Within the field of American secondary school wind band teaching, women have been historically and persistently underrepresented, making it important to consider ways to (1) expand pre-service teachers’ opportunities to engage with successful female band directors, and (2) to explore undergraduate women’s insights into becoming female band directors themselves. The purpose of this survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of American female-identifying collegiate music education majors (N = 32) regarding the American school-based wind band teaching profession and their experiences within an intensive, one day, community-building event for female band directors. Results of the survey and subsequent analysis revealed a lack of female band director role models under whom participants had studied, a significant positive correlation between participants’ confidence in their ability to succeed in the role and their level of motivation for doing so, and a moderately positive perception of belief in their ability to balance potential future parenthood with their career. Thematic analysis of written responses revealed participants’ gender-specific concerns about entering the band directing profession and their takeaways from the day-long event. Implications are provided, including suggestions for pre-service teacher education, future research, and the development of other such events aimed at developing community for female-identifying band directors.
AllmendingerJ.HackmanJ. R. (1995). The more, the better? A four-nation study of the inclusion of women in symphony orchestras. Social Forces, 74(2), 423–460. https://doi.org/10.2307/2580487
2.
AluedeE.AluedeC. (2021). Investigating gender stereotypes and musicality in Esan, Ego state, Nigeria. African Music: Journal of the International Library of African Music, 11(3), 71–90. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v12i1.2431
3.
BagilholeB. (2014). Challenging gender boundaries: Pressures and constraints on women in non-traditional occupations. In KumraS.SimpsonR.BurkeR. J. (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of gender in organizations (pp. 393–414). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199658213.001.0001
4.
BartleetB. L. (2008). Women conductors on the orchestral podium: Pedagogical and professional implications. College Music Symposium, 48, 31–51. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25664806
5.
BovinA. (2020). The experiences of female high school band directors: A national survey Study [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Hartford.
6.
BovinA. J. (2019). Breaking the silence: The phenomenology of the female high school band director. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 38(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123319841664
7.
BrimhallK. D. (2023). Issues facing female band directors at the high school and college levels: A review of literature. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 41(2), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/87551233211068391
8.
BrownL. M. (2010). The relationship between motherhood and professional advancement: Perceptions versus reality. Employee Relations, 32(5), 470–494. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425451011061649
9.
BythellD. (1994). Class, community, and culture: The case of the brass band in Newcastle. Labour History, 67, 144–155. https://doi.org/10.2307/27509281
10.
Coen-MishlanK. (2015). Gender discrimination in the band world: A case study of three female band directors. Excellence in Performing Arts Research, 2, 2. https://doi.org/10.21038/epar.2014.0104
11.
CorrellS. J.BenardS.PaikI. (2007). Getting a job: Is there a motherhood penalty?The American Journal of Sociology, 112(5), 1297–1338. https://doi.org/10.1086/511799
12.
DanceyC. P.ReidyJ. (2007). Statistics without maths for psychology. Pearson.
ElpusK. (2015a). Music teacher licensure candidates in the United States: A demographic profile and analysis of licensure examination scores. Journal of Research in Music Education, 63(3), 314–335. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43900301
15.
ElpusK. (2015b). National estimates of male and female enrolment in American high school choirs, bands and orchestras. Music Education Research, 17(1), 88–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2014.972923
16.
FischerS. H. (2013). Career intentions and experiences of pre-and in-service female band teachers [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. The Ohio State University.
17.
Fischer-CroneisS. H. (2016). Career intentions and experiences of pre- and in-service female band teachers. Journal of Research in Music Education, 64(2), 179–201. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429416650167
18.
FitzpatrickK. (2013). Motherhood and the high school band director: A case study. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (196), 7–23. https://doi.org/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.196.0007
ForsythB. H.LesslerJ. T.HubbardM. L. (1992). Cognitive evaluation of the questionnaire. In TurnerC. F.LesslerJ. T.GfroererJ. C. (Eds.), Survey measurement of drug use: Methodological studies (pp. 13–52). Wiley.
21.
FriedrichsC. (2001). The effect of professional growth opportunities as determined by California public high school instrumental music teachers [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of San Diego.
22.
GardnerR. D. (2010). Should I stay or should I go? Factors that influence the retention, turnover, and attrition of K–12 music teachers in the United States. Arts Education Policy Review, 111(3), 112–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632910903458896
23.
Gender trends among MENC music educators. (2001). Teaching Music, 8(6), 52–53.
24.
GouldE. S. (1992). Gender-specific occupational role models implications for music educators. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 11(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/875512339201100103
25.
