceived stress, and their interactions with students. Job demands and resources can be sources of stress in the workplace and an imbalance of demands and resources can lead to employee stress and increased burnout risk. Research participants (N = 27) were high school band directors from Pennsylvania representing a range of teaching environments and contexts. Directors completed a survey, and a smaller sample (n = 4) were interviewed. Interview questions focused on job role, job demands, interpersonal relationships, teaching context (remote, hybrid, in-person), student interactions, and pandemic-related factors. Themes which emerged from the interviews include lack of student engagement, lack of administrative support, opportunities for a greater focus on personal lives, and changes in job roles.

Bio
Timothy Daniels currently serves as the Director of Bands at Norwin High School (PA), where he directs the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in music theory and music technology. Tim earned the BME from Youngstown State University and the MM from Duquesne University. Research interests include student motivation, assessment practices, high school band, and curriculum design. He is currently a first-year doctoral student at Kent State University.

Music Teachers’ Perceptions of Music Administrators
Presented by Chad Pitmann

Abstract
Music administrators can be very influential over the work of music teachers, and therefore the music education of students. Many large school systems employ full time arts administration staff, while most small school systems delegate the responsibility to teaching staff or building administrators. Music administrators must be aware of and sensitive to the needs of their educators, and teachers should have the opportunity and freedom to openly communicate and collaborate with music administration staff on a regular basis. According to the literature, frequent classroom visits, initiation of regular communication, and anticipation of teacher and student needs are among the three most critical attributes of an effective music administrator. If music administration staff are present, communicative and sensitive to teacher and student needs and teachers feel that they can trust district music administration personnel, then students are best served in school district music programs.

The purpose of this study was to examine music teachers’ perceptions of music administrators. This study includes survey data from music teachers in two Ohio urban school districts who work under a full time Fine Arts Administrators.

Bio
Chad Pittman is Director of Choirs at Firestone High School, where he conducts and maintains an active choral program and coordinates the voice area of the Akron School for the Arts. His research interests include choral music methods, philosophy of music education, and gender spectrum in music teaching.

Brahms: Poetry and Plot 
Presented by Deborah Blackmon

Abstract
Many of Johannes Brahms’ instrumental pieces were inspired by poetry. However, he did not always specifically attribute the poem he was inspired by in his manuscripts. This paper explores which poems he might have intended to be attached to his Intermezzi Op. 117. Previous research has given a guess as to which poems he might have selected for each of the 3 Intermezzi in the opus. This paper examines their work before explaining that the original poem that Brahms chose for the first Intermezzo likely inspired the other two Intermezzi as well. Selecting likely poetry that inspired Brahms helps every performer create closer to the way Brahms originally intended.

Bio
Deborah Blackmon is a junior at Kent State University with a professional focus of criminal justice and law enforcement. She works as a Security Aide at Kent State and helps keep Kent State’s residential communities safe. She is also interested in information technology and works at the Kent State HelpDesk. Blackmon stays active in her community through volunteering at Townhall II.

Mozart: Taking Flute Studios by Storm 
Presented by Jessica Brind

Abstract
Most have heard the name Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at one point or another, and there are many pieces that are not only staples within the world of Western music, but also with certain instruments. In this paper, I analyze Mozart’s Concerto in G Major for flute and piano and explain what makes it such a staple for modern college flautists and flute studios. To support the points in the paper, we will be looking at the historical and musical context of the piece and its musical attributes, as well as discussing the testimonial of our own Flute Studio professor, Diane McCloskey-Rechner and why she feels this piece is not only a staple, but also a necessity for college level flautists because of the musical elements as well as the dexterity and endurance it requires. While importance is typically subjective, the impact this piece has is quite objective.

Bio
Jessica Brind is a junior who is pursuing a degree in instrumental music education. Her primary instrument is the flute and at the moment she is a member of the Kent State University Symphony Band. She is the current president of the Kent Flute Association and in her free time she enjoys art, French, and a good book.

Guidebook to Expression: The Art Song
Presented by Jinle Glover

Abstract
This essay recounts the experience of a 2nd year Vocal Performance Undergraduate student learning to be more than just a pretty voice and to put a piece of themselves on the stage. With the help of Richard Hundley, John Jacob Niles, Franz Schubert, and vocal professor Dr. Tim Culver, student Jinle Glover finds that expression and the Art Song go hand in hand. Told from the student’s point of view, this guidebook provides aspiring vocal artists with tips and tools to effectively communicate their melodious message to an audience in a relatable manner.

