An Assessment of Music Education Needs Among Orthodox and Pentecostal Church Choristers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the requirements for music education among Orthodox and Pentecostal churches in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Based on the quantitative research method, multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 367 choristers from Abeokuta metropolis, Ogun State. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection and subjected to descriptive statistics at 5% level of significance. The results indicate that choristers within the age group of ≤ 40 in Pentecostal churches outnumbered their counterpart in Orthodox churches. Although female choristers dominate church music practice broadly, the number of people within the household range of 1–5 among Pentecostal choristers (81.8%) was greater than those found in Orthodox churches (75.4%). Whereas a little more than half of the membership (50.4%) received University education, a majority (80.7%) had ≥ 20 years of experience. A significant relationship existed between the necessity for church music education and choristers’ demographic characteristics such as age (c2 = 5.393), educational status (c2 = 14.722), voice parts used (c2 = 14.883) and years spent as choristers (c2 = 7.132). Similarly, there was significant difference in the mean rating of respondents’ need for music education across churches (t = 1.028; p < .05). Taken together, church music education is strongly advised for all churches. It is recommended that self-discipline must be strengthened particularly among Orthodox choristers for meaningful development as well as meeting the needs for church music education.