Research Guides: Musical Arts and Education: Home

On Shelf at CCBC Libraries

The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia An updated new edition of Ted Gioia's universally acclaimed history of jazz, with a wealth of new insight on this music's past, present, and future.Ted Gioia's The History of Jazz has been universally hailed as the most comprehensive and accessible history of the genre of all time. Acclaimed by jazz critics and fans alike, this magnificent work is now available in an up-to-date third edition that covers the latest developments in the jazz worldand revisits virtually every aspect of the music.Gioia's story of jazz brilliantly portrays the most legendary jazz players, the breakthrough styles, and the scenes in which they evolved. From Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, Miles Davis's legendary 1955 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, and Ornette Coleman'sexperiments with atonality to current innovators such as Kamasi Washington and Esperanza Spalding, Gioia takes readers on a sweeping journey through the history of jazz. As he traces the music through the swamp lands of the Mississippi Delta, the red light district of New Orleans, the rent partiesof Harlem, the speakeasies of Chicago, and other key locales of jazz history, Gioia also makes the social contexts in which the music was born come alive.This new edition finally brings the often overlooked women who shaped the genre into the spotlight and traces the recent developments that have led to an upswing of jazz in contemporary mainstream culture. As it chronicles jazz from its beginnings and most iconic figures to its latest dialogues withpopular music, the developments of the digital age, and new commercial successes, Gioia's History of Jazz reasserts its status as the most authoritative survey of this fascinating music.
Call Number: ML3506 .G54 2021
Larger Than Life by Maria Sherman This nostalgic, fully-illustrated history of boy bands -- written by culture critic and boy band stan Maria Sherman -- is a must-have for diehard fans of the genre and beyond. The music, the fans, the choreography, the clothes, the merch, the hair. Long after Beatlemania came and went, a new unstoppable boy band era emerged. Fueled by good looks and even greater hooks, the pop phenomenon that dominated the '80s, '90s, and 2000s has left a long-lasting mark on culture, and it's time we celebrate it. Written by super fan Maria Sherman for stans and curious parties alike, Larger Than Life is the definitive guide to boy bands, delivered with a mix of serious obsession and tongue-in-cheek humor. Larger Than Life begins with a brief history of male vocal groups, spotlighting The Beatles, the Jackson 5, and Menudo before diving into the building blocks of these beloved acts in "Boy Bands 101." She also focuses on artists like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, One Direction, and BTS before ending with an interrogation into the future of boy bands. Included throughout are Tiger Beat-inspired illustrations, capsule histories of the swoon-iest groups, in-depth investigations into one-hit wonders, and sidebars dedicated to conspiracy theories, dating, in-fighting, haters, fan fiction, fashion (Justin and Britney in denim, of course), and so much more. Informative, affectionate, funny, and never, ever fan-shaming, Larger Than Life is the first and only text of its kind: the ultimate celebration of boy bands and proof that this once maligned music can never go unappreciated.
Call Number: ML3470 .S515 2020
Beethoven: Variations on a Life by Mark Evan Bonds Despite the ups and downs of his personal life and professional career-even in the face of deafness-Beethoven remained remarkably consistent in his most basic convictions about his art. This inner consistency, the music historian Mark Evan Bonds argues, provides the key to understanding the composer's life and works. Beethoven approached music as he approached life, weighing whatever occupied him from a variety of perspectives: a melodic idea, a musical genre, a word or phrase, a friend, a lover, a patron, money, politics, religion. His ability to unlock so many possibilities from each helps explain the emotional breadth and richness of his output as a whole, from the heaven-storming Ninth Symphony to the eccentric Eighth, and from the arcane Great Fugue to the crowd-pleasing Wellington's Victory. Beethoven's works, Bonds argues, are a series of variations on his life. The iconic scowl so familiar from later images of the composer is but one of many attitudes he could assume and project through his music. The supposedly characteristic furrowed brow and frown, moreover, came only after his time. Discarding tired myths about the composer, Bonds proposes a new way of listening to Beethoven by hearing his music as an expression of his entire self, not just his scowling self.
Call Number: ML410.B4 B58 2020
