PER MUSI - Revista Acadêmica de Música (ISSN 2317-6377) is a democratic space for intellectual reflection in the music area, where diversity and debate are welcome. Per Musi is a double blind peer reviewed journal that aims to publish structured and well-based scientific articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish which constitute relevant contributions to the various sub-fields of music. Occasionally, Per Musi publishes scores, book reviews, translations and interviews related to Music research. Electronic submissions on pre-established themes will be received on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Authors should register or login to access the submission area.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
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The linkage of the Practicum in the Music Education specialization of the Primary Education Degree
The initial Music Education teachers within the European Higher Education Area in Spain has declined in quality compared to the former Specialist Teacher Diploma. The university planning for Music Education Specializations in Primary Education has generated heterogeneous models in their structure. This diversity is reflected in the Practicum program, where some universities include it as a specific training program while others do not. Given the importance of the Practicum program in teacher training, this study analyzes which degrees have a Practicum subject linked to the Specialization. This study conducts a case study of the Practicum program for the Music Specialization at the University of Barcelona (USC) using a documentary methodology and an analysis of national and local legislative content. The results show inequality among the degrees regarding their connection to the Specialization, highlighting the need to reform this subject.
Copyright (c) 2025 Per Musi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A new narrative for instrumental practice
Traditionally, instrumental practice has focused on repetition and technical optimization, limiting the development of autonomy and deep understanding of the repertoire. This article proposes a new narrative for instrumental practice, viewing it not only as a technical activity but as a self-regulated, reflective, and strategic process. It emphasizes the importance of conscious practice, integrating technique with critical interpretation and artistic expression, promoting progressive autonomy as a formative goal. Furthermore, the essential role of the teacher as a reflective mentor is highlighted, facilitating motivation, strategic thinking, and conscious decision-making, which fosters deeper and more sustainable learning. This narrative invites a reconsideration of instrumental practice as an active educational process, where the student makes decisions, connects learning with their artistic identity, and engages in their personal and musical development.
This theoretical discussion deepens the data from my doctoral research and introduces new elements to reflect on the concept of Cultural Salvation (CS). It outlines key characteristics of CS identified through a review of literature in Music Education and the Social Sciences. Between January 2022 and July 2023, I conducted ethnographic fieldwork at the Ilha de Música Social Project, located in the África Community in Natal, Brasil. I identify three central elements of CS: the metaphysical veil of music’s power, the ritualistic order, and the transformation process. Understanding CS as an exercise of power is essential for music educators. This awareness supports a critical, inclusive approach to music education for children and adolescents living in socially unequal conditions. The text concludes by raising questions that seek to reconstruct musical practices within social projects, aiming to challenge and overcome the structural foundations of inequality embedded in the idea of Cultural Salvation.
The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of a digital learning environment on students’ motivation, engagement, and creativity in music education, focusing on the implementation of digital tools in music education. The research methodology includes a survey of 100 music teachers, five focus group interviews and an experimental study with 81 students divided into three groups using of interactive, project-oriented, and blended learning models. The results show that the use of digital platforms increase student motivation, digital competence, and music performance. The study offers methodological recommendations for integrating digital technologies into music education.
Notes on the interpretation of a Larghetto by Handel
This article discusses the historically informed interpretation of baroque music, addressing the execution of slow movements of the Italian type, which must usually be ornamented by the performer. To support her arguments, the author uses the help of a practical example taken from the flutistic repertoire: the Larghetto of the Sonata in E minor for flute and basso continuo, op.1 no 1a, HWV 379, by George Frideric Handel. For this Larghetto, articulation, dynamics and tempo options are suggested, and musical justifications for such choices are presented, based on treatises of the time and secondary sources and using G. Ph. Telemann's Methodical Sonatas as inspiration. At the end of the article, a score is offered containing the original flute and basso continuo parts of the movement in question, plus suggestions for ornamentation and interpretation. By comparing the original part and the proposed version, the practical result of the theoretical discussion proposed by the article can be appreciated.
