Julia Katarzyna Leikvoll has researched music reading from a cognitive perspective, teaching music reading at beginner level, and instrumental teaching and learning. In her doctoral work, she investigated the influence of various teaching activities on notation comprehension and music reading skills of piano students at the the extra-curricular Schools of Performing Arts in Norway. Based on the findings, she has written a number of methodbooks for piano and wind-instrument students at elementary level, where she emphasizes varied teaching activities (reading, writing, composing, improvisation, etc.) and an overall development of musical understanding. Julia is currently working on a research project where she looks more closely at the use of composing and writing in instrumental teaching at primary level.

Research areas: music reading, instrumental teaching, music education, piano performance

Write-read-play. Music literacy in instrumental music education. The project aims to shed light on an apparently little-explored research field within music pedagogy: the use of creative writing as a tool for the development of music literacy and musical understanding in instrumental students (quantitative study). In addition, we will be woring towards establishing a Nordic network around the topic of music literacy, consisting of researchers, as well as practitioners (instrumental teachers, conductors) and selected interest organisations. One of the goals of the prosjekt is to work towards developing a larger application (Nordplus higher education) with a focus on international network building.

Joy of playing and musical understanding - with focus on music reading. A seminar for instrumental teachers and educators.

Art and music pedagogy, music education

Academic article

• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2025). Reading Music or Reading Notes? Rethinking Musical Stimuli in Eye-Movement Research. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2025). How the use of music writing can enhance the understanding of a musical notation system among instrumental pupils. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2025). Non-compulsory Instrumental Music Education in Poland and Norway: Perspectives on Accessibility, Curriculum Framework and Learning Goals in Two Different Music Education Systems. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2024). Bruk av komponering og improvisasjon i instrumentalundervisning på kulturskolen: tidstyv eller inngangsport til musikk- og notasjonsforståelse?. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2021). Hvordan kan kunnskap om tekstlesing og lese- og skriveopplæring i grunnskolen brukes i noteopplæring på nybegynnernivå?. (external link)

Academic lecture

• Tollefsen, Maria Medby; Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2025). Notenett - Notekyndighet i forskning og undervisningspraksis (EPTA). (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2025). Music literacy, musikkliteracy, eller musikalsk kompetanse? På vei mot en felles forståelse av utvalgte kjernebegreper i norsk fagspråk. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Tollefsen, Maria Medby; Blix, Hilde Synnøve Johansen et al. (2024). På vei mot samarbeid mellom forskere og praksisfeltet – med musikkliteracy som eksempel. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2024). Skapende skriving og utvikling av musikkliteracy i instrumentalundervisning på kulturskolen. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2024). Using composition and improvisation in instrumental teaching: Time-thief or a gateway to musical understanding?. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2019). Tekstlesing i grunnskolen og notelesing i kulturskolen - avkodingsprosessen og undervisningsmetodene på nybegynnernivå. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2019). Notelesing og noteopplæring på nybegynnernivå. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2019). Noteopplæring i instrumentalundervisning på nybegynnernivå. (external link)

Lecture

• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2024). Using writing in instrumental teaching: Time-thief or a gateway to developing notational literacy in music?. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Tollefsen, Maria Medby; Halvorsen, Linda Cecilie et al. (2024). Spilleglede og musikkforståelse - med notelesing i fokus. (external link)
• Tollefsen, Maria Medby; Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Halvorsen, Linda Cecilie et al. (2024). På vei mot samarbeid mellom forskere og praksisfeltet – med musikkliteracy i fokus. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2024). Forstår de hva de ser? Bruk av skriving i instrumentalundervisning. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Aase, Øyvind; Bakke, Desiree Paulsen (2023). Grieg i Roma: gjenklanger av Roma i E. Griegs klvarmusikk. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Aase, Øyvind; Bakke, Desiree Paulsen (2023). Grieg in Rome: Resonanses of Rome in E. Grieg's piano music. (external link)
• Sætre, Steinar; Skaansar, Anne; Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Introduksjon til prosjektet Kromatikk. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Skapende aktiviteter i instrumentalundervisning. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Å starte et fordypningsprogram i Distrikts-Norge – bakgrunn, vurderinger og muligheter. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Skapende aktiviteter i pianoundervisning på nybegynnernivå. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2019). Komponering og improvisasjon i pianoundervisning på grunnivå. (external link)

Textbook

• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Maurizios Pianoverksted 2. Arbeidsbok 2 for begynnere. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2022). Maurizio i Pianodalen 2. Lærebok i piano for begynnere. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2019). Spill som du vil: grunnleggende akkordlære, improvisasjon og komposisjon for piano. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2018). Maurizios Pianoverksted.Arbeidsbok for begynnere. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2018). Lærerveiledning til Maurizio i Pianodalen. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2018). Noteopplæring i instrumentalundervisning på nybegynnernivå. (external link)
• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia (2017). Maurizio i Pianodalen. (external link)

Doctoral dissertation

• Leikvoll, Katarzyna Julia; Dahl, Per (2017). Lytt, skriv, spill ; Om notelesingsferdigheter hos pianoelever på nybegynnernivå. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Using improvisation and composition in instrumental teaching - the aim of the project is to have a closer look at how composing and writing kan influence music understanding and development of music literacy skills of instrumental students in Norwegian extra-curricular music schools. 

Grieg in Rome - a series of concert lectures with focus at less know works of Edvard Grieg, composed during his four stays in Italy.

Write-read-play. Music literacy in instrumental music education. The project aims to shed light on an apparently little-explored research field within music pedagogy: the use of creative writing as a tool for the development of music literacy and musical understanding in instrumental students. In addition, we will be woring towards establishing a Nordic network around the topic of music literacy, consisting of researchers, as well as practitioners (instrumental teachers, conductors) and selected interest organisations. One of the goals of the prosjekt is to work towards developing a larger application with focus on international network building.