The Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music and Youth Culture, 2023
Chapter tells the case study of Carlos Eiene, known on YouTube as InsaneInTheRain, a popular jazz... more Chapter tells the case study of Carlos Eiene, known on YouTube as InsaneInTheRain, a popular jazz and video game music artist who started publishing videos in his living room as a middle school student. This documentary explores how Carlos developed relationships with fans, friends, fellow gamers, and fantastic musicians through online media and platforms. If you love video games, jazz, or YouTube content creation, you'll be fascinated watching Carlos's story.
The music we perform shapes who we are as people, and this chapter explores the popular musics th... more The music we perform shapes who we are as people, and this chapter explores the popular musics that influenced my identity as a scholar, musician, and human. Performing and listening to popular music as a teacher in my classroom and researchers through qualitative methods shaped who I am.
A vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking to the camera to present ... more A vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking to the camera to present entertainment, reflection, opinion, or education. Collaborative vlogs (CVLs) involve multiple people taking joint ownership of a vlog through asynchronous interaction, discussion, and expression. This paper explores how online video helped create communities of practice both within the classroom and beyond through developing connections with each other that extended their interactions from the classroom to the Internet. Additionally, they creatively explored new ways to express themselves, developed their identities, and discussed pertinent topics regarding music, technology, and education. To explore the sociological vectors of culture and identity, I adapted a framework of aliveness within communities of practice developed by Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder (2002) to analyze seven semesters of student reflections on CVL projects in music courses that serviced music education majors, elem...
Supplemental material, Appendix_A_-_Questions_from_Surveys for Demystifying trans*+ voice educati... more Supplemental material, Appendix_A_-_Questions_from_Surveys for Demystifying trans*+ voice education: The Transgender Singing Voice Conference by Christopher Cayari in International Journal of Music Education
Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 2021
Asian American people make up approximately 5.8% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019... more Asian American people make up approximately 5.8% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019) and pursue careers in a variety of musical professions. However, a monoracial view of Asian Americans (Mok, 1998) that conceives of all Asian Americans as a homogenous group without regard to ethnicity or cultural background has led to widespread stereotypes. The desire to acculturate to U.S. culture and Western European art music ideals can pressure Asian Americans to play certain instruments, restrict their involvement to particular areas of music, or force them to portray their ethnicity in offensive ways. This study looked at the racial and ethnic identity development of nine Asian American music professionals from various career paths in education, performance, curation, and history through a web survey and subsequent semistructured interviews. Findings pertained to the musical upbringing of participants both inside and outside of school, the social contexts that affected participants’ musical endeavors, pressures from dominant cultures that participants faced while in school and during their careers, and the actions participants took in their careers that were a result of growing up as Asian Americans in various music learning contexts (e.g., school, community, familial, and informal).
A virtual ensemble is a digital musical product that uses multiple recordings edited together to ... more A virtual ensemble is a digital musical product that uses multiple recordings edited together to form a musical ensemble. Creating virtual ensembles can be a way for music educators to engage students through online music-making. This article presents eight steps for creating virtual ensembles in music education courses and classrooms. The steps are (1) identifying objectives and desired outcomes, (2) selecting repertoire, (3) developing learning resources, (4) creating an anchor for synchronizing, (5) choosing a recording method, (6) setting up a collection platform, (7) editing in postproduction, and (8) distributing the product. As online music production becomes more prevalent, projects like virtual ensembles can provide creative and exciting experiences for music teachers and students, whether produced in the classroom or through remote means on the Internet.
Students come to the music classroom with varying degrees of skill, interest, and comfort toward ... more Students come to the music classroom with varying degrees of skill, interest, and comfort toward making music, yet educators must consider how to meet the needs of all students regardless of ability. Using differentiation as a framework, we examine how participatory music making (PMM) might meet these needs. We offer strategies for implementing PMM using ukulele in various types of music classrooms, including differentiating music making for participation, extending participation through performance, and mediating participation through technologies. We extend PMM strategies to the K–3 music classroom using a variety of instruments and songs. These strategies can be used to differentiate music making, giving students options that encourage comfortable interactions with music and ensuring all students experience success in all skill levels. The meaningful music experiences made possible through PMM may inspire students to engage in autonomous music making outside of the classroom and ...
