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Voices from within: perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical identities of child musicians
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Content
VOICES FROM WITHIN:
PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY YOUTH ORCHESTRAS AND MUSICAL
IDENTITIES OF CHILD MUSICIANS
Christine Maria D’Alexander
A dissertation
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
Requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Musical Arts
University of Southern California
May 2015
Advisory Committee:
Dr. Beatriz Ilari, Chair
Dr. Peter Webster
Dr. Susan Helfter
ii
Dedication
To the children in this study. Let your voices ring.
“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts.
Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me …
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
~ Shel Silverstein, Where The Sidewalk Ends
iii
Acknowledgements
I am truly indebted to a number of individuals who have made this study possible.
Your guidance, support, wisdom, and assistance have been vital each step of the way, and
from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you.
I would like to express a profound thanks to the children who took part in this
study. Your beautiful spirit, determination, and passion for music inspired me throughout
this entire process. You each have a bright future ahead of you, and I am honored to have
had the opportunity to learn about your lives, dreams, and desires. To the faculty and staff
of Jackson Elementary, thank you for all that you do for your students. Successful music
programs require a village of support and leadership. Thank you for the insurmountable
degree of devotion you provide for the children.
To my advisor and mentor, Dr. Beatriz Ilari. My deepest thanks for your wisdom
and extraordinary mentorship that you have provided me over the past several years. I am
incredibly appreciative of all the time, energy, assistance, and encouragement you have
bestowed upon me. You have been an instrumental part of my growth as a music
educator and scholar. To Dr. Peter Webster, I am truly honored that you were a part of
this journey. Thank you for your kindness, humor, and brilliance. To Dr. Susan Helfter,
thank you for all of your inspiration and encouragement you have provided since day
one. You have been a pillar of support, and for that I am extremely grateful.
Immense gratitude and appreciativeness is due to my family, friends, and
colleagues. Thank you for the unwavering support you have provided to me in a number
of ways. To my dear friend Lisa, thank you for believing in me and pushing me towards
excellence during the moments where I thought I had nothing left. I will never forget the
iv
laughs we shared in and out of classes, our countless phone conversations, adventures
abroad, and our lunch dates (which were more like therapy sessions). I adore you so
much. Thank you for being you.
To my parents and sister, Tony, Maria, and Katie. Words cannot articulate how
much I love each of you. Since I was small, you have pushed me to dream big and never
settle for less. You are my role models, and have been my number one fans. Thank you
for the overwhelming amount of support throughout this process. The three of you have
been an amazing source of love and encouragement for me. You have listened intently,
from every trial and tribulation, to every success and accomplishment I have encountered.
For that I am grateful. I hope I have made you proud. Finally, to Aaron. Thank you for
the attentiveness and love that you have provided day in and day out. From the late night
classes, projects, and conferences, to the entire dissertation process, you have been my
rock every single day. You continuously picked me up after every fall, and celebrated
with me after every achievement. You mean the world to me, and I love you more than
words can express. I would be lost without your kindness and unconditional love.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication………………………………………………………………………… ii
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………. iii
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………... viii
List of Figures………………………………………………………………...…… ix
Abstract ................................................................................................................... x
Chapter One: Introduction……………………………………………………… 1
Prologue …………………………………………………………… 1
Purpose of the Study………………………………………………. 2
Research Questions…………........................................................... 3
Guiding Questions ……………..………………………………….. 3
Need for Study…………………………………………………....... 4
Definitions…………………………………………………………. 6
Background………………………………………………………… 9
Community Music and the Rise of Community Youth Orchestras... 10
After-School Community Based Programs…………………10
Community Music…………………………………………..11
Community Music Ensembles and Children’s Experiences..13
Socioeconomic Status and Participation in
Formal Music Programs…………………………………… 14
Theoretical Underpinnings………………………………………… 16
Social Identity in Childhood……………………………………….. 16
Social Identity Theory………………………………………18
Musical Identities in Childhood……………………………………. 20
Identities in Music…………………………………………..23
Music in Identities…………………………………………..23
Overview of Chapters……………………………………………… 24
Chapter Two: Literature Review ……………………………………………….. 25
Community Music ………………………………………………… 25
Socioeconomic Status and Musical Participation…………………. 27
Development of Musical Identities in Childhood…………………. 29
Factors that Influence the Development and
Construction of Children’s Musical Identities……….......... 34
Families and Communities………………………………… 34
Peers……………………………………………………….. 37
Ethnicity…………………………………………………… 37
vi
Latinos in the United States………….……………………………. 40
Familismo…………………………………………………. 42
Summary of Chapter………………………………………………. 43
Chapter Three: Methodology and Methods…………………………………… 45
Multiple-Case Study……………………………………………… 45
Research Setting…………………………………………………. 46
Musical Visions…………………………………………… 46
Jackson Elementary ………………………………………. 47
Child Participants………………………………………………….. 49
Methods: Semi-structured Interviews and Observations…………… 50
Site and Participant Selection ……………………………………… 50
Data Collection……………………………………………………... 51
Phase One…………………………………………….…… 53
Phase Two………………………………………………… 54
Phase Three…………………………………………..…… 56
Pilot Study ………………………………………………………… 57
Data Analysis Procedures………………………………………… 58
Triangulation of Data……………………………………………… 61
Institutional Review Board (IRB)…………………………………. 62
Summary of Chapter………………………………………………. 62
Chapter Four: Findings…………………………………………………………. 64
A Day at Jackson Elementary……………………………………… 64
Child Participant Descriptions…………………………………….. 70
Martha…………………………………………….. 70
Oliver……………………………………………… 73
Ruby………………………………………………. 75
Greg……………………………………………….. 78
George…………………………………………….. 79
Agnes……………………………………………… 80
Themes and Subthemes……………………………………………. 82
Ethnicity and Culture……………………………………………… 83
Perceptions of Language and Nationality…………………. 83
Language in the Home Setting……………………. 84
School Settings……………………………….…… 85
Transference of Languages to Home……………… 85
Family Impact……………………………….…………….. 86
Transference of Interest to Parents………………... 87
Sibling Musical Interests and Impact……………... 90
Community and Surroundings……………………………….…… 92
Social Aspects……………………………….……………. 92
Peer Interest in School……………………………. 92
vii
Making Friends…………………………………… 95
Social Observances through Participation………... 96
Orchestra in the Community……………………………… 98
Church……………………………….……………. 98
Desire to Perform in Public……………………….. 99
Money as a Way to Make Income………………… 101
Transforming a Community through Performance.. 102
Musical Learning………………………………………………….. 104
Goals and Future…………………………………………... 104
Teamwork and Group Identity…………………………….. 106
Importance of Participation………………………………... 108
Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications……………………… 112
Summary of Findings Relevant to the Guiding Questions………… 114
Language and Family Importance…………………………………. 119
Musical Identity Within the Community…………………………... 121
Development of Musical Identities through Musical Learning……. 124
Limitations of the Present Study and Directions for
Future Research……………………………………………. 128
Implications for Music Education…………………………………. 129
Concluding Thoughts………………………………………………. 132
References………………………………………………………………………….. 135
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………. 144
A: Parental/Guardian Consent Form and Assent Form…..…… 144
B: Child Assent Form to Participate in Research…………..…. 147
C: Information/Facts Sheet for Non-Medical Research………. 148
D: Child Interview Protocols……………………………….…. 150
E: Adult Interview Protocols……………………………..…… 153
F: Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Form……..….. 154
viii
List of Tables
Table 1: Three Phases of Data Collection………………………………………... 52
Table 2: Descriptive Information for Adult Participants………………………….. 62
Table 3: Descriptive Information for Child Participants………………………….. 69
ix
List of Figures
Figure 1: The Data Analysis Spiral……………………………………………….. 60
Figure 2: Emerging Themes and Subthemes……………………………………… 82
x
Abstract
Voices from within:
Perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical identities of child musicians
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to observe and interview
children from underserved communities who were taking part in a community youth
orchestra in Los Angeles in order to determine how their participation impacted their
perceptions of musical identity. Little is currently known about (1) the perspectives,
insights, and observations of the child musician, (2) the reasons for participating in
community youth orchestras, and (3) how musical identity in Latino children is impacted
through participation. This study provided a voice to Latino children from
underrepresented social and cultural groups by inquiring about their musical experiences
while taking part in a community youth orchestra, and examined how they viewed
themselves in relation to friends, family, and the community at large through the lens of a
number of socio-cultural theories. Data collection for this study was completed in three
phases over a period of two months. Phase one included non-participatory observation
and the gathering of documents and artifacts from children and adults. Phase two
included one-on-one semi-structured interviews with child participants. Phase three
consisted of triangulation interviews with adults. The children were enrolled in an after-
school, community-based music program, and attended music classes at an elementary
school. Children articulated their musical identities and evidence suggested that their
beliefs were shaped through orchestral experiences, and social and cultural factors.
Personal, social, and musical factors each played a role in their musical identity
formation. The children demonstrated increased positive attitudes towards musical
xi
activities, and enjoyed time spent with family, teachers, and peers, suggesting that
experiences within a community youth orchestra were important for a child’s
surroundings, social development, and group and personal identity development.
1
Chapter One: Introduction
Prologue
Los Angeles boasts a surplus of things to do, sites to see, and places to visit.
Home to the Dodgers and the Lakers, beautiful sandy beaches not far from lush forested
hiking trails, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and a cultural mecca of diverse
museums and exhibits, the “City of Angels” provides an abundance of opportunity for
residents. As a city celebrated for its richness in cultural diversity, unfortunately,
underserved populations continue to lack access to the many resources and opportunities
that are afforded to the more affluent.
Like most urban cities, public school education always seems to be in a time of
distress, whether through budget cuts, access to resources, facility problems, or hiring
quality educators. In a city like Los Angeles where teachers and administrators know all
too well about reduced budgets, the arts seem to be one of the main areas of study to be
cut or consolidated. Sadly, many of the schools that lack these resources are located in
underserved, at-risk areas throughout the city (Abril & Bannerman, 2015). In-school
music education programs are continuously being cut in elementary schools in order to
provide more time for core subjects including math, reading, and science. There is an
emerging trend amongst children and their families who lack instrumental music
education programs in their schools. Many are now taking it upon themselves to look
elsewhere for instrumental musical learning, such as after-school outreach programs,
non-profit musical organizations, and community-based music programs and ensembles.
Throughout my 12 years teaching strings and general music in a variety of non-
profit organizations and educational institutions, I have seen and worked with an
2
assortment of music programs catering to diverse populations of children. For the past
seven years as a resident in Los Angeles, my teaching has been focused with
underrepresented populations living in low-income, underserved areas. During this time,
I quickly noticed a trend of curiosity and excitement for music in children and their
families regarding after-school, community based instrumental music programs. All
across the city, many students hailing from elementary schools both with and without in-
school music education programs are flocking to various community youth orchestras
and programs.
This qualitative multiple case-study explores the musical perceptions of children
from underserved communities who are taking part in community youth orchestras in Los
Angeles. Here, through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, I explore and discuss how
children’s experiences in community youth orchestras shape their musical identity, based
on their own insights and observations of musical learning, their experiences in
community youth orchestras, and their judgments on the importance and impact of music
in their own lives and of family and community members.
Purpose of the Study
The arts provide children with a unique means of expression, exploration, and
creativity, while transmitting appreciation and awareness of different cultures, alternative
viewpoints, and traditions. Understanding the perceptions and experiences that children
have while participating in both in-and-out-of school artistic activities has been of interest
to scholars who focus on educational contexts (Campbell, 2010; Griffin, 2009, 2011;
Gould 2007). Through dialogue with children and their families, it is important to
3
discover if artistic, and particularly, musical experiences are transferring to other areas,
such as academics, home, and family life. Experiences that students may have while
participating in community-based music activities may strengthen familial bonds, school
grades, and pique musical interest amongst family and community members.
This study will give voice to Latino children from underrepresented social and
cultural groups, by inquiring about their musical experiences in a community youth
orchestra. The study aims to understand the relationship between participation in
community youth orchestras and the construction of students’ musical identities. To do so,
the researcher will explore young musicians’ self-perceptions as members of a
community youth orchestra, and examine how they view themselves in relation to friends,
family, and the community at large.
Research Questions
This study is framed by the concept of musical identity. The main research
question is: how does participation in a community youth orchestra shape the musical
identities of children from underrepresented social groups?
Guiding Questions
Three guiding questions that seek to address specific elements of child
perceptions of identity are:
1. How do children from underrepresented social groups experience
community youth orchestras?
4
2. In what ways (if any) do issues regarding group and personal identities
emerge in the discourses of children from underrepresented social groups, as they
review their experiences within community youth orchestras?
3. How do children from underrepresented social groups perceive their
family and community, as members of a community youth orchestra?
Need for Study
After-school community-based youth programs have been recognized for
promoting positive influences in human development (McKay-Jackson, 2014). Yet, little
is known about the factors that influence children’s participation, particularly amongst
ethnic-minority youth, both within and across different socioeconomic groups. This is
also true where after-school community-based musical activities are concerned. Apart
from anecdotal data, we do not know what is going on in community youth orchestras.
While it is clear that students from ethnically diverse backgrounds are attending
rehearsals, and teachers are teaching at these community spaces, reasons for participation
and meanings associated with them remain unexplored. Such knowledge is important
because community music groups are increasing in size and popularity in current times.
Also important is to explore, learn, and understand how participation in
community-based activities (i.e., ensembles) impacts children’s personal, social, and
musical identities; and whether any transformation is taking place. Silverman (2013)
defines transformation as a “positive, paradigmatic experience and shift in the way
people envision their personal-social situations, ideas and experiences of everyday life”
(p. 13). She argues that transformative experiences deepen positive outlooks and actions,
5
and bring awareness that life is always in flux, meaning that there is no single “truth”
about life, music, or anything else. For Silverman, through specific processes of teaching
and learning aimed at students can enable them to “experience the freedom to question
imposed myths and illusions that stifle their individuality, collective actions and their
ability to transform their lives” (p. 14). The desire to embrace such musical opportunities
may provide direct and indirect benefits to many students, including social transformation
within individuals, families, and communities (Silverman, 2013).
Snow (2013) explored the ideals and themes explored within various community
music programs. In addition to focusing upon the musical growth of its participants,
personal growth and individual’s social well-being were also prioritized. Other ideals
Snow gathered relative to various community music initiatives included the following:
“social change and social justice, inclusiveness, love, peace, partnerships, friendship,
mutual exchange of knowledge and skills, unity amidst diversity, the spirit of paying for
it later, generosity, entrepreneurship, safety, joy, building of self-esteem and confidence,
and music as agency” (Snow, 2013, p. 94). It would be beneficial, then, to determine if
children from underrepresented, ethnic minority groups perceive the same themes in
relationship to their participation in community-based ensembles. This is one possible
way to begin a broader dialogue on how to assist in serving these children based on their
needs and desires.
6
Definitions
The following definitions of terms are adopted in the current dissertation:
After-school community-based programs- community-driven, expanded learning
opportunities, which offer support in cognitive, social, physical, and/or emotional
outcomes outside of the formal school hours. These programs may run after
school, evenings, and/or weekends; not necessarily following a traditional school
calendar year.
At-risk children- Students who have a higher probability of failing academically or
dropping out of school. The term can also be applied to students who face
circumstances that may jeopardize their ability or interfere with their educational
or future success. Some possible reasons may include transiency, migrant status,
racism, poverty, limited English proficiency, substance abuse, neglect, etc.
Community music- Music-making that is an active involvement of creative group work
between teacher or facilitator and participants, outside of formal educational
institutes (Higgins, 2012a)
Community youth orchestra- A communal music ensemble located within an area
generally sponsored by the community or some external organization, and serving
children ranging from 7-18 years of age
Cultural diversity- Refers to the cultural variety or cultural differences that exist in the
world
English language learners- Students who speak a native language other than English
(Elpus & Abril, 2011).
7
Ethnic-minority group- An inclusive term encompassing people of all marginalized
ethnicities by society due to differing social and cultural characteristics not within
the dominant ethnic and cultural groups (Ilari, in press).
Ethnicity- Term derived from the Greek ethnikos meaning race or nation. Ethnicity refers
to a characteristic or representation of people including to a culture group; relating
to a community of traits possessed by members of a group as a product of their
cultural tradition and heredity, pertaining to a race. This term can be synonymous
“with race, culture, or nationality, or any combination of the three different terms”
(Yankauer, 1987, p. 15).
Equality- A state of being equal or equivalent; the same in quality, value or status
Formal music education- Classroom-based music learning, provided by trained teachers;
systematic and organized education models and methods
General music- Fundamental learning experiences, usually in a classroom setting,
exploring of the elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, and form in a related
fashion
Identities in music- A socially constructed label for one involved in musical participation,
where personal identities that are intrinsically musical are developed. Or, the
ways people view themselves “in relation to the social and cultural roles existing
within music,” such as a conductor, composer, jazz singer or violinist (Hargreaves
& Marshall, 2003; p. 264).
Immigrant children- Children who are foreign-born and migrate to the U.S. with foreign-
born parents, and children who are U.S. born to at least one foreign-born parent
8
Informal music education- Variety of approaches and practices to acquiring musical skills
and knowledge generally taking place outside formal educational settings (Green,
2002, p. 16)
Injustice- Unfair treatment in which the rights of a person or persons is/are prevented or
ignored. The inability to realize “one’s potential, dreams, aspirations, and hopes”
(Jorgensen, 2007, p.171)
Latino- A person born or living in Latin America, or a person living the US with family
original from Latin America
Low-income- Half the median family income for a family of four. Low-income for a
family of three with an income-level of $29, 295; family of four with an income-
level of $35, 325 (U.S. Department of Education, 2013).
Marginalized population- A fragment of the population, which is excluded, devalued or
trivialized by the majority population
Middle childhood- The years between 6 and 14, a time of development establishing a
child’s sense of identity within oneself (Eccles, 1999)
Musical identity- Ways in which a person defines oneself by musical values, musical
preferences, musical experiences, musical knowledge, and membership within
specific social and cultural groups (Green, 2011)
Music in identities- Ways in which music may form “a part of other aspects of an
individual’s self-image, such as those relating to gender, age, national identity,
and disability and identity” (Hargreaves & Marshall, 2003, p. 264)
Social identity- The social categories to which people “belong, aspire to belong, or share
important values” (Crozier, 1997, p. 71).
9
Social Identity Theory (SIT)- Theory developed by Henri Tajfel and colleagues (Tajfel,
1978; Tajfel & Turner, 1986), proposing that individuals are naturally motivated
to develop and maintain a high level of self-esteem, established through the
identification of persons exhibiting a positive self image of oneself
Social justice- Conceived of as a kind of ethical process, which relies on ones abilities to
be reflective and demonstrate the ability to put ourselves in the place of others.
(Bowman, 2007b). There is the notion that social justice embodies the proper and
fair directions of equality- regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, and religion,
allowing all persons to be treated with equality. However, it is important to argue
that one’s social justice may be someone else’s injustice.
Socioeconomic status (SES)- Refers to the relative position of an individual or group’s
place within a hierarchical social structure, with the stratified social system basing
itself on a combination of variables including education, occupational prestige,
income, wealth, and placement of residence.
Underrepresented- Providing inadequate representation to; inadequately represented
amongst racial and ethnic populations that are disproportionately lower in number
in relation to their number in the general population
Underserved- Not receiving equitable resources in the same manner that others do. For
example, limited household, school, or community resources
Background
In this section, a brief background of community music and the rise of community
youth orchestras will be explored, including a look at after-school community based
10
programs, and community music ensembles and children’s experiences. Following, a
short background on socioeconomic status and participation in forma music programs
will be discussed.
Community Music and the Rise of Community Youth Orchestras
After-school community based programs. After-school, community based
programs have increased drastically in the United States over the past 15 years (Apsler,
2009). These programs, hundreds of which are located in urban areas throughout the
United States, vary widely in purpose, structure, scope, and philosophy (Miller, 2011).
Aspler (2009) reviewed after-school program literature and identified six common goals
for these extra-curricular based programs: “(a) provision of adult supervision and safe
environments; (b) provision of a flexible, relaxed, and homelike environment; (c)
offerings of cultural or enrichment opportunities; (d) improvement in academic skills; (e)
prevention of behavior problems; and (f) engagement in recreational activities” (p. 36).
A basic characteristic for after-school, community-based programs is the capacity
to provide educational learning services during the hours immediately following school
(Miller, 2011). Providing services immediately after-school, especially within urban areas,
may ensure children remain positively productive during the late afternoon/evening,
versus disengagement at home or being exposed to unhealthy external conditions such as
such as gang activity and violence. As Riggs (2006) contended:
Research suggests that the after-school hours are of the most risky in children’s
lives. Approximately 8 million children from 5 to 14 years of age spend their
discretionary afterschool time unsupervised, which, in turn, has been linked to
11
increases in sexual intercourse, smoking, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Furthermore, the hours immediately following school are also the most violent
hours in children’s days, with violent juvenile delinquency and victimization rates
peaking between the after-school hours of 2 and 6 p.m. Thus, the after-school
context appears to be one in which prevention and intervention services are
greatly needed. (pp. 76-77)
After-school, community-based programs present students with a variety of
opportunities fostering purposeful educational learning and social relationships, which in
turn shape children’s lives. These programs offer a wide range of activities, including
music, which is often placed under the umbrella term of “community music.”
Community music. There has been a growing emergence in community music
(Leglar & Smith, 2010) and growing relevancy of community-based music activities the
United States, including its relationship to school music education (Kruse & Hansen,
2014; Leglar & Smith, 2010). Defined as a musical activity that encompasses both formal
and informal music making including out-of-school contexts, the U.S. has always shared
a long heritage for community music, which may be stronger than ever before (Veblen,
2007). Community music activities often serve as an alternative place for students to
make music or explore different musical styles that may not be offered in school
curriculum or music programs (Bowman, 2007a; Higgins, 2007; Kruse & Hansen, 2014).
Community music is said to promote cultural self-expression and cultural diversity, and
encourages unity as a means of cultural education, “which, in turn fosters tolerance and
mutual respect” (Leglar & Smith, 2010, p. 344). In community music activities, music is
believed to be essentially a social phenomenon. These activities align with the idea that
12
“…musical participation and experiences are valuable for the processes of personal and
social integration that make us whole” (Turino, 2008, p. 1).
At the heart of community music activities are characteristics including, but not
limited to, emphasis on a variety and diversity of musical activities that enrich the
cultural life of a community and participants, multiple teacher/learner relationships and
processes, an awareness to the need of disenfranchised and underserved individuals or
groups, a recognition of participants personal and social growth being as important as
musical growth, respect for cultural property and the acknowledgement of individual and
group ownership of music, encouragement of confidence in participant creativity, and
flexible teaching, learning, and facilitation
1
(Higgins, 2012a).
Also prevalent amongst community music programs is collaborative learning, or
situations in which two or more people are working together to learn something or
achieve something a goal, is highly utilized in community music settings. For example,
an orchestra rehearsal consists of a group of people gathered together. A concert is a
collaborative agreement in design or plan in union and celebrates a social process of
musical learning. Christopher Small (1996) advocates for music as a social force,
emphasizing the process of music making and exploration in music education versus the
product, stating, “I insist on the supreme importance of the art-process and the relative
unimportance of the art-object; the essential tool of art is the unrepeatable experience” (p.
4).
1
Fourteen characteristics outlining the nature of community music were produced during
the final Community Music Action plenary session in Toronto during the 2000
International Society for Music Education (ISME) conference. Each are listed in
Community Music: In Theory and Practice (Higgins, 2012a, p. 83-84).
13
Community music programs of a collaborative nature, aligning with Small’s
vision of process and community as a social force are flourishing across the country and
presenting themselves in a variety of contexts. Some examples include New Horizons
International Music Association, an organization where older adults learn to play a
musical instrument or relearn an instrument they have played in their youth (Coffman,
2009), the University of South Carolina String Project (USCSP), and Arts-in-Corrections,
a California-based prison arts program for incarcerated men. These varieties of programs
can provide an important path to formal and informal music learning for those who would
not have such opportunities otherwise.
