The purpose of this collective case study was to examine how four elementary music teachers (from different U.S. regions) integrated modern band into their curricula. Data included semi-structured interviews, videos, emails, and a researcher journal. Teachers integrated modern band to improve student “buy-in” and to gain instruments. All started modern band with older students in Grades 4 to 6 or 3 to 5, with some expanding to younger grades. Instruments were accumulated over time through various forms of funding, with repertoire selection coming primarily from students. All participants used approximation and multiple access points for making music when teaching modern band. Challenges were teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills (playing modern band instruments and teaching rap and hip hop) and overcoming personal biases of popular music. Facilitating factors included access to training and resources and administrative funding and support. Implications include considerations for music teachers and music teacher educators.
AbramoJ. M. (2011). Gender differences of popular music production in secondary schools. Journal of Research in Music Education, 59(1), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429410396095
2.
AbramoJ. M.AustinS. C. (2014). The trumpet metaphor: A narrative of a teacher’s mid–career pedagogical change from formal to informal learning practices. Research Studies in Music Education, 36(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103x14528454
3.
BradshawC. P.KushJ. M.BraunS. S.KohlerE. A. (2023). The perceived effects of the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic: A focus on educators’ perceptions of the negative effects on educator stress and student well–being. School Psychology Review. Online. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2022.2158367
BursteinS. D. (2016). Transformation of habitus and social trajectories: A retrospective study of a popular music program (Publication No. 10801345) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
6.
ByoJ. L. (2018). “Modern band” as school music: A case study. International Journal of Music Education, 36(2), 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761417729546
7.
ChoateR. (Ed.). (1968). Documentary report of the Tanglewood Symposium. Music Educators National Conference.
8.
ClauhsM.CremataR. (2020). Student voice and choice in modern band curriculum development. Journal of Popular Music Education, 4(1), 101–116. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00016_1
CreswellJ. W.PothC. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Routledge.
11.
DavisS. (2008). Fostering a musical say: Enabling meaning making and investment in a band class by connecting to students’ informal music learning processes (3333064) [Doctoral dissertation, Oakland University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
12.
DavisS. (2013). Informal learning processes in an elementary music classroom. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 198, 23–50. https://doi.org/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.198.0023
13.
DavisS.BlairD. V. (2011). Popular music in American teacher education: A glimpse into an American secondary methods course. International Journal of Music Education, 29(2), 124–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761410396962
EunC.AssalH.BeatrizI. (2020). “What is your favorite song?.” In. The Routledge Companion to Interdisciplinary Studies in Singing. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315163734–29
16.
ForresterS. H. (2019). Community engagement in music education: Preservice music teachers’ perceptions of an urban service–learning initiative. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 29(1), 26–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057083719871472
17.
FullanM. (2007). The new meaning of educational change (4th ed.). Teachers College Press.
18.
GaydosT. J. O. (2018). Popular music in the Paterson, New Jersey general music classroom (10827718) [Master’s thesis, The William Paterson University of New Jersey]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
19.
GrammW. M. (2021). Peer mentoring in modern band (28317250) [Doctoral dissertation, Boston University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
20.
GreenL. (2002). How popular musicians learn: A way ahead for music education. Ashgate.
21.
HargreavesA. (1994). Changing teachers, changing times: Teachers’ work and culture in the Postmodern Age. Teachers College Press.
HewittD. (2018). Constructing informal experiences in the elementary general music classroom. Music Educators Journal, 104(3), 46–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432117745361
24.
JaffursS. E. (2004). The impact of informal music learning practices in the classroom, or how I learned to teach from a garage band. International Journal of Music Education, 22(189), 189–200. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761404047401
25.
KallioA. A. (2017). Popular “problems”: Deviantization and teachers’ curation of popular music. International Journal of Music Education, 35(3), 319–332. www.doi.org/10.1177/0255761417725262
26.
KastnerJ. D. (2012). Exploring informal music pedagogy in a professional development community of elementary music teachers (3548741) [Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
27.
KorstjensI.MoserA. (2017a). Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 2: Context, research questions and designs. European Journal of General Practice, 23(1), 274–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375090
28.
KorstjensI.MoserA. (2017b). Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 4: Trustworthiness and publishing. European Journal of General Practice, 24, 120–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375092
29.
KrashenS. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.
30.
PowellB. (2019). Modern band’s impact on student enrollment in traditional music ensembles. John J. Cali School of Music Scholarship and Creative Works, 42, 21–23. https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/cali–facpubs/42/
31.
PowellB. (2021). Modern band: A review of literature. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 39(3), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123320988528
32.
PowellB.BursteinS. (2017). Popular music and modern band principles. In SmithG. D.MoirZ.BrennanM.RambarranS.KirkmanP. (Eds.). The Routledge research companion to popular music education (Vol. 1, pp. 243–254). Routledge.
33.
PowellB.KrikunA.PignatoJ. M. (2015). “Something’s happening here!” Popular music education in the United States. International Association for the Study of Popular Music Journal, 5(1), 718. https://doi.org/10.5429/ij.v5i1.718
34.
RajanR. S. (2014). Tapping into technology: Experiencing music in a child’s digital world. General Music Today, 28(1), 8–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371314544169
RolandsonD. M.ConnD. R. (2022). Large ensemble teachers’ support for popular music courses in high schools. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 32(1), 53–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/10570837221091525
37.
SecoyJ.SmithR. (2022). Rockstar teaching: Blended informal music learning in an elementary ukulele club. Journal of Popular Music Education, 6, 367–384. https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00097_1
38.
VasilM. (2019). Integrating popular music and informal music learning practices: A multiple case study of secondary school music teachers enacting change in music education. International Journal of Music Education, 37(2), 298–310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761419827367
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
