Culturally Responsive Programming in the Orchestra Classroom: A Survey of Ensemble Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence orchestra teachers when selecting repertoire for performance ensembles and to better understand the extent of culturally relevant and responsive programming in elementary and secondary orchestra classrooms across the United States. In March of 2020, the authors undertook a survey regarding concert programming practices of school orchestra teachers who were active members of the American String Teachers Association. Results indicated that the level of difficulty was the most important consideration while availability for easy download was the least important one. Sociocultural considerations were generally rated lower than administrative and pedagogical considerations. Repertoire from the Western European canon was programmed most frequently, followed by folk and fiddle music, and pop and rock music. More than 80% of participants indicated they had never programmed a piece to teach about matters related to gender, sexual identity, or the Black Lives Matter movement, whereas 76.5% had programmed a piece to teach about multicultural awareness. Implications for orchestra teachers, music educator preparation programs, and future research are explored.