Community music ensembles and children’s experiences. Community music
ensembles represent one modality of community music. Through participation in
community music ensembles or groups, varied approaches to teaching and learning may
“assist people to journey together to reach their goals, and emphasize active participation
and equality of opportunity (Higgins, 2012b, p. 159). Community music ensembles
typically hold to prepare musicians for scheduled concerts showcasing the performers,
while engaging local community members in musical experiences. These ensembles may
reflect forms of formalized instruction, no different from school music ensembles or
formalized instructional techniques including teacher-led rehearsals and high
performance standards (Kruse & Hansen, 2014).
In California, community music programs are establishing themselves as a means
for alternative music education initiatives. These programs, many of which are housed in
Los Angeles, offer students who lack in-school music education opportunities to take part
in music making and learning. Los Angeles hosts numerous alternative opportunities for
14
young children to participate in musical ensembles. At the time of writing, some
examples include the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s music education initiative Youth
Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), the Harmony Project, Verdugo Young Musicians
Association, the Neighborhood Music School, and The Colburn School, to name a few.
Oftentimes, sites that host these community organizations are centered in neighborhoods
lacking resources found in more affluent neighborhoods such as safe recreational parks,
outside academic resources, and in-school music education. These community music
initiatives can provide a source of cohesion, pride, and training tools; and may offer
opportunities for participants to find common grounds in their shared interests in music
(Clements, 2006; Leglar & Smith, 2010). The successes of these programs are attracting
students from all socioeconomic groups across the city of Los Angeles, as interested
families gravitate towards enrollment opportunities for their children.
Socioeconomic Status and Participation in Formal Music Programs
Socioeconomic status has been known to be a determinant factor in student
participation in formal music programs, in and out of schools (Campbell, Connell, &
Beegle, 2007; Campbell, 1998a,b; Clements, 2006; DeLorenzo, 2012a; Ilari, 2013).
Underrepresented children, particularly those with non-English speaking parents, may be
at a greater disadvantage than U.S.-born racial minorities or the ethnic-majority (Pierce,
2014) in terms of musical participation due to a variety of challenges and risks associated
with low-income amongst households, and urban settings, such as high rates of
unemployment and crime, violence, drugs, and lack of access to resources such as formal
music education programs. Socioeconomic status challenges may also contribute to the
15
particular need that children living in these areas have for structured community youth
programs (Perkins, et al., 2007; Schinke, Cole, & Poulin, 2000). Urban areas tend to
exhibit large disparities amongst family income levels, and public schools in these areas
often represent highly concentrated populations of students from low socioeconomic
status households (Doyle, 2014; Elpus & Abril, 2011). Inequalities in resources,
including access to music programs are often related to socioeconomic variables. Abril
and Bannerman (2015) suggest schools representing a lower SES population are less
likely to offer music instruction than their higher-SES school counterparts. Those from a
higher SES background may also have greater exposure to musical activities in the home
due to the likeliness that their families can better afford and provide for musical
experiences (Phillips, 2003). DeLorenzo (2012a, b) postulates successful orchestral
musicians, for example, most likely grow up participating in youth orchestras, recitals,
and attending summer music camps. Those living in middle and upper-class households
may be able to afford private lessons, sometimes 50 or more dollars per hour, and
extracurricular fees associated with music performance. For underserved children living
in urban or metropolitan areas, instrumental learning may not be a possibility; at
minimum wage, those 50 dollars constitute approximately one-fifth of a weekly salary.
Together, these studies indicate a disconnected experience between the reality of
those coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and those from more affluent
counterparts. That is, participation in organized activities may be linked to issues of
family resources and socioeconomic status (Ilari, 2013). This seems to be congruent for
many areas and modalities of music education, including strings programs for young
elementary students. Learning about children’s gained experiences, and issues regarding
16
musical, group, and personal identities while participating in community youth orchestras,
may assist in understanding how we as educators may provide quality music education to
children.
Theoretical Underpinnings
In order to investigate how musical identities are being shaped amongst
underrepresented children participating in community youth orchestras, it is of
importance to explore theoretical underpinnings within social identity in childhood,
particularly amongst Tajfel’s (1979) Social Identity Theory (SIT), and musical identities
in childhood. Through the lens of SIT, we may begin to explore how SIT connects to the
development of musical identities amongst children.
Social Identity in Childhood
In a broad sense of the term, identity is our understanding of who we are, and the
ways in which we as humans “relate to and distinguish between individuals and groups in
their social relations and with other individuals or groups” (Ahn, 2011, p. 415). It
provides us with an idea of who we are in this world, and how we relate to others, and is
an ongoing process and continuous reminder of our self-understanding (Ahn, 2011).
Understanding oneself is a fundamental human interest that starts in early
childhood and continues throughout life (Ahn, 2011). Social identity, including one’s
identification within one’s ethnic group, is an important part of human social
development. Currently, little information is known about the subjective meanings
associated with membership within social groups, particularly during the years of middle
17
childhood (Rogers, Zosuls, Halim, Ruble, Hughes, & Fuligni, 2012). Although identity
construction is a life-long process, during early and middle childhood years, children
begin to actively construct their own opinions and ideas about self-identity and social
identity. For children in middle childhood years, this is also an active time for meaning
making in terms of their ethnic identity. Ethnic identity may encompass ideas such as
language, physical appearance, pride, relative social position, and culture amongst
children in middle childhood (Rogers, et al., 2012).
Children perceive how they view themselves in relation to others, and how they
personify themselves in peer interactions in group settings and school (Ahn, 2011). The
development of different self-image characteristics in childhood has received particular
attention. Self-image includes traits of personality style, appearance, and social roles. In
the musical domain, these components might also include “musician”, “music student” or
“performer” (Hargreaves, Miell, & Macdonald, 2002). The level of motivation a child
displays towards music may also determine the degree of musical self-perception they
may exhibit. This implies that children’s motivations are dependent on the processes of
self-perception. Motivation strategies may be called “mastery-oriented” strategies, as
children are more likely to persevere in moments of setbacks and failure and instead
pursue new challenges (O’Neill, 2002).
It has been suggested that these domain-specific self-images typically become
integrated into a generalized self-identity for a child around the age of eight years old;
however, they may not exhibit a “core” self-identity at this time in their lives. These
generalized opinions on self-identity for a child may often determine influences such as
skill level, confidence, and achievement (Harter, 1999). Self-identity changes and
18
transforms through various environments and experiences, and the ways in which
children construct their identities “reveal their efforts to ‘become’” (Ahn, 2011, p. 415).
Social Identity Theory. Social identity refers to the part of one’s self-concept,
which is derived from membership in a particular social group, such as an ethnic group
(Tajfel, 1981). Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) is based on social and
group characteristics, and is grounded on the idea that individuals seek to evaluate their
group memberships and continue to strive for a positive social identity. Social identity
theory proposes that we categorize ourselves as members of certain social groups, or in-
groups, and that we define other social groups as out-groups, and uses the distinction
between the in-groups and out-groups as a basis for self-evaluation of oneself (Lamont,
2002). According to this theory, the social self emerges from the processes of social
categorization and social comparisons, and individuals organize their social world into
specific categories. Individuals often begin by emphasizing the differences between and
similarities within social groups, and then evaluate or attribute meaning to these two
categorizations (Rogers, et al., 2012). For example, social status, personality traits, and
physical characteristics of a group develop their meanings from “perceived differences
from other groups and the value connotations of these differences (Tajfel, 1981, p. 258).
In other words, Social Identity Theory explains how the interpersonal behaviors,
such as prioritizing individual characteristics one exhibits, and the intergroup behavior,
prioritizing group membership and social identity, are interrelated in self-categorization
(Lamont, 2002). Research has shown that the need for positive social identity underpins
broad ranges of group-based phenomena, including self-motivation to adopt social norms
19
within a group and willingness to engage in group-protecting behaviors, such as group
pride (Hargreaves, North, & Tarrant, 2006).
Social Identity Theory is often used to explain identity development and
construction in children and adolescents. The development of identity is significantly
shaped by the circumstances in which children grow up (Ellemers, Spears, & Doosje,
1999). In terms of how children shape their understanding of themselves and others, it
has been suggested that personal identity is more prominent in earlier childhood (Lamont,
2002) while social identity becomes more influential in the process of social comparison
more towards middle childhood and adolescence as they shape their understanding of
themselves and of others (Festinger, 1954; Lamont, 2002).
Social identities of children in the primary stages of early childhood (from infant
to roughly age five) are based largely on family circumstances, defining themselves in
relation to those who are in constant contact with them the most, which tends to be
parents, siblings, relatives, and family friends (Lamont, 2002). Around the age of 4 or 5,
identities become impacted when children come into contact with peers of the same age
while in preschool, school, and extra-curricular activities. During this period children
define themselves within the home environment, which tends to be composed by a
relatively restricted group of people including parents, siblings, relatives, and close
friends. Social comparisons are not prevalent in these early years, most likely because the
people children surround themselves with are generally older, more mature individuals
such as adults and caretakers (Lamont, 2002).
Once children begin to interact with a larger group of peers of similar ages and
ability levels, social comparisons become more prevalent within school and social
20
environments (Higgins and Parsons, 1983; Lamont, 2002). Social and cultural factors are
“massive influences for individual developments for children, such as media, popular
culture, and other external forces, so much that current socio-cultural research on the
development of preference amongst those in childhood and adolescence is more likely to
investigate specific social groups, musical styles, or situations” (Hargreaves, et al., 2006,
p. 136).
With social and cultural factors acting as major influences in regards to Social
Identity Theory, and the idea of self-concept and membership in one’s social group
playing a large role in identity development, it may also be of importance to consider
how children’s musical identities are being shaped not only through musical participation,
but how musical identities connect to Social Identity Theory.
Musical Identities in Childhood
Music is a significant outlet for human communication and interaction, one that
can act as vehicle through which “people can construct new identities and shift existing
ones in the same way as spoken language” (Hargreaves, Miell, & MacDonald, 2002,
p .10). Defined as ways in which a person defines oneself by musical values, musical
preferences, musical experiences, musical knowledge, and membership within specific
social and cultural groups (Green, 2011), musical identities can include interpersonal
relationships and self-identity, and is a characteristic that every human inhibits, based on
interactions with music (Hargreaves, Mielle, & MacDonald, 2002). The development of
identity, including musical identity, is shaped by “the complex interaction of a multitude
of factors”, including social and cultural influences including in the home, school, and
21
culture at large (Shouldice, 2014, p. 341). Musical identity, with its roots in social
constructionist theories, is an important area of study in the field of social psychology,
music psychology, and music education (Hargreaves, Mielle, & Macdonald, 2002).
One’s musical identity is linked directly to other identities, such as cultural, social,
and ethnic identity, and self-image. Music is positioned as an important component in the
development of self-concept and self-esteem. For example, a highly involved musician,
such as a professional orchestral violinist, may view all aspects of his or her life in
relation to music, and all of their musical activities are at the forefront of their identity.
Or, a beginning cello student may perceive the interactions she has with her family at
home as positive and spirited, based on musical conversations she led regarding the day’s
rehearsal.
For children and adults, generalized aspects of self-concept and musical identity
may become increasingly distinguished with age. While younger students may generalize
excelling at one specific activity, a new understanding emerges in middle childhood that
they may excel at some activities, but not at others. Musical abilities may begin to be
differentiated from others around this age (Harter, 1999).
Furthermore, children may choose to affiliate and identify more with peers than
with parents or adults, and may rely on small social circles or group networks when
identifying other subcultures, such as music. Children may also choose to discuss their
musical learning and experiences with peers also participating in their learning, versus a
friend not involved in music (Harris, 1995). Thus, children’s musical self-perceptions
may also determine their levels of motivation to succeed in music, along with their actual
development (O’Neill, 2002).
22
Throughout the development of a child’s self and musical-identity, self-concepts
also become increasingly based on comparisons with other peers, along with the
formation of opinions based on their talent, future aspirations, and social settings with
friends. This begins to form in middle childhood (Lamont, 2002). Their personal attitudes,
approaches, and achievements, such as in musical activities, become based on
comparisons with their peers. This implies that “children’s identities, including musical
identities, are constructed and reconstructed by making comparisons with other people,
and this continues into adult life” (Hargreaves, Miell, & Macdonald, 2002, p. 15-16).
Social contexts like orchestral rehearsals and group settings may also shape the self-
perceptions of children, just as with adults. These social experiences simultaneously
shape children’s musical learning (Hargreaves & Marshall, 2003).
Lamont (2002) writes, children “only be able to develop a specific identity as a
musician when they are able to master the idea of a differentiated identity” (p. 42), which
happens around the age of seven. Furthermore, the musical identities of children should
initially be based on “external and observable activities and experiences”, and that
membership in a musical group will serve as an important part of musical identity. Peer
groups are important in shaping children’s identities as musicians, and the development
of musical identities in children seems to be associated with the kinds of opportunities
open to them. Group settings such as school or consistent group-based learning
ensembles are also important venues where group and peer comparisons assume
significance in the development of musical identity in children; though it is suggested
that “the contexts in which children experience music are not common to all and that we
might expect more diversity in terms of children’s developing musical identities” (p. 45).
23
In order to understand the phenomenon of musical identity, it has been separated
into two categories in order to clarify distinctions within both socials constructions:
Identities in Music (IIM) and Music in Identities (MII) (Hargreaves & Marshall, 2003;
Hargreaves, Miell, and MacDonald, 2002).
Identities in Music. Identities in Music (IIM) are rooted in social and cultural
factors, referring to “how people view themselves in relation to the social and cultural
roles existing within music” (Hargreaves & Marshall, 2003, p. 264). IIM encompasses
the ways in which a person’s musical self-concept is influenced by social and cultural
stimuli in one’s environment. Examples of IIM may include the professional musical
aspirations of an orchestral violinist, conductor, DJ, or musical influences based on
environments such as family, school, and community. IIM may also be based on generic
or specific distinctions within broad categories of musical activities, such as instruments
and genres (Hargreaves & Marshall, 2003; Macdonald, Hargreaves, & Miell, 2002).
As the child musician develops, so does her Identity in Music, as social influences
are of importance for motivating and regulating initial musical participation. Teachers are
also thought to play a key role in initiating and sustaining a child’s musical interest, along
with high parental support necessary for the child to become a successful child musician
(Davidson & Burlan, 2006).
Music in Identities. The second aspect in which musical identity can be viewed
is Music In Identities, or MII (Hargreaves, Miell, & Macdonald, 2002). Music in
Identities (MII) refers to the ways music impacts the formation, development, and
construction of identity. One such example is an adolescent who listens to a specific
genre of music like pop or alternative, and self-identifies with the music in some way or
24
form. Her MII is the result of the process of using this genre of music to develop her
identity, because the music serves as an important element in the development of her self-
concept and self-esteem (Kelly-McHale, 2013).
Through the lens of Social Identity Theory, it is worth learning about children’s
subjective meanings associated with group membership amongst those of middle
childhood age, and how musical development and learning connects to musical identities.
Below, and overview of chapters is provided for organizational purposes.
Overview of Chapters
Chapters in this manuscript have been organized as follows. Chapter two consists
of a review of the scholarly literature on community orchestras, socioeconomic status and
musical participation, musical identities and factors that influence them, and a review of
Latinos in the United States and the idea of familismo. Chapter three describes the
research design and methodology that provided origin to the present work, with detail to
case-study design and summaries of tools and inquiries. Chapter four consists of an in-
depth analysis of interviews, field observations, and musical resources obtained during
data collection at the site of research. Chapter five concludes this study by drawing
implications for research and practice in music education, community music, and youth
orchestras.
25
Chapter Two: Literature Review
In this section, recent empirical studies on community music, socioeconomic
status, musical identities, influential factors on the development of musical identities, and
Latinos in the United States and familismo will be reviewed. Each section provides the
reader with a deeper understanding towards several important studies pertaining to
related themes in this study.
Community Music
Scherber (2012) investigated factors influencing participation in community youth
ensembles. In total, 73 students, ages 7-18 from five ensembles located in Florida, Texas,
and Ohio took part in this study. Each student participated in a youth choir, youth
orchestra, or youth band. The students indicated musical factors to be of greatest
importance when considering participation, more so than social factors. Musically, the
highest rated response amongst student factors influencing participation in these youth
ensembles was to “develop/improve musical skills”, which ranked above “learning new
music” and “experiencing a diversity of musical opportunities.” Socially, the highest
rated response amongst factors influencing participation was “to have a fun/enjoyable
experience” which ranked above “opportunities to spend time with friends”, “form new
relationships or learn independence.” Additionally, teachers and parents were found to
have the greatest influence over musical learning, more so than peers or relatives.
Barrett and Smigiel (2007) presented an analysis of a collective case study design,
exploring Australian children’s perceptions and the meaning and value of the arts in their
lives in relations to participation in four music youth arts sites: a music theater ensemble,
26
a children’s choir, a community music band program, and a youth orchestra. A total of 25
child participants took part in this study and ranged in age from 6 to 17 years. Five key
factors emerged regarding children’s perceptions of participation in music youth arts
settings: a love of performance, a shared unity of purpose, a desire for challenge, the
quality of relationships developed and sustained through participation, and the
opportunities presented for individual growth and well-being.
In a two-part study, King (2014) investigated grade 6-12 string performers’
perceptions about the meaning of an orchestra experience, and if that meaning differed
between function of ensemble types: school orchestra, community youth orchestra, both
school and community orchestra, and homeschool orchestra. In total, 467 string orchestra
students participating in school and community youth orchestras in Alabama and Georgia
were studied. Results indicated that participants felt orchestral experiences to be highly
meaningful to students in multiple ways. Students perceived that orchestra participation
benefits students musically via technique, repertoire, performance skills, and sight-
reading. The data from her study also suggested orchestra can benefit students in non-
musical ways including teamwork, promoting and developing self-esteem through social
means, and providing an outlet from stress. Students also felt the ensemble experience
provided feelings of accomplishment, reward, and personal satisfaction as discussed by
Higgins (2007), and Parker (2010).
Perkins et al., (2007) examined cultural and contextual factors that influenced
decisions to participate in community youth programs amongst underrepresented urban
youth, who identified themselves as Black/African American, Latino, Arab, or Chaldean.
Participants between the ages of 9 and 19 and were selected from two metropolitan areas
27
in Michigan which represented the largest ethnic and/or ancestral identities. A total of
nine community-based organizations (CBO) were identified, all which were ethnic-
oriented and provided neighborhood-based after-school programs for youth. Participants
engaged in “brainstorming sessions”, which led in-depth discussions regarding
participation amongst youth members. Four themes emerged from the data: youth
programs help young people stay off the streets, learn new skills, avoid boredom, and
provide opportunities for fun, enjoyable opportunities. Unique themes also emerged
within ethnic and/or gender groups. Latinas expressed this CBO provided chances to
learn about cultures, chances to learn about careers, provided opportunities to be involved
in the community and be a part of something bigger, and felt accepted by peers and
program staff.
Socioeconomic Status And Musical Participation
Gillespie, Russell, & Hamman (2014) examined the impact newly initiated string
programs had on teachers, schools, districts, communities, and existing music program
administrators, teachers, and students. Data from 64 string educators were collected from
62 programs, districts, and/or schools, which were represented in the sample. In total, 30
different states were represented. While many programs were newly developed, largely at
the middle and high school levels, the majority of these programs were established in
suburban areas (59%), while urban (23%) and rural (18%) areas lacked in development;
areas traditionally known for low-SES households.
Elpus & Abril (2011) studied US high school students participating in school
music ensemble programs. Specific research questions included what proportion of high
28
school seniors were participating in music ensemble programs (band, orchestra, choir),
what are the demographic characteristics of these students, if there is a relationship
between various demographic variables and participation, and if the music students are a
representative subset of the high school population. Significant associations were found
between music ensemble participation and variables including race/ethnicity, gender,
socioeconomic status (SES), native language, and parental education. English language
learners (ELL), children of parents holding a high school diploma or less, households in
the lowest SES quartile, and Latinos were significantly underrepresented in music
programs throughout the United States. Elpus & Abril also found white students to be
“significantly overrepresented among music students, as were students from higher SES
backgrounds, native English speakers, students in the highest standardized test score
quartiles, children of parents holding advanced postsecondary degrees, and students with
GPAs ranging from 3.0-4.0” (Elpus & Abril, 2011, p. 128). Findings indicated that music
students were not a representative subset within the population of US high school
students.
Doyle (2014) compiled a synthesis of literature indicating students of low SES
who participate in the arts have more favorable social and academic outcomes than those
that do not participate in arts instruction. Furthermore, findings showed many students
living in urban areas were from low SES households, where music instruction could be
particularly beneficial. She found enrollment in music courses to be very low in urban,
secondary schools, with students of color and low SES being highly underrepresented
(Bradley, 2007; Fitzpatrick, 2006; Elpus & Abril, 2011, Kinney, 2010).
29
Taken together, these studies indicate that the realities of those coming from low
socioeconomic backgrounds are in contrast with the realities of those who come from
more affluent ones. This seems to be true for many areas and modalities of music
education, including strings programs, in and out of schools, for elementary students.
Unsurprisingly, these contrasting experiences are likely to impact how children develop
and construct their social and musical identities.
Development of Musical Identities in Childhood
Davidson, Moore, Sloboda, & Howe (1996) studied the role of parental influences
in the development of musical ability. Taking place in England, 257 young learners
between 8 and 18 years, and their parents were interviewed. Each child studied a musical
instrument but differed in the extent of skill. Study findings suggested that the most
successful children had parents that were the most highly involved in music lessons and
practice during the early stages of their child’s musical learning; typically in the form of
regular feedback from the music teacher or the parent sitting in on the lessons.
Furthermore, these child musicians often had parents who were themselves involved in
music. Parental involvement often took place in the form of listening to music versus
performing it, and this increased in frequency as the child continued music lessons. The
children who failed to continue with music lessons had parents who, on average, were
less interested in music and did not exhibit as much parental involvement with their
child’s learning. The authors concluded that overall, the most musically competent
children had the highest levels of parental support.
30
As part of the same study, Davidson, Moore, Sloboda, and Howe (1998), also
investigated the roles and relationships between perceived characteristics of children’s
instrumental music teachers in the development of the child musician’s musical
achievement. Of the 257 young learners, Davidson et al., discovered that the most
successful learners regarded their music teachers differently than those children who
discontinued musical study. The most successful learners rated their teachers higher in
areas of friendliness, and regarded their teacher as chatty, relaxed, and encouraging,
while the lowest achieving students remembered their teachers to be incompetent and/or
unfriendly. The highest achieving students also received more individual instruction than
did the children who eventually discontinued music lessons. Findings confirmed the
importance of matching teacher characteristics with the evolving child learner, which are
needed for the development of high levels of musical competency. Also, this study drew
the conclusion that the high music achievers perceived their teachers differently than
those who discontinued participation in music lessons. Teachers in the early stages of a
child’s musical learning may need to “place a high priority on establishing a relaxed and
friendly relationship with their students” (p. 156), while later in the musical training, it
becomes increasingly more important for teachers to gain the students respect as
performing musicians, such as allowing the student to hear the teacher’s best level of
playing. As teachers are critically important social influences on students, it was also
found that the most successful learners had experienced teachers who changed from
exhibiting parent-like roles when students were under 12 years old, to mentors as they
progressed through late adolescence.
31
The findings from Davidson’s et al. (1996, 1998) studies indicated both parental
and teacher involvements were critically important social influences in the achievement
of child musicians, which connects to ideas surrounding Social Identity Theory.
Furthermore, these studies found that those who were more successful and motivated to
participate in music surrounded themselves with other peers who engaged in similar
music activities. In terms of peers and social groups in regards to musical learning,
Davidson and Burland (2006) note that peer and social groups can transform within
social environments. Therefore, students who socialize, for example in a music ensemble
setting with like-minded peers and musicians, have access to emotional support and may
be motivated through their peer’s musical achievements to achieve higher levels of
performance. These studies indicate that there may be a link between success, motivation,
and social surroundings within musical learning. Students perceive their roles, musical
achievement, and social status in relation to the social experiences and cultural stimuli
they receive while participating in these settings, forming musical identities through the
process of learning in social environments.
