The use of folk tunes adapted for violin education

The present research aims to identify the musical elements of Turkish Cypriot Folk Tunes and the similarities within those tunes. The research also aims to determine the role of folk tunes that are adapted to violin in violin education upon the success of students? violin playing abilities.Throughout the research, the data related with folk tunes is collected with a method of literature review. For the identification of folk tunes the related books were reviewed in Cyprus. Sirto, Zeybek, Karşılama, Çiftetelli and Arabiye forms were chosen as folk tunes upon the recommendations of specialists since they are suitable musical pieces for violin, they bear similar characteristics within the instrumental folk tunes and they are played and danced by Turkish Cypriots. Certain ?microtone? sounds which belongs to Turkish Music, signs that alter musical sounds and certain mistakes which were identified within musical notes were corrected upon the recommendations of specialists on folk music and Cypriot folk tunes played by violin. Those were corrected as well as re-notated. Time signatures, sound intervals, modes, melodies, values of notes and rhythm patterns which were used within those melodies were analyzed and the emphasis was put on the similarities of those melodies.An experimental method was used in order to identify the role of violin adapted folk tunes on the success of students? violin playing abilities. The research was held as ?experimental,? ?single group pretest and posttest.? The experimental part was held on the ?experiment? group which was consisting of 12 students chosen from the related sample. As a result of further analyses and upon the recommendations of specialists, two different melodies were chosen to be used in experimental part of the research. With taking into consideration the principles of bowing; bowing terms, bowing movements, finger numbers and nuances were determined and adopted to violin. During the pretest the experimental group were given the un-adopted style of those melodies to play and in the final test the adopted styles were given. The experimental research was actualized in two weeks time, within the same environment, period and time interval and was consist of ten exercises which were held each day of the two weeks? time. The exercises were saved on a camera and the previously prepared observation forms were filled by three observers upon those videos.Throughout the research, for the application of pretest and final test and for the evaluation of the students? success in playing violin adopted folk tunes observation form was conducted as a data collecting tool. The scale involves certain behaviours such as ?placement of the left hand and correct finger position? , ?adjusting the tempo of the bow?, ?balancing the pressure of the bow?, ?integrity of the vocalization of the melody? and ?grasping the musical sound and correct vocalization? as technical and musical elements.For the analyses of the data, in appropriate with the sub problems of the research un parametrically ?Kendall W Harmony Test?, ?Wilcoxon Rank Test? and ?Mann Whitney U Test? were used. With the ?Kendall W Harmony Test? the consistency between the points given by experts for the vocal performance was analysed, in other words the harmony of the points given by experts was analysed. With the ?Mann Whitney U Test? whether there is any difference between the students? performance in terms of Sirto vocalizing and Zeybek vocalizing was analyzed. With the ?Wilcoxon Rank Test? whether there are any meaningful differences between the pretest and final test results of the students? performance in terms of Zeybek and Sirto vocalizing was analyzed. Also, in the comments part which took place within the observation form there are experts opinions and they have considered to be qualitative data. For the analysis of those data context analysis technique was mobilized.As a result of the present research, with the finalization of the analyses the commonalities between the melodies have been put forward. According to the findings which have been derived from the experimental research; both in technical and musical aspects violin adopted folk melodies effect students? success in violin playing in a positive way. For the each behaviour a meaningful enhancement and a positive development has been observed.