Bio
My name is Jinle Glover, a 2nd year Music Performance major with a concentration in Voice. When I graduate, I will have completed my Associate of Arts from Cuyahoga Community College Metro and my Bachelor of Music here at Kent State University. I plan to use my knowledge and experience to explore many paths within music, but the end goal is to become a vocal coach and mentor for aspiring musicians. With my studio—eventually studios, I will cultivate an environment for Black and Brown youth to express themselves, to feel safe, and one that the community can lean on for support.

The Enlightened Devil of Tartini’s Devil’s Trill
Presented by Anna Somerville

Abstract
Giuseppe Tartini’s violin sonata in G minor, more commonly known as the Devil’s Trill sonata, is a piece shrouded in mystery. This late Baroque composition is renowned for both its intense difficulty and infamous legend. According to an account retold in Charles Burney’s The Present State of Music in France and Italy (1771), Tartini dreamt one night that the devil, sitting at the end of his bed, offered his servitude to the composer in exchange for his soul. In order to have the devil demonstrate his power, Tartini handed him his violin, and the devil played a beautifully elaborate sonata. Tartini awoke and immediately attempted to recall the music. There are many factors in Giuseppe Tartini’s life that may have influenced this significant dream, including religious pressure and familial tension. Being called the Devil’s Trill, one would expect the piece to exhibit harsh and cacophonous sounds, but this is not the case. Rather, Tartini composed this sonata with deliberate intent to sound beautiful and virtuosic, even claiming that the final draft was still not as alluring as the music from his dream. The concept of the devil being depicted with sympathy instead of as a symbol of evil was an artistic concept of the Enlightenment, as this expressed humanism through temptation. While scholars have conducted musical analyses of the piece, few have explored the sociohistorical context in great detail. This paper explores how social, religious, and artistic elements of the time influenced Tartini’s inspiration for creating the Devil’s Trill.

Bio
Anna Somerville is currently a third-year music education major at Kent State University. Her concentration is in instrumental music education and her primary instrument is violin. She has previously studied privately with Cathy Robinson and is now studying under Dr. Eunho Kim. Anna is currently a member of the Kent State Orchestra and has been with the ensemble for three years. She is also a member of the Kent State Honors College. This year, Anna was the recipient of the Thelma M. and Wilfred J. Anderson Renaissance Scholarship, which she was awarded for her research in historical musicology with a focus on early music. Her work has been previously demonstrated at the Kent State Undergraduate Research Symposium. She is very thankful for these experiences and hopes to present her research at more conferences in the future as she continues her studies.

Music of the French Revolutionaries
Presented by Saraina Wise

Abstract
As one of the most famous revolutionary events in the last several hundred years, the French Revolution continues to have an impact on modern pop culture. Many works of art were created during this time period, including protest songs. This paper seeks to understand the history behind these protest songs and their impact on the revolution, as well as examine the relationship between protest songs of the past and modern protest art.

Bio
Saraina Wise is a third-year undergraduate percussionist and music researcher at Kent State University, pursuing degrees in Music and Political Science and minoring in World Music Studies. Saraina has performed in multiple ensembles throughout her collegiate career, including Percussion Ensemble, African Ensemble, and Symphony Band. She is also the president of the World Music Society and an active brother in the Kappa Kappa Psi band service fraternity. Her areas of research interest are the intersection of music and social movements, music history, and world music. She has plans to pursue a graduate degree in ethnomusicology and a law degree once she’s completed her undergraduate studies.

Dissonance to Harmony: Considering Democracy of the Bandroom 
Presented by Eric Bable

Abstract
The environment of the bandroom is fraught with dissonance. Directors rule with a teacher centered model, with a focus on the final product or performance, ignoring the needs and experiences of the students. Student voices are largely or eliminated from the decision-making process. This dissonance must be resolved through the democratization of the bandroom which will create harmony between the students and the director, enhancing the student experience. This presentation examines the philosophies of Allsup, Dewey, Freire, and Elliott, among others, which are applied to create an inclusive, student centered, and democratic approach to bring harmony to the bandroom.

Bio
Eric Bable currently serves as a music teacher in the Crestview Local School District located in Columbiana, Ohio where he teaches band at all levels and assists with middle school choirs. He teaches college credit plus classes through Kent State University and coordinates the drama program at Crestview. Eric is also the music director of the Canfield Community Concert Band which performs throughout northeast Ohio. Eric received his BM from Slippery Rock University and his MM from Youngstown State University. He is currently a third-year doctoral student at Kent State University. Eric’s research interests include rural music education, student motivation, and democratization of music education.