Musicians’ drive to be productive on the Internet led to the development of practices that can in... more Musicians’ drive to be productive on the Internet led to the development of practices that can inform popular music education. Expanding the concept of popular music education to include online participatory culture practices provides inspiration for musicking online relevant not only in times of uncertainty (like during mandated quarantines experienced during the COVID outbreak in 2020), but also during times of prosperity when practices can be explored in classrooms and during leisure time. In this article, the author discusses three dispositions towards online musicking: DIY-disposition (do-it-yourself), DIWO-disposition (do-it-with-others) and DIFO-disposition (do-it-for-others). The development of these dispositions leads to online and musical literacies that help develop the skills needed for online musicking and performance. This text offers a creation theory about approaching online musicking that can be applied to new technologies and media as online platforms appear and fa...
Trans*+ is an inclusive, expansive, and fluid term that refers to a population that encompasses p... more Trans*+ is an inclusive, expansive, and fluid term that refers to a population that encompasses people who are transgender, third gender, non-gender, two-spirit or any other identity that is not cisgender. Trans*+ topics are often considered taboo or exotic, which manifests in society as an enforced ignorance that creates a shroud of mystery around the trans*+ community. While music educators’ attitudes toward working with trans*+ students are generally positive, many educators are not sure how to teach trans*+ singers. This case study on the Transgender Singing Voice Conference 2017, an academic and pedagogical gathering, explores the issues of importance identified by conference attendees and how the conference format addressed those issues. Data analysis identified important themes of interest related to the vocal production, pedagogy, physiology, and identity of trans*+ singers. An overwhelming majority (95%) of participants stated they acquired new knowledge at the conference. ...
People are making music at their leisure and publishing it online. YouTube has provided a space f... more People are making music at their leisure and publishing it online. YouTube has provided a space for musicians to publish multitrack music videos, join collective musical ensembles, and collaboratively perform with others. This chapter explores three trends of how musicians are creating music videos and forming virtual ensembles and music making communities: they are showing off their skills through music videos; they are creating videos to join large collective multitrack ensembles of hundreds or even thousands of others; and they are actively collaborating with small groups to create mediated performances. Collective and collaborative music making on the Internet are not only happening among grassroots amateur musicians, but also through educational and commercial institutions. Music making on the Internet allows for global interactions and collaboration, where people come together and enjoy music recreationally, unbound by time and space.
Learning Strategies of Video Game Music Makers: Informal and School-based Learning for Online Publication, 2022
The music and sound of video games not only enhance users’ immersive gameplay experiences but als... more The music and sound of video games not only enhance users’ immersive gameplay experiences but also are integral parts of video games and the cultures that surround them. Video game music (VGM) can motivate performance, composition, and the creation of derivative music in both online and offline contexts. This study was conducted to explore how musicians perceived how helpful various learning strategies were for gaining the skills to publish VGM music online. A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was conducted at Super Music and Gaming Festival™ (Super MAGFest), an annual convention held near Washington DC, to capture data from respondents (n = 137) who were adult musicians and published VGM online. The survey captured the perceived helpfulness of learning strategies at school, other educational institutions, and informal approaches. Descriptive and inferential statistics analyses were made. Respondents found music theory courses and informal music learning strategies were among the most helpful learning approaches for attaining the skills they needed to publish VGM online. This article provides a starting point for the exploration of VGM as well as how school and informal music and technology learning can be used in tandem for music making in the age of the Internet.
Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like YouTube. I... more Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like YouTube. In a society with ubiquitous Internet and prominent social media interactions, music education can benefit by exploring the practices of musicians who produce music online, such as the creators of virtual vocal ensembles. A virtual vocal ensemble is a video containing multiple audio-visual tracks layered together through a technique called multitracking. In this performance practice, a virtual vocal ensemble creator records and combines multiple tracks to make a choir of clones or works with others in collaborative or collective ways. The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of virtual vocal ensembles and the medium that emerged from the development and distribution of those videos. This study situates the creators of virtual vocal ensembles within a sound recording medium, based on a theoretical framework developed by Sterne (2003) that defines a medium as a contingent network of relations made up of people, practices, institutions, and technologies. Guiding questions focus on the musical and social implications of creating virtual vocal ensembles, the entities listed above, and the relations between them. Traditional research methods and Internet inquiry were combined to create a multiple case study that examined three YouTube channels, each produced by a video creator. Data included the observation of the videos on the YouTube channels, text comments, and website analytics as well as interviews with video creators and others pertinent to the cases. A cross-case analysis was conducted to produce assertions that attended to the guiding questions. Creators of virtual vocal ensembles developed methods to construct and publish their videos, which were limited by their musical and technological abilities and the resources available. As musicians produced virtual vocal ensembles, online communities containing iii elements of fandoms, learning communities of practice, and music making spaces developed. Implications of the performance practice have effected the way the medium is situated within society as well as the way creators perform choral music and sing. For example, when performers create virtual vocal ensembles, they develop identities as virtual performers and express themselves musically and theatrically. Musical arrangement, voice range expansion, and autonomous exploration of musical concepts were also results of creators’ performance practices. Creating virtual vocal ensembles require not only musical skills, but also technological and production abilities that can be applied to music education practices and expand conceptions of ensemble, performance, and medium. As producers of virtual vocal ensembles, video creators use social media to expand their reach and develop a community that has aspects of a fandom as well as learning and music making communities. Music educators can incorporate the practices of virtual vocal ensemble creators into their instruction and help students learn skills that may allow them to make music outside of the choral ensemble classroom in virtual contexts.
This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music ... more This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music consumption, creation, and sharing. A literature review connects education, technology, and media. Informal learning, digital literacy, and twenty-first century technology are also connected in the review. Data reveals how Wade started his channel, gained popularity, interacted with others, and promoted his musical career through YouTube. Original songs, covers, collaborations, documentaries, selfinterviews, video blogs (vlogs), and live performances are observed by the researcher. Interviews with the subject, key actors in his life, fans, and first time listeners were transcribed and results were used to triangulate. Previous musical media research is expanded upon to include YouTube and video sharing. The idea of amateur and professional musician, musical venue, and audience member are being changed through YouTube. Current practices of how YouTube is used in the classroom are discusse...
The Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music and Youth Culture, 2023
Chapter tells the case study of Carlos Eiene, known on YouTube as InsaneInTheRain, a popular jazz... more Chapter tells the case study of Carlos Eiene, known on YouTube as InsaneInTheRain, a popular jazz and video game music artist who started publishing videos in his living room as a middle school student. This documentary explores how Carlos developed relationships with fans, friends, fellow gamers, and fantastic musicians through online media and platforms. If you love video games, jazz, or YouTube content creation, you'll be fascinated watching Carlos's story.
The music we perform shapes who we are as people, and this chapter explores the popular musics th... more The music we perform shapes who we are as people, and this chapter explores the popular musics that influenced my identity as a scholar, musician, and human. Performing and listening to popular music as a teacher in my classroom and researchers through qualitative methods shaped who I am.
A vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking to the camera to present ... more A vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking to the camera to present entertainment, reflection, opinion, or education. Collaborative vlogs (CVLs) involve multiple people taking joint ownership of a vlog through asynchronous interaction, discussion, and expression. This paper explores how online video helped create communities of practice both within the classroom and beyond through developing connections with each other that extended their interactions from the classroom to the Internet. Additionally, they creatively explored new ways to express themselves, developed their identities, and discussed pertinent topics regarding music, technology, and education. To explore the sociological vectors of culture and identity, I adapted a framework of aliveness within communities of practice developed by Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder (2002) to analyze seven semesters of student reflections on CVL projects in music courses that serviced music education majors, elem...
