| In 1907, music educators interested in an organization devoted solely to the promotion of school music founded what came to be known as the Music Educators National Conference. During the ensuing decades, this organization grew to national prominence. During the same period, vocal music education also underwent dramatic growth. The purpose of the study was to investigate the Conference's role in this development. Specifically, the purpose consisted of the following four parts: (1) to identify, document, and detail those activities of the Music Educators National Conference from the beginning of the Conference through 1940 that were intended to promote and develop vocal music education; (2) to juxtapose Conference activities with the development of vocal music education; (3) when possible, to ascertain the affect of those activities on the development of vocal music education; and (4) to form conclusions regarding the historical value of the Conference and make recommendations concerning the relationship of professional music associations to music education.;The study found that the Conference organized numerous projects specifically intended to develop and promote vocal music education. These projects included numerous publications, special concerts, vocal contests, and clinics and workshops. Many of these activities were national in scope, dedicated to the improvement of vocal music education, and would have affected the overall development of music education. Perhaps none were more influential than the national high school choirs in the late 1920s and the 1930s. These concerts provided a dramatic example of exemplary secondary school singing and influenced the standards for choral singing in senior high schools. The study also found that the Conference's greatest attention occurred in the 1910s and the 1930s. During the intervening decade, scant attention was devoted to vocal music while the Conference devoted its energy to other phases of school music.;The study concluded that the Music Educators National Conference has indeed played an important role in the development of vocal music education. This influence, however, resulted not only from those committees and associations devoted to vocal music education, but also from Conference organizations devoted to other phases of school music--particularly instrumental music education. |
