A Survey of Alabama Band Directors Regarding Marching Band Competitions and Music Performance Achievement.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to survey Alabama band directors regarding marching band competition involvement and music performance achievement of high school concert band students as measured by concert competition ratings at the district and state level. The study was a descriptive survey which involved a mailed questionnaire sent to Alabama public high school band directors. Concert band ratings were obtained from the state bandmaster's association which sponsors the concert competitions. Results indicated that although certain aspects of band program related to marching competition involvement appeared to have some relationship to concert band, marching competition involvement apparently neither enhanced nor diminished music performance achievement as measured by concert competition ratings. It was found that less experienced band directors were involved in marching competition activity to a greater degree than directors with more teaching experience. Larger schools had higher mean ratings in concert competitions than smaller schools. Marching bands that did not attend marching competitions played more arrangements on the field during the year than competitive marching bands. Concert bands that received high sightreading ratings played more arrangements on the field during marching season than bands that received lower sightreading ratings. Bands that participated in three or more marching competitions had higher percentages of brass and percussion players in the concert band than those reporting fewer marching competitions. Concert bands that did not attend concert competitions had higher percentages of brass and percussion players than those that attended concert competitions.