American String Teachers Association Research Articles

Fire on the Bayou: The Status of School Orchestra and String Programs in Louisiana

This study examined the status of school orchestra and string programs in Louisiana. A manual web search for string programs in parish school districts, student school affiliations from honor orchestra lists, Louisiana members of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and members of the Louisiana Music Educators Association was conducted to determine the approximate number of programs in the state. These data were cross-referenced with available data from the Louisiana Department of Education, which listed course offerings by school. A total of 44 teachers serving 97 schools were identified. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with five-string teachers and two district arts coordinators from around the state to determine the strengths of current string programs and opportunities for growth. Findings from participant interviews revealed the legacy of school segregation, inadequate funding for public education, competition from non-public schools, and the challenges of maintaining program infrastructure due to limited funding and perennial natural disasters. The results of this study were compared with other statewide string program surveys to situate Louisiana string programs in a national context with implications for string teachers, music teacher education, and professional development offered.

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

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.

Mental Health and String Education: Identifying Key Concerns Within the American String Teachers Association Community

At the 2020 American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Conference held in Orlando Florida, an attendee of the Wellness Committee Listening Session recommended that a study be conducted to determine the prevalence and awareness of mental health concerns among students and teachers within the organization. Members agreed that there is more needed to be understood so that ASTA could provide professional development webinars, resources, as well as local, state, and national conference sessions. In response to this request and the clear need for more information, a survey was developed and deployed to the ASTA membership in the fall of 2020. Follow-up interviews with members who volunteered in response to an invitation on the survey were conducted in the spring and early summer of 2021. Teachers reported a high prevalence of student mental health issues prior to and during the pandemic and reported concerning levels of work overload, compassion fatigue/burnout, and mental health issues. Generational differences in mental health perceptions were noted, as were opportunities to provide targeted professional development and community-level services.

Virtual Teaching in the Applied String Studio During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this survey study was to describe technologies and lesson formats used in virtual applied studio string lessons precipitated by shelter-in-place measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore teachers’ adaptations, perceptions of effectiveness, and feelings toward virtual lessons. Research questions that guided this study included the following: (a) What technologies and lesson formats did teachers use in virtual applied string lessons? (b) How did teachers adapt their teaching approaches to virtual lessons? (c) Did teachers feel these lessons were effective? and (d) What affective responses did teachers have to these lessons? Data were gathered from members of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA; N = 301) who self-identified as “private studio teachers” in their online profiles. Findings illustrate what equipment and technology participants employed in virtual lessons. They also indicated a relatively high rating of participants’ self-perceived effectiveness when teaching virtual lessons and that studio teachers had mixed affective responses to the experience. Participants indicated difficulties when teaching tone in the virtual format, which was consistent with their open-ended responses that frequently cited poor sound quality online.

An Examination of Orchestras and Repertoire Performed at the American String Teachers Association’s National Orchestra Festival (2004–2020)

The purpose of this study was to examine participating orchestras and performed repertoire at the American String Teachers Association’s (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival from 2004 through 2020. Participating orchestras ( N = 309) primarily consisted of string orchestras and high school–level orchestras with a majority originating from the Southern region of the United States. The most performed full orchestra pieces included Symphony No. 9, op. 95 by Dvořák and Symphony No. 2 by Tchaikovsky, and the most performed string orchestra piece was the Holberg Suite, op. 40 by Grieg. The most frequently cited composers were Dvořák for full orchestra and Mozart for string orchestra. The most frequently cited arrangers were Isaac for full orchestra and Dackow for string orchestra. Female composers and arrangers were highly underrepresented compared with males. Performed repertoire primarily consisted of pieces that conformed to European music traditions. Directors who are unfamiliar with orchestra literature could use these findings as a resource for commonly selected repertoire suitable for high-achieving school orchestras. In addition, findings could provide a catalyst for directors to select music that is more representative of their student population.

An Analysis of Ratings and Interrater Reliability at the American String Teachers Association’s National Orchestra Festival

The purpose of this study was to examine the assigned ratings, interrater reliability, and possible influences of school level and instrumentation on adjudicators’ evaluations of orchestra performances at a national-level adjudicated music festival. Data consisted of the overall ratings assigned to orchestra performances ( N = 55) at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 American String Teachers Association’s National Orchestra Festival (NOF). Analysis revealed that 83.64% of all participating orchestras earned a I/Superior or II/Excellent overall rating. A logistic regression model revealed that both school level and instrumentation were not significant predictors of earning a I/Superior overall rating. Individual members of each three-judge adjudication panel assigned identical ratings to 61.82% of orchestra performances and possessed a mean internal consistency of .90. Orchestra teachers can use the results of this study to weigh the educational benefits of participating in the NOF.