Lamont (2002) explored ways in which children’s self-definitions of “musician”
or “non-musician” were based on activities taking place within the school curriculum.
Studying children’s musical identities and self-descriptions, she found children’s self-
descriptions as musicians reflect something of their musical identities. Taking place in an
area of socioeconomic deprivation in the East of England, two age groups were studied:
those ages 10-11 and 11-14. Responses of 139 (71 boys and 69 girls) were analyzed.
Both schools where the students attended had very active extra-curricular music
programs including school recorder groups, choirs, and orchestras. Results showed that
32
despite the relatively robust amount of musical opportunities offered to the students, 70%
of the students described themselves as non-musicians (34 girls and 63 boys).
Results also pointed to a number of trends including girls being more likely to
describe themselves as musicians than boys, and younger children more willing to
positively describe themselves in terms of musical attitude than older children. It was also
found that teacher’s positive attitudes about music reflected on the child, children coming
from homes involved in musical activity were more likely to develop positive attitudes
towards music, and children coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds may be
less likely to develop positive musical attitudes or engage in musical activities; which
may be due to lack of community resources or financial means to support the musical
activities. The home environment showed little influence in the children’s musical
identification, and children with more positive musical self-descriptions displayed a
higher degree of identification with music lessons than children who showed less positive
musical self-descriptions. Furthermore, exhibiting a more positive musical identity was
associated with a greater identification in musical activities.
Lamont’s findings implied that children exhibiting a positive musical identity
were those who engaged in more extra-curricular music activities, demonstrated positive
attitudes towards musical activities, and enjoyed time spent with their music teachers,
supportive parents, role models, and peers. These findings advocated for the importance
in a child’s surroundings and social support within one’s environment in order to develop
a strong musical identity amongst children.
Additionally, Lamont found that in school contexts, children attending
establishments “with less ‘exclusive’ and more ‘inclusive’ musical activities were more
33
likely to demonstrate positive musical identities as shown through self-description and
identification with school music” (p. 55). She also learned that children taking traditional,
formal music lessons were the critical factor in students’ self-description as a “musician.”
Half of her students in her study described themselves as “non-musicians” because they
lacked formal instrumental training, even though they played instruments within in
school, general music class activities. Here, the children’s musical identities were
grounded in social contexts.
Musical identities play an important role in the musical development of a child’s
self, as social and cultural influences motivate and regulate musical learning.
Involvement from parents, teachers, peers, and social environments are important factors
consider when looking musical identity characteristics formed in childhood
In a qualitative collective case study, Kelly-McHale (2013) examined the ways in
which an elementary general music teacher’s curricular beliefs and classroom practices
influenced the expression of Identities in Music and Music in Identities for second-
generation immigrant children. Participants for this study were four fifth-grade students
whose families had immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, and the elementary school
music teacher. Kelly-McHale found that the skills the students had developed in the
music classes were confined only to the music classroom, which revealed a detachment
between music in the classroom and music in the lives outside of school.
The development of musical identities are highly impacted by music. This impact
can occur in a variety of actions, like listening to a specific genre, artist, or soloist, or
forming opinions of one’s musical ability based on self-comparisons with other peers.
34
Self-image becomes increasingly prominent with age, and is linked through other
identities like musical, social, and cultural attributes.
Factors that Influence the Development and Construction of Children’s Musical
Identities
A child’s musical identity may result from a series of musical, social, and cultural
factors including familial support, peer groups with shared interests, and reinforcement
from a music teacher (Lamont, 2002). In the classroom, oftentimes musical experiences
for children are constructed on the basis of social influences such as the musical beliefs
of the music teacher and expectations of the community (Campbell, 2002). Other
determinant factors that may influence the construction of musical identities in children
may include ethnicity and religion. These are discussed ahead.
Families and Communities. Families and communities play a significant role in
the types of cultural experiences and identities to which children are exposed (Jeynes,
2003; Williams, 2013), as cultural preferences and tastes can depend on exposure and
experience. Oftentimes, children will adopt the same preferences and beliefs of their
families and communities. Mark (2003) believes that individuals may be less amenable to
new cultural ideas, unless there is a meaningful connection in line with their “cultural
tastes, beliefs, values, interests, and identities” (p. 321). This may lead to the belief that
children will develop their cultural preferences primarily based on familial and
community influence.
LeFevre and Shaw (2012) examined the effects of Latino parental involvement in
children’s formal (school-based) and informal (home-based) activities. Formal
involvement in school typically includes external activities where parents are physically
35
present at the school. This type of involvement may include, but is not limited to,
physical presence such as participation within the school such as classroom volunteers,
participating in PTA meetings and fundraisers, school events, or assisting with field trips
or lunch duty (De Gaetano, 2007). Informal parent involvement may include “behaviors,
activities, and emotional support that occur in the home” (LeFevre & Shaw, 2012, p. 710).
Data was collected from 1,476 self-identified Latino students in secondary school, and
their parents. Results indicated both forms of involvement were significant predictors of
achievement within children, and that the impact of informal support was nearly as great
as that of formal support, suggesting that both forms of parental involvement should be
acknowledged and supported.
Borthwick and Davidson (2002) investigated the influences that family
interactions can have on a child’s developing musical identity. They trace the influence of
parents and siblings, noting how parental perceptions of a child’s musicality can affect
the interactions of all siblings within a family. Through semi-structured interviews, 12
families were studied. Each families had at least one child that was engaged in some form
of musical activity, and was labeled as “being a musician” within their family (p. 60).
Borthwick and Davidson’s study revealed that the degree of importance given to music in
the parent’s upbringing had a direct influence on their current family lifestyle. Many of
the parents studied believed their own parents to be key players in their children’s current
musical identity. They also found that parents involved in the study were supportive for
their children to develop advanced musical skills, and viewed music as an important
activity for their child to be engaged in. Furthermore, Borthwick and Davidson noted that
for all 12 families, there was a succinct and united “musical group identity”, which
36
served to bind all of the family members in each household together, and “music was for
all to discuss, listen to, and either play or supervise” (p. 64). A recurring theme found was
non-musician parents wanting to provide their children with opportunities they had
missed out on in their own childhood.
In a two-part study by Moore, Burland and Davidson (2003), 257 children
between the ages of 9 and 19 years old were studied in hopes to explore the relative
importance of children’s social and environmental factors during critical periods of
children’s musical development. Social influences such as friends and peers were
examined, considering the effects had on the child musicians during their initial period of
musical development, through childhood, into young adult. Also studied were early
musical influences, parental influences, and teacher characteristics. Results from part one
of the study found evidence that the age in which children start their music lessons and
the degree of parental involvement in music lessons, along with a friendly personable
teacher (who not be rated as a successful, proficient musician), were critical factors in
determining if children would continue or discontinue their musical training.
The second part of the study presented findings from a follow-up of 20 of the
children, eight years later, who had succeeded in music, to determine which childhood
factors predict differences in success as adult performers. Children who continued to play
an instrument were found to have started their musical training at an early age, had
increased parental support while taking part in music lesson, and had music teachers who
were described as “friendly, but not too technically able” (p. 529).
Family and community influence play a key role in the types of identities children
are exposed to, and are important factors in the development of a child’s musical identity.
37
Supportive, engaging family and teachers are some of the critical factors in determining if
a child engages in a successful musical experience. Social groups also play a large role in
the influence and development of a child’s musical identity.
Peers. Peers and friends have a high impact on children’s attitudes and behavior,
including considerable influence on academic achievement Peers that cooperate and work
towards a common goal, such as a collaborative project like an upcoming children’s
orchestra concert, can raise the performance level of students beyond that which they
may achieve on their own; which ultimately may assist developing social skills and
improve self-esteem amongst group members (Moore, et al., 2003).
Also, older children who act as mentors for their younger peers may gain empathy
for their own teachers, and gain more insight into their own skills such as performance
and teaching abilities, while the mentees develop new skills. Peer teaching can be a
common tool in the children’s orchestra setting, as it focuses on empowerment amongst
peers, develops bonds between friends, and provides a less-formal learning structure as
peers teach one another.
Ethnicity. Ethnicity refers to a characteristic or representation of people including
to a culture group, and relates to a variety of traits possessed by group members as
products of cultural traditions and heredity, pertaining to race. Ethnicity also intersects
with cultural identity, as ethnicity is a determinant factor of cultural identity (Ilari, in
press). Cultural diversity, which celebrates such vibrant ethnicities, also impacts how
social and musical identities are developed over the course of ones life in a variety of
contextual settings, which includes education (Ilari, in press). The process of identity
development involves the construction of one’s self based on an individual’s own self-
38
attributes, drives, values, personal history, and other characteristics; and because of
children’s minority status, ethnicity may be especially noticeable for ethnic-minority
children as they construct their identities.
Children from immigrant families may face challenges in constructing a secure
understanding of themselves as ethnic individuals, due to a constant negotiation of two
cultures at once: their parents ethnic culture and the culture in which they now live (Su &
Costigan, 2009). Sam (2000) suggests that successful identity development for ethnic-
minority children entails a bicultural sense of one’s self, where the child has attachment
to both cultures, though this may be difficult to achieve for children who perceive a large
disparity between the two cultures. Ethnic labels may begin to gain meanings amongst
children as they enter school, and children initiate an understanding of their own ethnicity
and some of the consequences associated with belonging to a particular ethnic group
(Ilari, in press).
Also, the need to consider who the children are as ethnic individuals, in addition
to other aspects of identity formation, can make the process of identity development all
the more challenging for ethnic-minority children (Su & Costigan, 2009). By the late
years of elementary school, (ie., children roughly between 8-10 years) children become
more proficient in identifying their ethnic membership amongst groups, and demonstrate
a greater degree of ethnic knowledge and ethnic preferences (Ilari, in press).
Knight, et al., (1993) studied the enculturation of ethnic identity in Mexican-
American children. Ethnic identity can be defined as “a set of self-ideas about one’s own
ethnic group membership” (p. 100). As ethnic-minority children grow older, they may
develop feelings about membership in their ethnic group and express those feelings in
39
preferences “regarding ethnic values, group members, customs, language use, and other
behaviors” (p. 100). In this investigation, 45 Mexican-American children, ages 6 to 10
years old (29 girls and 16 boys) and their mothers were recruited for this study. The study
specifically proposed that the more recently parents immigrated to the U.S., and the more
ethnically identified the parent, the more parents will teach their children about their
ethnic background and ethnic pride. Results of this study showed that overall, mothers
who displayed a higher level of comfort with their Mexican culture may be teaching their
children about their culture and transferring their ethnic identity, ultimately raising
children who are more ethnically identified. The study suggests that the socialization
content provided by the family influences the ethnic identity of their children, resulting in
ethnically based behaviors in children of ethnic-minority. Uses of music are also directly
linked to the ways in which the construction and development of ethnic identities are
shaped. In regards to musical experiences, earlier studies have examined ethnicity in
relation to musical learning.
In a study of 60 sixth-grade students from two urban school settings in the United
States, Abril and Flowers, (2007) investigated attention, preference, and identity in music
listening by middle school students with different linguist backgrounds. They found
Hispanic, bilingual students preferred Spanish versions of songs, opposed to English;
claiming that the Spanish versions connected them with a musical style, characterized by
its language that their families would listen to at home. Bilingual students also identified
most closely with the Spanish versions of songs, and felt a disconnect between their
school and home cultures; supporting the opinion that language for children of some
40
ethnic groups may serve as a way of defining the in-group versus out-group in regards to
Social Identity Theory.
Latinos in the United States
With the current study taking place within central Los Angeles, it was
unsurprising that all child participants were from Latino ethnicity. For immigrant and
second-generation students, musical experiences within the classroom may often
represent a new music culture for children, which is important to understand due to the
status of the culture in the curriculum (Kelly-McHale, 2013).
Latinos are now the majority-minority in the U.S. and are the fastest growing
population in the United States (U. S. Census Bureau, 2013). According to the 2013 U.S.
Census Bureau, Latinos constituted 17% (54 million) of the total U.S. population.
Population projections reported that Latinos will comprise one quarter of the U.S.
population by 2050 (Hungerford-Kresser & Amaro-Jiménez, 2012).
Latino youth and children comprise a separate, while vibrantly diverse, racial
group. Studies have demonstrated that when asked about their identities, Latino youth do
not follow conventional U.S. racial categories in regards to their identities; preferring to
identify themselves as part of a racial group rather than ethnic group, such as by national
origins (Flores- González, Aranda, & Vaquera, 2014). Research has consistently
demonstrated that ethnic-minority children living in the U.S. have ethnically based
behaviors or behavioral styles somewhat different from ethnic-majority children, which
may be related to aspects of children’s ethnic identity (Knight, et al., 1993). Latino
working class neighborhoods in the U.S. typically have had a long history of socio-
41
economic struggles, with many households living just above the poverty line. At the
national level, Latino students enrolled in public schools are more likely than other
groups to live in households that are at or below the poverty level- 28% versus 16% (Fry
& Gonzalez, 2008). These communities, historically and presently, experience a shortage
of social resources ranging from community social programs to the absence of quality
educational institutions. For every 100 Latino/a elementary school students enrolled in
the US school system, 48 drop out of high school and 52 graduate. Of those 52 who
graduate high school, 31 enroll in college, but only 10 will graduate (Valle, 2007). Out of
every 100 Latino students who begin their elementary school, only 26 enroll into college
with only eight attaining baccalaureate degrees (Yosso, 2006).
Traditionally, Latino families are characterized by a patriarchal hierarchy, where
the father is the head of the household and is responsible for providing for the safety and
security of the family. The mother’s role is primary caregiver for the children, and her
responsibilities revolve around the offspring. Together, both parents are involved in
making decisions regarding the health and well being of the entire family. Older
generations, such as grandparents, are viewed as the authority and are to be respected and
obeyed (Lopez, 2006).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than half of the children living in
California are of Latino ethnicity (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). The population of Latinos
in the state of California is now at 14.7 million. It is the largest ethnic-minority
population of any state. Los Angeles County has the largest Latino population of any
county, that is, 4.8 million in 2011 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013).
42
As of 2013, the official poverty rate in California was 17%, amounting to over 6.3
million Californians living in a household with incomes below the federal poverty level
($23,550 for a family of four). The U.S. Census “Supplemental Poverty Measure,” which
incorporates the high cost of living in California and the effect of safety net programs
such as food stamps, suggests that the poverty rate in California is much higher, now
23.5% (Bohn & Levin, 2013). The California poverty rate amongst Latinos living in
families with a foreign-born head of household is 26.9%, with poverty rates increasing
for all racial and ethnic groups in California between 2012-2013. Nearly 30% of all low-
income families in California reside in Los Angeles County (1.8 million), which is by far
the largest number in the entire state (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013).
Familismo. Amongst Latinos, the term familismo, first described as core cultural
values in the 1950’s for Latinos, has received a decent amount of attention in the
literature (Calzada, Tamis-LeMonda, & Yoshikawa, 2012; Villarreal, Blozis, & Widaman,
2005). Familismo is theorized as a “strong identification and attachment of Hispanic (and
Latino) persons with their nuclear and extended families” (Smith-Morris, Morales-
Campos, Alvarez, & Turner, 2012, p. 35). Within Latino culture, family plays a central
role and is viewed as a source of pride, identity, and support amongst one another. (Lopez,
2006). Within the Latino culture, it is also not uncommon for members of the extended
family to share a household with members of the nuclear family, as these extended family
members oftentimes are involved in child rearing, economic and financial decisions, and
social activities (Lopez, 2006). Therefore, familismo not only refers to the nuclear family,
but also includes aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and non-blooded individuals such
as godparents; encompassing the priority of the needs of the family, over the needs of the
43
individual (Smith-Morris, et al., 2012). It is these underlying ideals that not only support
the familial relationships amongst its nuclear and extended family members, but leads to
closeness and interconnectedness amongst individuals within the family (Lopez, 2006).
This is important to take into consideration when investigating the musical
identities of ethnic-minority, underrepresented children, as cultural influences play a
large role in the music classroom, and that “music functions in children’s lives as a means
of linking them to their cultural heritage and reflecting their ethnic cultures” (Campbell,
1998a, p. 177).
Summary of chapter
This chapter offered empirical studies and contexts of many factors influencing
musical identities. Beginning with studies based in community music and ensembles,
children and their families are finding these groups to be popular, as many provide access
to orchestral training in areas where music has been cut from in-school programs.
Socioeconomic status has also been a determinant factor in student participation
in music programs, and children from lower SES areas may face challenges that ethnic-
majority peers may not experience. Oftentimes, the children who are left out of music
education due to lack of in-school programs, are those located in underrepresented, low
SES areas; such as large urban cities like Los Angeles, for example.
During the years of middle-childhood, children are actively constructing their
identities, and social, psychological, and activity-based characteristics begin to emerge,
most prevalently during the ages of 6 to 13. As musical identities are developed,
children’s identities in music are also taking shape as they take part in these community
44
youth orchestras. Many themes are worthy of exploration to determine the factors that
influence the development and construction of musical identities, including families and
communities, peers, and ethnicity. Lastly, as all participating students in this study were
from Latino descent, it is important to explore the rise of Latinos in the United States, and
how values of familismo may play a role in the development of musical identities
amongst children. The following chapter describes the methodology and methods of the
current study.
45
Chapter Three: Methodology and Methods
Multiple-Case Study
Qualitative methods are appropriate platforms for exploring socially situated areas
of music performance and experience (Kruse & Hansen, 2014). In order to gain insight
into the perceptions children have through participation in a community youth orchestra,
a case-study methodology was employed for this study by which observations, interviews,
and the analysis of material resources including documents and videos were examined
and reviewed. Originating in the field of psychology, case-study methodology embraces
the potential to acquire possible theories and future understandings of practice, policy,
and perceptions; and act as a catalyst in contributing to social action for children, families,
and communities (McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). The primary advantage for using this
method of qualitative research is that the entire phenomenon can be investigated in depth
with meticulous attention to details provided by each participant, through the careful
study and concentration on identification of the relationships amongst individuals and
entities (Zikmund, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2012).
Case studies are valuable tools for understanding human behaviors and pursuing
inquiries through the documented history of a particular person or group. Utilizing this
methodology allows events occurring in natural contexts (ex. sectionals, rehearsals,
conversations, interviews) to be documented. Comprehensive descriptions and
understandings of participants, program design, context, and community were also
generated, while simultaneously observing how all of these elements shape the course of
events (Cousik, 2011). This methodology, or system of methods used in this area of study,
46
further allowed for a deeper focus on qualitative inquiry, understanding, and process,
more so than the final outcome.
Research Setting
Musical Visions
2
. Established in 2001, Musical Visions is a large nonprofit
organization solely dedicated to music education for children in low-income,
economically disadvantaged communities. With 17 sites nationwide, Musical Visions is
recognized for its effective arts-based youth interventions focusing on the after school
environment, where children are most susceptible and at greatest risk of accident,
criminal activity, or substance abuse problems within their communities. This program
claims to promote social justice through access of student participation free of cost to
families, and quality music education through small and large ensemble rehearsals.
At most Musical Visions sites, the students receive a minimum of five hours of
classes and rehearsals per week, and programming runs year round. The program
provides tuition-free music classes for students, including their instruments, and helps fill
a gap in low-income areas where schools have cut music education programs.
Musical Visions also serves as a youth development and mentoring program,
which targets students with the greatest needs and fewest resources. Many of its students
hail from communities in which family income is below 185% of the federal poverty
level. Musical Visions sites located in Los Angeles are situated in tough inner city
communities serving many children of poverty. School dropout rates are said to be at
50% in neighborhoods where Musical Visions programs have been constructed, and more
2
Name has been changed to protect the identity of the program.
47
than 80% of low-income minorities do not read at grade level. Musical Vision’s mission
aims to promote children’s growth and development and build healthier communities
through music, and to promote peace and understanding.
Jackson Elementary
3
. One of the Musical Visions sites located in Los Angeles
takes place at Jackson Elementary. This site was selected for this study due to the
popularity of this ensemble within the local community, the diversity of student
musicians, and access to students and staff.
All music lessons and rehearsals take place on site at the elementary school.
Approximately 80 children from the Los Angeles area, most of Latino decent in a
majority Spanish-speaking, low income, at-risk community in the heart of Koreatown in
Los Angeles, take part in this program. Music classes and rehearsals occur after-school,
and large orchestra rehearsals take place on Saturday mornings. The students receive
musical training three days a week, averaging a total of six to eight hours of music-
making and learning.
At Jackson Elementary, the students range in age from 7-15 years old and most
reside in underserved communities within central Los Angeles. Many children
participating in this program do not have in-school music education classes, as their
schools either lost their programs due to budget costs, or only offered music instruction in
the primary elementary years.
In previous years, Jackson Elementary housed a successful in-school orchestral
program, but it was forced to shut down due to school budget cuts. In 2009, Musical
Visions established Jackson Elementary as one of its sites, and welcomed its surrounding
3
Name has been changed to protect the identity of the school and its members.
48
community to participate in music lessons. Now, the school once again flourishes with
music from students hailing from all over Los Angeles.
The Jackson Elementary site also offers a wide variety of musical experiences
such as workshops, master classes, and concerts for students and families, and welcomes
parental and community involvement throughout the classes and rehearsals. Established
through a partnership with another Los Angeles community-based music program, this
site, like all Musical Visions sites, provides free musical instruments and instruction to
every child. Students hail from various local schools and take music lessons in violin,
viola, cello, and bass. Children perform in one three orchestras, which are based on age,
ability, audition, and Music Director recommendations: Andromeda Orchestra, a
beginner ensemble, Celestial Orchestra, an intermediate ensemble, and Jackson
Elementary’s most advanced group, Orion Orchestra
4
. Music selection is developed by
the Music Director, and each music teacher determines the curriculum for their classes,
although much collaboration is utilized for consistency purposes.
At Jackson Elementary, eight artists rotate teaching schedules six days a week.
Monday through Fridays consist of various one-hour small sectional classes running
between 4 and 8pm. In addition to having more sectionals on Saturday mornings, each of
the three orchestras holds full ensemble rehearsals on this day between the hours of 9am
and 12pm. The Music Director conducts both the Cassiopeia Orchestra and Andromeda
Orchestra, and one of the teaching artists conducts the Orion Orchestra.
The youngest and newest Musical Visions students, often seven and eight years
old, begin their musical training with one year of Musicianship class prior to acceptance
4
All three orchestra names have been changed to protect anonymity
49
into orchestra. Taught by expert music teachers focusing on general music, vocal
pedagogy, and methods like Orff, students receive basic musicianship training focusing
on rhythm, musicality, ensemble, and music theory. Following the first year of
musicianship, students graduate to string instruments, where they continue their musical
training in one of the three above mentioned orchestras.
Child Participants
5
Participants in this study were six, elementary-aged string students taking part in a
local community youth orchestra program. This extra-curricular, not-for-profit program is
housed at Jackson Elementary in the heart of Koreatown, located in central Los Angeles.
After several trips to visit the orchestra rehearsals as an observer during Phase
One, Dr. Marianne, the Music Director and orchestra conductor, assisted in designating
potential interviewees. Through purposeful sampling, a strategy used in data collection in
which particular persons, settings, or activities are deliberately selected to provide
information, (Creswell, 2011) Dr. Marianne had invited students ages nine and ten to
raise their hands if they would be interested in participating in the current study. One
student previously interviewed during the pilot study showed enthusiasm to speak to me
again. Five other students were selected to take part in the phase two. In total, three males
and three females were selected to participate in the interviews in order to obtain balance
amongst both sexes. Four students played violin and two of them played the cello.
Participants were ultimately selected for this study based on the following criteria:
age, sex, parental permission, longevity in the program, and interest in participation for
5
All child participant names have been changed to protect anonymity
50
this study. Although orchestra members participating in this program ranged in age from
eight years old to those in adolescent years, only those aged 9-10 fit the criteria for this
study. It was my wish to investigate students within this age group in order to learn from
their responses. Of those students, it was required that they have participated in this
orchestral program for at least one year. Consistent attendance was an important
component needed to gain a comprehensive perspective of the program, to fully
understand the experiences each of the participants were going through on a steady basis
while in the program. Consent and assent forms have been signed, following USC’s IRB
(Appendices A-B, F).
