Judge-Group Differences in the Rating of Secondary School Trumpet Performances

It was the purpose of this study to determine whether trumpet performances adjudicated by a group of seven competent brass specialists are rated differently from the same performances adjudicated by a similar group of nonbrass specialists. Its purpose also was to determine whether the performances are rated differently when the same judges were reassigned to judge groups as wind specialists and nonwind specialists. The trait terms used by the judges included intonation, rhythm, interpretation, technique, and overall. The results showed no significant differences for any of the traits when brass judges were compared with nonbrass judges. One trait, technique, was found to be rated significantly different when wind judges were compared with nonwind judges. In addition, technique was also found to be the most distinct trait when the groups of judges were combined into a single judge group and the five rated traits were intercorrelated.