American String Teachers Association Research Award 2019

This article is based on a speech that Barnes presented at a meeting of the Collegiate Roundtable at the American String Teachers Association 2019 National Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Retired Teachers as Mentors in the American String Teachers Association Mentor Program

Abstract While there are precedents for retired teachers serving as mentors, there is little discussion of the unique needs and experiences of retired teacher mentors or early career teachers’ perceptions of retired teacher mentors. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of 3 mentor (retired teachers) and mentee (beginning teachers) matches within the American String Teachers Association Mentor Program. Research questions included: (a) How do participants describe the nature of the mentor/mentee interactions? (b) How do participants describe the perceived advantages of using retired teachers as mentors for early career string teachers? (c) How do participants describe the perceived challenges of using retired teachers as mentors for early career string teachers? and (d) What meanings do retired teachers draw from the experience of mentoring? Data were collected via individual and focus group interviews, email and audio communications, and email questionnaire. The focus of the mentor and mentee interactions included typical challenges faced by beginning teachers, with mentors using both instructive and facilitative mentoring approaches (Davis, 2006; Glickman, 2002; Helman, 2006). Retired teachers’ availability, relatively quick response to questions, willingness to initiate communication, perspectives based on lived experience, and knowledge of resources made them effective mentors. Retired teachers found challenges with digital mentoring and responding to current classroom challenges. Mentoring was a valuable experience for the retired teachers, as it fostered self-worth while also providing continuity between full-time teaching and retirement.

Reflections on Research: Past, Present, and Future

This paper was presented upon receiving the Outstanding String Researcher Award at the 2017 National American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Conference in Pittsburgh. The author traces significant experiences and people who shaped her interest in conducting research, followed by a confessional tale of the affective experience of engaging in, and teaching others how to initially engage in, the research process. The author then invites readers to consider various questions we might explore in our collective future research, pointing to the connections between and vital roles of making music and doing research.

The Status of Strings and Orchestra Programs in U.S. Schools

The purpose of this study was to monitor the status of school string and orchestra programs in the United States and to gather descriptive information in the areas of program characteristics, curriculum, support, and student/teacher demographics. A second purpose was to document trends observed when compared with results of previous studies. Based on the review of literature, specific variables were identified as potential for trends: string student enrollment, symphonic orchestra offerings, enhancement offerings, private lesson enrollment, string teacher shortages, and student/teacher demographic information. All members of the American String Teachers Association indicating K-12 string teaching as part of their duties were contacted to complete a web-based survey ( N = 2,232). After follow-up contact, 369 respondents participated (16.5%). Although teachers indicated growth in both number and size of programs, increased utilization of approved curricula, and representative racial demographics among students, analysis revealed the following concerns: a decline in the offering of symphonic orchestra and other enhancements, a decline in student participation in private instruction, unrepresentative gender and racial demographics of string teachers, and factors that indicate a continuing string teacher shortage.

Comparison of Printed Concert Programs at ACDA, ASTA, and Midwest Clinic National Conferences

This short-form article reports a content analysis of all school-based ensemble concert programs distributed at the 2015 national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the Midwest Clinic. The purpose was to address perceptions that print and design expectations for the concert programs were elaborate and, therefore, beyond the means of schools and organizations with limited financial resources. Programs were analyzed for characteristics such as overall dimensions, number of pages, use of color and photography, letters of administrative or political support, and design intensity. Analysis revealed substantial differences between the aggregate concert programs by conference, as well as between the individually distributed programs. These differences indicate that norms for the three professional conferences afford conductors and sponsoring organizations varying flexibility to design and distribute conference concert programs. Data are examined to suggest opportunities for further flexibility.