There was no bias towards the child participant’s instrument selection. For
anonymity and participant confidentiality purposes, the name of the community youth
orchestra site and all child and adult participants were withheld, and pseudonyms were
used. It was my desire to produce several “detailed accounts of experience rather than
brief answers or general statements” (Reissman, 2008, p. 23). Therefore, this required a
significant amount of time in the field.
Methods: Semi-structured Interviews and Observations
Non-participant observations of children’s orchestra rehearsals and sectionals, and
semi-structured interviews with the six selected participants, were joined with
observations within the local community to provide depth and knowledge of the cultural
landscapes in which the children resided (Creswell, 2011). Non-participant observations
allowed for authentic views and notes regarding the musical learning environment and
surrounding areas in which many children taking part in this program resided. Semi-
51
structured interview questions (Appendix D) were employed to allow new ideas, insights,
and perceptions to be brought up during the interview as a result of what each participant
said. Other documents including field notes, sketches, pictures, videos, and audio clips
were also gathered to aid in data collection, in order to provide a complete picture of
what is happening in these youth orchestras amongst the children. The following will
provide a specific description of data collection procedures.
Site and Participant Selection
The site chosen for this study was determined based on popularity amongst local
community members participating in this music program, and accessibility to the teachers,
staff, and children. Prior to site selection, the researcher was aware of the general mission
and philosophy of the program, and has formed friendships with several of the adult
teachers and staff who work within the site.
Student participants were selected through purposeful sampling with the help of
the site’s Music Director. Several criteria were used to select which children to interview,
and the Music Director assisted in explaining the purpose for the visits and interviews
amongst her orchestra members. Children were invited to raise their hand if interested in
participating in the study.
Data Collection
Data collection for this study was completed in three phases over a time period of
two months (Table 1). The three-part design listed below allowed for the following
research and guiding questions to be explored and answered:
52
1. How does participation in a community youth orchestra shape the musical identities of
children from underrepresented social groups?
a. How do children from underrepresented social groups experience
community youth orchestras?
b. In what ways (if any) do issues regarding group and personal identities
emerge in the discourses of children from underrepresented social groups, as they
review their experiences within community youth orchestras?
c. How do children from underrepresented social groups perceive their
family and community, as members of a community youth orchestra?
Table 1: Three Phases of Data Collection
Phase One Non-Participatory Observation; collection of documents and artifacts
from adults and children; informal “Getting to Know Me” conversations
with children
Phase Two One-on-One Interviews with child participants; continued collection of
documents and artifacts from adults and children; continued non-
participatory observations.
Phase Three Continued non-participatory observation and collection of documents and
artifacts from adults and children; triangulation interviews with Music
Director, Program Manager, and teaching staff
Non-participatory observations provided an insight into how children experienced
orchestra rehearsals, practicing and goal setting, friendships and peer relationships, and
self and group perceptions. One-on-one interviews allowed for an in-depth account of
children’s perceptions and insights into personal experiences within the community youth
orchestra, family, and friends. The third phase of data collection, consisting of adult
53
interviews for the purposes of triangulation, provided a way to check for accuracy
amongst study findings. The above design of data collection was utilized in order to
allow the opportunity to slowly enter the selected site and ease into the study
investigation. Although non-participatory observation took place throughout all three
phases of data collection, it was determined that by utilizing three separate phases, as
opposed to collecting all data at once, allowed for a more succinct exploration of the
research questions in this study.
Phase One. Phase One consisted of non-participatory observations and informal
data collection of documents and artifacts (Creswell, 2011). The site used for this study
was named Jackson Elementary
6
, located in Los Angeles. During phase one, field notes,
sketched ideas, practice schedules, program calendars, sheet music, e-mail
correspondences with adult faculty and staff, pictures, audio and video recordings, and
flyers were collected while visiting Jackson Elementary, providing a rich understanding
of program timelines, community engagement, and musical activities in which the
students participated. Observations took place during full orchestra rehearsals led by the
Music Director. These sources of data were used during analysis to assist in recalling
descriptive characteristics of each child participant. Though I had prior visits to Jackson
during a small-scale pilot study and substitute teaching, there was little familiarity
between the child participants and I, which assisted in allowing objectivity to take place
during data collection.
During the latter part of phase one, informal conversations with many students
took place as children were taking a short break or transitioning between arrival,
6
All names of programs, sites, children, and adult participants have been changed for
anonymity purposes
54
rehearsals, sectionals, and departure. This time was used as a “Getting to Know Me”
segment, where I helped students set up chairs and racks or quickly assisted students with
note-reading in between transitions. It provided opportunities for the researcher to make a
brief connection with children, prior to the interviews. Establishing a trusting rapport
with each participant was vital to the interview process with children (Hockenberry-
Eatong & Minick, 1994; Spratling, Cannell, & Minick, 2012).
It was my aim that through informal dialogue with the children, general insights
towards participation may have emerged, assisting myself with the content of guiding
questions to be asked to children later in the process of data collection. By establishing
initial questions to assist in building rapport with the children, researchers provide
children with opportunities talk about things that are important to them; not what is
important to the researcher (Spratling, Minick, & Carmon, 2009).
Phase Two. Phase Two consisted of one-on-one interviews with six children over
the course of two months. The number of participants used for this study was determined
based on factors including age, sex, and musical ability. Participants were split evenly
between males and females, and data collection continued until all questions were
answered until the point of saturation had been reached (Creswell, 2011, 2013b).
Participants were ages nine (3) and ten (3). This age group was chosen for several reasons.
Currently, there seems to be a lack of research focusing on children in middle-childhood
in regards to qualitative music education studies. This age group also typically has an
easier time speaking in depth about topics than a child of younger age. It is also common,
though not the rule, for young musicians to begin musical training on instruments around
55
the age of nine. The continuation of non-participant observations took place in between
interview sessions and before and after rehearsals.
It was my original desire to interview each child for 15 minutes, though at the
completion of each session, each of the six interviews lasted between 25 and 45 minutes
in length. Close-ended questions were first employed at the beginning of each interview
to understand facts and characteristics of the children, including age, household members,
educational background, and details pertaining to places of birth. Following, semi-
structured, nondirective questions were asked (Appendix D) (Cannell, Miller, &
Oksenberg, 1981) to each participant based on areas in musical identity, family and
ethnicity, community, and musical learning. Each participant shared personal perceptions,
experiences, and musical perspectives in the context of family and community throughout
each interview. Interview questions for each child participant were drawn from five
areas: family life, orchestra participation, musical identity and cultural diversity,
transference of musical skills and perspectives to family and community, and social
aspects of rehearsals. Respondents were not provided with any cues or body language
during the interview, in order to keep the data as true as possible and not indirectly result
in any “correct” answers that the participants may have felt they needed to express. My
opinions on interview questions or their answers were also not articulated to the
respondents. Oftentimes, the child participant was encouraged to take the lead during the
interview, as it aided in building a comfortable rapport with each student and typically
produced enriched data (Spratling, Minick, & Carmon, 2009).
All interviews took place during orchestra rehearsals in a quiet hallway of Jackson
Elementary, located on the ground floor near the multipurpose room where the rehearsal
56
was taking place. The location was considered to be a place of comfort for the
participants, and considerations aiding in the decrease of anxiety and successful
facilitating of the interview were thoroughly explored and utilized (Spratling, Coke, &
Minick, 2012).
Audio data from the child interviews were recorded via two sources: Apple
iPhone 5.0 internal recording equipment, and the program Audacity that recorded audio
files to a MacBook Air computer. Photographs and video recordings were also taken with
an Apple iPhone 5.0 device. Children’s interactions with peers, teachers and mentors,
musical activities, degree of attentiveness, social skills, body language towards the music
and teachers, and rehearsals and performances were carefully recorded.
After all sound files were created via iPhone internal recording equipment; audio
files were transferred from the phone to a personal computer. Recorded interviews were
then transcribed by using Microsoft Word, while carefully listening to each audio
interview through one of two computer programs: Apple iTunes and/or Audacity.
Audacity was mainly used for instances where interview sections required slower
playback for accuracy, such as when a child participant began talking too quickly,
providing difficulty in transcribing the conversation. All audio files and written
transcriptions were also stored on Dropbox, to ensure a protected back up of data. All
field notes, documents, artifacts, and transcribed interviews will be deleted after five-
years from the published date of this work.
Phase Three. Phase Three included interviews with three Jackson Elementary
adult staff members, and continued non-participatory observation during classroom set-
up, tear down, and full orchestra rehearsals. Semi-structured interviews with the Music
57
Director, Program Manager, and teaching staff were conducted before and after orchestra
rehearsals, correspondences via email, and phone conversations (Appendix E). Each
interview lasted between 10-15 minutes. The provided open-ended questions were asked
in order to gain an understanding of adult views and perceptions of the children’s musical
learning and experiences, as the adult staff members were with the children several hours
per week.
All three phases of data collection served as an ongoing collection of documents
and artifacts from both adults and children in order to enhance a more thorough
description of the study site, participants, and experiences taking place in this community
music program. In order for the abundant amount of evidence to be obtained and
assembled from different individuals and data sources, all interviews, observational field
notes, personal reflections and resource materials were reviewed and systematically
categorized for triangulation (Creswell, 2013).
Each child participant was provided with a small gift bag as a token of gratitude
for the child’s time and effort put forth during the interviews. Bags included musical
pencils, stickers, erasers, and a five-dollar gift card to a local ice cream shop at the
completion of data collection. Adult participants were provided with a card and five-
dollar gift card to a local coffee shop.
Pilot Study
My experience in the context of this community music site was minimal at the
inception of this research. One year prior to the current study’s data collection, a small-
scale pilot study was conducted (Ilari & D’Alexander, 2014), partly to determine the
58
suitability of a larger-scale study. Observations of full orchestra rehearsals semi-
structured interviews with four students took place during the orchestra’s summer session
in two occasions. Based on this pilot study, some changes were made to the wording of a
number of questions to enhance clarity, and additional questions were included to provide
a more informative response. The pilot study also increased my familiarity with the
research site and the children, and the procedure of conducting semi-structured interviews
with those of middle-childhood age.
In addition to the pilot study, I also served as a substitute cello teacher on a
Saturday, totaling two hours of musical assistance; one hour assisting the cellos during
full orchestra rehearsal, and one hour leading a sectional consisting of ten cellists ages 8
to 14. Although my teaching time was brief, it allowed me to observe classroom settings
and structures, experience a range of personalities amongst the children, and obtain a
general idea about the musical learning environment in which the cello students thrived.
Data Analysis Procedures
The beginning stages of analysis included sorting transcribed sections of each
interview into three overarching categories: ethnicity and culture, community and
surroundings, and musical learning. Data were coded by themes relating to the guiding
questions and three categories stated above. More specific sections within each of the
three categories emerged, and codes relating to the age, gender, languages, family
influence, music in social settings, importance of participation, and cultural and
community events developed throughout the coding process.
59
Interview data consisted of analyzing and coding all transcribed interviews, image
data through photographs, documents, and resources, while observing emergent and
recurring themes (Creswell, 2011). In the early stages of data analysis, codes were
applied after reading interview transcriptions numerous times and identifying emerging
themes. For example, the participating children each spoke at length about performing
music in the local community. Sections in these interviews included the code
“Community.” In sections where the children discussed future musical goals, the code
“Musical Learning” was added.
In the initial analysis stages, emergent themes were assigned a color, and
respective sections of themes in the transcription texts were highlighted with markers.
Throughout the analysis, as subthemes and more specific codes were introduced,
different sets of color-coding took place. It was determined this method of coding via
colors proved to be highly successful, organizing all data into themes, subthemes, and
codes based on all information gathered prior.
Creswell’s (2011) representation of a spiral image, or a data analysis spiral (see
Figure 1), was used to analyze data. This included the process of moving in a spiral
formation instead of a linear approach; entering the spiral with data of text or images
collected, and exiting the spiral with an account or narrative of the study. In between
these spiraling ends, other important facets of the data analysis other important facets of
the study emerged.
Data were organized in the first loop of the spiral. This included the organization
of collected files, text, documents and pictures. Following this organization, transcripts
were read several times to begin immersion into the children’s lives and stories. Note
60
taking in the margins of the collected documents assisted in the exploration of interview
and observation data. Notes and memos included key concepts and themes noticed in data
collection, short phrases, and ideas based on what has been observed.
Next, a period of “describing, classifying, and interpreting the data” (p. 184) took
place, forming codes, or categories, which will represent the core of this qualitative case-
study. The process of coding involved breaking down written and visual data into smaller
categories of information. All codes were condensed as salient themes or patterns in the
data were identified. A point of view was created for the reader when interpreting the
data, painting a detailed picture of this community youth orchestra environment and its
participants. Data has been represented and visualized through vignettes, quotations,
pictures, figures, tables, and a discussion. Triangulation was employed through
observations, interviews, and conversations with Musical Visions staff and faculty
working at the Jackson Elementary site.
Figure 1: The Data Analysis Spiral
(Creswell, 2011, p. 183).
61
Triangulation of Data
The Jackson Elementary community as a whole is responsible for creating a
communal, safe, musical environment for the children. It is the continued dedication and
passion for teaching that are taken by numerous individuals, which provide the backbone
to the success of this community-based youth orchestra program. Three program
representatives, Jackson Elementary’s Music Director, Program Manager, and faculty
member, spoke about the program and site in order to verify and triangulate the study
data. At the completion of interviews with the six child participants, a series of open-
ended, semi-structured questions were asked to each of the three adult staff members
(Appendix E). Triangulation took place by reading or listening to each adult interview
several times over the course of several days, in order to gain a sense of how the adult
staff members each viewed the children’s experiences while participating in the ensemble.
For example, each adult was asked to describe what he or she has observed about the
children’s musical and social experiences through participation. A brief description of the
three adult staff members is below in Table 2.
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Table 2: Descriptive Information for Adult Participants
Name Position Years Involved at
Jackson Elementary site
Summary of Duties
Dr. Marianne
Jackson Elementary
Music Director
Five
Oversees program,
group lessons,
orchestra conductor
Ms. Josephine
Jackson Elementary
Program Manager
Five
Recruitment,
supervisor,
infrastructure,
parent and
community liaison
Dr. Neil
Cello Teacher and
co-director
Cassiopeia Orchestra
Five
Group and private
cello lessons, and
orchestra conductor
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
This study went through a rigorous institutional review (IRB) in order to be sure
rights and welfare of people involved in this research were protected. Surveys,
questionnaires and written summaries of the scope and details of this study were
completed prior to participant data collection. This included summaries and explanations
of semi-structured interview protocols used, and descriptions regarding any risks or
benefits participants may acquire through participation in this study. IRB approval
(Appendix F) was granted in May 2014.
Summary of Chapter
This chapter provided detailed accounts of musical experiences shared within
Jackson Elementary, family life, and local communities to which the children belong. A
qualitative multiple-case study methodology was utilized for this study in order to gain an
understanding of the perceptions children have through participation in a community-
63
based youth orchestra. Data collection was completed in three phases, which allowed
myself the opportunity to organically explore and collect an abundance of information,
insights, testimonials, and stories from the children of Jackson Elementary. To gain a rich
knowledge and understanding of the perspectives of the students, semi-structured
interviews were conducted along with observations and acquiring of related documents
within the field, followed by transcribing and coding data. The child participants, each of
Latino ethnicity, provided detailed self-perceptions into their musical lives and
experiences in a community youth orchestra, which provided an understanding of the
construction of these students’ musical identities. Triangulation was facilitated through
one-on-one conversations amongst three adult staff representatives, which allowed for
verification of general ideas and perceptions the child participants expressed throughout
this study.
64
Chapter Four: Findings
The following chapter provides an illustrative personal account of a day at
Jackson Elementary, followed by descriptive information and vignettes for each of the six
child participants, in order to provide a sense of presence for the reader. Through the
exploration of how participation in a community youth orchestra shapes the musical
identities of children from underrepresented social groups by way of the three phases of
data collection (Table 1), a number of themes and subthemes emerged, which are detailed
below (Figure 2). These findings were generated through an extensive interview and
coding process amongst the six child participants, as discussed in the previous chapter.
Furthermore, the initial research and guiding questions provided the foundation needed in
order to allow themes and subthemes to emerge.
Study findings addressed the research and guiding questions. Children spoke
about experiences in community youth orchestras, the emergence of group and personal
identities as they reviewed their experiences within the ensemble, and how they
perceived family and community, as members of a community youth orchestra.
A Day at Jackson Elementary
My first observation took place on a Saturday morning in July, 2014. I arrived as
Cassiopeia Orchestra was wrapping up rehearsal for the day in Jackson Elementary’s
multipurpose room. The rehearsal space was large, equipped with a stage at one end of
the room, and large windows allowing an abundance of sunshine to penetrate the room.
This space functioned as Jackson Elementary’s auditorium during the school day, then as
the main rehearsal space for all three orchestras.
65
A gentle breeze was felt through the open windows while I meandered throughout
the room, much to the student’s enjoyment. Children laughed with their stand partners as
music flew off of their music stands due to the breezy weather, and I watched as they
exchanged sympathetic smiles over the light-hearted frustration of losing their place in
the music during rehearsals as they recovered the sheet music from the floor.
Chairs were set out around the perimeter of the rehearsal space, welcoming family
members to sit and observe rehearsals. I sat while exchanging pleasantries with strangers
who awaited the completion of rehearsal. Mothers tended to babies as they rocked them
back in forth in their strollers filled with blankets. I exchanged smiles with a father who
sat in the corner of the multipurpose room while concentrated on his cell phone screen,
occasionally looking up at his son in the cello section. Three small children were playing
in another corner near folding tables strewn with extra sheet music for kids, as they
waited for their older sibling to finish their rehearsal. As Cassiopeia Orchestra neared the
completion of their rehearsal, I sat behind four girls in the viola section, possibly around
the age of 11 and 12. I caught myself smiling while the girls prematurely chatted and
packed up while the conductor was still finishing the ending announcements. As they
impulsively began packing up their belongings before the official end of rehearsal, I was
reminded of my own experiences performing in youth orchestras, and remembered doing
the same thing around their age. Finally, the rehearsal ended, and the musicians quickly
gathered their belongings and ran off to their families to start the weekend.
There was a transition period between Cassiopeia Orchestra’s completed rehearsal,
and the beginning of Jackson Elementary’s youngest beginners ensemble, Andromeda
Orchestra. The young musicians, mostly around the ages 8-11, set up the new rehearsal
66
formation. Beige folding chairs were carefully placed in their designated spots, and the
children continued to hold conversations with their friends as they set up their personal
metal folding stands. Parents and siblings assisted with this process, often exchanging
smiles with curious students most likely wondering who I was and what I was doing at
their rehearsal. A sense of community was immediately observed throughout my entire
visit. Incoming music teachers and mentors that I have not been acquainted with yet,
greeted me with incredible hospitality, and I instantaneously felt like part of the Jackson
Elementary family.
I felt such a great sense of comfort and contentment, and eagerly found a place in
the rehearsal area to continue to observe the hustle and bustle of Andromeda Orchestra’s
set up time. Children dutifully continued to enter the rehearsal area with instrument cases
in tow, and I watched as they excitedly waved to friends they haven’t seen for two days,
and talked to the Music Director, Program Manager, and teachers with smiles on their
faces. The director and teachers often laughed with the students, and it was refreshing to
observe teacher-student relationships where true bonds have formed between the two
groups over the years.
During rehearsals, the staff, or teaching artists, mindfully wandered in and out of
the various string sections offering assistance to their young students. They quietly
assisted the students with questions on note reading and provide silent reminders about
posture and technique. A cello teacher weaved throughout the low strings section as he
continuously fixed left hand positions and bow arms, all while the conductor continues to
lead rehearsal. “C for cello!” he whispered to a small child, as he corrected the boy’s
finger placement on the neck of the instrument.
67
I immediately took note of how comfortable the students were with the adults
who wandered throughout the sections in such close proximity. Children seemed to enjoy
the extra help from their teachers as they provided assistance throughout the rehearsals.
Four teachers moved across the room, almost like a choreographed dance between all of
them, during this particular full orchestra rehearsal.
Jackson Elementary’s Program Manager, Ms. Josephine
7
, sat at a makeshift office
area at the front of the stage. Her work area on this Saturday morning consisted of three
school desks placed side-by-side, and I observed as she answered questions from Pre
Nova parents and students. Her tiny “office” area was strewn with extra copies of the
children’s orchestra music, handouts to later be passed out the families, and the usual
paperwork and documents one would expect to see on any music personnel’s office desk.
On a particular Saturday of observation and data collection in July 2014, the full
orchestra rehearsal ended with the Andromeda Orchestra, and it was now time for a much
anticipated 20-minute snack time and break. Judging by the children’s facial expressions
it is apparent that the students enjoyed this time very much. As the Music Director
announced break time, the children rapidly, yet cautiously, packed up their instruments
and ran towards the outside playground area. I immediately smiled as I recalled the
feeling of break time as a young musician. The children gravitated to their social circles
and sat at the outdoor picnic tables, also used during the school day for Jackson
Elementary’s K-6
th
graders. The eating area is covered with an open metal roof to block
out the blazing Los Angeles sun. Today’s snack consisted of juice boxes, pieces of fruit,
and bite-sized cookies. Many of the children quickly ate their snack to ensure maximum
7
Name has been changed to protect anonymity
68
time running around on the playground with their friends, while others ate slowly and
chatted away with their friends at the shaded picnic tables.
At the end of snack time, and the teachers and students fled the area and dispersed
into a number of rooms on Jackson Elementary’s campus with their instruments and
music stands in tow. It was now time for sectionals. Small group classes took place in
multiple rooms including the library, outdoor trailer classrooms, the multipurpose room,
and at times, the hallway.
On this certain day, I observed ten cello students practicing in the multipurpose
room with their teacher, Dr. Neil
8
. While walking down the hallway, my ears were filled
with the sounds of different instruments practicing scales, bow activities for technique
purposes, and familiar tunes from an arranged version of John Williams’ score to “Harry
Potter,” a favorite selection judging by the student’s facial expressions.
These initial words describe one of my many days at Jackson Elementary. The six
children and three adult staff members interviewed for this study demonstrated in a
variety of ways the musical meanings and values they hold in various musical settings
within their family homes, community, and though experiences at Jackson Elementary.
Table 3 provides a summary of participant information. A thorough description of
each child is offered ahead.
8
Name has been changed to protect anonymity
69
Table 3: Descriptive Information for Child Participants
Participant Instrument Age Grade
Date of
interview
Years of
experience
Born
Parents
Born
Other family
members (not
interviewed)
Family Musical
Background
In-School
music
classes?
Music
Preference:
School or
Musical Visions
Martha Violin 10 6 July 7, 2014 2
Chinatown,
Los Angeles
Guerrero,
Mexico
Mother, father, 4
older brothers
Parents have no previous
background.
Participates
in school
orchestra
Musical
Visions. More
diversity in ages
of peers
Oliver Cello 10 5 July 7, 2014 2 Los Angeles Guatemala
Mother, father, 3
older brothers,
2 older sisters
Parents have no previous
background. Two older
brothers previously enrolled
in Musical Visions
None.
Previous 4t
grade teacher
learned guitar
and
performed for
students
Musical
Visions. No
school music
Ruby Violin 9 5 July 8, 2014 1 Los Angeles Mexico
Mother, father, 2
older sisters
Parents have no previous
background. Both sisters
enrolled in Musical Visions
General
music
through non-
profit music
outreach
program
No answer
Greg Cello 9 4
October 4,
2014
1 Los Angeles Mexico
Mother, father,
older brother,
younger sister
Parents have no previous
background.
General
music
through non-
profit music
outreach
program
Musical
Visions. Desire
to make new
friends, play
new songs and
attend concerts
George Violin 10 6
October 4,
2014
2 Los Angeles Guatemala
Mother, father,
grandmother,
younger brother
Parents have no previous
background.
