No abstract

This study examines preservice music teachers’ multicultural personality level and characteristics in the context of multicultural music education in China, focusing on the factors that influence the teachers’ multicultural personality traits. We surveyed 433 preservice music teachers who responded via the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire-Short Form survey instrument. The results indicated that the multicultural personality level of preservice music teachers was intermediate, mainly due to a deficiency in the Flexibility and Emotional Stability dimensions, which are necessary for dealing with cultural differences in the face of unknown multicultural conditions. In addition, we also found that the size of a teacher’s hometown and the years of studying and teaching are significant factors in shaping preservice music teachers’ multicultural personalities. Preservice music teachers whose hometowns are big cities have a higher multicultural personality level than those in rural areas. The more time a preservice music teacher spent studying and teaching, the higher the multicultural personality level. Gender, educational level, and experience playing musical instruments have no statistically significant effect on the multicultural personality of preservice music teachers.

Vocal warm-ups are widespread and comprehensive in the singing community. Although it is well recognised and practised by professionals, warm-ups are sometimes bypassed and neglected by singers and voice teachers. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of vocal warm-up on vocal quality through acoustic parameters of jitter (%), shimmer (%), and harmonics-to-noise (HNR [dB]) in two-pitch conditions, A3 (chest register) and C5 (head register), before and after vocal warm-up. Forty untrained female singers were recorded twice while uttering the vowels /a/, /o/, and /i/ in two different pitches: Low—A3 (220.0 Hz) and High—C5 (523.2 Hz) for at least five seconds. A standardised warm-up protocol with a duration of 20-minute was carried out in this study. The subjects were recorded immediately before and after a 20-minute vocal warm-up session. Significant improvements were found in the mean values of measured acoustic parameters. A decrease was observed compared with the mean jitter and shimmer values before and after a vocal warm-up, while the HNR increased. All the acoustic variables, jitter, shimmer, and HNR were found to have significantly larger improvements in the lower pitch, A3 (chest register), compared to the higher pitch, C5 (head register). The findings of this study provided empirical evidence for the beneficial effect of vocal warm-up on the voice quality of untrained female singers. The positive effects of the findings indicated that the vocal warm-up should be encouraged and not bypassed.

Vocal warm-up has garnered much research attention these recent years. This study compared the short-term effects of straw phonation (SP) with a traditional vocal warm-up (TVW) on the vocal quality of untrained female singers. It also determined the effect of exercise type on the vocal economy and skill acquisition. Vocal quality was measured using voice range profile (VRP), multi-parametric index, acoustic, and aerodynamic parameters. Eighty participants were randomly recruited and divided into two equal groups to perform vocal warm-ups at a frequency of two 10-minute sessions per day for three weeks. Voice data were collected using Praat and Vocalgrama software, while the statistical results were analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS). As a result, some parameters, i.e., fundamental frequency maximum (F0-max), maximum intensity (max Int) and area of VRP, fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), and dysphonia severity index (DSI), projected significant changes after three weeks of warming up exercise in TVW group. In the SP group, the participants experienced significant changes in max Int and area of VRP only. Both groups did not exert significant changes to min Int, which indirectly measures phonation threshold pressure (PTP), signifying no improvement for the vocal economy. Participants from the TVW group benefitted the most from vocal warm-ups due to notable improvement in vocal quality, technical singing skills (i.e., skill acquisition), and vocal efficiency. Meanwhile, the SP group only benefitted in terms of enhanced vocal efficiency. Acoustic parameters, aerodynamic, dysphonia severity index, semi-occluded vocal tract exercise, traditional vocal warm-up, vocal quality, voice range profile

The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of body movements as a teaching tool in the Malaysian primary school's children group singing lessons. This study used a qualitative methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six music teachers. Data was analysed using a theme-based analysis of the narratives. The findings demonstrated that body movements helped the children to improve their vocal techniques and achieve a more successful sound in group singing. Music teachers also stated that emphasis on body movement activities in the class helped children to be more involved in singing. Such movements require to be encouraged to improve the quality of music learning. Training programmes for music teachers also require to incorporate body movements as a teaching tool for effective group singing.