Dr. Alec D. Scherer, Assistant Professor of Music Education, published “High School Band Directors’ Perceptions and Applications of Democratic Rehearsal Procedures in Concert Band Rehearsals” in volume 39 issue 3 of Update: Applications of Research in Music Education.
Respondents (N = 216) to the study were members of the National Association for Music Education who were currently teaching concert band at the high school level. Respondents indicated that “identify and describe opportunities for individual and ensemble performance improvement” and “student-led sectionals” were considered the most important democratic rehearsal procedures for their students to experience. These same procedures were also the most frequently used democratic rehearsal procedures. Analysis of open-ended responses revealed that respondents believed student ownership, student engagement, and student growth as musicians and leaders were advantages to implementing democratic rehearsal procedures. Potential disadvantages included issues related to student ability, rehearsal time limitations, unfamiliar classroom dynamics, and availability of classroom resources. Implications for music teachers are discussed.
Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, a peer-reviewed online-only journal, brings research in music teaching and learning close to everyday practice to help teachers apply research in their music classrooms and rehearsal halls. The journal presents reviews of the literature and findings of individual studies without research terminology or jargon.
Update: Applications of Research in Music Education is a publication of The National Association for Music Education.