Participates
in school
band
(Saxophone)
Equal
enjoyment
Agnes Violin 9 5 July 8, 2014 2 Los Angeles El Salvador
Mother, father,
older brother,
older sister
Parents have no previous
background. Older sister
enrolled in Musical Visions
Keyboard
classes
Musical
Visions. Enjoys
sound of violin
more than
keyboard
70
Child Participant Descriptions
Martha. Martha welcomed me with a warm and excited smile upon our meeting
in the multipurpose room. She was a bubbly 10-year old violin student, eager to share her
excitement about entering the sixth grade when her school year resumed in a few weeks.
Martha was not at all shy to walk down the hallway with me, and always made eye
contact when I asked her informal questions about how her summer was going while we
walked to our designated interview spot.
Her dark brown hair was toppled in a messy ponytail on top of her head, and she
wore shorts and a tank top; a much needed wardrobe on the particularly hot and sunny
July. We sat in a staircase corridor connecting the first and second floors of Jackson, and
I knew from our initial greeting that she had an exorbitant amount of energy. Down the
hall from our makeshift interview space was the multipurpose room. Throughout our
conversation, many parents curiously strolled past us as they walked back and forth
between the multipurpose room and exit doors on the opposite side of the building.
A small breeze permeated the hallway, though not enough to completely cool
either of us down. The district cleaning crews were getting classrooms ready for the
upcoming school year, and we had several occasions of noisy power drills running during
the interview, in which we exchanged sympathetic smiles towards one another. While
talking to Martha, the rest of her violin class was simultaneously taking part in a small
sectional, and were set up in a semi-circle formation down hall from our interview
location. Throughout our chat, and we had the pleasure of being accompanied by
“Hedwig’s Theme” from the “Harry Potter” medley, a piece her peers were diligently
practicing with the Music Director.
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Throughout our 35-minute interview, I was caught off-guard with the maturity
and delivery of her thoughts and statements. Her vocabulary and use of descriptive words
far exceeded that of a typical sixth grader. She was a very bright child, and I gathered that
she exceled at school with her academics and music. While observing her during my time
at Jackson Elementary, I noticed that she had many friends in the orchestra, and spoke
with all of the children in her violin section.
Martha had played the violin for the past two years in the Andromeda Orchestra,
and enjoyed the instrument very much. Her elementary school also had an orchestral
program, which she had been a section member for the same amount of time. The
principal of her elementary school announced that a local community music program was
starting in the area, and she ran home to tell her mother to sign her up. She thoughtfully
talked the importance of opportunity while performing in this program:
I was always interested in music. I think it’s important to be here because some
people…those people, that can’t do certain stuff; they don’t get to do it because
they might not have money. Yet us kids, we can sign up for it and some kids don’t
want to; but we do. So it’s good to sign up for it.
Martha was born in the Chinatown area in Los Angeles, and currently attended an
elementary school not far from Jackson Elementary. Her mother and father were both
born in the city of Guerrero, Mexico. I was surprised that she could recall the name of the
city, as most of the other child participants could not recall the local towns in which their
parents were born.
I asked Martha to describe her parents for me. “My mom cooks, fixes beds, and
my dad cooks, cleans, and tells us kids to let my mom rest. He takes care of us and my
72
mom,” she articulated. Her parents worked in an area close to Jackson as clothing-makers.
Martha’s father completed his GED and her mother is currently working towards hers.
“She is in high school,” Martha said.
Martha has four older brothers ages 13, 20, 24, and 25, and described them as her
“four annoying brothers.” Her two youngest brothers were also born in Chinatown, and
she did not know where her older siblings were born.
Martha had extended family still living in Mexico, including a number of cousins
and “tias.” Her grandmother, now deceased, sent Martha’s mother to the United States
when she was only 14 years old “so she could get a job and have a better life.” Her
grandmother stayed in Mexico until her death.
Martha and her family currently live in an area not far from Jackson Elementary.
Her parents drive her to classes and rehearsals. She recalled that her neighborhood
surroundings are not always safe, and told me that she gets upset “when bad things
happen.” I asked her to elaborate, and she recalled her fright when helicopters fly above
her house and someone is around her neighborhood “that shouldn’t be.” She continued to
recall experiences for me:
It is not much of a safe environment at home…lockdowns, blackouts…like when
the lights go out and some people take advantage. And killings...like when I was
by myself with three of my brothers, and we were just going out to order pizza.
The police stopped us to ask to check our car. We asked why, and we found out
that there was a shooting near our house. They wanted to see if there was a victim
in the car…and we were just coming from our house! I was like ‘Oh my God, we
were just going to get a pizza from Dominos.’ I was eight at the time.
73
Martha was visibly getting angry as she recounted this experience. As her story
progressed, she spoke more rapidly with annoyance. She was undeniably affected by this
encounter two years prior to our meeting.
Oliver. Oliver was a chatty 10-year old cello player entering the fifth grade. He
has been playing the cello for one and a half years. Two of his older brothers currently
take part in the same music program, and Oliver noted that they were the reason why he
joined. He said:
I saw my brothers play in music class, and I was interested in cello. When I saw
my brother Joe performing in a concert, I really liked the music. When I listened
to it, I thought that I heard and understood what it was talking about. I thought if I
could play music like that, I could understand what it is about.
I met Oliver during a pilot study interview the year prior. On the day of the
interview for the current study, he was wearing a white t-shirt with stains all over the
front from playing outside during his snack break at orchestra rehearsal. His hair was a
medium brown color, and he had a dark tan from all of the outdoor activities he and his
friends have been doing while on summer vacation.
His storytelling could be perceived as very innocent in delivery with a large
degree of confidence in his voice. Oliver frequently mentioned his enjoyment for helping
other students, and expressed his desire for his peers to perceive him as a leader through
his actions of assisting other students in class. He painted a picture of his home life as
loving and supportive, but chaotic at times. Many family members lived in small quarters
with him. His immediate family included his mother, father, three brothers, and two
sisters. Oliver’s oldest sister did not live with them in their house anymore, and he
74
mentioned, “Our house does not have that much room.” He admitted that it was difficult
for him to practice his cello at home, especially when his younger twin niece and nephew
were present. “They are always running around the house and into rooms that I’m
practicing in! Sometimes the kids are playing hide and seek, or fighting, and I have to go
tell my mom,” he said.
Oliver described himself as fun, helpful, suggestive, kind, and friendly; and
believed he to be a good, active, and fast learner. Throughout our time together, he often
recalled an unforgettable experience that he had while conducting the Andromeda
Orchestra during a past rehearsal. Throughout our interview, he often spoke about
“having a better future.” I quickly observed that he had such a sweet disposition about
him, and not only did he hope to find means to have a better future for himself, but also
for his family.
Oliver was born in Los Angeles, and currently lived in the city of Pacoima, an
area quite far from Jackson Elementary. His parents were born in Guatemala. Oliver’s
father grew up on a farm and his mother raised in Guatemala City. Much of his extended
family currently resided in Guatemala, including an older cousin that Oliver expressed he
deeply missed being able to see. He conveyed so much love for his family and relatives,
and expressed his fright and concern for his relatives in Guatemala due to crime and
natural disasters, referencing the Guatemalan earthquake in 2012, which left 48 dead.
Oliver was very excited to be traveling to Guatemala for the first time this coming
winter season. His mother told he and his brothers that it is expensive to travel there to
visit, and I gathered that Oliver understood the importance of saving and money. He said:
75
My mom told us she would put a dollar in a cup every day until Christmas, and
every day we can ask if we can put more money in there so we can have a better
future with all that money and also go and visit our family.
The young musician expressed his gratitude for acceptance into the program, and
believed that is a special opportunity for him to be in orchestra. “Some kids don’t have
the same opportunity as us. They don’t have music schools like us. Like in Africa, they
don’t have schools like we do, so they don’t have the advantage of doing this,” he
reflected.
In three years time, Oliver sees himself as a section member in the top orchestra at
Musical Visions, and through his musical learning experiences in this program, hopes he
can try hard and finish all of his goals. “If I don’t finish my goals, I will just keep trying,”
he affirmed.
Ruby. Ruby was a nine-year old violin student who has been playing for just over
one year. She was entering the fifth grade, and had a wide smile throughout our interview.
She was wearing flip-flops on her feet, and commented that they were very loud as she
walked with me through the hallway to our interview location. “My shoes actually sound
like they are saying ‘flip, flop, flip, flop!’” she enthusiastically exclaimed. Ruby was
missing an upper tooth, one of the last baby teeth, as she proudly mentioned. The
conversation flowed with ease between us, and there never was there a single moment of
pause between our dialogues. She was very personable and not shy upon our meeting,
and freely shared experiences about her life and hardships she has encountered as a child.
76
Ruby lived in the Pio Pico neighborhood of Los Angeles, not far from the
University of Southern California. She felt that her neighborhood was safe, although
geographically, it was located in a low-income, high crime-rate area.
We go the library a lot. It is about four blocks away from where I live. We go to
the 99 Cent store, and we walk to school because it’s two blocks away. We can
walk to our friend’s houses, too. We are close to tacos and the YMCA. We are
close to many things like my aunt’s house. My mom likes that place and doesn’t
want to get out of it because we are close to so many things, like my cousins and
ice cream.
I gathered that she had many friends at her school, located in Koreatown, and
was quite popular with her peers. She told me that almost everyone in her grade was her
friend:
When I sit down somewhere, everyone comes and sits by me…I don’t know why.
Even though I don’t bring chips or anything, they still come and sit with me. But
when I bring chips and they finish them I don’t care; I just say, ‘OK whatever, I
don’t care if they finish them.’
Ruby was born in Los Angeles, and her parents and two sisters were born in
Mexico. Both of her older sisters also participated in Musical Visions. Her 12-year old
sister played violin in the top orchestra, Orion Orchestra, and her 10-year old sister
played violin in the Andromeda Orchestra. She told me that her parents forced Ruby’s
older sister to join and play the violin, and that she originally did not want to be in
orchestra. Ruby recalled when she first began music classes, and loved how both the
violin and cello sounded. “I knew it would be fun but also a lot of hard work, because
77
you have to memorize things like notes,” she said. She continued to recall her reasons for
participation:
I wanted to join the orchestra because it looked fun. It looked nice how they
played…soft. It is interesting because when you play music, you learn new things
and it is beautiful. And when you grow up you can play music, and people can
give you money.
Originally, Ruby wanted to play the viola, but the orchestra did not have any
instruments to fit her small hands. She is planning on switching to the viola eventually,
although there is no date set for when this will take place. “I want to play the viola so that
me and my sisters can all play different instruments and different parts of songs,” she said
while telling me about the current piece from “Harry Potter” that the students were
practicing.
Ruby was unable to recall what her father did for work, but was able to describe
that he worked “in a big house…like the White House.” Her mother decorated cakes in a
local bakery, or a “cake store,” as she referred to it. Ruby and her siblings often stayed
home to do the housework and chores such as making beds, picking up shoes, mopping
and vacuuming. She said they clean most of the house. The sisters also enjoyed cooking
for their parents at times. Her parents have instilled responsibility through housework
with the siblings from an early age. Ruby’s mother and father were hard working
individuals who did whatever they could to provide for the family. I also got a sense that
the three girls were home by themselves a lot, while both parents were working. “My
mom warns us never to open the door for people,” she said.
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Ruby’s family immigrated to the United States while her mother was pregnant
with her. She was delivered prematurely and her family was very concerned about her
survival. Her relatives still live in Mexico, including two male cousins the same age as
Ruby. Her father also has a sister who has two young children, Ruby’s cousins. She has
never met her cousins, but said her family uses Skype to “visit” with them often. Both
families also send family pictures back and forth, and Ruby said she wished that she
could go Mexico to see her family, a place she has never visited. She expressed her
sadness for her relatives that live far away. “I get sad a lot, because my mom told me that
in Mexico, there are lots of poor kids.”
When Ruby is not at school or doing chores, she enjoys watching television at
home. Her favorite show is called Candy Candy. She described it as a manga anime show
about a little girl named Candy, who fixes every problem she is faced with. Ruby said,
“Candy was born into a poor place and was adopted.” The cartoon, originating in Japan,
has been subtitled to English and has become popular with Ruby’s group of friends.
Greg. A nine-year old cellist, Greg has been playing his instrument for just over
one year. As I observed him during his orchestra rehearsals, I quickly noticed his vibrato,
and was surprised at how natural and fluid he was able to execute his movement after
only playing cello for such a short amount of time. He was grateful at my comment
regarding his beautiful hand position, and told me that he had been working hard on his
left hand technique. I immediately saw his determination for excellence early on in our
conversation.
Greg was a bit shy and reserved, not only during our interview, but also while
socializing with his peers in rehearsals. He was born in Los Angeles along with his four-
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year old sister. His parents and 18-year-old brother were born in Mexico, and immigrated
to the United States before Greg was born. His family resided in an area of Los Angeles
called Manhattan Place, near Jackson Elementary and his parents drove him to rehearsals
each day.
His family wanted Greg to join so he would have the opportunity to pursue
instrumental music lessons at the completion of his recorder classes at his local
elementary school. He told me that his family made note of his musical progress and
personal desire to be challenged with music, and enrolled him in the program. Greg’s
request to join stemmed from his enjoyment of attending concerts and playing music
when it was offered at school. Greg seemed to enjoy the idea of teamwork within the
Andromeda Orchestra. “I feel like our orchestra is a big team, because we all play
together at a concert to make it sound better as a group,” he said. “Playing the cello
makes me really happy.”
George. A violinist in Cassiopeia Orchestra, the intermediate-level ensemble, he
was currently in his second year of playing. This 10-year-old 6
th
grader, recently moved
up to his new orchestra after practicing and performing with the Andromeda Orchestra,
and was very excited he had been placed in the new ensemble. George was
simultaneously learning how to play the saxophone through lessons at his local
elementary school, and had been playing for two weeks. “I love both instruments equally,
although the sax has to do transpositions, and the violin does not,” he said.
George was born in Los Angeles, and his family currently lived in Koreatown,
10-minutes away from Jackson Elementary. At home, George lives with his mother,
father, grandmother, and six-year old brother. They also have a four-year-old dog that
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George loves. His parents were born in Guatemala. George’s father immigrated to the
United States in the 1970s. His mother followed in mid 1980’s, almost an entire decade
later. He had many relatives currently living abroad. “Do you want me to name my
relatives that live in Guatemala? I can do it, but the only thing is their names are all in
Spanish,” he proudly stated. George rattled off a handful of names as he pointed to his
fingers on his small hands, names of mostly cousins close to his age. He had a look of
surprise on his face when he saw that I was interested in what he was saying. He
continued to speak to many of his cousins living in Guatemala over the phone, and told
me that he visited them when he was six-years-old and would like to go back to see them
soon.
George described himself as “a nice kid,” who is helpful to people and enjoyed
playing the violin. “The sound of the violin makes me feel happy all of the time”, he said.
He mentioned joining the program out of curiosity, and because he had friends from his
neighborhood that also participated in orchestra, which is important to him. He recalled
why he decided to join Musical Visions:
I would always see commercials about music and stuff on TV, and I heard the
violin and liked it. Then we found out about this orchestra and I joined it and
started to play violin. My entire family wanted me to join. We all wanted me to be
in the group. I wanted to go, and my family wanted me to join, too.
George was thrilled to be a part of this program and hopes that he will “be around
music” for a very long time.
Agnes. Agnes’s sense of humor was noticed immediately as we began our
interview. A nine-year-old violin player with two years of orchestral experience, she
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began her musical studies on recorder, then switched to violin. She loves her cats very
much, and told me she speaks “cat” language with them when at home. Agnes is teaching
herself how to play the keyboard, an instrument she received for free from a neighbor, via
YouTube tutorials and Internet resources. She thought the violin was easier to learn, since
there are no keys to memorize. Her school also offers keyboard classes, and she plays
with her class one time per week.
Agnes was born in Los Angeles, and is the youngest family member in her
household. She lives with her mother, father, 19-year-old brother, 12-year old-sister, and
two cats. Her parents were born in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States in the
1990’s. Most of her extended family still lives in El Salvador. She had visited before, and
described it as, “a cool place.” “There aren’t a lot of buildings there. Just nature...and lots
of trees and cars,” she added.
Her family lived close to Jackson Elementary, and described her neighborhood as
“very urban.” She continued, “There are lots of buildings. There is a building next to
another building. Some of them are houses. There is also a mall that is outside with a few
stores,” she said. Agnes felt safe in her neighborhood, although the immediate area is one
of high crime.
Agnes’s family wanted her to join Musical Visions, since her sister was already at
the Jackson Elementary site as a violin student. Her family found Musical Visions
through a family friend whose son was a cellist in the program. Agnes’s sister told her,
“People that don’t end up with music in their lives messes them up.” Her sister’s
influence was the primary reason Agnes ultimately decided to join. “I was really curious
how the bow worked, and I liked hearing the plucking on the violin.” She recalled the
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first day of orchestra as instruments were getting distributed, “It was such a fun day. We
went inside the auditorium and they were passing out the violins. My cousin and I, Oscar,
were getting our violins. Mine was a half size.”
Themes and Subthemes
Through the central phenomenon on musical identity amongst children from
underrepresented social groups, three key themes emerged from the children’s voices,
opinions, and perceptions: ethnicity and culture, community and surroundings, and
musical learning. Within each of the three themes are presented below. Within each
theme, multiple subthemes emerged (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Emerging Themes and Subthemes
This chapter offered a series of narratives and child descriptions that made evident
the meaningful experiences shaping the musical identities of underrepresented, ethnic-
minority children in a community-based youth orchestra program. All six children
Musical Identity
Ethnicity and
Culture
Perceptions of
Language and
Nationality
Family
Impact
Community and
Surroundings
Social
Aspects
Orchestra in
the
Community
Musical Learning
Goals and
Future
Teamwork and
Group Ientity
Importance of
Participation
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exuded positive observations about the musical learning that took place at Jackson
Elementary. The raw emotion and honesty conveyed via descriptions of their families,
communities, and outlooks on their social and musical worlds made me eager to learn
their stories about music, and how this opportunity was shaping their musical identity.
Ethnicity and Culture
Participating children were excited to share their stories about musical learning
and their home life. In terms of ethnicity and culture, two main subthemes emerged in
this section: perceptions of language and nationality, and family impact. Within these
subthemes, other subcategories were added for clarity.
Perceptions of language and nationality. Unsurprisingly, all six children were
bilingual and enjoyed being able to speak both Spanish and English. Several other themes
emerged from the data when exploring children’s perceptions of language and nationality.
These included perceptions in the home and school setting, and how languages and other
skills were transferred to the home.
When asked to describe their knowledge of multiple languages, the children had a
variety of answers. Three participants related the inquiry to only Spanish and English,
while others shared perspectives on a variety of cultural opinions.
Oliver explained that he not only knew how to speak Spanish and English, but
also spoke “British.” Furthermore, he took pride in announcing that his friends at school
were teaching him Chinese, though he meant the Mandarin language. He seemed to be
confused with differences in nationalities, race and languages. “My parents told me I was
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part Hispanic, part ‘Guatemala
9
,’ part Black
10
, and part British,” he confidently stated.
As noted, Oliver’s family was from Guatemala. It was striking that he made a
distinction between Hispanic and Guatemalan. Oliver’s brother-in-law is African
American, and Oliver did not yet understand that there is no correlation to one’s own race
due to marriage. Finally, he was under the assumption that he is part English (British),
though there is no evidence of this in his family. Martha also mentioned speaking other
languages. “I speak a little Chinese and a little French. My friends taught me some words.”
Ruby also perceived herself to have the ability to speak multiple languages. “My cousin
taught me a bunch of French words, like ‘bon jour.’ My other friend teaches me Korean
sometimes, by showing me words.”
Language in the home setting. The family members helped one another learn
English or Spanish skills. Each of the six students painted a picture of a cohesive and
nurturing home environment where family members each had roles and areas of strength,
such as cooking, working, academics (math), and languages.
All child participants expressed that they spoke in English with their brothers and
sisters when at home. Only when their parents were around, would each of the children
speak in Spanish as a family unit. Of the six children, Ruby’s family was making efforts
to integrate English into the household, though the family primarily spoke Spanish.
In addition to Spanish, Greg’s family also spoke Zapotec, a language from a
specific region of the southwestern-central highland region of Mexico. Labor migration
9
In original interviews, Oliver identified himself as “Guatemala,” although he
Guatemalteco
10
In original interviews, Oliver continued to use the word “Negro.” It seems that this
child did not understand difference categories or where they came from in reference to
languages, nationality, or racially stereotypical words.
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had brought a number of Zapotec-speakers to the US over the years. Greg, being such a
quiet child, was very confident in his knowledge of Zapotec. I found it interesting for a
nine-year old to make note of this language, and learned that this was another facet of his
cultural identity.
School Settings. In school, all six children expressed a desire to speak English
with their peers, even if many of their friends were also Latino and Spanish-speakers.
“We never speak Spanish,” said Martha.
Ruby was the only child to speak both English and Spanish while in social
settings at school. She boasted:
My friends and I usually speak English. But, I have a Spanish friend who also
knows both languages. Sometimes, if we don’t want someone to hear what we are
saying because we don't want them to know our secrets, we will speak in Spanish.
People will say, 'What are you saying?' and we say nothing!’
Ruby took pride in her bilingualism and perceived instances like the one above as
a special, secret bond amongst friends. She was proud of her ability to speak a different
language from other peers; having the option to dictate what she would like to share with
her peers by way of language, and what to keep private amongst only a smaller social
circle of close friends.
Transference of Languages to home. There appeared to be a great deal of
parental investment in each child’s ability to speak both languages, with support in
teaching the language at home. Ruby’s parents, for example, had created incentives for
when she exceled in her Spanish studies:
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My parents want me to be fluent in both languages. They want me to learn
Spanish. They have me reading Spanish books a lot, and tell me to spell a word. If
it's a long word and I get it right, they let me get an ice cream.
All of the children were helping their parents learn how to speak English, and
each took pride in their tutoring efforts. The amount of English the children’s parents
knew varied between some knowledge and no knowledge. Below are children’s
responses:
“My dad knows a lot of English, but my mom doesn’t really know that much, so I help
her a lot.” [Greg]
“They know a little bit of English.” [George, Ruby]
“My parents speak a little English, but mostly Spanish at home.” [Oliver]
“We all speak Spanish when my parents are around.” [Agnes]
“Everyone here speaks Spanish with my parents. They hardly speak English.” [Martha]
George was the only child who mentioned being able to read, write, and speak in
Spanish, and did not require help from his family. “I don’t need any help, I already know
how to read, write, and speak,” he said. During my time with George, he never came
across as arrogant or a ‘know-it-all,’ but instead displayed a humble personality, with this
remark as honest and candid as can be.
Martha, able to read and speak in Spanish, displayed resistance to learn how to
write in that language. “Are your parents teaching you how to write in Spanish?” I asked.
“No, I don’t want to learn,” she stubbornly replied.
Family Impact. The second subtheme of ethnicity and culture was family impact.
The ways in which relationships within a family had been transformed through musical
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learning was explored with each of the six children. Furthermore, two smaller
subcategories emerged when exploring family impact: the transference of musical interest
to parents, and how the musical investment within the children transferred to siblings and
the relationships had amongst each other.
Overall, the musical experiences that children had encountered have transferred
to their homes and families in a variety of ways and multiple settings. All of the families
have become invested in their children’s musical interests, and are supportive of their
new endeavors. Family support was noted in various ways including curiosity from
family members, instrumental music lessons (child teaching parent), radio preferences,
and noise-level challenges throughout households.
Transference of interest to parents. Oliver confidently shared his musical
experiences at home. “My parents always ask if I can play them songs on my cello. I talk
to them about what happened today at rehearsal, what songs we got, how my teachers
said I’m getting really good at playing the cello and that I’m improving, and how I am
going to conduct a piece and stuff like that.”
