Date of Graduation

Fall 2024

Degree

Master of Music

Department

Music

Committee Chair

Daniel Hellman

Abstract

School music ensemble participation has many benefits for students, including social well-being and improving academic performance; however, a variety of barriers, such as fear or lack of interest prevent many students from participating. To improve recruitment in music ensemble classes, Pittsburg Community Middle School created an exploratory class schedule that commenced with the 2022-2023 school year during which almost all sixth-grade students enrolled in three-week rotations of band, choir, and orchestra with the option to choose one option for the rest of the school year. This action research examined this new curriculum and the self-motivations of students who enrolled in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. This study surveyed students, parents, and music teachers involved in Music Explorations. Students who took the course fall semester 2022 or fall semester 2023 completed surveys on their self-identified reasons for enrolling or declining a music ensemble course past the trial period as well as outside factors that examined their motivations, such as peer influences, family influences, social influences, and self-influence. The parents and all music teachers who taught this curriculum were also asked to describe their experiences in individual interviews. The data collected was analyzed by calculating the mean average responses and looking for common opinions among the subgroups of the participants. I concluded that overall, students, parents, and teachers find this curriculum to be helpful in recruitment of new music students who otherwise may not have enrolled in a music ensemble. I discussed the implications of this program on recruitment and retention and speculate about how this information could help future and current music educators examine how sampling music ensembles could be beneficial for reaching and recruiting more music students.

Keywords

beginning band, beginning orchestra, beginning choir, participation, motivation, recruitment, curriculum, music education

Subject Categories

Art Education | Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Methods | Elementary Education | Secondary Education

Copyright

© Michaela Marie Chybowski

Open Access

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