This work is a translation into Brazilian Portuguese of an article by Anette Vande Gorne, titled “L’interprétation spatiale” and published in Revue Électronique, Université de Lille-3, France, 2002. Composer and professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Mons, Anette is a director of the Musiques et Recherches studio (Ohain - Belgium), and of the annual festival “L’Espace du Son” in Brussels. It stands out for describing in a clear and objective way the aesthetics involved in the processes of sound spatialization applicable both in live performance practice and in the compositional process at the studio, serving as an important reference for several works in the area
Analysis of Phantasiestück III and the storm of the stars will turn to quiet, by Willy Corrêa de Oliveira
This article analyzes Willy Corrêa de Oliveira’s works Phantasiestück III (1973) and the storm of the stars will turn to quiet (1990s) through musical analysis and documentary research. The study combines an examination of the scores with bibliographical research on intertextuality (Kristeva, 1966; Klein, 2005; De Bonis, 2015) and harmonic polarization (Costère, 1973), contextualizing them with a brief biography of the composer and his relationship with Marxist thought. In Phantasiestück III, the analysis reveals the use of Schumann-derived series and polarizations in ASCH (A-Eb-C-B), culminating in direct quotations in the Coda, while the storm of the stars will turn to quiet demonstrates intertextual dialogues with Bach, with the poet Marina Tsvetaeva (1892-1941), and the film Leaving Las Vegas (1995). The results highlight how Oliveira’s musical rewriting articulates avant-garde and tradition, reflecting his aesthetic and political trajectory.
This research discusses piano pedaling as a vital tool in piano performance. It aims to explore the use of right pedals. Pedal technique is often shaped by direct instructions from a particular teacher or by traditions of a national piano school. Differences in pedaling approaches exist among various piano schools, teaching methods, and individual pedal applications. Methodologically, the study falls within the applied field of piano education, drawing on personal experience and extensive formal training. A qualitative and descriptive approach is employed to provide coherent information and highlight specific pedal techniques. Thus, it follows a structure that adequately supports the main objective of presenting and enhancing piano teachers and students with a better understanding of the pedaling. While many authors dedicate attention to this topic, pedalling remains an area where discrepancies between schools and performers are apparent. Therefore, the purpose of the present research is to bridge pedagogical methods/strategies streaming from the Eastern and Western piano schools. The study also investigates problems arising from inconsistent terminology, discusses where the right pedal is applied, and identifies thirteen types of pedals assisting pianists and teachers in their approach to piano performance.
This paper addresses the meaning of the piano work “The Anti-Abolitionist Riots in the 1830's and 1840's” by Charles Ives. Intellectual history enables us to analyze his world's conception together with the compositional and ideological influences that nourished his creations. The rise of historical awareness over the altercations and the riots between the defenders of slavery and the abolitionists hit the sensibility of the young musician, who felt compelled to evoking those events. Racial conflict was not only still alive at the beginning of the 20th century, but had intensified in response to new circumstances. We conclude that the memory of the riots deserved the aesthetic representation given by the artist and that his ability to evoke the survival of the past gives full meaning to the score.
The singer´s preparation for Brazilian classical music performance
The vocal performer´s acting is conditioned to elements such as breathing, phonation and resonator devices, that must work through homogeneous and balanced way, aiming a performance free of unnecessary tensions. This technical apparat should support the vocal emission called sul fiato – through the air – and, in Brazilian´s Classical Music, there are other problems such as diction and phonation that emerges from spoken and sung language in Brazil. Aiming to solve occasional difficulties reported to that vocal performance of Brazilian Music, I´ve developed here a theoretical study that shows how the Opera Singer student and even the professional could improve their performance using dynamic and flexible body techniques, utilizing freedom and a certain mode of improvisation. The results were that when the performer integrate voice, body and scenic arguments, he can ally Brazilian classical music with a body specific language.
Influence of sociodemographic variables on the perceived motivational climate of Higher Music Education students
The environment surrounding students is key to their academic success, becoming a determining factor for their musical progress. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceived motivational climate (ego climate and task climate) of students in higher music education, taking into account sociodemographic variables (gender, family ties to music, country and school). The results show that the perception of ego climate does not show significant differences in any of the variables studied. On the other hand, the task climate shows differences in favor of men and important differences in terms of country and type of study center, with students studying in Portugal showing the most favorable perception. The importance of generating educational contexts that favor a positive homework climate, oriented towards achievement and the empowerment of students' skills is highlighted.
Non-octave-repeating scales as a form of tonal organization
Whilst most of the world’s scales are octave-repeating, the fact is that non-octave-repeating scales have been employed for organizing tonal content in different musical cultures from the Middle Ages to present day. However, there have been few academic studies that deal with the subject from a global perspective, beyond the application of certain non-octave-repeating scales in specific musical contexts. Hence, the extent to which these structures have served for determining pitch content in music has until now not been widely extended or readily available to researchers and musicians potentially interested in the issue. The present paper draws from a variety of different sources in order to present a detailed and structured overview of the use of non-octave-repeating scales in a wide range of musical settings, thus confirming the hypothesis that these structures have proven to be a useful and time-tested way of organizing pitch content in music.
