Date of Graduation

Summer 2015

Degree

Master of Music

Department

Music

Committee Chair

Daniel Hellman

Abstract

The purposes of my study were (a) to describe string instrument loaner programs and associated administrative practices in socioeconomically diverse schools and (b) to analyze the accessibility of string education with respect to school size and socioeconomic status. The research involved the responses to an electronic survey completed by 42 Missouri K-12 string teachers who taught at 119 schools spanning 20 school districts. Findings suggest that lower income schools were more likely to have students using school-owned instruments as their only instrument, more likely to not use loaner instruments that were shared between schools, and more likely to lack the instruments needed to allow interested students with financial need to participate. I conclude that string music education opportunities are not equitable by socioeconomic status and advocate improved funding, resource allocation, and commitment to equity in order to improve access to string education.

Keywords

access, equity, instruments, loaner programs, music education, orchestra, socioeconomic status, strings

Subject Categories

Music

Copyright

© Juliana Marie Georgiades

Open Access

Included in

Music Commons

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