GouldE. S. (2001). Identification and application of the concept of role model: Perceptions of women college band directors. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 20(1), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/875512330102000104
HartleyL. A.JagowS. (2007, May). Past, current, and future trends of the participation of gender and racial/ethnic minorities in band conducting [Paper presentation]. Biennial Colloquium for Instrumental Music Teacher Education, Mount Sterling, OH.
28.
HashP. M. (2018). The Austin high school girls’ band of Chicago, Illinois: 1925–1956. Journal of Research in Music Education, 66(1), 31–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429418755501
29.
HirshfieldL. E.JosephT. D. (2012). ‘We need a woman, we need a Black woman’: Gender, race, and identity taxation in the academy. Gender and Education, 24(2), 213–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2011.606208
30.
HoweS. W. (2009). A historical view of women in music education careers. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 17(2), 162–183. https://doi.org/10.2979/pme.2009.17.2.162
31.
IsbellD. S. (2006). Socialization and occupational identity among preservice music teachers enrolled in traditional baccalaureate degree programs [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Colorado.
32.
JacksonC. (1998). Women as leaders of collegiate bands, 1850-1980. College Music Symposium, 38, 118–125.
JonesS. K. (2010). “Marching Barbies”: Influences of gender bias in three female high school band teachers [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Michigan State University.
35.
KincadeM. C. (2021). Women high school band directors’ perceptions of the relationship between their gender and professional identities [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Case Western Reserve University.
36.
LaPalmeM.LuoP.CiprianoC.BrackettM. (2022). Imposter syndrome among pre-service educators and the importance of emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 838575. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.838575
37.
LiH. (2021). An unorthodox voice: The rise of female qinshi, their challenges, and their pursuits. Yearbook for Traditional Music, 53, 71–101. https://doi.org/10.1017/ytm.2021.5
38.
LeonardC. (1991). Status of arts education in American public schools. National Arts Education Research Center at the University of Illinois. https://doi.org/10.2172/6081194
39.
MarkM. L.MaduraP. (2013). Contemporary music education. Cengage Learning.
40.
MartinezL. S. (2017). Validity, face and content. In AllenM. (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 1823–1824). Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483381411.n651
MooreD. L. (2022). The chocolate maestra: A narrative inquiry into the lived experiences of black female band directors [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Florida State University.
43.
MullanA. M. (2014). A qualitative study of female high school band directors [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. St. Mary’s College of California.
OsborneW. (1999). Symphony orchestras and artist-prophets: Cultural isomorphism and the allocation of power in music. Leonardo Music Journal, 9, 69–75. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1513479
46.
RamarajanL.ReidE. (2013). Shattering the myth of separate worlds: Negotiating nonwork identities at work. Academy of Management Review, 38(4), 621–644. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0314
47.
SalleeM.WardK.Wolf-WendelL. (2016). Can anyone have it all? Gendered views on parenting and academic careers. Innovative Higher Education, 41, 187–202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-015-9345-4
ScheinV. E. (1993). The work/family interface: Challenging “corporate convenient.”Women in Management Review, 8(4), 22–27. https://doi.org/10.1108/09649429310040432
50.
SearsC. (2014). The persona problem: How expectations of masculinity shape female band director identity. Gender, Education, Music, and Society, 7(4), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.5561/gems.v7i4.5217
51.
SearsC. A. (2017). Put your big girl panties on! In TalbotB. C. (Ed.), Marginalized voices in music education (pp. 99–113). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315225401-7
52.
SearsC. A. Q. (2010). Paving their own way: Experiences of female high school band directors [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Teachers College, Columbia.
53.
ShouldiceH. N.EastridgeJ. L. (2020). A comparison of Virginia band performance assessments in relation to director gender. Journal of Research in Music Education, 68(2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429420922137
54.
ShouldiceH. N.WoolnoughV. (2022). Relationships among band festival ratings, director gender, and other selected factors. Journal of Research in Music Education, 70(2), 156–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224294211060449
55.
SullivanJ. M. (2017). Women music teachers as military band directors during World War II. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 39(1), 78–105. https://doi.org/10.1177/1536600616665625
56.
Wehr-FlowersE. (2006). Differences between male and female students’ confidence, anxiety, and attitude toward learning jazz improvisation. Journal of Research in Music Education, 54(4), 337–349. https://doi.org/10.1177/002242940605400406
57.
Wehr-FlowersE. (2007). An exploratory model of jazz self-efficacy and gender [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Iowa.
58.
WilliamsK. F. (2021). Counterspaces in band programs: Experiences of African American female band directors at the secondary level. [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation]. Boston University.
59.
WilsonR. L. (2014). Batons and babies: A qualitative phenomenological study of mothers who are band directors. Texas Music Education Research, 44, 56.