Supplemental material, Appendix_A_-_Questions_from_Surveys for Demystifying trans*+ voice educati... more Supplemental material, Appendix_A_-_Questions_from_Surveys for Demystifying trans*+ voice education: The Transgender Singing Voice Conference by Christopher Cayari in International Journal of Music Education
Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 2021
Asian American people make up approximately 5.8% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019... more Asian American people make up approximately 5.8% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019) and pursue careers in a variety of musical professions. However, a monoracial view of Asian Americans (Mok, 1998) that conceives of all Asian Americans as a homogenous group without regard to ethnicity or cultural background has led to widespread stereotypes. The desire to acculturate to U.S. culture and Western European art music ideals can pressure Asian Americans to play certain instruments, restrict their involvement to particular areas of music, or force them to portray their ethnicity in offensive ways. This study looked at the racial and ethnic identity development of nine Asian American music professionals from various career paths in education, performance, curation, and history through a web survey and subsequent semistructured interviews. Findings pertained to the musical upbringing of participants both inside and outside of school, the social contexts that affected participants’ musical endeavors, pressures from dominant cultures that participants faced while in school and during their careers, and the actions participants took in their careers that were a result of growing up as Asian Americans in various music learning contexts (e.g., school, community, familial, and informal).
A virtual ensemble is a digital musical product that uses multiple recordings edited together to ... more A virtual ensemble is a digital musical product that uses multiple recordings edited together to form a musical ensemble. Creating virtual ensembles can be a way for music educators to engage students through online music-making. This article presents eight steps for creating virtual ensembles in music education courses and classrooms. The steps are (1) identifying objectives and desired outcomes, (2) selecting repertoire, (3) developing learning resources, (4) creating an anchor for synchronizing, (5) choosing a recording method, (6) setting up a collection platform, (7) editing in postproduction, and (8) distributing the product. As online music production becomes more prevalent, projects like virtual ensembles can provide creative and exciting experiences for music teachers and students, whether produced in the classroom or through remote means on the Internet.
Students come to the music classroom with varying degrees of skill, interest, and comfort toward ... more Students come to the music classroom with varying degrees of skill, interest, and comfort toward making music, yet educators must consider how to meet the needs of all students regardless of ability. Using differentiation as a framework, we examine how participatory music making (PMM) might meet these needs. We offer strategies for implementing PMM using ukulele in various types of music classrooms, including differentiating music making for participation, extending participation through performance, and mediating participation through technologies. We extend PMM strategies to the K–3 music classroom using a variety of instruments and songs. These strategies can be used to differentiate music making, giving students options that encourage comfortable interactions with music and ensuring all students experience success in all skill levels. The meaningful music experiences made possible through PMM may inspire students to engage in autonomous music making outside of the classroom and ...
Musicians’ drive to be productive on the Internet led to the development of practices that can in... more Musicians’ drive to be productive on the Internet led to the development of practices that can inform popular music education. Expanding the concept of popular music education to include online participatory culture practices provides inspiration for musicking online relevant not only in times of uncertainty (like during mandated quarantines experienced during the COVID outbreak in 2020), but also during times of prosperity when practices can be explored in classrooms and during leisure time. In this article, the author discusses three dispositions towards online musicking: DIY-disposition (do-it-yourself), DIWO-disposition (do-it-with-others) and DIFO-disposition (do-it-for-others). The development of these dispositions leads to online and musical literacies that help develop the skills needed for online musicking and performance. This text offers a creation theory about approaching online musicking that can be applied to new technologies and media as online platforms appear and fa...
Trans*+ is an inclusive, expansive, and fluid term that refers to a population that encompasses p... more Trans*+ is an inclusive, expansive, and fluid term that refers to a population that encompasses people who are transgender, third gender, non-gender, two-spirit or any other identity that is not cisgender. Trans*+ topics are often considered taboo or exotic, which manifests in society as an enforced ignorance that creates a shroud of mystery around the trans*+ community. While music educators’ attitudes toward working with trans*+ students are generally positive, many educators are not sure how to teach trans*+ singers. This case study on the Transgender Singing Voice Conference 2017, an academic and pedagogical gathering, explores the issues of importance identified by conference attendees and how the conference format addressed those issues. Data analysis identified important themes of interest related to the vocal production, pedagogy, physiology, and identity of trans*+ singers. An overwhelming majority (95%) of participants stated they acquired new knowledge at the conference. ...