The 'Acousmaticity' of left-hand piano music
This article proposes the hypothesis that left-hand piano music evidences acousmatic characteristics, drawing on Brian Kane's concept of 'Acousmaticity' (Kane 2014), which outlines principles for characterising various acousmatic scenarios, contrasting with the "static" state of listening to a sound whose source is unseen (Kane 2014). The illusion of multiple hands at work in left-hand repertoire disrupts the expected link between visual and auditory perception, fostering a specific listening stance often associated with acousmatic perception. As a case study, the work Resignação, melody for the left hand, Op. 39, by José Vianna da Motta, is analysed. A comparison with the composer’s own arrangement for piano (two hands) and flute, Resignação, Op. 40, highlights the fulfilment of the conditions necessary to identify an acousmatic situation in Resignação, Op. 39.
Unconventional sound production on the xylophone
The xylophone’s timbral resources have been little explored. Despite recent efforts to promote the solo xylophone, conventional sound production prevails in most of the compositions reviewed by the authors. The first author contributed to an investigation of the second author, exploring with him sound production on the xylophone through practice-based research oriented to art music creation. Entering each other's domains, the authors ended up arriving at instrumental and compositional gestures almost certainly unheard of in the instrument until then. In the musical work, these are juxtaposed with conventional gestures in a varied and predominantly discontinuous compositional flow, counteracting the tendency in many of the compositions reviewed by the authors.
Impacts of the Heidelberg Model of Music Therapy on the treatment of Chronic Tonal Tinnitus
This study aimed to translate and assess the preliminary efficacy of the Heidelberg Model of Music Therapy (HNMT) in the treatment of individuals with chronic tonal tinnitus in Brazil. It is a quantitative and exploratory study comprising 10 individual music therapy sessions over three months. The impact of tinnitus was measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Estimation of Individual Trajectory application, employing the Harmonic Linear Model (HL) and the 4-Parameter Logistic Model (4PL). Two participants completed the protocol, showing a reduction in distress between the 3rd and 7th sessions. The HL identified cyclical patterns and a declining trend in THI scores, while the 4PL highlighted critical points of improvement. Despite no significant changes in perceived tinnitus loudness, findings suggest that HNMT fosters emotional resilience. Future studies should consider larger samples and psychotherapeutic support.
Practices and strategies of vachai va timbira in Maputo (Mozambique) to maintain and reinvent their musical arts
This research reflects on the practices and strategies applied by the vachayi va timbira in Maputo, Mozambique, to reinvent and maintain their musical arts. The research is based on the Gestural, Oral and Practical Empirical Field in dialogue with African Musicology and Ethnomusicology with emphasis on Emily Akuno, Kwabena Nketia, Luka Mukhavele, Madimabe Mapaya and Meki Nzewi. Ethnography as the basis of research was materialized through observation, interviews, photographs, and bibliographical research. Through this epistemology and methodology, practices and strategies stand out: 1) Reusing of discarded materials for musical instruments; 2) Exchange of knowledge in a practical and open way; 3) Self-taught training through trial and error experiments; 4) Learning through observation, listening and repetition; 5) Exploration of musical arts from southeast Africa; 6) Introduction of musical instruments in different spaces; 7) Valuing manual work; 8) Development of multidisciplinary activities.
Copyright (c) 2023 Per Musi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Overview of the ways of playing Baião, Maracatu and Frevo on drums in recordings by Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti between 1965 and 2003
This article provides a broad overview of the ways of playing Baião, Maracatu and Frevo on the drum set in recordings by Hermeto Pascoal and Egberto Gismonti between 1965 and 2003. Using musical transcription and descriptive analysis as methodological procedures, this text sheds light on excerpts of performances by relevant Brazilian drummers such as Airto Moreira, João Palma, Robertinho Silva, Zé Eduardo Nazário, Nenê, Alfredo Dias Gomes and Márcio Bahia. Regarding the theoretical framework, the research is based on the work of Franco Fabbri (1980) on musical genre. The text concludes that Baião, Maracatu and Frevo on the drums were significantly present in the discography of Hermeto and Egberto in the period studied, and that the contribution of their drummers was fundamental to the consolidation of the ways of playing these musical genres in the Brazilian jazz.