Eclectic Styles and Improvisation in String Orchestra Performances

Despite instructional materials and workshops concerning eclectic styles and improvisation, it is unclear whether string teachers feature these styles and student improvisations on concerts in school and adjudicated settings. This and other issues related to eclectic styles were investigated through a newly developed pilot survey instrument sent to the membership of American String Teachers Association. In total, 40.3% of 673 responses from school and studio teachers indicated that students improvised in school concerts at some point during the last academic year, but this number decreased to 9.6% of respondents who reported inclusion of improvisation in adjudicated festivals. Further analyses of responses from teachers indicating elementary, middle, and high school teaching level showed a significant three-way interaction between style, teaching level, and concert setting. Teaching level influenced which eclectic styles were used in concert, with rock and fiddle more commonly used in earlier grades, but only in non-adjudicated settings. Finally, a significant two-way interaction revealed the use of improvisation in concert was more common in the upper grades, but only in school concert settings.

String Teachers’ Practices and Attitudes Regarding Their Primary String Instrument in Settings Inside and Outside the Classroom

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine string teachers’ (kindergarten-12th grade [K-12] school teachers, private lesson teachers, and collegiate teachers) practices and attitudes regarding their primary string instrument. Research questions included string teachers’ practices and attitudes regarding modeling on their primary string instrument inside the classroom and string teachers’ practices and attitudes regarding playing their primary string instrument outside the classroom. American String Teachers Association members (K-12 string teachers, private lesson teachers, and college-level string teachers) responded to a researcher-constructed questionnaire (N = 419, response rate = 37%). We found that most participants: (a) claimed to model for students many times a week to many times a day (86.04%); (b) believed benefits of modeling include being an effective teaching tool and positively affecting student motivation and student engagement; (c) reported playing their instrument outside the classroom at least a couple of times a week (75%); (d) reported performing at least one concert a year (94%), with 54% performing over 11 times a year; and (e) reported continuing music making because it was part of their identity (76%) and to keep skills sharp in order to model for students (59%). Findings from this study suggest that music making is an important aspect of string teachers’ (K-12 inservice teachers, private lesson teachers, and college teachers) personal and professional lives, connecting music making with their identity and perceptions of string student learning.

Forum: ASTA Research Poster Sessions (2006-2014)

The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) has held research poster sessions as part of its national conferences annually since 2006. From 2006-2014, 98 researchers contributed 147 original research studies to these sessions. Sixty-six of these researchers presented once, and 32 presented two or more studies. Since 2008, the research poster submissions have been juried and the research poster presentation sessions have had a designated slot in the annual ASTA conference program. An average of 17 research posters have been presented annually. The consistent number of poster submissions and the breadth of research topics may indicate the vitality of string research by ASTA members.

Influences on String Teachers’ Career Decisions

The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to examine influences on string teachers’ career decisions. We surveyed K-12 school string teachers (N = 338) who were members of the American String Teachers Association (33.8% response rate). We found that string teachers were most influenced to continue playing their primary instruments as pre-college students by seventeen individual items representing six categories: music, identity, “flow” experiences, feelings of success and recognition, emotional responses, and social connections. The item that least influenced this decision was, “It was important to my parents.” Results indicate a strong connection between choosing to become a string teacher and the opportunity to influence students and to continue music making. In general, job-related reasons and influence of others did not influence the career choice of string educators. The majority of respondents indicated their career decision was not influenced by the fear of not being able to make a living as a performer.

Attitudes of String Teachers and Performers Toward Preparation for and Teaching of Private Lessons

The present study was designed to examine attitudes toward private lesson teaching of a cross-section of string instrument instructors ( N = 1,617). The participant pool was drawn from the membership of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Results were similar in many ways to responses in previous studies also involving music faculty and music students. These groups indicated that they liked teaching, liked the challenges of teaching musicians, and believed preparation for teaching is important. Depending on the age of their students, they also enjoyed talking about pedagogical issues with students. Engaging the membership of organizations such as ASTA will be necessary if the profession is to find additional ways to provide educational opportunities for musicians interested in teaching.

A History of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association: 1959-2009

