Page 49 - CJJuneJuly25

sequencing an extended listening example focused on Anderson, “Mindful music listening instruction increases
one text in multiple ways. I was impressed and touched listening sensitivity and enjoyment,” Update: Applications
by the level of insight and emotion my students were of Research in Music Education 34, no. 3 (2016): 48–55;
able to bring to the conversations we had about this Frank M. Diaz, “Mindfulness, attention, and flow during
text. Throughout the year, students continued to re- music listening: an empirical investigation,” Psychology of
quest “THE song,” by which they meant the Pentatonix Music 41, no. 1 (2011): 42–58; Erik Johnson, “Developing
version of The Sound of Silence. Since the students cared listening skills through peer interaction,” Music Educators
deeply about the piece, I even included it as part of our Journal 98, no. 2 (2011): 49–54.
spring concert repertoire, allowing the students to find 5 Andrew Crane, “Hunting Choral Treasure: How Con-
another way to interact and connect to the music. ductors Find New Repertoire,” Choral Journal 59, no. 4
(2018): 42–47; Caron Daley, “Operationalizing your di-
versity goals through repertoire selection,” Choral Journal
Conclusion 62, no. 7 (March/April 2022): 57–58; Karen Howard,
Listening to many settings of one text is a valuable “The impact of dysconscious racism and ethical caring
and engaging exercise to help students achieve greater on choral repertoire,” Music Education Research 24, no. 3
musical sensitivity and deeper interpretation. Teachers (2022): 340–49.
should craft mindful and creative listening activities to 6 Tiffany Walker, “Addressing Contextual Information in
allow students to discover music on their own terms and Multicultural Choral Repertoire,” Choral Journal 61, no.
make meaningful connections to the aesthetic of the 4 (2020): 57–62.
art. Thoughtful, student-centric analysis of multiple 7 The Sound of Silence, Spotify, Track 1 on single Pentatonix,
14
settings can also garner a sense of inclusivity and di- The Sound of Silence, RCA Records, 2019.
versity in the classroom. Students can develop lifelong 8 The Sound of Silence, Track 11 on Disturbed, Immortalized,
15
creative listening skills and a deep sense of aural musi- Reprise Records, 2015.
cianship by practicing active listening as part of routine 9 Teach Britannica, “Four Corners.” Accessed March 4, 2025.
classroom instruction. https://teachbritannica.com/instructional-strategy/four-
corners/.
Emily T. Peterson is a graduate student in choral con- 10 Ibid.
ducting at the University of Wyoming. mpete2117@ 11 And So It Goes, Track 10 on Billy Joel, Storm Front, Columbia
gmail.com Records, 1989.
12 And So It Goes, arr. Bob Chilcott, Track 5, Disc 1 on The
NOTES King’s Singers, Gold, Signum Records, 2017.
13 Virginia Women’s Chorus, And So It Goes, arr. Kirby Shaw,
1 The Sound of Silence, Electric Version, Spotify, Track 1 on performed Spring 2016, YouTube, 4:34, https://youtu.
Simon & Garfunkel, Sounds of Silence, Columbia Records, be/oBH5rN-Zt74?si=RRQXUz5iJiF_tFjR.
1966. 14 William Todd Anderson, “Mindful music listening instruc-
2 Peter F. Stacey, “Towards the analysis of the relationship of tion increases listening sensitivity and enjoyment,” Up-
music and text in contemporary composition,” Contempo- date: Applications of Research in Music Education 34, no. 3
rary Music Review 5:1 (1989): 9–27. (2016): 48–55.
3 J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palis- 15 Tiger Robinson and Mara E. Culp, “Promoting gender in-
ca, A History of Western Music. 10th ed. (W. W. Norton & clusivity in general music.”
Company, 2019).
4 Tiger Robinson and Mara E. Culp, “Promoting gender in-
clusivity in general music: considerations for music listen-
ing,” Journal of General Music Education 35, no. 1 (2021):
15–22; John Kratus, “Music listening is creative,” Music
Educators Journal 103, no. 3 (2017): 46–51; William Todd

CHORAL JOURNAL June/July 2025 Volume 65 Number 9 47