Epistemological counterpoints between the conceptions of art knowledge in the BNCC and art education proposals
This article, a segment of a doctoral thesis on Music Education, aims to analyze the counterpoints between pedagogical-musical approaches — Triangular, C(L)A(S)P, and Orff-Schulwerk — and the propositions of a section of São Paulo's Arts Common Core Curriculum for Elementary Education, titled "Dimensions of Knowledge" (creation and expression; aesthetics and fruition; criticism and reflection). It was conducted a literature review of the main publications on the aforementioned arts-education approaches in order to qualitatively discuss the constraints of an official curriculum that neglects struggles and debates historically discussed by specialists. We conclude that widely disseminated arts-education proposals, such as those covered in our review, offer conceptions that attribute identity, (re)signified and collectively negotiated characteristics to school Music Education, going beyond the state normative that proposes an ambiguous education, which does not encompass the specific discussions of artistic languages and tends to be merely focused on an individualistic aesthetic education.
Precompositional models in the Avé-Maria Benedictine monastery in Oporto
Within the boundaries of the research project “AVEMUS: music in concertante style in the former Royal Monastery of São-Bento da Avé-Maria at Oporto”, by CESEM-UNL, this article presents the quantitative and qualitative results of the study of pre-compositional models present in the specific scope of the repertoire selected by the aforementioned project, based on the concept of pre-compositional model and its methodology of contextual musicological analysis developed by me over time (cf. Sotuyo Blanco 2003; 2004; 2007).
Royal Monastery of São-Bento da Avé-Maria at Oporto
Contemporary relevance of (auto)biographical studies in music research
This article aims to discuss the contemporary relevance of (auto)biographical studies in music research, exemplified by recent Brazilian production of the 21st century and the last decades of the 20th century. It draws on theoretical frameworks from authors such as Dosse, Lejeune, Levi, Bourdieu, Ginzburg, among others, and includes recent contributions on biographical writing by Castro and Lira Neto. Targeted at music researchers, who are both readers and producers of (auto)biographical texts, the article examines examples from the publishing market, theses, dissertations, and self-publications or limited editions. It explores the relationship between biographers and their subjects and analyzes three characteristics of (auto)biographies along with their ethical and technical implications: portraying a real person, using documentary and testimonial sources, and being written in narrative form. It illustrates different types of biographies, discusses the specificities of autobiography, and its use in formative research. In the final considerations, the article affirms the relevance of this topic and its importance in music research.
Thematic Session Biographical Approaches in Music Research
This article focuses on the analysis of theses and dissertations on children's choirs produced between 2015 and 2024, aiming to examine whether childhood as a social marker of difference and children's voices are addressed in these studies. The analysis encompasses graduate programs and research lines, the frequency of publications over the years, themes explored, and the professional profiles of the authors. The findings revealed the invisibility of children's voices, with a predominant emphasis on pedagogical conceptions and the technical training of choir conductors. The results highlight the need for more studies on children's choirs to address childhood as a central theme and incorporate children's perspectives, recognizing them as key informants in shaping new understandings of choral practice. By adopting this approach, research can foster a more ethical, inclusive, and sensitive musical practice that respects and values children's experiences and contributions within the choral environment.
The bass line in the rhythms of Southern Brazil:
This article proposes an analysis of bass lines in the genre of milonga and similar rhythms, such as chamarra and chamamé, originating from Argentina and characteristic of the southern region of Brazil, applying them to the double bass. It considers not only the practical aspect of achieving an appropriate, modern, and cohesive sound, but also the conceptual aspect behind these genres, which engage with the concepts of clave and additive rhythm. An analysis was conducted on the claves used in these genres, which are exactly the same as those found in other styles like baião and carimbó, suggesting a possible common African origin. This is a practice-informed work, where one of the authors participated as a guest musician in performances with the group Quarteto Coração de Potro, a group specialized in the southern repertoire, based in Lages-SC. In this experience, an interview was conducted with the musician João Gabriel Rosa and other members of the group, who also shared their perceptions and practices. This article includes transcriptions of excerpts from works of this repertoire to support the conclusions drawn.
Potentialities and Challenges of Autobiographical Writings in Music
The article investigates the intersection of memory, music, and historiography, using the Mater Verbi’s choir and the autobiographical writings of the composer Father José Maria Wisniewski as a case study. The primary objective is to analyze how Wisniewski's musical practice and personal documents contribute to the preservation and transmission of both collective and individual memory, with a focus on the transition from the Cecilian Movement to the Second Vatican Council. The research is based on the analysis of chronicles and diaries written by Wisniewski, exploring the role of these texts in maintaining the identity of the choir and constructing a social memory. The discussion examines the function of these records as agents of continuity and reinterpretation, considering the challenge of forgetting. The results suggest new ways to integrate autobiographical studies in music with memory studies through the creation of narratives.