Music by Ted Gioia The phrase "music history" likely summons up images of long-dead composers, smug men in wigs and waistcoats, and people dancing without touching. In Music: A Subversive History, Gioia responds to the false notions that undergird this tedium. Traditional histories of music, Gioia contents, downplay those elements of music that are considered disreputable or irrational-its deep connections to sexuality, magic, trance and alternative mind states, healing, social control, generational conflict, political unrest, even violence and murder. They suppress the stories of the outsiders and rebels who created musical revolutions and instead celebrate the mainstream assimilators who borrowed innovations, diluted their impact and disguised their sources. Here, Gioia attempts to reclaim music history for the riffraff, the insurgents and provocateurs - the real drivers of change and innovation. In Music, Gioia tells the four-thousand-year history of music as a source of power, change, upheaval and enchantment. He starts by exploring humanity's first instruments, which were closely linked to the food chain: the first horns were animal horns, our earliest string instrument was a hunter's bow and our oldest known instrument, the Neanderthal flute, was constructed from a bear femur. He turns to neuroscience to explain why the Celtic love story of Tristan and Iseult echoes the eleventh century Gorgani Persian love epic about Vis and Ramin, or why the troubadours of Europe echo artisan singers of ancient Egypt. He investigates the idea of "song as sin" as Church leaders for the first thousand years of Christianity attempted to control and suppress the songs of the common people and he explains the shift of music from a social practice to an economic enterprise during the Renaissance. Gioia shows how social outcasts have repeatedly become the great trailblazers of musical expression: slaves and their descendants, for instance, have repeatedly reinvented music in America and elsewhere, from ragtime, blues, jazz, R&B, to bossa nova, soul and hip hop. A revolutionary and revisionist account, Music: A Subversive History will be essential reading for anyone interested in the meaning of music.
Call Number: ML3916 .G59 2019
Music Therapy Handbook by Barbara L. Wheeler (Editor) Rich with case material, this groundbreaking volume provides a comprehensive overview of music therapy, from basic concepts to emerging clinical approaches. Experts review psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, and developmental foundations and describe major techniques, including the Nordoff-Robbins model and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. An expansive section on clinical applications examines music therapy with children and adults, as well as its recognized role in medical settings. Topics include autism spectrum disorder, school interventions, brain injury, and trauma. An authoritative resource for music therapists, the book also shows how music can be used by other mental health and medical professionals. The companion website features audio downloads illustrative of the Nordoff-Robbins model.
Call Number: ML3920 .M89776 2017
Music, Thought, and Feeling by William Forde Thompson Examining the intersection of music, psychology, and neuroscience, Music, Thought, and Feeling, Second Edition, surveys the rapidly growing field of music cognition and explores its most interesting questions. Assuming minimal background in music or psychology, the book begins with an overview of the major theories on how and when music became a widespread aspect of human behavior. It also covers: * How humans perceive music * Links between music and emotion * Modern neuroimaging techniques and what they tell us about music's effect on the brain * Psychological processes involved in imagining, composing, and performing music * Potential cognitive benefits of musical engagement Students: Visit the free companion website for a variety of resources
Call Number: ML3830 .T496 2014
What to Listen for in Music by Aaron Copland LISTEN WITH INTELLIGENCE. Whether they listen to Mozart or Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland invites you to ask two basic questions- Are they hearing everything that is going on? Are you really being sensitive to it? If you cannot answer yes to both questions, you owe it to yourself to read this book. With his provocative suggestions, Copland guides you through a deeper appreciation of the most rewarding of all art forms. This classic work, the only book of its kind written by an eminent American compser, features- Chapters on contemporary music and film music Recommended recordings for each chapter A selected list of books for further reading and reference In this edition, leading music critic Alan Rich continues Copland's discussion of contemporary music for today's listeners and traces the composer's success in bringing music lovers 'closer to the magical mysteries of the music we can hear and want to hear better.' 'By far the best thing of its kind yet to appear.' - Modern Music 'One of the most helpful, sensible, and enjoyable discourses on the subject ever published.' - Victor Record Review WITH FOREWORD AND AN EPILOGUE BY ALAN RICH AND A NEW APPRECIATION BY LEONARD SLATKIN
Call Number: MT6.C78 W42 2011

