November 2021 MTNA e-Journal

Why is My Gifted Student Struggling?: Character Traits, Common Misdiagnoses and Teaching Strategies for Gifted and Twice Exceptional Piano Students
By Lesley McAllister, NCTM

This article addresses common and often-misunderstood character traits of academically gifted students and describes teaching strategies that might lead to better motivation and productivity in their music lessons. Giftedness is a brain-based learning difference that can result in distinct learning needs and characteristics. These include asynchronous development in which cognitive development may be ahead of social and physical development; overexcitabilities which may lead to a misdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; and divergent thinking where children might follow a different sequence of steps than others to arrive at a conclusion. [Read More]

Musicians’ Hearing Conservation: Establishing Preventive Measures at the Collegiate Level Through a Partnership Model
By Paola Savvidou, NCTM; Bruce Edwards; Allie Heckman; Annie Jeng and Samantha Kesteloot

There is no doubt that hearing health is of vital importance for any musician. The effects of hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis, have the potential to negatively impact individuals in terms of their physical, emotional, social, and occupational well-being. Hearing-related problems and their impact on overall wellness can be prevented or mitigated through musician education and hearing screenings. In this paper, our team shares a partnership model between audiologists and administrators at our music school that aims to establish a program for preventing and protecting musicians’ hearing loss. [Read More]

Poster Sessions

Choral Music Educators and “Real Worl
By Leonidas Lagrimas, NCTM [View]

Domestic Ethnomusicology: Indigenous Repertoire
By Megan Blood, NCTM [View]

Current Research

Exploring Neglected Keyboard Compositions by Child Composers
By Haewon Yang [View]

Reaching Digital Native Music Majors: Pedagogy for Undergraduate Group Piano in the 21st Century
By Rachel D. Hahn, NCTM [View]