Study on How Students in the Music Education Program Use Musical Terminology

Abstract

Musical terminology is not decorative vocabulary; it is a practical performance language that guides tempo, dynamics, articulation, expression, and stylistic realization. In teacher-training institutions, however, students often study for a shorter period than conservatory performers, which may create a gap between knowing terms and applying them during performance. This study examined how students in the Music Education Program at Darkhan College understand, interpret, and use musical terminology. The study used an exploratory classroom-based design combining document review, score-based illustration of common terms, and a self-designed survey administered to 27 students across available program cohorts. Quantitative data were processed descriptively using the percentage summaries preserved in the original study records, and the results were interpreted comparatively across questionnaire items. The findings show a clear knowledge-application gap. Most students rated their knowledge of terminology as only moderate, even though they generally reported that teachers explain terminology sufficiently and that course content is adequate. Across cohorts, one of the most frequently reported obstacles to better examination results was the inability to perform a piece exactly as practiced. Students also reported limited access to books and difficulty translating or fully understanding foreign musical terms. The study concludes that musical terminology must be taught not only as theory but also as an executable part of score study, rehearsal, and assessment. More explicit integration of terminology into performance pedagogy, bilingual learning resources, and repeated guided application are needed if music education students are to transform moderate knowledge into confident artistic practice.