People are making music at their leisure and publishing it online. YouTube has provided a space f... more People are making music at their leisure and publishing it online. YouTube has provided a space for musicians to publish multitrack music videos, join collective musical ensembles, and collaboratively perform with others. This chapter explores three trends of how musicians are creating music videos and forming virtual ensembles and music making communities: they are showing off their skills through music videos; they are creating videos to join large collective multitrack ensembles of hundreds or even thousands of others; and they are actively collaborating with small groups to create mediated performances. Collective and collaborative music making on the Internet are not only happening among grassroots amateur musicians, but also through educational and commercial institutions. Music making on the Internet allows for global interactions and collaboration, where people come together and enjoy music recreationally, unbound by time and space.
Learning Strategies of Video Game Music Makers: Informal and School-based Learning for Online Publication, 2022
The music and sound of video games not only enhance users’ immersive gameplay experiences but als... more The music and sound of video games not only enhance users’ immersive gameplay experiences but also are integral parts of video games and the cultures that surround them. Video game music (VGM) can motivate performance, composition, and the creation of derivative music in both online and offline contexts. This study was conducted to explore how musicians perceived how helpful various learning strategies were for gaining the skills to publish VGM music online. A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was conducted at Super Music and Gaming Festival™ (Super MAGFest), an annual convention held near Washington DC, to capture data from respondents (n = 137) who were adult musicians and published VGM online. The survey captured the perceived helpfulness of learning strategies at school, other educational institutions, and informal approaches. Descriptive and inferential statistics analyses were made. Respondents found music theory courses and informal music learning strategies were among the most helpful learning approaches for attaining the skills they needed to publish VGM online. This article provides a starting point for the exploration of VGM as well as how school and informal music and technology learning can be used in tandem for music making in the age of the Internet.
Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like YouTube. I... more Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like YouTube. In a society with ubiquitous Internet and prominent social media interactions, music education can benefit by exploring the practices of musicians who produce music online, such as the creators of virtual vocal ensembles. A virtual vocal ensemble is a video containing multiple audio-visual tracks layered together through a technique called multitracking. In this performance practice, a virtual vocal ensemble creator records and combines multiple tracks to make a choir of clones or works with others in collaborative or collective ways. The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of virtual vocal ensembles and the medium that emerged from the development and distribution of those videos. This study situates the creators of virtual vocal ensembles within a sound recording medium, based on a theoretical framework developed by Sterne (2003) that defines a medium as a contingent network of relations made up of people, practices, institutions, and technologies. Guiding questions focus on the musical and social implications of creating virtual vocal ensembles, the entities listed above, and the relations between them. Traditional research methods and Internet inquiry were combined to create a multiple case study that examined three YouTube channels, each produced by a video creator. Data included the observation of the videos on the YouTube channels, text comments, and website analytics as well as interviews with video creators and others pertinent to the cases. A cross-case analysis was conducted to produce assertions that attended to the guiding questions. Creators of virtual vocal ensembles developed methods to construct and publish their videos, which were limited by their musical and technological abilities and the resources available. As musicians produced virtual vocal ensembles, online communities containing iii elements of fandoms, learning communities of practice, and music making spaces developed. Implications of the performance practice have effected the way the medium is situated within society as well as the way creators perform choral music and sing. For example, when performers create virtual vocal ensembles, they develop identities as virtual performers and express themselves musically and theatrically. Musical arrangement, voice range expansion, and autonomous exploration of musical concepts were also results of creators’ performance practices. Creating virtual vocal ensembles require not only musical skills, but also technological and production abilities that can be applied to music education practices and expand conceptions of ensemble, performance, and medium. As producers of virtual vocal ensembles, video creators use social media to expand their reach and develop a community that has aspects of a fandom as well as learning and music making communities. Music educators can incorporate the practices of virtual vocal ensemble creators into their instruction and help students learn skills that may allow them to make music outside of the choral ensemble classroom in virtual contexts.