Remembering that he described his living situation as “chaotic”, I asked him to
elaborate on the amount of noise in his house, and if that had changed at all:
Playing cello changed my family. Before, they used to be really loud in the
beginning, and now they are being a little quieter when I practice. Also, listening
to music…like, the music we play, like classical music. My family is listening to
it more.
I asked Oliver if he believed this is due to his participation in Musical Visions:
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Yeah, sometimes when my brother and I are with my mom in the car and the
radio, my mom puts classical music on for me and Enrique. But sometimes when
we are on the way to karate we fall asleep to it.
Since Ruby began participation in orchestra, she believed her family had become
more interested in music and her musical learning. Prior to her participation in Musical
Visions, Ruby expressed that her family “never really talked about music.” Her older
sister, already a violin player in Musical Visions, began teaching Ruby how to play the
violin, per Ruby’s request. Ruby’s musical interest was piqued from studying her older
sibling practice her instrument at home and in rehearsals. Ruby’s mother noticed the
interest Ruby had for music, and told her oldest daughter to provide Ruby with
introductory lessons. Ruby recounts her mother saying to her older sister, “If you teach
Ruby the notes on the violin, I will pay you five dollars an hour…and my sister was like,
‘OK.’”
Since joining the music program, Ruby’s entire family now asks her what she did
in rehearsals, and regularly requests she performs for them while at home. Ruby
perceived her family as being supportive, and enjoyed that they encourage both she and
her sister with their musical interests.
Ruby’s comments about musical practice made her seem like a seasoned veteran.
The tone in her voice reminded me of a professional musician nonchalantly giving an
overview of their day to a friend. I felt that she was very accustomed to performing and
rehearsing; when in fact, she has only been playing for a short amount of time. It was
clear that her family has gained interest in Ruby’s practice:
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When my family asks about music stuff, I tell my family what song I played in
rehearsal. Sometimes it is “Shortnin’ Blues,” some “Troika,” some “Harry Potter.”
They say, “Oh wow, can you show me? Can you play for me?” They like to hear
me play. They tell my sister to play, too. Sometimes I get tired and my fingers
hurt, and my sister gets to sit down to play cello, but I have to stand up because
violins have to stand. And my family asks if I can play it again and again, and I’m
like, “Mom, can I take a break!?”
Ruby’s family has also started to play classical music as she falls asleep, a request
from Ruby. She, like Oliver, has the desire to continue her musical exploration in the
home setting, and has found listening to classical music to be a relaxing outlet. Her
mother has sought out new music in order to help inspire and further her daughter’s
musical interests and learning. Ruby recalls:
When my mom plays music, like last time, which was a cello song, it was with a
guy that played a cello. He sounded very nice. He plays with cellos, plays with
violins. I always ask my mom to put on that song when I go to sleep. I always ask
her to put on that song because I like how it sounds. So, I wanted to learn how to
play the violin because I wanted to try and play that song on my instrument.
George had been giving his father violin lessons due to heightened interest from
his dad. “My dad was curious and asked me to teach him how to play,” he said. George
described his home life since his participation as the same as before, though he noted his
family “getting into more kinds of music” since beginning violin lessons. His parents are
also aware that George’s school grades have been improving since participation, and
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have begun to challenge him more both academically, and musically. “They are telling
me to study more and do well in school, so that I can pass,” he said.
Agnes’s family has been attending more concerts since her participation, and
Martha reported her family has grown closer and everyone is getting along better since
joining the orchestra. Her family has taken a large investment in helping Martha with her
music, and in turn is bringing her family together.
Sibling musical interests and impact. Many of the participants expressed
transference of musical impact within siblings. Several of the children had older siblings
that began to play in orchestra in previous years, and through their experiences with the
program, interest was piqued with the current participants. Two of Oliver’s siblings are
on course to join the program next year when they are of age, and he was excited to share
his passion of music and learning with his family. “Someday, I’d like to teach my family
how to play the cello, and for Manuel and Carmen to sign up and join,” he said. He had
taken on an identity of not only a cello performer, but also as a leader, teacher, and
assistant. He was taking ownership in his talent and exhibiting the desire to teach his
family how to play. Oliver desired to act as a bringer of knowledge within his home, and
displayed his pride for the instrument and his learning throughout our entire interview.
Through George’s participation, his younger brother has also taken an interest in
music. “My little brother is curious about music. He will join the program next year when
he turns seven,” he said.
Ruby, Martha, and Agnes all expressed the development of closer relationships
with siblings since participation in orchestra. All three children have siblings that have
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played in the orchestra in the past, or currently participate. Ruby’s older sister plays
violin, and her younger sister plays cello:
My older sister is teaching herself piano now. (Begins humming Beethoven’s Fur
Elise). That’s the song she’s teaching herself, I forgot the name of it though!
Beethoven’s Fur Elise? I ask.
Yeah, that’s it! Yeah, my sister just hears it from the music. She has an electric
piano, and she just figures it out without the music. She puts the music on very
slowly so that she can play along, and she says “I almost got it, I almost got it,”
and my parents get very proud. My sister wants to take piano classes.
Ruby’s sister’s interest in classical music continues to thrive, with her violin
playing acting as a catalyst into another realm of musical learning with her electric piano.
She has continued to search for access to music making since participation, and musical
learning has not only continued for Ruby’s sister, but has strengthened the relationship
between the girls. Ruby spoke with such excitement and pride in her sister’s discovery of
piano, and I felt such a nurturing role Ruby has taken with her older sister throughout this
dialogue. Both sisters had formed an identity as musicians through participation in this
musical ensemble.
Martha’s four older brothers have also taken personal investment in their younger
sister’s musical learning at home since she began participation. Although some of her
brothers have quit participation, the experiences they once had in the program are
transferring to Martha’s musical learning, and relationship with her siblings:
My brothers are helping to coach me when I practice. They are pushing me to
practice more, and when I’m nervous or chickening out, they push me to conquer
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my fear. Two of my brothers used to play cello and violin, and Mario plays violin
in the orchestra.
Agnes’s older sister previously played violin, and through her participation has
inspired Agnes to begin her musical endeavors:
My sister asks me what songs I played in rehearsal, and my mom always listens to
me play. Since I began violin, my sister and I hang out more, and now she is
helping me practice. Before I joined, my brother and sister and I didn’t really
hang out much. Now we are.
Community and Surroundings
All of the child participants spoke at length about the orchestra within the local
community, and the immediate surroundings close to Jackson Elementary. Two main
themes emerged from the children’s interviews: Social aspects in relation to school and
orchestra rehearsals, and perceptions of orchestra in the community.
Social Aspects. Throughout the process of coding interview data, a number of
themes emerged regarding children’s perceptions of various social-oriented environments.
The students discussed their school peers and interest in music, the process of making
friends in orchestra, and social observances made through participation in the youth
orchestra.
Peer interest in school. All of the children were proud to be a part of the
orchestra and many often talked about their musical experiences with peers who did not
take part in the program. The students shared stories about friends at school and their
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perceptions of membership within the ensemble. They recommended participation to
their peers and provide reasons for their friends to join the orchestra.
George enjoyed being a part of the orchestra very much, and often encouraged
non-participants at his school to think about joining:
I tell my friends to join because it will affect their grades more, and will make
them go higher. They said that they would think about joining. They all seem
interested, and I gave my friends a sheet of paper with information and I told Dr.
Marianne that they wanted to play, so she gave me applications to give to my
friends.
Martha also talked about orchestra to non-members and highly recommended they
attend. She exhibited a great deal of pride in the ensemble as she described her
experiences in the program, and did not understand why someone would not want to join:
It’s really fun. You learn new things, and you have fun while you are learning.
And you have lots of breaks! Some of them say they are “too cool,” so they don’t
want to join. I don’t know what “too cool” means.
Although Martha felt her peers were not interested in joining the group, she
mentioned her friends being interested in what she was learning about in the program.
“My friends sometimes ask me what songs I’m playing in orchestra. I tell them, ‘usually
we play hard songs, very hard songs,’” she said. She identified herself as a musician and
team member, and explained to peers that her extra-curricular activities were challenging
but rewarding.
The children also shared what pieces they were practicing in orchestra with their
school friends. Ruby mentioned practicing the songs “Lean on Me” and “Theme from
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Haydn Symphony.” A friend told Ruby she is “lucky” to have the opportunity to play
these songs, that she did not know how to play instruments, and they “need music
teachers.” Classical music has made an impact on Ruby’s life and musical identity, as she
named both pop and classical songs side by side.
Ruby also enjoyed talking about orchestra to her peers, and enjoyed performing
for friends and schoolteachers. She identified Classical composers with ease, and enjoyed
teaching her non-musical friends about music. Her enthusiastic pride that she exhibits in
her participation and musical learning is shared with others and is transferred to the larger
community.
I told them I could play Beethoven’s 7th Symphony because I am in the violin
section. My friends are curious about what I do. They ask if I can play a song for
them. I’ve played violin at my friends’ birthday before…I will bring my violin
and play “Happy Birthday.” My teacher at school sometimes asks me to bring my
instrument, too. I’ve played “Autumn” by Vivaldi.
Oliver had a different experience than Ruby with curious peers in school. His
friends have not asked him about orchestra while at school. “When they have nothing to
do, I ask if they want to listen to my stories about orchestra. If they say no, I just tell them
about other things,” he said. Oliver said sometimes he would bring up orchestra to his
peers. Three of Oliver’s best friends listened to his orchestra stories:
I asked my friends if they like "Harry Potter,” and told them I am learning a song
called “Hedwig’s Theme.” I asked if I can play it for them and they said “maybe.”
I also asked if I could bring my cello to school and play for my teacher.
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Greg also mentioned school peers being disinterested in his participation. “When I
talk about orchestra, my friends say nothing. They are not interested in going to orchestra,
but I am,” he said.
The children taking part in Musical Visions were excited about their musical
experiences and learning. While their participation was memorable, not all of the children
found peers to be as interested about music as they, although this does not seem to upset
the students. Even with a varied response amongst school peers, it was evident that
children of Musical Visions were excited to bring their experiences to the school setting
and share in their excitement with peers and teachers.
Making Friends. Throughout participation in Musical Visions, all study
participants formed bonds with other musicians in the orchestra. Greg, the youngest and
most quiet of the children interviewed, seemed to take initiative in starting new
friendships with peers while in orchestra rehearsal. He felt no pressure in meeting other
musicians. Greg’s description of making friends seemed to be very organic, with an
easygoing, approachable, innocent temperament to him:
When I make friends, the process is to tell them my name, where I was born and
just chat a little bit…then you just get to know them more, and just ask them what
their name is and go from there
Most of the children saw their orchestra friends during rehearsals, and had
opportunities to play with them before or after music classes. The game of “tag” was
popular amongst the children, and many of them formed teams and ran around the school
parking lot prior to the start of rehearsal. “Tag” was also popular during the children’s
break time in between sectionals and rehearsals.
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Martha was happiest when she is on break and playing “tag” with her friends. She
was very accepting of others, and invited “whoever else wanted to join” to the current
games of “tag.” She believed that making friends in orchestra was “really easy,” and
enjoyed playing with her friends before and after rehearsals as they all waited to be
dropped off and picked up from the school.
I was nervous at first because I had no friends. I helped a student who needed help
playing, and then we became friends. For people that have an attitude, it might not
be that easy for them to make friends. But for kids that are kind and stuff like that,
it is easy to have a relationship with a lot of kids.
George also admitted that he did not have any friends in the program when he
first joined. Presently, he felt he had “good friendships” in orchestra. “When I first came,
I had no friends, and then I started making friends. Now we go to each other’s houses.
One of my friends lives a block away from me,” he said. George was the only student to
mention orchestra friends visiting his home.
The program at Jackson Elementary appeared to promote a safe place where
students did not have to worry about the usual struggles of pre-adolescent social circles,
gossip, or cliques.
Social observations through participation. Through participation at Jackson
Elementary, I noticed a number of social perceptions and characteristics amongst the
students. Socially speaking, interviewed children have not only made new friendships
since joining the orchestra, but also spoke about team work and the importance of
working together to achieve goals. Every student seemed to enjoy helping their peers
during rehearsals, and felt that their teachers were outgoing and relatable.
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Agnes equated teamwork to specific orchestral sections and the sounds being
produced by each instrument. She identified herself as a team member of the violin
section, but felt she was making a musical contribution to only a portion of a larger
product. “I think that we are all a team in orchestra. If only one section is playing, it
doesn’t have a musical ring to it. If the entire orchestra is playing, it has a musical ring to
it”, she reflected. Agnes explained that all voices in an orchestra must be heard to make a
team. This was an interesting way of viewing teamwork amongst a large ensemble.
Oliver enjoyed time spent with his Jackson Elementary teachers, and described
them as “cool”, “really nice”, and was said that he was “thankful for them helping me
with whatever I needed to accomplish.” When asked which part of rehearsal made him
the happiest, he believed it was “being around his teachers and friends.” He continued:
I like my teachers because it is always so much fun to run around with them,
especially when I do not want to do anything outside during break. I like my
friends because they help me and I like that. I like to help other kids.
As noted earlier, friendships were an important social component for the children,
and all felt it was easy to form new relationships while taking part in Musical Visions.
Interviewed children shared a special bond through music, and due to this, many did not
seem to care if friends and peers outside of Musical Visions were not interested in
learning about the program or music learning.
Orchestra in the Community. The children talked at length about their local
neighborhoods and how music played a part in transforming their communities. Four
subthemes emerged in regards to orchestra in the community: church, the desire to
perform in public, music as a way to make income, and transforming a community
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through performance. Several students also stated that they enjoyed performing on their
instruments in the community; many of which already performed at various locations
such as church or for family members.
Church. Three of the children spoke about attending church and the importance
of religion in their families. Many expressed a desire to include share their musical
learning amongst their religious traditions in the form of performance and teaching. Greg
expressed he would like to perform at his church one day:
I would like to play cello at my church sometime, because church members would
enjoy listening to me, I think. The only thing is I might get shy playing for other
people. I think that orchestra is a place I can go to stay out of trouble and is a
good place for me to attend. Church is like the same.
Martha also expressed her enjoyment for performing violin at her local church.
She had performed Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” which was a request from her priest. Ruby
and her sisters also frequently performed at their neighborhood church. She reminisced
about church patrons asking her questions about her violin after she began bringing it to
church. Church members took interest in her musical learning and were curious as to how
she started, why she chose to play the violin, and the mechanics of producing a sound on
the instrument:
One of them asked to hold my violin, and I said “Yes, but be careful because it is
so special to me.” I let them pluck on the violin strings a few times, and they
played, [sings ‘Dink Dink Dink Dink’] like a plucking sound.
Those who spoke about the integration of music into religious practices seemed to
enjoy sharing their talents with community members. These performance experiences
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extended past displaying pride for their musical learning. The student’s musical identities
were continuously being shaped through opportunities for leadership by performance and
teaching. Furthermore, the children’s identities in music have been influenced through
religious social environments, congregations, and feedback received from supportive
church members.
Desire to Perform in Public. All interviewed students expressed a desire to play
music in the community within variety of locations and contexts. Living in Los Angeles a
city with some remarkable music venues, the children hoped to one day perform at some
of the city’s greatest establishments:
“I want to play with other orchestra players at the Super Bowl someday. I would
play some of Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons.’” [Agnes]
“I want to play more concerts in the community. One day I want to perform on
stage at the Hollywood Bowl.” [Ruby]
“One day I want to perform on stage in Hollywood. Maybe the Hollywood Bowl
or Staples Center. I dunno…somewhere really awesome.” [Oliver]
George strongly felt that music was a powerful agent that transformed lives and
had positive effects on the whole person. He said, “Music can change your life when you
are a performer. And when you listen to it, it can make you happy and be a better person.
He spoke about the desire to play his violin “in Hollywood and at big theaters”, and that
he would enjoy performing as an orchestra along with as a soloist. George had already
begun to set up his own concerts for his friends and community in his own backyard:
I tell all of my neighbors to go in my backyard and I put chairs out there for them
to sit on. I started playing “Happy Birthday” for them, and sometimes it’s my
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brother’s birthday and I play the song for the audience. I’ve played for 30 people
before…all of the neighbors. I invited the whole neighborhood. I did it by myself.
Some of the kids are 10 years old, some are 11. I started throwing flyers on their
lawn, and they told me “Thank you for the invitation.” I am the only one that
plays. I’ve played “Old Joe Clark,” too. It’s a fiddle song. I also played “Lean on
Me” and “Autumn” by Vivaldi.
As a young musician, with only two years of musical experience, George had
already demonstrated his leadership skills and self-promotion capabilities. He had begun
to transfer his musical knowledge, passion, and talent to his local community, which, in
turn, providing peers and friends with an opportunity to witness live performances.
George demonstrated his determination to perform for the public as well as a willingness
to share his interests with others.
Martha expressed a preference to play violin by herself in the community, rather
than with an orchestra. She exhibited a great deal of individuality as a musician. She
admitted, “This might be selfish, but I think I would rather play by myself than with a
group, so I can have the spotlight on one single person!”
Martha, who identified herself as a classical musician throughout her interview
due to her regimented practicing, goal setting, and lust for perfection, passionately
described places and pieces that she would like to perform for the public. Her
descriptions confirmed the amount of pride and love she had for music, the beauty she
encompassed in her heart, and that she exhibited a strong musical identity influenced by
her role models. She said:
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If I could play in the community, I would play at every place that Beethoven
played, because Beethoven…he is the one that like, brought me into playing
violin. He inspires me. His songs, they are like melancholy, but they also fill your
heart with joy. That is what I love about Beethoven.
It was learned that although beginners, the children felt they exhibited the drive
and dedication needed to pursue music for a very long time. Performance goals were
being set early in their musical experiences, and the children believed that through
practice and musical improvement, they would obtain their goals of public performances
throughout many of the incredible venues located in Los Angeles.
Music as a way to make income. Many of the children equated community
performances with money. Several children described performance in relation to
monetary values attached to them, although the value of money was individually skewed
according to perceptions and experiences of each child. But all in all, it was clear that
interviewed children were aware of financial issues associated with musical performance:
Yeah, I would enjoy playing in the community…but like, for a dollar. I want
[them] to like the music, to really like the music…but I also need money because
when I grow up I want to have a good future. If they like it, I want them to give
me a dollar. [Oliver]
I had a pastor that gave us 10 dollars, and people gave us coins and dollars
because my sisters and I were playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Lean on
Me,” and different songs. They paid us a lot of money. I showed my mom how
much we got. She said we should go put it in our piggy bank, and later on we can
go on vacation and go shopping and buy new clothes with our money. We are not
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allowed to open our bank until December. The church people were telling us to
play more songs, and we were like ‘OK, let’s try it out.’ We were playing more
songs and everyone was staring at us and pulling up their chairs to sit closer.”
[Ruby]
Martha, however, felt that monetary payments should not coincide with musical
performance, and that music should be a social celebration where one gives back to the
community:
If you are doing something just for the money and you keep it for yourself that is
not really a good reason to play music. If I were going to do it, I would give
money to a charity or orphans.
It was learned that although young in age, the children were aware of money, and
believed music performance and compensation were interconnected in some form. While
they perceived themselves as musicians and desire to continue their performance into
adulthood, they repeatedly spoke about being paid (or not being paid)- an interesting
observation considering the age of the participants.
Transforming a Community through Performance. The children had many
explanations as to why having an orchestra in the community is a positive movement.
Agnes shared that a community would be happy to have a local orchestra because it
would make the area a better place, and many people would attend performances. Oliver
also believed that the community would benefit from having outdoor rehearsals and
concerts. Furthermore, Oliver noted the crime rates in the local area, and perceived
community music as a way to deter it:
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I think it would be good to have an orchestra in the community, because
orchestras are loud and they will listen. Having an orchestra in the community
could help people by being nicer; because there are these guys around here… and
they hide and they throw rocks at us. Maybe they would listen to music instead.
Along the same lines, Ruby believed that bringing music to her community could
heal and calm those in her neighborhood. She described music in both large and small
communities, and thought some people were too busy to pay attention to music, while
others might actually sit and concentrate on the sounds:
The community would enjoy the orchestra because it is music, and music makes
people feel calm, happy…you know, music makes different moods like soft,
scary, baby sounds. I think they would enjoy it. There are many people, and when
you are outside and there are people walking around, there is not much music
outside. Everyone is just walking everywhere. But like, in church…people are
paying attention.
Children expressed multiple perspectives of music within the community. Though
young, many had already set performance goals as they exceled on their instruments.
Through participation in Musical Visions, the children identified themselves as musicians
and had begun to adopt values within the orchestra, including music for social change
and sharing music amongst communities. While some felt monetary compensation was
necessary for performance, others believed that music playing or listening should be
accessible for all, without a price tag attached.
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Musical Learning
As the children continued to practice their instruments and attend Musical Visions
classes, perceptions of their own musical learning were explored. The children reflected
on their future goals in music, what teamwork meant and the group identity shared
amongst musicians, and the importance of participation in community youth orchestras.
Goals and Future. Children shared goals that they set for themselves both in
rehearsals and during private practice sessions at home. Some had difficulties articulating
specific benchmarks in musical learning and performance they wished to achieve and
only viewed their performance and practice sessions in generic terms such as “good or
bad.” Five children mentioned that they would like to try and focus more in class,
practice more frequently, perform without the assistance of teachers, obtain a scholarship
to college, and become better students in school through participation in the program:
My goals are to finish the music, do good with the music, and finish the
music so that I can help other students who do not know the song so that they can
get it and not mess up. [Greg]
I tell myself that I want to do good in the whole two hours of rehearsal,
and then I want to not talk when she is talking, and to focus more…to read the
music…and to try and figure out the notes without her having to help me.
[George]
At my house, I have different goals, because I do not have my teachers to
help me so I have to make my own goals. Some of the goals are that I have to be
focused so nothing distracts me. Also, having a nice, strong sound because at
home there is a lot of noise and I can’t hear myself play. [Oliver]
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I make a goal to play most of the song correctly. Like, to play the song
without so many mistakes. I have to work on how long or how short the note is,
and I have to work on to see what the note means…like where it is on the violin
and where my fingers go. My goals in orchestra are to get the whole song right.
[Ruby]
The children also shared goals about their future and career paths. Their answers
varied in terms of short and long-term goals. Agnes, for example, hoped to become a
better student in school through her musical learning in the orchestra. Ruby looked
forward to playing more difficult music in the future with her family, and desired to
become a “solid player.” She said, “When I am in middle school and my sisters are in
high school and college, we can play music together.”
Oliver had the dream of being an orchestral conductor when he grows up. This
desire stemmed from an experience he had while at an orchestra rehearsal where he had
the opportunity to conduct the large ensemble. He had been requesting to have this
opportunity for some time, and while it happened several months prior to our interview,
Oliver mentioned it on multiple occasions during the interview. He described the
experience and what he perceived the feeling to be like on stage with an orchestra in front
of him:
When I was conducting, I liked that I could see the crowd. I was a little bit
nervous, but I am not one of those people that have stage fright, I just went with it.
I just would have it done. When I look at the piece and look at the people, I
noticed some kids were left behind so I slowed down a little. Also, after I was
done conducting at a concert, I could feel proud of myself for achieving the
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conducting… because when you turn around you can see every person looking at
you, so I feel I can achieve that and be proud.
Throughout his time in the orchestra, Oliver has up some key teaching techniques
like assisting others and basic conducting patterns from his teachers, Dr. Marianne and
Dr. Neil; most likely through observation. He mentioned assessing his peers to ensure
their success while he was on the podium, and spoke with confidence about his poise on
the podium “so that the orchestra members could follow.”
Martha also planned on becoming a conductor and professional violinist when she
grew up. She said that she often thought about her future. Her older brother inspired her
to become a violinist:
I was like, listening to my older brother play the violin and was thinking and
thinking…and I was like, “I want to be a violinist.” Then I chose to come here
and now I am picking up how to play music step by step to lead up to my goal. I
also want to be a conductor, of course. And, to be important in music.
All interviewed children have begun thinking about their future and how music
will play a role in their adult careers. Although not every child shared what their desired
career path was, all students desired to continue to play their instrument well into their
adult lives.