Open Resources

Streaming Videos

Music of the Brain As many non-Western cultures have always known, music affects human development from the womb to the grave-in fact, it may even have specific health benefits. This documentary examines the role music plays in shaping our brains and improving our well-being. Starting with the effect of musical vibrations on premature infants in neonatal intensive care, the film moves on to study the role of music in enhancing childhood learning, the rewards of music therapy in hospitals, and the ways in which music can help the elderly. Expert commentators include Dr. Isabelle Peretz, a specialist in music cognition, and Dr. John Sloboda, a pioneer in the field of music psychology.

Organizations

American Musicological Society The American Musicological Society is dedicated to advancing the study and teaching of music through a broad array of programs, including grants, fellowships, awards, publications, and events.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ASCAP is a membership association of more than 790,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. We uphold the value of our members’ music, and help them thrive alongside the businesses that use their music every day.
International Musicological Society The mission of the International Musicological Society (IMS) is to connect every musicologist to the world community of musicology by embracing the study of music in all its diversity and advancing musicological research across the globe in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration.
National Association for Music Education The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) strives to provide music educators and education leaders with engaging professional development opportunities to support best practices.
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts supports exemplary arts projects in communities nationwide through grantmaking, initiatives, partnerships, and events.
Society for American Music The Society for American Music is dedicated to the study, teaching, creation, and dissemination of all musics in the Americas. As a scholarly, collegial, and inclusive organization, we serve a wide and diverse array of academics, librarians, composers, performers and members of the general public.

Databases

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
Articles on any subject. This is a good place to start.
Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Videos on many subjects from PBS, HBO, BBC, History Channel, and others.
Arts & Humanities Database
Articles on arts like visual arts, architecture, design, music, literature, and theatre,
and humanities like history, philosophy, and cultural studies.
Digital Theatre +
Videos of and articles about theatrical productions, interviews, masterclasses, and analyses of plays, musicals, and opera.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Articles about many topics for more advanced research.
NOW find articles published prior to 1923 in the U.S. and prior to 1870 elsewhere. This includes nearly 500,000 articles, many are primary documents.