This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music ... more This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music consumption, creation, and sharing. A literature review connects education, technology, and media. Informal learning, digital literacy, and twenty-first century technology are also connected in the review. Data reveals how Wade started his channel, gained popularity, interacted with others, and promoted his musical career through YouTube. Original songs, covers, collaborations, documentaries, selfinterviews, video blogs (vlogs), and live performances are observed by the researcher. Interviews with the subject, key actors in his life, fans, and first time listeners were transcribed and results were used to triangulate. Previous musical media research is expanded upon to include YouTube and video sharing. The idea of amateur and professional musician, musical venue, and audience member are being changed through YouTube. Current practices of how YouTube is used in the classroom are discusse...
This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music ... more This case study about a teenage musician, Wade Johnston, suggests how YouTube has affected music consumption, creation, and sharing. A literature review connects education, technology, and media. Informal learning, digital literacy, and twenty-first century technology are also connected in the review. Data reveals how Wade started his channel, gained popularity, interacted with others, and promoted his musical career through YouTube. Original songs, covers, collaborations, documentaries, self-interviews, video blogs (vlogs), and live performances are observed by the researcher. Interviews with the subject, key actors in his life, fans, and first time listeners were transcribed and results were used to triangulate. Previous musical media research is expanded upon to include YouTube and video sharing. The idea of amateur and professional musician, musical venue, and audience member are being changed through YouTube. Current practices of how YouTube is used in the classroom are discussed, and future research is suggested.
Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like
YouTube. I... more Musicians produce virtual performance videos of themselves and others on websites like YouTube. In a society with ubiquitous Internet and prominent social media interactions, music education can benefit by exploring the practices of musicians who produce music online, such as the creators of virtual vocal ensembles. A virtual vocal ensemble is a video containing multiple audio-visual tracks layered together through a technique called multitracking. In this performance practice, a virtual vocal ensemble creator records and combines multiple tracks to make a choir of clones or works with others in collaborative or collective ways. The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of virtual vocal ensembles and the medium that emerged from the development and distribution of those videos. This study situates the creators of virtual vocal ensembles within a sound recording medium, based on a theoretical framework developed by Sterne (2003) that defines a medium as a contingent network of relations made up of people, practices, institutions, and technologies. Guiding questions focus on the musical and social implications of creating virtual vocal ensembles, the entities listed above, and the relations between them. Traditional research methods and Internet inquiry were combined to create a multiple case study that examined three YouTube channels, each produced by a video creator. Data included the observation of the videos on the YouTube channels, text comments, and website analytics as well as interviews with video creators and others pertinent to the cases. A cross-case analysis was conducted to produce assertions that attended to the guiding questions. Creators of virtual vocal ensembles developed methods to construct and publish their videos, which were limited by their musical and technological abilities and the resources available. As musicians produced virtual vocal ensembles, online communities containing iii elements of fandoms, learning communities of practice, and music making spaces developed. Implications of the performance practice have effected the way the medium is situated within society as well as the way creators perform choral music and sing. For example, when performers create virtual vocal ensembles, they develop identities as virtual performers and express themselves musically and theatrically. Musical arrangement, voice range expansion, and autonomous exploration of musical concepts were also results of creators’ performance practices. Creating virtual vocal ensembles require not only musical skills, but also technological and production abilities that can be applied to music education practices and expand conceptions of ensemble, performance, and medium. As producers of virtual vocal ensembles, video creators use social media to expand their reach and develop a community that has aspects of a fandom as well as learning and music making communities. Music educators can incorporate the practices of virtual vocal ensemble creators into their instruction and help students learn skills that may allow them to make music outside of the choral ensemble classroom in virtual contexts.
