A Comparison of Expert and Novice Music Teachers' Preparing Identical Band Compositions: An Operational Replication

Abstract

This replication is the third causal-comparative study of expert and novice instrumental music teachers seeking to determine characteristics that may define successful, outstanding band directors, using methodology refined in two previous studies (Goolsby, 1996, 1997). Here, 10 expert and 10 novice teachers prepared an identical composition for a rated performance. A total of 216 rehearsals were analyzed to establish frequency distributions for 30 teaching and performance variables and for sequential patterns of instruction. Results showed that novices used more time overall and spent more time in verbal instruction while preparing the composition. The expert teachers spent a greater percentage of the rehearsals performing than novices did. Differences for frequency distributions indicate that novice teachers stopped and restarted more frequently without providing instruction; experts addressed balance, style, tone, and intonation more than did novices.

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