The purpose of this study was to examine the work band directors do in the course of their jobs. Specifically, I sought to understand more about the disjuncture between the balanced music education band directors want to deliver to their students and the need to prepare and present performances that bring positive notoriety to a band program. Using Institutional Ethnography (IE), I interviewed, observed, and explored the texts that directors create and/or refer to as they lead their band programs. Institutional Ethnography is a method of inquiry that allows a researcher to probe those immersed in situations that he or she finds problematic. The term problematic refers to something about which a researcher is interested in learning more.
It was found that the three band directors included in this study are granted much freedom when it comes to creating or referring to a music curriculum. The directors appreciate this freedom and have each chosen various forms of curricula, which range from an official curriculum document that is used specifically for music theory instruction across Canada to a poster designed by university music instructors. With regard to performances and the pressure to prepare them, each director had a different way in which they organized their instruction to teach both performance skills and music literacy. One director relies heavily on a theory curriculum to supplement his work on performances while another works through various method books that include non-performance-based music instruction.
Through this study I was able to show the gap that occurs between a well-rounded music education and a primary focus on performance in a band program. The band directors I interviewed revealed a deep desire and belief that they were delivering a comprehensive music education to their band students. In the course of my research, the pressure to create outstanding performances could be seen in the band directors’ talk and instructional organization. It is hoped that the results of this study will aid university instructors and curriculum writers in developing successful ways to deliver music instruction in a band program while remaining cognizant of performance.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3190 |
| Date | 10 January 2011 |
| Creators | Edwards, Sandra Melissa |
| Contributors | Begoray, Deborah, Smith, Dorothy E. |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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