A Phenomenological Study of Competition in High School Bands

Abstract

This study is an examination of the lived experience of competition in high school band. A hermeneutic phenomenological method based on the works of van Manen (1990) and Vagle (2014) was used to investigate what it was like for participants to be in competition. Twelve individuals participated in the study sharing experiences they had both as students and as music educators. Participants lived and taught in communities throughout the United States and brought differing levels of teaching and competitive experience. Data were generated through in-depth interviews and collaborative phenomenological texts. Findings indicate that competition was a meaningful and influential part of participants’ work as band directors and educational experiences as students. Competition was approached with tension as participants acknowledged concerns over the influence of competitions on their students, yet they still chose to engage in the practice. Marching band contests offered a creative outlet where directors could develop custom arrangements and write formations for their ensembles. It was a creative outlet with a competitive motivation as their work was designed to yield more positive contest outcomes. Finally, competition was perceived as an influence on band directors’ professional reputations, feelings of competence, and how band programs were viewed in the community. Findings are discussed in relation to the historical debate on competition in music education, teacher evaluation, teacher concerns, and advocacy.

Benefits and Challenges of Large-Ensemble Instrumental Music Adjudicated Events: Insights From Experienced Music Teachers

“…This finding is important because it may have implications beyond the state of Kansas. For example, having several instructional coaches dedicated to specific tasks may be important important to student music learning, and scholars in music education have suggested that success at adjudicated events may be closely related to receiving financial resources as a benefit (O’Leary, 2016; Sullivan, 2003). School district instructional policies may or may not afford these learning opportunities for students.…”

“…School district instructional policies may or may not afford these learning opportunities for students. Moreover, a lack of resources may disadvantage small programs and rural ensembles (O’Leary, 2016). If school policy afforded music classrooms to have additional specialists present, student achievement may increase.…”

“…Instrumental music adjudicated events have been a topic of dialogue among American music teachers since before the Great Depression (Wilson, 1926). Historically, advocates supporting adjudicated events have suggested these contests or competitions (a) prepare students for lifelong skills (Belfour, 1935, 1937), (b) teach students how to control nervous energy to get results (Belfour, 1935, 1937), (c) motivate students to work and practice more (O’Leary, 2016; Rohrer, 2002), (d) advocate for state- and district-level policy to include music education programs (Bowen et al, 1929), and (e) offer a chance for unbiased feedback of music performance (Bruno et al, 1989). Conversely, music teachers who renounce competitive adjudicated events have stated that (a) student musicians miss multiple school classes because of travel (Chenoweth, 1947; Jolly, 2008), (b) administrators rely on the scoring mechanism to evaluate music teachers (Stegman, 2009), and (c) music curricula shifts away from music pursuits (Bergee, 1989; Floyd, 1986).…”

Supporting the Development of Agency in Music Teacher Education

“…The role of competitive success in teachers’ careers is an additional dimension in this discussion of problematizations with preservice teachers. O’Leary (2016) found that some teachers perceived their competitive rankings and results as connected to their professional reputations and advocacy efforts. While competition was a major influence on their instructional planning and decision making, participants simultaneously wished that they did not care about results, were concerned over the effects of competition on students, and valued competitive results.…”

“…In one of the first studies directly examining novice music teacher agency, Powell (2019) found that three student teachers had very little to no agency and their perceived lack of agency persisted into their first years of teaching. In addition, music teacher participants in other studies have voiced a lack of agency in implementing pedagogical changes such as student-directed instruction (Bazan, 2011) and reducing the degree of their students’ participation in competition (O’Leary, 2016). These findings, coupled with calls for reform dependent on teacher agency, indicate a need for the development of preservice teacher agency in music teacher education.…”