The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore stakeholders’ perspectives of two predominantly African American community youth choral organizations. My research questions included: (1) How do participants describe their experiences with the organization?, (2) What benefits and challenges do participants illuminate inside the organization and within the surrounding communities?, and (3) What future do participants envision for the organization within the surrounding communities? Systems thinking (Meadows, 2008; Stroh, 2015) and social systems perspective (Carter, 2011) shaped a conceptual lens that illuminated stakeholders’ perspectives. Each organization was selected because it was intrinsically interesting (Stake, 2005). Unlike many United States community youth choral organizations, these organizations provided academic support, meals, and door-to-door transportation for singers. Participant groups included staff, non-staff, and child singers. Data were collected over 18 weeks through observations of organizational events, including researcher written notes and transcribed voice memos, anonymous online questionnaires for adult participants, individual interviews with adult participants, and focus groups with child singers. Across both organizations, I collected 37 notes from observations, 17 anonymous questionnaires, 18 adult interviews, and nine focus groups with 21 child singers. I analyzed data through the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1999), and verified the data analysis through triangulation between data forms and stakeholder groups (Stake, 2005), prolonged engagement and persistent observation (Lincoln & Guba, 1985), and peer coding.
Findings from each case included a rich description of the organization, a narrative describing a child singer’s typical day, an analysis of how each domain of community music programs emerged, benefits and challenges identified within and across participant groups, and participants’ future visions for the organization. The final chapter comprises a cross-case analysis, focused on a comparison of the cases including overlapping themes and discussion. In the cross-case analysis, participants’ experiences were largely positive, accentuating how unique these organizations were to their communities. Participants shared how the organizations achieved dynamic equilibrium through evolving to meet stakeholders’ interests and needs. Participants described these organizations as socially engaging through building relationships, feeling like family, traveling with the organization, and meaningful summer camps. Challenges included connecting stakeholders across racial identities and funding. Because staff leaders engaged stakeholders from an assets-based approach, these organizations serve as models for choral organizations engaging with marginalized communities.
By involving child singers, their families, and broader stakeholders in decision-making. choral leaders across the United States may improve organizational responsiveness. Additionally, engaging with stakeholders through assets-based philosophies honors the diverse and sometimes contradictory experiences of stakeholders, especially those from marginalized backgrounds and identities. Suggestions for future research included using Schippers and Bartleet’s (2013) framework to analyze additional music organizations, Bartleet’s (2023) framework to evaluate organizational progress toward desired social outcomes, and systems thinking to promote asset-based solutions for music programs and organizations. / Music Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/10294 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Trites, Andrew Thomas, 0009-0007-3816-5168 |
| Contributors | Parker, Elizabeth C, Dilworth, Rollo A, Hall, Suzanne N, Hart, Mitos A, Johnson, Jennifer M |
| Publisher | Temple University. Libraries |
| Source Sets | Temple University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 215 pages |
| Rights | IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/10256, Theses and Dissertations |
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