Videovoice Perspectives of Beginning Band Students at Home
Research exploring the home music experience of beginning band students shows that a high level of support is critical during the first years of studying an instrument. However, school music programs continue to experience a significant dropout rate in the first few years of study. Much of the current research has been focused on the home music environment as well as the behaviors and strategies of the student. Despite the considerable size of this body of research, it lacks student perspective, as well as the emergence of remote learning resources. This study was designed to examine the beginning band students’ perspectives of their home music practice. Qualitative data was gathered through surveys, discussions and a videovoice project in which students created and shared videos of their home music practice with peers. Twenty beginning band students volunteered to attend two focus group meetings, culminating in a videovoice exhibit. Adjacent data was also collected via a survey completed by 143 members of the Elementary Music Teachers Facebook Group. The findings of this study showed that the student-participants were highly motivated by enjoyment experienced in the music process. Findings also showed that the participants placed a high value on social recognition and peer acceptance, which in turn contributed to the development of their musical identity. The videovoice process combined the power of joy and social affirmation in an analytical setting. Music educators, in traditional classroom and remote learning settings alike, will find that the videovoice approach will empower beginning band students to develop their musical identity while bridging the gap between the band rehearsal and home music practice.
Music, Band, Beginning, Practice, Videovoice, Musical Identity, Education, Elementary Education
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