Illinois American Choral Directors Associaiton (IL-ACDA), 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak forced schools and community groups to suspend meeting face to face, and ou... more The COVID-19 outbreak forced schools and community groups to suspend meeting face to face, and our ability to gather in substantial sizes continues to be tentative. The quarantine and social distancing required us to think about how to continue choral singing when choirs are not allowed to meet in physical spaces. This keynote session discusses the history, current state, and potential futures of online singing and what choral directors could do now and in the future as we navigate online and hybrid singing situations. By exploring online music making dispositions and the skills/literacies needed to learn, create, and publishing music on the internet, choral directors can help keep their choirsters singing, explore new technologies, create exciting musical experiences, and foster communities. This session provides an overview of the benefits and drawbacks of online technologies, platforms, and media for choral singing as well as the prominent online singing practices like virtual choirs, online karaoke/lip syncing, multitracking, and publishing.
The COVID-19 outbreak forced schools and community groups to suspend meeting face to face, and ou... more The COVID-19 outbreak forced schools and community groups to suspend meeting face to face, and our ability to gather in substantial sizes continues to be tentative. The quarantine and social distancing required us to think about how to continue choral singing when choirs are not allowed to meet in physical spaces. This video discusses the history, current state, and potential futures of online singing bringing further attention to virtual choirs.
Group work has been a popular pedagogical practice because of its potential to integrate collabor... more Group work has been a popular pedagogical practice because of its potential to integrate collaboration and learning. However, there are pitfalls to group-work projects such as disproportionate workload, appropriate assessment, and intergroup drama. This paper looks at the pedagogical application of the collaborative video log as group work through an illustrative case study. The collaborative video log is a learning model designed to engage groups of students around a topic that promotes ownership, reflection, and academic and social outcomes. A case study was conducted on a collaborative video log which consisted of five graduate student vloggers who together produced 36 videos for a technology and education course. Analysis of observation and interview data showed the CVL has a unique design which lends itself to ownership, academic outcomes, and social outcomes. The most common themes of ownership included technological ownership, ownership of the CVL structure, and ownership of personal learning. Prominent academic outcomes were building a learning community, realizing potential, and developing technological literacy. The three themes present in social outcomes were presenting personal information, embracing differences, and expanding relationships beyond the classroom. Though experienced drawbacks were few, potential drawbacks were suggested by the participants.
There is much to learn regarding the skills people use to learn, teach and make popular music in ... more There is much to learn regarding the skills people use to learn, teach and make popular music in global online contexts. Furthermore, research and pedagogy should address how popular musicians' practices online might be translated to learning institutions. Research has examined pedagogical approaches to popular music learning, lived experiences of contemporary musicians, and interactions in modern musical communities. Online music making has popularized terms including " virtual ensemble " , while affordability and accessibly of do-it-yourself recording studios have proliferated user-generated musical content on the internet. Musicians use diverse social media platforms to develop new techniques, brand their personae, and hone producing skills in virtual places which act as spaces for music learning, teaching and making. The purpose of this special issue is to consider popular music making and learning in virtual, digital and online arenas. We welcome research, historical, practical and theoretical pieces that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of Music Education, 2020
A video log, also called a vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking ... more A video log, also called a vlog or videoblog is a series of videos that feature someone speaking to the camera to present entertainment, reflection, opinion, or education. Collaborative vlogs (CVLs) elicit the same concept with multiple people taking joint ownership through asynchronous interaction, discussion, and expression. This chapter explores how online video helped create communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) both within the classroom and beyond. Students developed connections with each other that extended their interactions from the classroom to the Internet and in some instances into personal lives. Additionally, they creatively explored new ways to express themselves, developed their identities, and discussed pertinent topics regarding music, technology, and education. To explore the sociological vectors of culture and identity, I explored the situated learning experiences (Lave and Wenger, 1991) of students within CVLs and used the seven principles of aliveness discussed by Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder (2002) to analyze student reflections on CVL projects in music courses that serviced music education majors, elementary education majors, and students from a variety of majors who took music as an elective. Through CVLs, students explored mediated musical practices and shared their lives and experiences in ways that classmates and instructors might not get to see when regulated only to a physical-space classroom.
Cayari, C. (in press). Collaborative video logs: Virtual communities of practice and aliveness in the music classroom. In R. Wright, P. A. Kanellopoulos, G. Johansen, & P. Schmidt (Eds). The Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of Music Education. (p. XX-XX). London, UK: Routledge.
