This study delves into the critical role of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), as theorized by Lee Shulman (1986), in shaping instructor effectiveness and student outcomes. While PCK's significance in enhancing teaching practice and fostering student achievement is well-documented across various disciplines, its application and empirical investigation within music education remain notably limited. This gap is particularly salient in performance-based fields, where unique pedagogical demands often necessitate specialized instructional approaches. Addressing this, the research focuses on the impact of instructors’ PCK components on student achievement in one-to-one pop singing courses, a cornerstone of musical performance training at conservatories in China. A quantitative research design was employed, engaging 55 pop singing instructors from conservatories across China. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, enabling discernment of the individual influence of four key PCK components: conceptions of teaching purpose, knowledge of student understanding, curricular knowledge, and instructional strategies. The findings indicate that Curricular Knowledge (?=0.509, p<0.001) and Instructional Strategies (?=0.447, p<0.001) emerged as the strongest and most significant predictors of student achievement, underscoring their pivotal role in effective pop singing pedagogy. Knowledge of Student Understanding (?=0.192, p<0.05) demonstrated a moderate, yet statistically significant, influence, suggesting that while understanding students' individual needs is important, its effectiveness is often enhanced when integrated with robust curriculum design and versatile teaching methods. In contrast, Conceptions of Purpose for Teaching Subject Matter (?=0.144, p>0.05) showed no significant effect on student achievement within this context, potentially indicating that in performance-driven disciplines like pop singing, the practical "how-to" aspects of teaching may carry more immediate weight than the broader philosophical "why." This study highlights PCK as a crucial determinant of student success, particularly within the specialized domain of pop singing education.
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