This study investigated how adolescents perceive chord quality and which musical and educational experiences are associated with the development of harmonic aural skills. Situated at the intersection of music theory pedagogy, aural skills research, and adolescent cognitive development, the project responds to a longstanding gap in the literature. Despite the centrality of harmony to Western musical practice, little research has examined how secondary-level students learn to identify chord quality in isolated listening contexts. The purpose of the study was twofold. First, it sought to design and validate an assessment instrument capable of reliably measuring adolescents’ ability to identify chord quality aurally. Second, it aimed to determine which educational variables—such as ensemble participation, theory coursework, jazz experience, piano study, and reported listening or practice strategies—were most strongly associated with success in harmonic identification tasks. Following pilot testing and structured interviews with 30 participants, the harmonic quality assessment was revised to improve clarity, reliability, and construct validity. The finalized instrument was then administered to adolescents aged 14–18. Using a quantitative, correlational design, the study analyzed relationships between harmonic aural skills scores and participants’ musical backgrounds and hearing strategies. Statistical procedures included descriptive analyses, analysis of variance, and correlational measures to examine differences across chord types (e.g., triads and seventh chords), inversions, and spacing conditions, as well as associations between performance outcomes and reported instructional experiences. Particular attention was given to correlations between hearing strategies and performance on the study’s test. Results indicated that harmonic aural skill is not evenly distributed across chord types or contexts. Seventh chords, inversions, and altered spacings posed greater perceptual challenges than root-position triads, suggesting that harmonic complexity and voicing significantly influence adolescent listening accuracy. Moreover, specific musical experiences—especially sustained piano instruction—were positively associated with higher identification accuracy. Reported use of familiar-song associations, Gestalt hearing practices, and listening for tendency tones also demonstrated meaningful relationships with performance outcomes. These findings contribute to ongoing debates regarding holistic versus analytic approaches to harmonic listening and offer empirical support for specific educational strategies in the music theory classroom. By identifying educational and musical experiences that correlate with successful chord-quality perception, this study provides practical implications for secondary music theory instruction. This study recommends to educators effective hearing strategies and educational experiences for music theory teachers of adolescents.
Keith Roeckle (Thu,) studied this question.