Despite existing research in popular music education, a gap exists in the literature concerning popular music education for rural East Tennessee high school band programs. The purpose of this qualitative research was to address the history of societal acceptance of popular music styles as well as changes within the field of music education…

What should the core purpose of educational wind bands in the United States be? Many music students may not pursue the activity in college (or may not even play a band instrument again after their formal schooling). Musical and artistic values, however, can be applied in creative practice throughout one's life. This dissertation explores what it…

This study sought to explore high school band students' motivation for practicing their instruments using the basic tenets of self-determination theory as a theoretical lens. Exploring levels of self-determination alongside years of musical experience, time reported practicing, grade level, gender, instrument selection, and private lesson study,…

The purpose of this study was to examine social interactions across three high school concert band classes and to describe how these everyday practices might engender student contributions during full ensemble rehearsals. Language is a medium for human action, and a key resource through which students and teachers might establish classroom norms,…

The purpose of this investigation was to examine a single modern band to discover how an ensemble director/facilitator implemented a student-centered pedagogical approach. Applications of facilitation are presented within the study. The group was co-constructed through an approach of shared power and championing of student voice. Modeling was a…

In this article, I examine the potential of social media to meaningfully connect students and educators with First Nations popular musicians. Utilising yarning-as-method under the theoretical frame of storying, I present accounts of attempts to embed the practice in high school classes before exploring how the process was refined for an initial…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of timbral instructions on pitch and timbre production. High school (n = 28) and collegiate (n = 28) trumpeters played sustained tones at two octave levels (written C4 and C5) following three types of timbral instructions (dark-timbre, bright-timbre, or neutral instructions). Presentation orders…

When the Coronavirus Pandemic made its way into the United States in 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that all schools pivot to an online learning format as the country entered a lockdown in March 2020. The Coronavirus Pandemic made it harder for music educators to retain and recruit students into their upper…

Starting a career in music education is difficult; there are many challenges that first-year band directors face. These challenges can include praxis shock, isolation, stress, and high workloads. First-year band directors may need mentoring support as they transition into the profession. There are different types of mentor programs that a school…

The purpose of this study was to explore music listening and performance characteristics of middle and high school students. The questions under investigation addressed reasons for liking a favorite piece, time spent listening, media used to listen, ways in which students discovered new music, and the types of music performed as well as the types…

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between high school concert band directors' self-efficacy for classroom management, efficacious sources, and classroom management behaviors. Participants (N = 271) completed the Band Director Self-Efficacy for Classroom Management scale and responded to items about their demographic and school…

Although the United States Supreme Court declared segregation in education under law unconstitutional in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, the public high schools in Jackson, Mississippi, would remain segregated until 1970. The present study examines the effects of this social climate on the high school band programs in…

Professional development can help to ensure teaching artists have the requisite knowledge and skills to lead effective instruction. However, the specific format of professional development can vary. One organization that provides professional development for their teaching artists is the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) program, which is an El…

Adjudicated festival ratings can affect developing musicians, ensemble directors, and music programs long after festival performances end. With prior research demonstrating that adjudicators provide an abundance of positive ratings at festivals, this article discusses how ratings--both appropriate and inappropriate--may influence students' musical…

In 1947 T. Carol Agee resurrected the Fort Collins High School Orchestra (FCHS) program after his return from WWII, and became the first music teacher to be hired as the full-time orchestra director at the school. He quickly created a "storied" program in the state of Colorado culminating, for him, in a 1955 Colorado Music Educators…