An investigation to observe the effects of learning style on memorization approaches used by university group piano students when memorizing piano literature

Piano proficiency students who are required to memorize music take different approaches in their learning process. They may not be aware of how they memorize or how these approaches are related to their learning style preferences. Seventeen test subjects (N=17) who volunteered from a private university in north central Indiana were _ tested for their learning style preferences and then were given a sample of music to memorize. A video camera recorded the memorization process for observation of the learning approaches each subject used while memorizing. In addition, each subject completed 1) a brief experience and task ease pretest, 2) an interview while observing the video of what took place during the memorization process, and 3) a posttest questionnaire on learning approaches used.The purpose of this study was to observe which learning approaches to memorization were being used by group piano students and which of these were most effective in short memorization tasks. Investigation of existing literature of piano pedagogy found that the most common ways in which pianists memorize are by using aural, visual, tactile and analytical approaches.Subjects who were observed for this research had a tendency-to memorize more from the visual and tactile approaches. Out of the 17 class piano students who were observed, 15 or 88% used visual and or tactile memory as their preferred approach. Students also assessed their own procedure of memorization by rating the approach as to how much they used it. Findings in this posttest questionnaire indicated that the aural and visual approaches to memory were rated by the students as being the preferred ways of memorizing. Thirteen subjects or 76% indicated that they preferred the aural and or visual memory approach to memory.The effectiveness of these approaches was indicated by the subjects receiving a memory performance rating. This research showed that there was more tendency for subjects using visual approach memory to receive the best memory scores (excellent, no errors). This study also indicated that students using the analytical approach to memory tended to have the highest percentage of best performance score (two of three received excellent/no errors scores).School of MusicThesis (D.A.