The purpose of this study was to monitor the status of school string and orchestra programs in the United States and to gather descriptive information in the areas of program characteristics, curriculum, support, and student/teacher demographics. A second purpose was to document trends observed when compared with results of previous studies. Based on the review of literature, specific variables were identified as potential for trends: string student enrollment, symphonic orchestra offerings, enhancement offerings, private lesson enrollment, string teacher shortages, and student/teacher demographic information. All members of the American String Teachers Association indicating K-12 string teaching as part of their duties were contacted to complete a web-based survey (N = 2,232). After follow-up contact, 369 respondents participated (16.5%). Although teachers indicated growth in both number and size of programs, increased utilization of approved curricula, and representative racial demographics among students, analysis revealed the following concerns: a decline in the offering of symphonic orchestra and other enhancements, a decline in student participation in private instruction, unrepresentative gender and racial demographics of string teachers, and factors that indicate a continuing string teacher shortage.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of school level (middle and high), festival level (district and state), music classification (A, B, C, D, and E), and instrumentation (full and string orchestra) on the overall performance ratings assigned to orchestral performances at large ensemble Music Performance Assessment (MPA) festivals. Data consisted of overall ratings (N = 1,996) assigned at district (n = 1,844) and state level (n = 152) MPA festivals sponsored by the Florida Orchestra Association between 2010 and 2015. Analysis revealed that 94% of all high school orchestras at district and state festivals earned a I/Superior or II/Excellent rating. Logistic regression models revealed: (a) high school orchestras were more likely to earn I/Superior ratings at district festivals than state festivals, (b) middle school orchestras were less likely to earn I/Superior ratings than high school orchestras, and (c) orchestras that performed more difficult repertoire increased their likelihood of earning a I/Superior over ensembles that played easier literature. Festival administrators may use the results of this study to identify specific evaluation trends at adjudicated festivals that can be strengthened.

The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between the extent of high-level violin performers’ movement during performance and evaluators’ perceptions of their musicality. Stimuli were 10 excerpts of solo violin performances from the 2015 Tadeusz Wronski International Violin Competition for Solo Violin, selected to convey high and low amounts of performer movement. Participants were undergraduate music majors ( N = 274) divided into three groups by experimental conditions: visual-only ( n = 109), audio-only ( n = 78), or audio-visual ( n = 87). Analysis demonstrated that performers exhibiting high movement were perceived as more musical than performers exhibiting low movement. The findings suggest that even accomplished musicians are subject to evaluation biases based on stage presence and physical behaviors such as movement.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of event type (solo and ensemble), school level (middle and high school), and event level (district and state) on overall performance ratings assigned to string musicians attending solo and ensemble festivals. Data consisted of participants’ (N = 10,275) ratings from district - and state-level solo and ensemble festivals sponsored by the Florida Orchestra Association from 2010 to 2014. Participants performed more solo events (n = 6,745) than ensembles (n = 3,530). Performances by middle school string players (n = 5,403) outnumbered those from high school (n = 4,872). Ninety-five percent of all participants (n = 9,761) earned a I/Superior or II/Excellent rating. Solo performances received more favorable ratings than ensemble performances at district festivals. However, ensembles were assigned more favorable ratings at state festivals. Evaluations of middle and high school participants’ performances were similar. District festival performances received more favorable ratings than state festival performances. With the increased importance of student data, student participation at adjudicated festivals, and providing a positive musical experience for students, directors may use these results to help their students receive beneficial assessments that influence long-term success.

The purpose of this study was to investigate middle school and high school string students’ (N = 241) preferences for various alternative string styles. String styles selected for the study were those represented in published, age-appropriate method books available for heterogeneous string study and included American Folk, Bluegrass, Celtic, Jazz, and Mariachi genres. Participants listened to 10 musical examples, two from each style, and gave a preference rating for each example using a seven-point response continuum. Results indicated that the Celtic genre was the most preferred, followed by Jazz, American Folk, Mariachi, and Bluegrass genres. Celtic and Jazz examples received significantly higher ratings than American Folk, Mariachi, and Bluegrass examples. Results also indicated significant differences between the preference ratings of participants who indicated they were familiar with at least one of the examples from each style and preference ratings of participants who were unfamiliar with either of the examples. No significant differences were found in preference ratings based on participants’ grade level, primary instrument, or gender.