Research and the Band Director: Marriage not Divorce

Abstract

The pair of articles in the Instrumental Division of this issue of Update seem to be perfect companion pieces. James Byo speaks of intellectually aggressive band directors who get past the artificial barriers between researchers and teachers and apply research results to their own situations. His article illustrates the process of transferring knowledge so that research can be more meaningful to practitioners. He discusses the responsibility of the practitioner as well as of the researcher to establish a mutually inclusive relationship.

James Arnold, the author of the second article, has shown himself to fit Byo's characterization of an intellectually aggressive teacher. He is an experienced band director who has taught in isolated rural settings and who now teaches at Columbus High School in Columbus, Georgia. The article relates some of his experiences in applying research findings to his teaching. He read research from many disparate sources and apparently unrelated settings and made the transfers to his own unique situation. He tried to implement a certain type of rehearsal strategy in his teaching that he had encountered in reading the research literature. As a result of his reading, he also knew that there might be a difference between what he perceived he was doing and what he actually did, so he used videotape self analysis, which he had also read about, to assess his efforts.

Between these two articles—Byo's recommendations and examples and Arnold's actions—we have an illustration of the relevance of research and its implementation. The purpose of research in music education is to enhance music teaching and understanding. Without interaction between the teacher/experimenter and the researcher/teacher leading to the application of research, both lose, and ultimately the students will suffer from music settings that might have been made more rewarding.