"Tell me about your relationship with music"
This paper discusses the perspectives of (auto)biographical research in Music Education, highlighting its role in the investigation of memories, musical and professional formation paths, personal relations and significance with music. Initially, an overview of (auto)biographical research is presented from publications in academic journals in the field of Music and Human Sciences. Then, some studies developed by the "Music, Culture, and Education" Research Group (of Federal University of Paraíba) are discussed, focusing on their themes and methodologies. The perspective of (auto)biographical research in studies of personal and professional development is also examined, as well as the use of narrative interviews in more specific investigations. Finally, the contributions and limitations of (auto)biographical research are critically analyzed, proposing reflections that, although centered on Music Education, may be relevant to other areas of musical studies.
This article explores the intersection of jazz and migration in Spain through the life experiences of four Andalusian jazz singers. A biographical approach was employed to investigate the meanings these singers attribute to migration based on their professional trajectories. The study reveals the dual role of migration as both a necessary step for artistic development and a reflection of broader cultural dynamics. Through life narratives, the challenges faced by these singers are discussed, while highlighting the transformative potential of these experiences. The research also engages with theoretical debates on biography as a method, reflecting on the particularities of this form of writing within the field of music studies. Finally, the study seeks to demonstrate how biographical narratives can provide insights into broader social phenomena.
Operatic singing, not amplified by microphones, requires the singer to be heard due to the accompaniment of the symphony orchestra. To this end, the singer can use the resource called the singer's formant. To conduct an integrative review of the singer's formant in the PubMed Central, Scopus and Scielo databases. An integrative review was conducted focusing on the concepts, phonatory/articulatory adjustments and the auditory-perceptual dimension underlying the singer's formant. It was identified that the concepts were associated with vocal brightness and the acoustic correlate of greater high-frequency energy, creating a grouping of the third and fourth formants. In the articulatory sphere, lowering of the larynx, widening of the pharynx and approximation of the tongue to the lower incisor teeth were identified. The phenomenon studied is responsible for the audibility of the human voice.
Copyright (c) 2024 Per Musi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Representations of Autobiographical Memory in the Soundtrack of the Film Aftersun (2022)
This article aims to analyze two scenes from the film Aftersun (2022), directed by Charlotte Wells, to explore the relationship between autobiographic memory and media, especially with regard to the use of pop songs and sound design in the film's soundtrack. If, on the one hand, the use of famous songs contributes to triggering the cultural memory of spectators, on the other hand, the use of sound effects on the original phonograms suggests an estrangement and a detachment that illustrate the protagonist's relationship with the portrayed memories and metaphorize the functioning of the memory flow itself. In order to that, we will use authors who deal with the concepts of collective memory (Halbwachs, 1990), autobiographical report (Sarlo, 2007; Starobinski, 1971) and pop songs as memory objects (Frith, 2001).
Exploring engagement and flow experiences in collective music practices of amateurs, students and professional musicians
The purpose of this research was to explore the engagement and flow experiences in collective music practices of amateurs, students, and professional musicians. Based on the first phase of a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design, this article presents the results obtained from an online survey with 102 participants from diverse collective music practices. The results obtained were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Some statistically significant differences were observed in the interaction between participant groups (amateurs, students, and professionals) and dimensions of engagement (behavioral, cognitive, and emotional), as reported in the results and discussed in relation to the literature. In summary, we were able to explore and discuss some aspects of engagement, motivation, and flow experience based on the participants’ responses regarding their collective music practices.
The aim of this study is to explore which aspects of the Empowering Song approach have been used in the process of teaching and learning music to marginalized people and how these activities can affect them, changing their attitudes and helping them to understand themselves and others, and how this can help build community. The methods used for data collection were as follows: bibliographical research, a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and observation at meetings of the Race, Prison, Justice, Arts project, the Voices21C choir and the Empowering Song: music with body, mind and heart course. The result of the data analysis was the organization of the activities into four categories: musical-educational, philosophical, psychological, and sociological aspects. The conclusion was that the Empowering Song approach profoundly impacts marginalized people through its interdisciplinarity, functioning as a means of social justice, allowing them to find themselves as artists and express themselves through art.
This article investigates the procedures used by amateur choir conductors for learning scores. For this purpose, a mixed-methodology approach has been designed, allowing for a dual focus. On one hand, the procedures recommended in a bibliographic selection of three choir conducting treatises are analyzed. On the other hand, a semi-structured interview was conducted with five Valencian female conductors, all of whom have more than six years of experience. The results highlight the significant differences between theoretical recommendations and the participants' practice. It is concluded that the existing theory does not meet the needs of amateur choir conductors. Therefore, this article compiles procedures that satisfy the needs of this sector in the specific Spanish socio-cultural context.