Teamwork and Group Identity. Interviewees felt that they were part of a team,
and that orchestra was a special opportunity for them to learn music. Greg felt orchestra
was a team because they all played together at concerts to make music “sound better.”
George believed that in order to achieve orchestral goals, the ensemble had to work
together as a team. He also felt that all members of the orchestra should support one
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another and celebrate accomplishments and goals. Once the group was unified and a
“team”, they could then begin to work towards their goals, as a cohesive unit.
Due to Martha’s experiences in the orchestra, she began to compare it with other
experiences and felt that her school orchestra music was too easy. She formed the identity
of a strong musician and had a sound sense of group identity within the community
orchestra. Upon our meeting, Martha defined Jackson Elementary as having “three
wonderful orchestras.” Through her musical training with Musical Visions, she now
desired to be challenged further in her school music classes. She expressed her frustration
she felt during in-school orchestra rehearsals because she was now more advanced than
her peers. Martha also shared a story about a school orchestra concert, and how upset she
felt during its performance:
At my school concert…ugh…they ruined the real orchestra song. This
girl…Lucy… she was just a beginner and just destroyed the orchestra song. She
kept on playing different notes on the violin, and none of them were right. She
wasn’t even looking at the music! My mom recorded the whole thing. I was so
mad because it made us sound bad.
Something that struck me while talking to Martha was her constant reference to
the orchestra as “we.” She always spoke about the group as a cohesive unit in which she
was a part of, clearly identifying herself as a team member:
When we are together, we are all part of a team. We are all practicing together,
almost like we’re all getting ready for a big internship…like, something we can
do all together. Like, if we’re getting ready for a judge to see if we could skip all
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grades and get that scholarship. We are learning how to play music and we are
wonderful at it.
Teamwork and peer support seemed to be important components within the
orchestras. The children perceived their orchestra as an entity in which they were all a
part of and contributed to.
Importance of Participation. The students expressed the reason as to why they
believed it was important to be part of the community-based music program Musical
Visions. Many felt that such opportunity would impact their lives in the future and that
they had been given a special opportunity to participate. In other words, they took the
opportunity very seriously.
Ruby appeared to focus on aural aspects of musical learning, such as listening to
others and making sure she was in tune, more so that concentrating on notation or reading
music. Her storytelling was filled with passion for music. As she described the
importance in participation, her eyes lit up with joy and pride. The passion that she
showed in her descriptions was much higher than what is typically seen in children of her
age. It was as if she could feel the love and passion for music in her bones, living and
breathing violin and orchestra rehearsals:
It is special for me to be here because I view the music as so powerful, and I can’t
stop hearing it. That is why I decided to come here, so I can play and hear myself
playing it. When I first came to violin, there was this girl that was maybe seven
years old…and she played fast music and used emotions, and I was like “Wow,
she is seven and doing that…because it was so amazing!” Now that I am here,
when I hear the music and I hear people playing it, I don’t feel I need to look at
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the music at times. I just feel it in my heart. I just play it, but I don’t need to read
the notes.
Oliver and Ruby also felt that it was important to be a part of the orchestra so that
they could help other musicians. Oliver, who saw himself as both a leader and an
orchestra aid, believed that his role in the ensemble was to assist others and offer support,
and not necessarily to better his own musical learning:
Some kids get really stressed and things are hard. When I play cello, they tell me
I’m one of those loose players. I ask if I can go help them, and they say “Yes”, so
I go around and help them, like an assistant. I do activities that I can help with, so
it feels right. My favorite part of orchestra is when I get to sit in the front so that I
can listen more and feel like I can hear all of the player’s music so I can
understand.
Ruby also enjoyed helping others, and felt that part of her identity was to assist
the rest of her section. “I feel it is important for me to be here so that I can help the
violins. I can help make the section better.”
George shared the same sentiments of pride and love for his instrument. He also
expressed his awareness that this program was an opportunity that many other students
did not have. His family had difficulties locating a local music program that was low in
cost and with openings. Such an experience helped to transform his views on the
importance of participation.
I feel like it is important me for me to here so that when I’m in college, they can
accept me for stuff like scholarships, and I can graduate. I am also proud to be
here with friends and playing the violin. It is a sense of pride for me. This is a
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special opportunity because in the beginning, my family and I were looking for
programs for me to join, and the programs kept saying they were all full. Then we
found this program and I joined because it was free and there was room for me. I
am really grateful.
Similar to George, Agnes was also aware of the costs associated with music
lessons, and believed that this is to be very special opportunity. “A lot of people do not
have enough money to get into an orchestra, and I should be lucky to be here,” she stated.
Martha also discussed this opportunity in relation to its associated costs. She felt
this was an extremely special opportunity for her to take part in this program and
expressed her gratitude towards her teachers for accepting her into the orchestra.
Additionally, she showed an awareness of the financial strain amongst participating
families and perceived music learning to be a costly expenditure that many people cannot
afford. She also shared her ideas about the future of music education and what she
perceived musical learning should entail:
We are lucky to be here…that they give a chance to kids that do not have
money at all, and they are giving us a chance to play for free. It makes me feel
happy. Like for others, they think that music is something wonderful and they are
having people pay a lot of money. But if they want people to play, they should do
what our program does and make it for free because everybody wants to play but
some people don’t have enough money join. So, it is a good choice to have it done
for free.
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As mentioned prior, many children made connections between orchestra
rehearsals and their school experiences. George believed that through participation in the
community-based orchestra, he became more focused in school.
I think that now I am more focused at school because I concentrate on the violin a
lot and pay attention to my orchestra teachers. I think it makes sense that my
focus in orchestra transferred to school.
Agnes, who discovered the orchestra to be an important part of her life, and also
believed that being a part of this group “changed lives.” She shared:
My sister used to be terrible at math, and now she is good. Same with me, I used
to have to go to summer school because of my grades, but now I don’t have to go.
I think music made my grades go up in school.
All six children shared an abundance of stories and insights about the ways in
which music participation in a community-based program transformed their musical
learning. They identified as musicians and also team members, and naturally set goals for
their future. Participation in Musical Visions was clearly of importance to study
participants, who felt lucky and grateful to be a part of it.
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Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications
Music acts as a significant agent for communication and interaction amongst
human beings. It is an important vehicle to construct new identities and shift existing
ones (Hargreaves, Miell, & Macdonald, 2002). Musical identities in children are not only
multifaceted, but can evolve into many different layers and levels of complexities
(Hargreaves, 2005; MacDonald, Hargreaves, and Miell, 2002). Children actively
construct their own identities, which can determine skill levels, confidence, and
achievement. As an example, children can display “mastery-oriented
11
” behavior or
beliefs that the work they do can influence their abilities, which may be particularly
important for those who believe to be “unmusical,” due to a negative remark from a peer
or teacher, or “talented,” due to kind words from supportive friends (Hargreaves &
Marshall, 2003).
Furthermore, Davidson and Burland (2006) contended that as a child musician
develops, their musical identities are simultaneously constructed, due to important
influences from parent and teacher involvement, like-minded peers, and musicians, who
motivate and regulate initial participation. That is, musical identities are formed in social
contexts, including the home, educational settings, and community contexts. Children’s
musical identities are, therefore, related to culture and community, policy, and social
justice.
The examination of musical identities, in relationship to school settings (Kastner,
2009; Kelly-McHale, 2014; Lamont, 2002; Soto, 2012) and home settings (Borthwick &
11
For example, child beliefs that the work they do can influence their abilities. Children
actively construct their own identities, which can determine skill levels, confidence, and
achievement.
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Davidson, 2002), has been of recent focus, but questions still remain on how
underrepresented children’s musical identities are shaped through participation in
community-based music ensembles. Furthermore, while particular attention has been paid
to the ethnic identities of minority children (Abril & Flowers 2007; DeKaney &
Robinson, 2014; Knight, et al., 2003; McHale, 2014; Rogers et al., 2009; Sam, 2000; Su
& Costigan, 2009), there has been little attention to date on the musical identities of
underrepresented, ethnic-minority children. What we currently know about this
population is limited, with only a handful of studies focusing on experiences of children
and music (Abril & Flowers, 2007; O’Hagin & Harnish, 2006).
Initially, I was interested in studying underrepresented populations, not
necessarily Latinos. However, as I entered the field, it became clear that most (if not all)
children in the study would be of Latino ethnicity, as Los Angeles boasts the highest
population of any county in the U.S. (4.8 million Latinos). Unsurprisingly, the location of
my study, Musical Visions at Jackson Elementary, happened to be in an area of town
with a large concentration of Latino families. Latinos are currently one of the most
underrepresented groups in the music education literature. Although this population is
huge, they are still viewed as an ethnic-minority group.
This chapter discusses main findings in light of the studies and theories reviewed
in chapter one. I begin the chapter by addressing the three guiding research questions that
were posed in the beginning of the study. Next, I discuss main study findings: (1)
language and family importance, (2) musical identity within the community, and (3)
development of musical identities through musical learning. Following, are limitations of
the present study followed by implications for music education research and practice.
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Concluding thoughts are presented at the end of the chapter.
Summary of Findings Relevant to the Guiding Questions
A set of three guiding questions provided the structure for the research fieldwork
and methodology for this study. The shaping of children’s musical identities are
summarized and intertwined into the findings of the guiding questions below.
Question One. Through participation in a community youth orchestra, how are
children’s experiences shaping their musical identity?
Music identities amongst the children in Musical Visions were continuously being
shaped through orchestral experiences. Personal, social, and musical impacts each played
a role in their musical identity formation, and social identities were developing in tandem.
There was much to be learned, considering the similarities that emerged in discussions
amongst the interviewed children. Unsurprisingly, underrepresented children, many of
whom were members of Musical Visions, had musical interests and musical values like
other peers. However, oftentimes these children were not provided with the same
opportunities as other children, which led to different levels of musical exclusion. This
was apparent in regards to in-school music education, where many of the participants did
not have the option to partake in music classes, as several schools did not offer music.
Elpus and Abril (2011) also highlighted how background characteristics for low SES
families may be associated with music participation, such as access to music classes.
Children’s awareness of this opportunity for free music education in a
community-based setting, and the understanding that their communities are underserved
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in regards to resources, propelled them to achieve excellence through orchestral
membership. Influences from role models such as family members and Jackson
Elementary teachers and staff provided the children with a yearning to learn and succeed.
Martha and George, for example, often spoke about attending college. Both children
would be the first in their families to enroll in university-level classes. Oliver and Martha
often dreamt of becoming orchestra conductors after observing Dr. Marianne and Dr.
Neil on the podium. Ruby’s meticulous analysis about her musical experiences confirmed
the strong musical identity that had been shaped through participation. She continuously
made comparisons to peers, and championed their strengths and talents. All six children
craved the experiences and opportunities provided to them, and these, in turn, bolstered
the development of positive musical identities. This finding aligns with the spirit of
community music making, in which self-expression and cultural diversity encourages and
fosters mutual respect amongst its members (Leglar & Smith, 2010).
Also, the social context of orchestra rehearsal was critical for sustaining the
motivation and development of musical skills amongst the students. With such a warm
and inviting orchestra setting, the children viewed it as a communal space where friends
congregated and help one another with music. The children also made long-lasting
friendships through participation. That is, the orchestra rehearsal became something more
than a music lesson; it was transformed into a community where children, teachers, and
families assembled, forming something similar to another family. Scherber’s (2012)
study investigating reasons of participation in community youth ensembles, found
children placed a higher value on musical factors, more so than social. In this study,
musical and social factors held equal importance amongst the children. Children valued
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peer support, teamwork, and spirit of community just as highly as musical excellence. In
sum, participation in the community youth orchestra shaped children’s musical identities
through positive experiences with collaboration, mutual respect for peers and teachers,
and a supportive environment focusing on musical and social outcomes amongst the
children of Musical Visions’ Jackson Elementary site.
Question Two. In what ways (if any) do issues regarding group and personal
identities emerge in children’s discourses, as they review their experiences in a
community youth orchestra?
Personal and group identities continued to develop throughout participation in
Musical Visions. As in Lamont’s (2002) study, it was found that through experiences in
extra-curricular musical activities, such as Musical Visions, children demonstrated
increased positive attitudes towards musical activities and enjoyed time spent with family
and peers. This suggests that experiences within a community youth orchestra impact a
child’s surroundings and social influences, aside from developing personal and group
identities. Interviewed children were aware, from early on, that participation in orchestras
and other ensembles has a financial cost, and recalled their feelings of excitement and joy
when their families discovered this free music program. George, Oliver, Agnes, and
Martha, for example, expressed the sadness and frustration encountered when searching
for music programs to join, as the costs associated with them were often much too high
for their families. They used powerful words and phrases such as “we don’t have money,”
“lucky,” “special opportunity,” “thankful,” “chosen,” “relieved,” and “grateful,” when
describing the challenges they faced with little money and the experience of enrolling in
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this program. They identified and viewed themselves as children without the financial
means to join other programs. Over time, the children began to understand that while
some programs attributed participation through cost, other opportunities existed and were
equally as strong. Through Musical Visions, the children experienced feelings of
gratitude, relief, and accomplishment-all of which contributed to the formation of
personal and group identities.
It was noteworthy that the children perceived musical learning as a social
phenomenon, more so than as individual progress and success. They identified
themselves as members of a group, and felt that teamwork and the collective group
environment were reasons for their musical successes. As in Moore, et al. (2003),
findings in the current study also suggested friends and peers had a large impact on the
attitudes and behaviors of children. Collaboration and cooperation may have elevated the
musical performance levels of children, which ultimately assisted in developing student
social skills and self-esteem. Two children in particular, Oliver and Ruby, perceived each
of their roles within the orchestra not only as musicians, but also as facilitators or helpers.
They deliberately offered assistance to others with their musical learning. Thus, group
identities were being developed through peer teaching opportunities and working towards
goals amongst peers and role models.
Question Three. How do children perceive their family and community, through
participation in a community youth ensemble?
The children perceived both family and community in a variety of positive ways.
According to the interviewed children, families were supportive of their children’s
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musical learning. Children, in turn, understood how their musical learning was being
transformed in relationship to their families and home life. As in LeFevre and Shaw’s
(2012) study on the effects of Latino parental involvement in formal and informal
activities, findings in this study also suggested that parental involvement aligned with
student achievement including more meaningful academic experiences and graduating.
Bonds within family units became stronger through the child’s musical participation in
the community youth orchestra while children simultaneously shared their joys and
experiences of orchestra with loved ones. Ruby, Martha, and Agnes, recalled closer
bonds with siblings since learning about music, and family members were receptive to
helping them practice at home and engage in more musical conversations. Martha’s four
brothers also pushed her to become a better musician, something she recalled never
occurred prior to her participation. As in Lopez (2006), this finding is consistent with the
values associated with familismo.
Through strong, positive influences and role models within the music program,
the children were setting goals for their future and talking about the importance of
education and musical learning. While some children were still receiving music lessons
during the school day, the majority preferred music lessons at Musical Visions. Reasons
for this included the lack of challenge in school classes, and social factors such as making
new friends and spending more time with them, as well as liking their teachers within the
Jackson Elementary site.
Within the emergent themes of ethnicity and culture, community and
surroundings, and musical learning, three main findings from this study are worth of
119
discussion. They are (1) language and family importance, (2) musical identity within the
community, and (3) development of musical identities through musical learning.
Language and Family Importance
One theme that frequently emerged amongst the interviews with the children was
the issue of language and family importance. Although the children did not necessarily
talk about the relationship between music and language, it was clear that they were
describing the music played in the home and at rehearsals, and this was mediated by the
languages spoken at home. Unsurprisingly, familismo was at the forefront of each of the
six children’s lives, and the idea that family is at the heart of everything they do (Calzada,
Tamis-LeMonda, & Yoshikawa, 2013; Lopez, 2006; Smith-Morris, et al., 2012). Family
bonds grow stronger through their child’s musical participation by children bringing
music into home and sharing new cultural roles within the family.
Language and family importance probably have more implications for musical
learning that originally thought. This was most apparent as the children spoke about the
excitement and sense of responsibility they exhibited for teaching their parents the
English language; something every participant was taking a leadership role in executing.
As is typical for Latino families (Calzada, Tamis-LeMonda & Yshikawa, 2013), children
in this study resided with extended family and all spoke highly about the relationships
and personal jobs they held within their household.
The notion of cultural identification and bridging relationships between school
and home cultures was discussed throughout the interviews, and it is also something
music educators’ need to address in the field (Abril & Flowers, 2007). Ruby, for
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example, spoke with pride about her ability to use the Spanish as a secret language
amongst friends, which is interesting in terms of identity. She and her Spanish-speaking
friends preferred to speak Spanish when they did not want others to understand what they
are saying. This statement shows that she can take advantage of her bilingualism, but that
language defines the “us” and “them”, as postulated by Social Identity Theory (Tajfel &
Turner, 1986). For a child, identity construction is also a journey towards selfhood
(DeLorenzo, 2012a), and children like Ruby may begin to consider how her identities are
connected to factors like academic success in school and musical progress with Musical
Visions.
In terms of family impact, through participation in a community-based music
program, it was apparent that musical skills were being transferred to parents and
siblings, ultimately creating stronger familial bonds. Families had grown increasingly
more interested in their child or sibling’s musical experiences, and had taken on a more
present role in household. Families assisted their music student with practicing and were
more aware of their learning experiences in rehearsals. Oliver’s family, for example,
asked him to play songs on his cello for them, something that did not happen prior to his
enrollment in the community-based youth orchestra. His mother is also appeared to be
more conscientious about the types of music that she played on the radio in the car,
focusing more on classical music, per the request of Oliver and his brother. While these
are positive findings, the ways in which parents study with their children is a question for
further research.
Furthermore, younger siblings had become inspired to start music lessons through
observation of their older brother or sister’s participation within this group. All of this
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family impact builds community. In regards to musical learning, this is not just a question
of learning cultural music for the sake of integrating a multi-cultural lesson within music
classes. It is a question of values, because music acts as a passport to culture.
This study demonstrated how musical identities and ethnicity were
interconnected. Although the children did not talk directly about ethnicity in music, this
was an influential factor in the shaping of their musical identities. It may be difficult for
children to construct and understand a clear definition of ethnicity, although this does not
necessarily mean they do not know who they are. For example, Oliver identified himself
as Hispanic, “Guatemaltecan
12
”, Black, and British, although he has no trace of African-
American or English in his bloodline. He was fixated on reminding me that he was
British, and mentioned his older sister’s African-American husband is the reason he
himself is Black. This confusion about ethnic-identity is also seen amongst children
living close to the Mexico border, such as children living in Texas identifying as Latino.
These issues also merit further study, as they are relevant for music education.
Musical Identity Within the Community
The second main finding from this study was an overall positive perception of
community and the development of music identity through social groups and other
influences. It was important to consider the different roles that social factors (such as
community support and similar peer interests) play in facilitation of the acquisition of
new skills and in maintaining children’s motivation for learning music (Davidson, 1997;
Davidson, Howe, & Sloboda, 1997; Hargreaves, 1996; Moore, Burland, & Davidson,
12
Oliver originally identified himself as “Guatemala,” although he meant Guatemaltecan.
The correct term was not in his vocabulary.
122
2003).
Another interesting finding that emerged from the study was children’s awareness
of the high-crime surroundings in which they lived, often involving gang and drug
activity. All children expressed the desire to make their local communities a safer and
tighter-knit place through music performance, and shared ideas of how this could be
done. Greg and Martha, for example, made connections by sharing their talents with local
church members through musical performances. Oliver and Ruby hoped that by
performing in their community, this could be a catalyst to help deter crime within local
neighborhoods. Children were are also creating leadership roles in generating
performance spaces to share their talents and provide musical experiences in the
community, whether it be setting up informal concerts for neighbors (George), or
performing at church and their local elementary schools. Although students in the present
study had only been performing on their instruments for two years, they often talked
about their futures as musicians. Through participation and teacher influence (Lamont,
2002), they have begun to set long and short-term goals for themselves; such as
performing at specific venues, working towards future careers in music as conductors or
professional instrumentalists, or refining personal practice in hopes to achieve excellence
through hard work and focus. This is due to strong adult role models within the program
who consistently provided the children with life tools such as goal-setting and achieving
excellence, and treated each child as a musician who can do anything he or she put their
mind to.
Children in this study also exhibited a degree of autonomy while teaching music
to others. Five children expressed excitement while teaching siblings, peers, and adults
123
about music. This ranged from telling personal stories about orchestra rehearsal to
outsiders (Oliver), giving impromptu introductory violin lesson to adults at her local
church (Ruby), to transmitting classical music to a local community through setting up
community concerts for neighbors (George). The children unanimously believed that
music creates stronger bonds within communities. They believed that through music, and
their personal endeavors within music, communities could benefit and become safer
places. This brings up an important point about transformation within communities
through music. Music education is not only about the popular notion that music can raise
test scores or improve individual musical abilities. These children have demonstrated that
they are proud of their achievements and are happy to be a part of this orchestra. They are
empowered to bring music to the community, and are sharing their musical experiences
in the school setting and making comparisons to their in-school music classes. Many of
the participating children felt that their experiences through Musical Visions were more
challenging and closer to what they would like to be doing.
Another interesting finding relates to the reasons why ethnic-minority children
participate in community-based programs. These are numerous and complex (Perkins, et
al., 2007). The children of Musical Visions were not enrolled simply for immediate
gratification or enjoyment. They are participating because they wanted to seek new
challenges, were curious about music and performance, desired to play a musical
instrument, were influenced by siblings already enrolled, and found this opportunity to be
something rare in their local communities and wanted to be a part of the programs.
Musical identities developed within the community-based programs are also
transferring to children’s elementary schools. For those schools that include in-school
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music lessons, participants are joining the bands and orchestras, asking to perform for
teachers, and sharing their experiences with friends and peers. They desire to recruit
peers to join the program, and exhibit pride within their orchestra. Most of the children
who participated in their school music ensembles stated that they either enjoyed both
ensembles equally (George) or preferred their musical learning within Musical Visions.
They also exhibited a desire to learn, and wanting more challenging music and
performance opportunities. All children stated that they enjoyed practicing, and were
grateful for the opportunities that they had been given to learn an instrument in an
orchestral setting.
Perhaps these children understood the sense of opportunity that they had been
given, since they were chosen to be a part of a program that has limited openings and a
long waiting list. It may be easy to forget that within many areas, music education is
considered a normal part of in-school curriculum, and children may expect to be provided
the opportunity once they reach fourth or fifth grade, to perform in traditional music
ensembles such as school band, orchestra, or choir. As in O’Neill’s (2012) study,
although the children of Jackson Elementary demonstrated awareness towards socio-
economical barriers such as financial struggles, they persevered in moments of setback
and pursued new endeavors, like Musical Visions, through the assistance of family,
teachers, and community resources.
Development of Musical Identities through Musical Learning
The third main finding from this study related to the ways in which musical
learning actually shaped musical identities of children in the context of a community-
125
based youth orchestra. Research places the development of Identities in Music (IIM),
(ways people view themselves in relation to social and cultural roles within music), and
Music in Identities (MI), (ways in which people define themselves by musical values,
preferences, experiences, and membership within specific social or cultural groups) as a
result of growing up in a musical home supportive of musical growth, teacher roles,
group and peer comparisons, and participation in extra-curricular activities; whether
(Hargreaves, et al., 2002; Lamont, 2002, McHale, 2013). It was learned that the
participants viewed themselves as musicians and leaders in social roles amongst peers in
rehearsals, and in cultural roles at home, such as through language.
Furthermore, study findings regarding the development of musical identities
ultimately connected to Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1978). Based on found social and
group characteristics throughout their musical experiences, and the shifting of musical
identities throughout participation, the children of Jackson Elementary exhibited a natural
motivation to develop and maintain high levels of self-esteem and self-image amongst
one another while in music classes and rehearsals. The children categorized themselves
as members within a certain social group (orchestra member, violin section member,
family member) defining oneself between in-groups and out-groups, an extension of
Social Identity Theory (Lamont, 2002). As musical identities developed and shifted
throughout the children’s experiences, their self-motivation to adopt norms within the
group, and willingness to engage in group behaviors such as group pride and goal-setting,
were also apparent (Hargreaves, North, & Tarrant, 2006).
