Ensemble Agreements in Popular Music Education: Negotiating Behavior and Collaboration in Student Bands

Abstract

This case study investigated how 30 students in a post-secondary popular music diploma program in Singapore co-created and applied ensemble agreements—peer-devised frameworks for guiding rehearsal behavior and communication. Drawing on student-generated documents, reflective questionnaires, and focus group interviews over 1 academic year, the study examined how these agreements influenced collaboration, leadership, accountability, and perceptions of teacher presence. Students initially adopted rule-based, punitive models, but gradually shifted toward dialogic, collaborative approaches emphasizing shared responsibility and mutual respect. Challenges included uneven adherence, blurred responsibility, and negotiating authority between teachers and peers. By year’s end, students viewed ensemble agreements as adaptable frameworks that helped to navigate and maintain professionalism, trust, and collective agency in rehearsal contexts. The findings indicate that ensemble agreements can enhance collaboration and reflective practice in small ensemble settings across varied genres and skill levels.