Immature Wisdom: Realization and the Adolescent Choir Member 
Presented by Shawna Hinkle

Abstract
Exploratory classes in the middle school curriculum should be designed for adolescents to enhance critical thinking skills and reinforce acquired core academic knowledge as well as provide opportunities for exploration and discovery. Considering the implementation of developmentally appropriate cross-curricular instruction for adolescent singers in the middle school choir, music educators can create a learning environment that matures musicians as well as learners. Application of instructional theory practices such as Teaching for Understanding Framework (Blythe), Curious Collaborative Creativity (Collins), and Explicit Vocabulary Instruction (Archer) can assist music educators in building an autonomous learning environment which is student-centered rather than product driven. Examples of pragmatic approaches designed to nurture the adolescent choir member through the lens of social constructivist experiential learning viewpoint will be explored during the presentation.

Bio
Shawna K. Hinkle is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University and 6-12 vocal music teacher for Dover City Schools. She previously taught middle and high school vocal music for Brunswick City Schools and Copley Fairlawn City Schools, general and elementary music, and private keyboard. She holds degrees from Muskingum University (BME) and Kent State University (MME). Her research interests include student learning related to self-efficacy and middle and secondary choral rehearsal pedagogical practices.

Liberating Teachers to Liberate Students: Critical Pedagogy and Philosophical Conditions of Social Justice in Music Education 
Presented by Dalton Phillips

Abstract
Social justice is an essential component of music education. The curricular decisions that teachers make are based on norms and values about what knowledge and skills they feel are best. These decisions can serve to either privilege or oppress students, and therefore, making them with an alignment for social justice is an ethical imperative. Research has shown that many music educators think positively about social justice in education, but that not all make a conscious choice to teach for equity (Riley, 2009; Salvador & Kelly-McHale, 2017; Salvador, 2019). These choices are representative of philosophical conditions that either prevent or foster teaching for social justice. The purpose of this research is to explore philosophical conditions for social justice in music education. A lens of critical pedagogy will be used to analyze philosophical conditions observed in related literature, as well as to suggest directions for the field to foster philosophical conditions for social justice in music educators.

Bio
Dalton Phillips is a second-year PhD student and graduate assistant at Kent State University. Previously, he taught middle and high school choir in the Mansfield City and New London Local school districts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Allegheny College and Master of Arts in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University. His current research interests include social justice in music education, community music, informal music learning, and choral music education.

Benefits of Belonging: Philosophical Influences of Choral Communities
Presented by William Klein

Abstract
Impacts of a successful choral community in a secondary school setting are powerful, effective, and educational. This philosophy will argue the various impacts communities have on school choral ensembles. Though adverse effects of choral communities will be referenced and discussed, the crux of this essay will argue its benefits. The essay will be guided through the lens of Lave and Wagner’s (1989) communities of practice (CoP) framework. The framework suggests a community naturally forms when a group of individuals band together with a common purpose or interest. The argument will lay out the framework in more detail, how communities form in choral atmospheres, the advantages of choral communities, how those advantages impact choirs, concerns regarding choral communities, and the overall impact of choral communities have on ensembles. It is the hope that the outcomes of the research will provide a better scope for how students interact with each other and with their ensemble.

Bio
Bill Klein is the director of vocal music and drama departments at Austintown Fitch High School in Austintown, OH. He earned his B.M. from Youngstown State University and his M.M. from Kent State University. He is a third-year music education doctoral student at Kent State University. Current research interests include choral identities and communities, and music teacher education.

Disbanding, Disbelieving, Disregarding: Considerations of Ethics and Harm in Marching Band 
Presented by William Kish

Abstract
Many marching band directors are placed in a precarious situation by their school district’s choice of athletic mascot. A few of these include depictions, including racial slurs, for indigenous peoples. When a marching band actively embraces these racist ideas, they are potentially harming their own members, and members of their community. Marching band directors choose how their program represents their school and their community in the traditions they maintain and the music they perform. Through the lens of Schein et al.'s (2017) Theory of Dyadic Morality (TDM) I will examine whether these are cases of ethical harm, and for the good of the students and their community, whether these practices should be rejected by band directors.

Bio
Will Kish is in his second year as a PhD student in Music Education at Kent State University, where he earned his master’s degree in 2008. Will received his BME from Ohio State in 1999. He is currently a music teacher and band director in the Norwalk City Schools in Norwalk, Ohio, where he works with students in grades six through twelve. His developing research interests include new teacher induction and mentoring, culturally responsive teaching, and issues relating to disadvantaged populations.