In this study, an analysis of the data presented the development of musical
identities amongst all six participants. Some children, like Oliver and Ruby, felt a
126
stronger identification as a musician than Greg, who, although believed he was a
musician, had more difficulty expressing his identity than others. However, the concept
of musical identity amongst these children was evident in their understanding of personal
and group goals, the function of music outside of Jackson Elementary, and engaged
participation in the program and in school ensembles (when applicable).
Lamont (2002) found that positive musical identities were not developed solely
from participation in music classes, suggesting that there are other key factors. Music
classes in a community-based program were a key factor in musical identity development
amongst the children of Jackson Elementary. That is, it was clear that school music
education is not the only factor to impact the formation of IIM and MI. As children
navigate through different identities, their identities in music are constantly shifting.
Ibarra (1999) describes this process with the term “provisional selves”, which may
happen in two ways: wholesale (the student readily adopts characteristics of a single role
model, such as a teacher) or selective (the student adopts a range of characteristics from
several role models). Likewise, the musical identities of all six children appeared to be
constantly shifting as they traversed through different learning experiences within
Musical Visions, home life, and community. Participating children adopted
characteristics of their musical identities from several role models including parents,
siblings, peers, music teachers, and Jackson Elementary staff.
In terms of musical development, the children of Jackson Elementary were also
dependent on close contacts with role models in order for themselves to develop
knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to succeed (Davidson, et al., 2006); requiring
127
others around the learner to confirm or reject the child’s emerging musical identity, such
as gaining support from peers, family, and mentors.
This study also corroborated with Shouldice’s (2014) study, in that children’s
perceptions of what it meant to be a “good musician” related to their own experiences. It
was clear from the interviews that the development of children’s musical identities, as
indicated by their perceptions of themselves and their group membership, was shaped by
family, social, and cultural influences. Participating children received clear messages
from a variety of immediate influences including family, teachers, peers, the home and
group setting; all which are influential and powerful factors in the formation of the
children’s musical identity. These young musicians demonstrated active engagement in
musical learning and exhibited a strong commitment to their learning, reflecting not only
individual interests in their instruments, but stable beliefs and perceptions about their
capacity to become competent musicians (McPherson & O’Neill, 2009).
It was evident that music was a vital source for the development of musical
identities amongst participating ethnic-minority students, assisting in their efforts to
navigate their decisions about how to be, appear, and act within their realities (Karlsen,
2013; Tarrant, North, &Hargreaves, 2002). Martha, for example identified herself as a
classical musician, with a clear indication that she perceived herself not only as a student,
but identified herself as a musician through her regimented goals and perfectionist
tendencies.
As noted, social and personal factors interacted with each of the six children,
leading to the development of specific musical identities such as performer (George),
musician (Martha), team member (Greg), and musical helper (Oliver). These social and
128
personal factors may be central for each child’s musical future, whether that is a
professional performer or amateur listener (Davidson, et al., 2006).
Dr. Marianne and Dr. Neil continually used musical language throughout
rehearsals and reminded students about high expectations about the group and personal
growth. During the course of the study, I also observed the students displaying self-
regulated behavior through writing in their own fingerings in their orchestra music,
asking musical questions to their stand partners, and using musical language when
answering questions directed towards them by adults and peers.
Limitations of the Present Study and Directions for Future Research
This study was based on children’s participation in a specific ensemble in Los
Angeles, during a specific time frame and context. Presented here was one single
community-based music program. A small sample size of participants was utilized, and
children were of a very specific age group. Musical Visions is also a successful,
established music program with popularity amongst the local community, versus a new
music program in need of funding. Furthermore, the musical director in this study was
very in tune to the culture of the students, and understands the needs of the community.
The study could also have been housed at a program that was in need of financial support,
or included participants with large discipline issues or disliking the conductor. While the
data collected will hopefully impact music education, community music, and other
related fields, there is no intent to generalize findings to the population at large.
Also, this study did not explore musical experiences in school or at home. No
children mentioned performing or listening to music of their parent’s cultures, however,
129
this question was also not directly asked to them. Returning to Jackson Elementary to
request a 2
nd
or 3
rd
interview may have uncovered more direct ways in which cultural
music plays a role in musical identity. This may have strengthened the findings of this
study, depending on what the children revealed about their musical preferences (Abril &
Flowers, 2007; Soto, 2012).
Future researchers could also examine the impact, if any, of music of children’s
cultural or ethnic backgrounds amongst the musical identity development of children in
middle-childhood. It would also be of interest to explore the ways in which various types
of music or musical genres affect family, communities, and one’s self through the lens of
musical identity.
Implications for Music Education
One way to better develop programs that are sensitive to cultural diversity,
whether in-school or in community-based programs, may be to improve our teacher
education programs at the university-level (O’Hagin & Harnish, 2006). Perhaps
university-level coursework should not only be aimed to represent the current student
body and ethnic-majority, which often focuses on traditional K-12 public school music
training, but should focus to educate and sensitize future educators in areas such as
cultural diversity amongst ethnic-minority children and the social and musical identities
of those who are underrepresented in the current literature. Along the same lines, teacher
training programs should be culturally sensitive, and must consider the musical and
cultural values of the ethnic group, while advocating for ways to prepare future educators
to teach in multicultural music programs.
130
For example, Oliver was unable to understand the differences between of
ethnicity and nationality, and also did not understand that certain words or phrases
deemed politically incorrect amongst children and adults; as he often referred to himself
being of African-American decent using the term “Negro.” This is a philosophical issue
within the field of education. As educators, we have become so worried about political
content taught in schools, therefore sanitizing the contents in order to not alert school
districts with “taboo” conversations; and this becomes problematic. Children bring up
tensions, racially insensitive words and stereotypes, and we pretend (or choose) not to
hear them; which we should not do. These are “teachable moments” that educators often
miss. Instead, there is a tendency to tell students, “Do not say that,” or “Do not do that;”
pretending this issues does not exist, without properly explaining why we do not do or say
certain things for these reasons.
Focusing on Latino youth, these children may not follow the conventional U.S.
racial categories in regards to identities (Flores- González, Aranda, & Vaquera, 2014),
and the ethnically based behaviors and behavioral styles may differ from the ethnic-
majority children living in the U.S. This relates not only to children’s’ ethnic identity
(Knight, Bernal, Garza, Cota, & Ocami, 1993), but also musical identity.
Although the students of Jackson Elementary were not rehearsing any pieces from
Latin cultures at the time of data collection, the children embraced their ethnicities at
Musical Visions through factors outside of music. These included strong familial and
community ties, and an innate perseverance for excellence while residing in underserved
areas within Los Angeles. It is important to examine the findings from Abril and Flowers
(2007) study of attention, preference, and identity in music, and reflect on the importance
131
between the relationship of music and ethnicity. Abril and Flowers’ (2007) study found
differences musical preferences amongst bilingual and monolingual students, where
bilingual students preferred listening to Spanish-language versions of songs. Monolingual
students, in turn, favored instrumental versions of songs from Latino cultures. The
authors suggested that teachers might consider selecting music for listening (or
performance) that is representative of students who speak languages other than English.
This finding is applicable to community-based music programs in multicultural areas.
While Latino children from Jackson Elementary showed excitement and pride for the
non-ethnic orchestra pieces they were playing, it is important to discuss that the majority
of children participating in the Jackson Elementary program were primarily Latino, and
maybe this gap in rehearsal literature should be examined. Perhaps we as educators
should teach Latino cultures about the importance of making connections with students’
identities, and to continue to keep these vibrant cultures alive. This is of importance,
particular for ethnic-minority groups, as they tend to be marginalized. If we as educators
do not nurture these relationships between music and ethnicity, we are not supporting the
whole child, only the child’s musical learning in relation to what and how the ethnic-
majority of children perceives music learning.
It is also important to consider a specific policy issue within the area of music
education. The children are reporting the amount of enjoyment and enthusiasm they share
for these community-based orchestras, the family and community transformations taking
place through participation, and the development of strong musical identities. Yet, for
children living in underserved areas, they are often left with few or no opportunities to
participate in music ensembles. Oftentimes, families must attempt to seek out and locate
132
programs that offer music lessons. Then, after locating a program, they face challenges
such as cost or transportation, and often times, due to the popularity of low-to-free cost
community-based music programs, comes long wait lists or lottery systems. Many low-
income communities do not have opportunities for musical learning, which means we are
not serving the extreme numbers of children that would benefit from lessons. While the
children of Jackson Elementary expressed feeling “grateful” for the opportunity to
participate in Musical Visions, there is another side to this “gratefulness”, such as, “Why
doesn’t my school have music?”
Concluding Thoughts
Los Angeles is an amazing city filled with vibrant neighborhoods, diverse
communities, and boundless opportunity. However, as in other major cities, the
distribution of wealth is extremely unequal, with miles dividing the affluent from the
underserved. Although resources are unequally divided, there is a great sense of
resiliency and perseverance amongst the underrepresented families living in these
underserved areas. Underserved families continue to strive for opportunities for their
children, and will go to great lengths to provide for all family members. While many
community-based youth orchestras require cost or other challenging factors, there is an
emerging trend in these types of orchestras, which cater to underrepresented (and often
ethnic-minority) children, and provide them with opportunities for musical and social
growth.
It is important to celebrate the cultural diversity amongst students, providing them
with opportunities to share experiences about culture, ethnicity, and their identities. The
133
children taking part in this study described the close bonds formed amongst family
members and musical role models, and ways in which their musical identities were being
shaped through performance in community-based youth orchestras. Social roles were
equally as important as musical roles within these children’s lives, and the opportunities
that the children continue to experience through participation in Musical Visions’
Jackson Elementary site will stay with them for many more years to come.
Throughout my years of teaching underrepresented, ethnic-minority children, I
have noticed my teaching has changed. This is a natural and evolving process, full of
positive reflection amongst my own education philosophies and execution in teaching
abilities. Often, as one develops closer relationships with students and their families and
get to know them, the role as a teacher changes. There is far greater an empathetic role in
teaching once you understand the stories, backgrounds, and challenges the children in
your class face daily. The simple questions often asked, such as, “Why did you not do
your math homework?” or “Why have you not practiced your instrument?” can have a
multitude of answers. Perhaps the child did not understand the math problems, and her
parents were working late, as they do every night in order to provide for their family, and
could not be of assistance to the child. Maybe the child was eager to practice, but his
baby sister was sleeping in his room, and space constrictions made it impossible to
practice amongst such a large household, a frequent problem for him. Or possibly, the
child never learned how to execute healthy study habits, since her parents were
uneducated and unable to instill good study habits in their children; on top of also being
in need of financial assistance and desperately searching for advice on parenting
techniques.
134
Every child and every family has a story, and as we learn about these stories, and
understand some of the hardships and struggles our students are experiencing, we can
take on an empathetic role in teaching, making the profession extremely different. This
brings up the popular question, “Why do we do all of this?” Why is it important to dig
deeper, learn about our student’s lives outside of the classroom, and get to know the child,
versus the student? We do this to understand the realities of our children. If we recognize
that family is so important, then we must bring families closer together because this will
strengthen music programs. For if not, ultimately it becomes about “me” and the “other."
Failing to open ourselves up to understanding and compassion within our families deters
us from having relationships that need to be fostered. This is not just a teacher issue
throughout education, but a worldwide matter.
135
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Appendix A: Parental/Guardian Consent Form and Assent Form for child to be
interviewed by researcher
University of Southern California
Thornton School of Music
Department of Music Education
Los Angeles, CA 90089
INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
Voices from within: Perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical
identity from the child musician
Your child is invited to participate in a research study conducted by doctoral student
Christine D’Alexander, and Faculty Advisor Dr. Beatriz Ilari from the University of
Southern California, because your child is participating in a community youth orchestra
for children. Your child’s participation is voluntary. You should read the information
below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding whether
to participate. Please take as much time as you need to read the consent form. You may
also decide to discuss participation with your family or friends. If you decide to have
your child participate, you will be asked to sign this form. You will be given a copy of
this document.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to explore how Latino children’s participation in community
youth orchestras impacts their perceptions of musical identity. Little is currently known
about the perspectives and perceptions of the child musician, reasons for participating in
community youth orchestras, and how musical identity in Latino children is impacted
through participation. Knowledge of such information is important because it may help
us design extra-curricular music programs for children and families that are more attuned
to their interests and needs.
STUDY PROCEDURES
If you volunteer your child to participate in this study, he/she will be asked to participate
in a short, 15-minute interview with the researcher. The interview will take place during a
day your child attends music class. The researcher will schedule an interview at a time of
your convenience. Your child will be asked a series of questions in six areas: family life,
community youth orchestra participation, musical identity, transference of musical
experiences to your family and local community, and social aspects of participation. The
interview will be completely anonymous and recorded in audio format. The researcher
can turn the microphone off at any time, if your child asks her to do so.
145
POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
No anticipated risks or discomforts should occur during the interview. If your child does
not feel comfortable answering a question for any reason, they may simply choose to not
answer.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
There is no individual direct benefit from participation in this study. This is a research
study, and benefits are contingent upon the results. While not guaranteed, there should be
anticipated benefits to society.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
At the completion of the study, each child participant will receive a small gift from the
researcher. This gift is a token of gratitude for their time and honesty. The gift will
include musical pencils, stickers, and other music-themed trinkets.
CONFIDENTIALITY
During the interview, the researcher will ask your child to talk about their musical
experiences and perceptions of participation in their community youth orchestra.
Although they will be sharing musical aspects of their life with the researcher, there will
be no identifiable information obtained in connection with this study.
Only the members of the research team will have access to your interview data, and that
is only for the purpose of transcribing the information that you give us. Program directors
and teachers will not have access to the data; only group results will be present to them,
at a later time. Therefore, your child’s participation in the program will not be
compromised in any way, should you decide to participate in this study.
The University of Southern California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP)
may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies to protect the
rights and welfare of research subjects.
The data will be stored on a password protected audio device. Your child’s name and the
name of the ensemble will be changed to provide anonymity. All information provided
will be coded for personal study records. The identity of your child and their coded name
will be kept on a password protected hard drive, separate from the study information.
Only the researcher will have access to that information. Audio recordings will be erased
approximately five years after the final research paper is published.
PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your participation is voluntary. Your refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss
of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You may withdraw your consent at any
time and discontinue participation without penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims,
rights or remedies because of your participation in this research study.
EMERGENCY CARE AND COMPENSATION FOR INJURY
Though not foreseeable, if you are injured as a direct result of research procedures you
will receive medical treatment; however, you or your insurance will be responsible for
146
the cost. The University of Southern California does not provide any monetary
compensation for injury.
PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT
I have read the information provided above. I have been given a chance to ask questions.
My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to allow my child to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
___ I agree to allow my child to be audiotaped
___ I do not agree to allow my child to be audiotaped
__________________________________________________
Parent/Legal Guardian Signature
Name of Investigator: ______________________ Date: __________________
__________________________________________________
Investigator’s Signature
INVESTIGATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Christine D’Alexander-Principal Investigator. She may be reached at (312)502-9685 or
cdalexan@usc.edu.
RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT – IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant
or the research in general and are unable to contact the research team, or if you want to
talk to someone independent of the research team, please contact the University Park
Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los Angeles,
CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
147
Appendix B: Child Assent Form to Participate in Research
University of Southern California
Thornton School of Music
Department of Music Education
Los Angeles, CA 90089
ASSENT FORM TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
Voices from within: Perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical
identity from the child musician
Ms. Christine D’Alexander wants to learn about what children think about while
participating in a community youth orchestra. One way to learn about it is to do a
research study; the people doing the study are called researchers.
Your mom/dad/Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) has told us we can talk to you
about the study. You also can talk this over with your mom or dad. It’s up to you if you
want to take part, you can say “yes” or “no.” No one will be upset with you if you don’t
want to take part.
If you do want to take part, you will be asked to give a short, 15-minute interview with
myself, and talk about why you joined the orchestra and how it makes you feel being a
member of this ensemble. The interview will be recorded and if there are any questions
that you do not want to answer, you do not have to.
Researchers don’t always know what will happen to people in a research study. We don’t
expect anything to happen to you.
Your answers will not be graded, and no one will know what you said. Only the
researcher will see your answers.
If you have any questions, you can ask the researcher.
If you want to take part in the study, please write and then sign your name at the bottom.
You can change your mind if you want to, just tell the researcher.
_________________________________
Name of Participant
___________________________________ ____________________
Participant’s Signature Date
___________________________________
Name of person consenting
___________________________________ ____________________
Signature of person consenting Date
148
Appendix C: Information/Facts Sheet for Non-Medical Research
University of Southern California
Thornton School of Music
Department of Music Education
Los Angeles, CA 90089
INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
Voices from within: Perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical
identity from the child musician
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by doctoral student Christine
D’Alexander, and Faculty Advisor Dr. Beatriz Ilari from the University of Southern
California, because of your involvement with this community youth orchestra. Your
participation is voluntary. You should read the information below, and ask questions
about anything you do not understand, before deciding whether to participate. Please take
as much time as you need to read the form.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to explore how Latino children’s participation in community
youth orchestras impacts their perceptions of musical identity. Little is currently known
about the perspectives and perceptions of the child musician, reasons for participating in
community youth orchestras, and how musical identity in Latino children is impacted
through participation. Knowledge of such information is important because it may help
us design extra-curricular music programs for children and families that are more attuned
to their interests and needs.
STUDY PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you may be asked a number of questions
regarding your involvement and general observations within this ensemble and local
community. Any of the informal interviews would always take place during the workday,
at your convenience. The interview will be completely anonymous.
POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
No anticipated risks or discomforts should occur during the interview. If you do not feel
comfortable answering a question for any reason, you may simply choose to not answer.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
There is no individual direct benefit from participation in this study. This is a research
study, and benefits are contingent upon the results. While not guaranteed, there should be
anticipated benefits to society.
149
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
There will be no payment or compensation for participation.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Only the members of the research team will have access to your interview data, and that
is only for the purpose of transcribing the information that you give us. Employees of this
organization will not have access to the data; only group results will be present to them,
at a later time. Therefore, your participation in the program will not be compromised in
any way, should you decide to participate in this study.
The University of Southern California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP)
may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies to protect the
rights and welfare of research subjects.
All information provided will be coded for personal study records. Your identity and
coded name will be kept on a password protected hard drive, separate from the study
information. Only the researcher will have access to that information. All data from these
informal conversations will be erased approximately five years after the final research
paper is published.
PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your participation is voluntary. Your refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss
of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You may withdraw your consent at any
time and discontinue participation without penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims,
rights or remedies because of your participation in this research study.
EMERGENCY CARE AND COMPENSATION FOR INJURY
Though not foreseeable, if you are injured as a direct result of research procedures you
will receive medical treatment; however, you or your insurance will be responsible for
the cost. The University of Southern California does not provide any monetary
compensation for injury.
INVESTIGATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Christine D’Alexander-Principal Investigator. She may be reached at (312) 502-9685 or
cdalexan@usc.edu.
RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT – IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant
or the research in general and are unable to contact the research team, or if you want to
talk to someone independent of the research team, please contact the University Park
Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los Angeles,
CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
150
Appendix D: Child Interview Protocols
Jackson Elementary Site
Personal & Family Life
1. Tell me about your early childhood. Where were you born? What was your
childhood like?
2. Please tell me about your family at home. Where were they born? Who lives with
you? Tell me about their personalities.
3. Tell me about the languages that you speak. Family? Friends? What language do
you speak most often? At home? At school?
4. Tell me about your family members’ experiences with music.
5. Do your family members like to sing? What types of songs?
6. Did any family members want you to join this orchestra? Why?
7. If you had some friends over to your house to play, what kinds of music would be
played at home?
8. What kind of music do you listen to while on your way to school? Who chooses
what music to listen to?
Community Youth Orchestra Participation
9. Tell me about your decision to participate in this orchestra.
10. Tell me about the reasons why it was important for you to join?
11. Think about when you are in rehearsal, when are you most happy?
12. Tell me about the activities you do while in sectionals and orchestra rehearsals.
13. Tell me about your goals while practicing and performing.
151
14. Can you tell me about what you hope to get out of this experience of playing with
this ensemble?
Musical identity and cultural diversity
15. Do you feel that this is a special opportunity for you, being in this orchestra? Can
you tell me about this?
16. Do you talk about orchestra with other friends who are not participating? What do
you talk about?
17. What are some words that describe how being a part of this orchestra makes you
feel. Why did you choose these words?
18. Tell me, what things do you believe you have in common with your peers in this
orchestra?
Transference to Family & Community
19. Tell me about the conversations you have about music with your family
20. Were there any changes in your family, since you’ve begun playing an
instrument? If so, can you talk about them?
21. Where in the community would you like to perform? Why did you choose this
location?
22. Do you think the community is happy that they have an orchestra for kids in their
neighborhood? Why or why not?
23. How could having this orchestra make the community a better place, in your
opinion?
Social Aspects
152
24. Is it possible to make friends in an orchestra? Why or why not? If so, are these
friendships different than what you experience in school?
25. How does this orchestra build teamwork amongst the musicians?
26. Why are friendships important to you?
153
Appendix E: Adult Interview Protocols
Jackson Elementary Site
1. What is your position at Musical Visions’ Jackson Elementary site?
2. Tell me about your roles and duties within Musical Visions’ Jackson Elementary
site.
3. How long have you been working at Jackson Elementary? Why did you first
decide to take on this role?
4. Are you employed elsewhere? If so, please describe your position and duties.
5. Through your participation working with the children of Jackson Elementary,
what have you observed about the children's musical and social experiences?
6. Why do you believe music programs like Musical Visions and the Jackson
Elementary site are necessary for elementary-aged children?
154
Appendix F: Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Form
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY PARK
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FWA 00007099
Exempt - Flex
Date: May 27, 2014, 04:47pm
Faculty Advisor: Beatriz Ilari
THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Project Title: Voices from within
USC UPIRB # UP-14-00286
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Abstract (if available)
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to observe and interview children from underserved communities who were taking part in a community youth orchestra in Los Angeles in order to determine how their participation impacted their perceptions of musical identity. Little is currently known about (1) the perspectives, insights, and observations of the child musician, (2) the reasons for participating in community youth orchestras, and (3) how musical identity in Latino children is impacted through participation. This study provided a voice to Latino children from underrepresented social and cultural groups by inquiring about their musical experiences while taking part in a community youth orchestra, and examined how they viewed themselves in relation to friends, family, and the community at large through the lens of a number of socio-cultural theories. Data collection for this study was completed in three phases over a period of two months. Phase one included non-participatory observation and the gathering of documents and artifacts from children and adults. Phase two included one-on-one semi-structured interviews with child participants. Phase three consisted of triangulation interviews with adults. The children were enrolled in an after-school, community-based music program, and attended music classes at an elementary school. Children articulated their musical identities and evidence suggested that their beliefs were shaped through orchestral experiences, and social and cultural factors. Personal, social, and musical factors each played a role in their musical identity formation. The children demonstrated increased positive attitudes towards musical activities, and enjoyed time spent with family, teachers, and peers, suggesting that experiences within a community youth orchestra were important for a child’s surroundings, social development, and group and personal identity development.
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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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Asset Metadata
Creator
D'Alexander, Christine Maria
(author)
Core Title
Voices from within: perceptions of community youth orchestras and musical identities of child musicians
School
Thornton School of Music
Degree
Doctor of Musical Arts
Degree Program
Music Education
Publication Date
04/17/2015
Defense Date
03/10/2015
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
Children,Community Music,musical identities,OAI-PMH Harvest,Orchestra
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Ilari, Beatriz (
committee chair
), Helfter, Susan (
committee member
), Webster, Peter (
committee member
)
Creator Email
cdalexan@usc.edu,christinedalexander@gmail.com
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-552574
Unique identifier
UC11298451
Identifier
etd-DAlexander-3328.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-552574 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-DAlexander-3328.pdf
Dmrecord
552574
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
D'Alexander, Christine Maria
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Tags
musical identities