Online from CCBC Libraries

Pop Goes the Decade by Richard A. Hall Part of the Pop Goes the Decade series, this book looks at one of the most memorable decades of the 20th century, highlighting pop culture areas such as film, television, sports, technology, advertising, fashion, and art. All in the Family. Barry Manilow, Donna Summer, and Olivia Newton-John; Styx, Led Zeppelin, and The Jackson Five. Jaws, Rocky, The Exorcist, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Pop Goes the Decade: The Seventies takes a sweeping look at all of the cultural events and developments that made the 1970s a highly memorable era of change and new thinking. This book explores the cultural and social framework of the 1970s, focusing on pop culture areas that include film, television, sports, technological innovations, clothing, and art. A timeline highlights significant cultural moments, and a "controversies in pop culture" section explores the pop culture items and moments of the 1970s that shocked the public and challenged underlying social mores. The book also includes a "Game Changers" section that identifies the public figures and celebrities who had the largest influence during the decade, a technology section that explains how media, news, and culture were shared, and a "Legacy" section that identifies concepts and events from the 1970s that still affect Americans today. Highlights key controversies of the 1970s, enabling readers to better understand the social values and common thinking of that decade in America Provides insightful, comprehensive background information on the 1970s that will serve to improve students' critical thinking skills by exploring the influence and use of cultural genres during pivotal moments in American history Includes a "Controversies in Culture" section that highlights the changes in culture that caused significant disturbances in society
Publication Date: 2020
Music Is Power by Brad Schreiber Honorable Mention, 2019 Foreword INDIES Awards - Performing Arts & Music Honorable Mention, Graphis 2021 Design Annual Competition Popular music has long been a powerful force for social change. Protest songs have served as anthems regarding war, racism, sexism, ecological destruction and so many other crucial issues.   Music Is Power takes us on a guided tour through the past 100 years of politically-conscious music, from Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie to Green Day and NWA. Covering a wide variety of genres, including reggae, country, metal, psychedelia, rap, punk, folk and soul, Brad Schreiber demonstrates how musicians can take a variety of approaches-- angry rallying cries, mournful elegies to the victims of injustice, or even humorous mockeries of authority--to fight for a fairer world. While shining a spotlight on Phil Ochs, Gil Scott-Heron, The Dead Kennedys and other seminal, politicized artists, he also gives readers a new appreciation of classic acts such as Lesley Gore, James Brown, and Black Sabbath, who overcame limitations in their industry to create politically potent music   Music Is Power tells fascinating stories about the origins and the impact of dozens of world-changing songs, while revealing political context and the personal challenges of legendary artists from Bob Dylan to Bob Marley. Supplemental material (Artist and Title List): https://d3tto5i5w9ogdd.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/24001955/Music_Is_Power_Supplementary_Artist_Title_List.doc  
Publication Date: 2019-11-21
Music in the Age of Anxiety by James Wierzbicki Derided for its conformity and consumerism, 1950s America paid a price in anxiety. Prosperity existed under the shadow of a mushroom cloud. Optimism wore a Bucky Beaver smile that masked worry over threats at home and abroad. But even dread could not quell the revolutionary changes taking place in virtually every form of mainstream music. Music historian James Wierzbicki sheds light on how the Fifties' pervasive moods affected its sounds. Moving across genres established--pop, country, opera--and transfigured--experimental, rock, jazz--Wierzbicki delves into the social dynamics that caused forms to emerge or recede, thrive or fade away. Red scares and white flight, sexual politics and racial tensions, technological progress and demographic upheaval--the influence of each rooted the music of this volatile period to its specific place and time. Yet Wierzbicki also reveals the host of underlying connections linking that most apprehensive of times to our own uneasy present.
Publication Date: 2016
Basic Elements of Music by Michael J. Pagliaro Basic Elements of Music introduces readers to a wide range of knowledge essential for a well-rounded understanding of music. This primer surveys the history of music and the composers who made that history; the history of instrument families and how the instruments function; an introduction to the science of sound and sound production; the various types of ensembles; and the fundamentals of music theory, form in music, musical notation, and music vocabulary. Accessible, yet detailed and comprehensive, Michael Pagliaro's handbook is an excellent guide for music lovers, instructors, and students in any music program. As an introduction to music for the layman, a refresher for music teachers planning lessons, or an enrichment source for professional musicians seeking broader music knowledge, this book is an invaluable addition to any library.
Publication Date: 2016-03-16
Becoming a Music Teacher by Donald L. Hamann; Shelly Cooper New music teachers often struggle to find a way to connect the content learned in college classes with the content that will be taught in the classroom, since the nature of their work demands a high level of both musical and educational ability, while also the skills to switch from tuning anorchestra to leading a marching band or practicing voice parts with a chorus. Becoming a Music Teacher: Student to Practitioner focuses on making the connections between the college music classroom and public school music classroom transparent, visible, and relevant. Award-winning music educatorsDonald L. Hamann and Shelly Cooper have created a versatile text for music teacher education, and one that will provide a significant resource for music education students across the US.Based around an innovative organization and approach, Becoming a Music Teacher is made up of 40 short modules that focus on increasing a teacher's comfort and confidence level when instructing or leading groups. Each module is broken down into four individual components that demonstrate real lifetransfers from classes to classroom through the components of Personal Awareness, Personal Musicianship, Pre-Conducting, and Professional Knowledge. The Personal Awareness component gives a lesson on good teaching skills by focusing on body awareness, body language, and communication styles ratherthan abstract theories of education. Personal Musicianship provides a guided learning approach to teaching sight-singing and opportunities to create both vocal and instrumental accompaniments with the songs that are included in the modules. Pre-conducting discusses ways in which certain gestures orconcepts could be used in rehearsing a school ensemble through the development of hand/arm independence, posture, and gestures. Professional knowledge links the module to the real world and places it in the context of the workplace, offering advice on how to work with other teachers andadministrators, and includes characteristics of successful teachers, the role of schools in contemporary society, and diverse learners. When taken together, these components help the student develop a genuinely rounded skill set for the classroom.The lessons are activity-based and interactive, allowing readers to experiment, communicate, and provide feedback. The modules are also flexible and have been designed to be easily integrated into a music education classroom and applied to specific age groups, includingadult learners, a demographicmany music education students encounter but one rarely discussed in music education classrooms. Each module stands alone, allowing instructors to customize their lesson plans by selecting or highlighting the modules most relevant to their class. This text also includes exercises that promotereflection on professionalism, collegiality, and legal factors that affect both students and teachers, not found in most education texts.
Publication Date: 2016-01-05
Discovering Classical Music: Haydn by Ian Christians "I recommend this book wholeheartedly to new music lovers" Sir Charles Groves CBE Thanks to Nigel Kennedy and Pavarotti, millions of people have recently discovered that classical music is a highly enjoyable experience, perhaps contrary to their expectations. But the world of classical music can be highly intimidating and confusing. Ian Christians, for many years a passionate believer in broadening the interest in classical music, has developed a unique approach, designed to make it as easy as possible for both newcomers to classical music and those who have started down the path to explore with confidence. Discovering Classical Music concentrates on the greatest composers. The author takes you step-by-step into their most approachable music and, in some cases, boldly into some of the greatest works traditionally considered too difficult for newcomers. Rarely does a book offer such potential for continued enjoyment.This volume concentrates on the life, personality and music of Edward William Elgar.
Publication Date: 2016-04-01