Places and Practices of Popular Music Education, 2022
Christopher Cayari's (he/they) research focuses on mediated musical performance, YouTube, informa... more Christopher Cayari's (he/they) research focuses on mediated musical performance, YouTube, informal music learning, virtual communities, video game music, and online identity The music we perform shapes who we are as people, and this chapter explores the popular musics that influenced my identity as a scholar, musician, and human. Performing and listening to popular music as a teacher in my classroom and researchers through qualitative methods shaped who I am.
Facilitating music video projects in the classroom , 2019
YouTube has become the second most visited website in the world (Alexa 2018), with more adolescen... more YouTube has become the second most visited website in the world (Alexa 2018), with more adolescents using YouTube to listen to music than any other source (Nielsen 2012). It is imperative that educators understand how the medium influences music creation, listening and learning. By examining the creative processes of YouTube musicians and applying these practices to my classroom, I have developed instructional projects for students, based on my research participants’ experiences, and have found that some students find the practices to be intuitive. Music video projects allow those students the opportunity to fine-tune their technological tendencies, and provide opportunities for those who may not instinctively gravitate toward music video creation, to learn important skills; skills that relate to recording, editing, producing and publishing digital music, not to mention considering the visual representation adds to the audience’s experience of music video performance..
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Interviews with the subject, key actors in his life, fans, and first time listeners were transcribed and results were used to triangulate. Previous musical media research is expanded upon to include YouTube and video sharing. The idea of amateur and professional musician, musical venue, and audience member are being changed through YouTube. Current practices of how YouTube is used in the classroom are discussed, and future research is suggested.
YouTube. In a society with ubiquitous Internet and prominent social media interactions, music
education can benefit by exploring the practices of musicians who produce music online, such as
the creators of virtual vocal ensembles. A virtual vocal ensemble is a video containing multiple
audio-visual tracks layered together through a technique called multitracking. In this
performance practice, a virtual vocal ensemble creator records and combines multiple tracks to
make a choir of clones or works with others in collaborative or collective ways.
The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of virtual vocal ensembles and
the medium that emerged from the development and distribution of those videos. This study
situates the creators of virtual vocal ensembles within a sound recording medium, based on a
theoretical framework developed by Sterne (2003) that defines a medium as a contingent
network of relations made up of people, practices, institutions, and technologies. Guiding
questions focus on the musical and social implications of creating virtual vocal ensembles, the
entities listed above, and the relations between them.
Traditional research methods and Internet inquiry were combined to create a multiple
case study that examined three YouTube channels, each produced by a video creator. Data
included the observation of the videos on the YouTube channels, text comments, and website
analytics as well as interviews with video creators and others pertinent to the cases. A cross-case
analysis was conducted to produce assertions that attended to the guiding questions.
Creators of virtual vocal ensembles developed methods to construct and publish their
videos, which were limited by their musical and technological abilities and the resources
available. As musicians produced virtual vocal ensembles, online communities containing
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elements of fandoms, learning communities of practice, and music making spaces developed.
Implications of the performance practice have effected the way the medium is situated within
society as well as the way creators perform choral music and sing. For example, when
performers create virtual vocal ensembles, they develop identities as virtual performers and
express themselves musically and theatrically. Musical arrangement, voice range expansion, and
autonomous exploration of musical concepts were also results of creators’ performance practices.
Creating virtual vocal ensembles require not only musical skills, but also technological
and production abilities that can be applied to music education practices and expand conceptions
of ensemble, performance, and medium. As producers of virtual vocal ensembles, video creators
use social media to expand their reach and develop a community that has aspects of a fandom as
well as learning and music making communities. Music educators can incorporate the practices
of virtual vocal ensemble creators into their instruction and help students learn skills that may
allow them to make music outside of the choral ensemble classroom in virtual contexts.
Cayari, C. (in press). Collaborative video logs: Virtual communities of practice and aliveness in the music classroom. In R. Wright, P. A. Kanellopoulos, G. Johansen, & P. Schmidt (Eds). The Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of Music Education. (p. XX-XX). London, UK: Routledge.