A Theoretical Structure of High School Concert Band Performance

Abstract

This study used exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify a theoretical structure for high school concert band performance and to test that structure for viability, generality, and invariance. A total of 101 university students enrolled in two different bands rated two high school band performances (a “first” band’s Performance 1, and “second” band’s Performance 2) using items from Sagen’s Band Performance Rating Scale. EFA methods verified a structure consisting of three interrelated primary-order factors. Items did not have the same factor loadings in both performances. For Performance 1, the factor accounting for the most variance was Expression/Tone Quality, followed by Intonation and then Rhythm. For Performance 2, the factor accounting for the most variance was Tone Quality/Intonation, followed by Expression and then Rhythm. Both performances’ structures exhibited a strong second-order general factor (g). CFA demonstrated that models consisting of three interrelated primary-order factors and one second-order g fit both sets of data. Regarding generality, the Performance 1 model did not fit Performance 2 data, whereas the Performance 2 model did fit Performance 1 data. The Performance 1 model demonstrated a high degree of invariance between the two sets of evaluators; the Performance 2 model did not.