The purpose of this study was to extend the documented history of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) by providing a chronological account of the organization from 1959 to 2009 with historical context and insight into circumstances and individuals that influenced and shaped the organization during that period. Official records, Association publications, and first-hand accounts are compiled into a narrative of the organization. The study is a continuance of a previous historical examination of the formative years (1934-1959) of the MSBOA by James Burnham Hause. Formed in 1934, the MSBOA evolved from the need for leadership in school instrumental music and gave teachers the power to govern activities that affected their students through debate and the democratic process. The primary goal of the founders was to raise standards of musical performance through “competition-festivals.” The history of the MSBOA from 1959 to 2009 can be drawn into four periods. During the first period (1959 to 1973), the MSBOA abandoned its long-held practice of remaining autonomous to become a department of the Michigan Education Association; this decision was a post-Sputnik reaction to gain academic credibility and become “more than just a festival association” (a mantra used by MSBOA leaders of the period) by focusing on such matters as curriculum development and the creation of string programs. The organization began the second period (1973 to 1984) by separating from the Michigan Education Association and assuming an introspective posture, which led to a continual emphasis on revising its festival systems, especially the band and orchestra festival. After the celebration of its fiftieth anniversary in 1984, the MSBOA entered the third period (1984 to 1997), during which it largely addressed federal and state educational reform initiatives and computer technology development. During the final period (1997 to 2009), the Association focused on expanding its website to improve services to the membership, creating the state’s first all-state bands and orchestras, and helping establish a new conference for music educators. The author found that the MSBOA supported and served instrumental music education in Michigan in two important ways by 1) providing a strong system of festivals and other performance activities for students; and 2) offering multiple professional development opportunities for music teachers. The MSBOA cooperated at times with other arts and educational organizations in the state on various projects; however, because of the MSBOA’s determination to remain autonomous, its relationship with the Michigan Music Educators Association (the state chapter of the MENC) was contentious for decades. The lack of a strong partnership among the state’s four independent music education associations — the MSBOA, the Michigan School Vocal Association, the Michigan unit of the American String Teachers Association, and the Michigan Music Educators Association — weakened both their individual and collective attempts to address reforms affecting music education.

String and Music Education Associations on Long Island, New York, 1950–1960

Introduction String education was a neglected area of music education in the mid-twentieth century. This resulted in the founding of many important organizations to promote string education. One of the most influential, the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), developed at a Music Educators National Conference (MENC) annual meeting in 1945 in Cleveland, Ohio. (1) In 1948, at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) conference, over a hundred string teachers were present for ASTA's formal inauguration. (2) Traugott Rohner, founder of The Instrumentalist magazine, voiced his concern about the need for an orchestra organization in the Music Educators Journal, as he believed school orchestra directors were ignored. (3) In 1959, eighty-eight school directors of the 133 ASTA chartered members united to develop the National School Orchestra Association (NSOA). ASTA and NSOA operated independently but often held spring conferences in conjunction with MENC. Also in 1959, the American Federation of Musicians sponsored the first International String Congress in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to encourage the professional lives of young musicians in the United States and Canada. (4) These organizations would soon be of major importance to string education and help solidify string teaching in America. in the 1950s Thousands of young service men, recently returned from World War II, were ready to start new lives with new homes and jobs in the 1950s. American industry began to expand, jobs were created, and the baby boom was underway. In 1952, the World War II general Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president. President Eisenhower stated that America is today the strongest, most influential, and most productive nation in the world. (5) During Eisenhower's administration (1952-60), the nation experienced multiple changes. Segregation ended (1954), the highway interstate system was created (1956), and grew from a nation of forty-eight states to fifty (1959). In the music world, rock and roll was in its infancy: the voices of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Cash were still heard on the radio. (6) In the music education field, several important events occurred during this decade. MENC established the Child's Bill of Rights in Music in 1950, to ensure that every child had the right to learn music. In 1953, the Journal of Research in Music Education published its first volume, and the International Society for Music Education had its first postwar meeting in Brussels, Belgium. MENC celebrated its fiftieth anniversary at their annual conference in 1957 and adopted the Golden Anniversary Resolution, which was intended to support music education in a postwar world and look toward the future. These events demonstrated the importance of music education in American lives. The future of American string education began to strengthen during the 1950s. The formation of ASTA strengthened string teachers' knowledge through workshops and annual conferences that provided networking opportunities. The ability to share knowledge about string education in the Music Educators Journal and the establishment of a national orchestra association could not have occurred at a better time. The formation of national string organizations also led to the formation of regional, state, and local groups that supported string education. Research Purpose and Questions The purpose of this study is to examine the history of music and string education associations on Long Island, New York, from 1950 to 1960. Through the use of artifacts, websites, and interviews with two former Long Island string educators, answers were sought for the following research questions: What organizations existed to support string education during the 1950s, and how did the economy on Long Island in that decade affect string education? This study explores the evolution and progress of five associations in New York State and on Long Island and how each was affected by the population boom of the postwar suburban era. …

American String Teachers Association National Conference

American String Teachers Association National Conference

American String Teachers Association

American String Teachers Association