A Longitudinal Study of Selected Characteristics of Children's Melodic Improvisations

This study is an examination of the melodic improvisations of a group of children (N = 62) for 3 years, from ages 7 through 9. Participants improvised as part of a class rondo for Orff instruments, in ABACADA form, in which the B, C, and D sections were 8-measure alto-xylophone improvisations in C p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of research in music education Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 120 - 133
Main Author Brophy, Timothy S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA MENC: The National Association for Music Education 01.07.2005
SAGE Publications
MENC (National Association for Music Education) Subscription Office
MENC - The National Association for Music Education
National Association for Music Education
Subjects
Age Differences
Age effects
Alto
Antecedents
Children
Children & youth
Creative Activities
Differences
Elementary School Students
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 6
Longitudinal Studies
Mallets
Melody
Music
Music Education
Music in education
Musical ability
Musical antecedents
Musical improvisation
Musical Instruments
Musical meter
Musical rhythm
Phrase rhythm
Phrases
Preschool Children
Rhythm
Skill development
Student Characteristics
Tennessee
Tennessee
United States
United States > US
Chicago Illinois
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Summary:This study is an examination of the melodic improvisations of a group of children (N = 62) for 3 years, from ages 7 through 9. Participants improvised as part of a class rondo for Orff instruments, in ABACADA form, in which the B, C, and D sections were 8-measure alto-xylophone improvisations in C pentatonic. Each participant improvised three melodies per year. A total of 558 improvisations were collected. Participants took the IMMA and a researcher-designed measure of mallet skill each year. Improvisations were examined for the presence of repeated and developed melodic motives, repeated and developed rhythmic motives, pulse adherence, phrases, and antecedent/consequent phrases. Data were analyzed using a repeated-measures MANCOVA. Significant age effects emerged for repeated melodic and rhythmic motives, sense of pulse, and antecedent/consequent phrases. Post-hoc Tukey Pairwise Comparisons revealed significant differences between ages 7 and 8 in the presence of each of these characteristics. Significant differences also occurred between ages 7 and 9 for the presence of antecedent/consequent phrases, presence of repeated rhythmic motives, and pulse adherence. No significant differences emerged between ages 8 and 9 for any of the characteristics.
ISSN:0022-4294
1945-0095
DOI:10.1177/002242940505300203