String Research Journal

There is limited information on students with disabilities in the string classroom. The aim of this integrative review was to synthesize the existing knowledge and trends regarding educational practices for students with disabilities in the string or orchestra classroom. A total of 20 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority of available information consisted of expert opinion, with no true experimental designs found on string/orchestral education for students with disabilities. The analysis revealed that having a disability does not prevent a child from achieving on a string instrument, although barriers and challenges to participation do exist. Furthermore, the review showed that investigations specifically targeting string educators or teaching strategies in the string classroom are limited at best. More research is needed to better understand how students with disabilities can be effectively included in the string classroom.

The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) has held research poster sessions as part of its national conferences annually since 2006. From 2006-2014, 98 researchers contributed 147 original research studies to these sessions. Sixty-six of these researchers presented once, and 32 presented two or more studies. Since 2008, the research poster submissions have been juried and the research poster presentation sessions have had a designated slot in the annual ASTA conference program. An average of 17 research posters have been presented annually. The consistent number of poster submissions and the breadth of research topics may indicate the vitality of string research by ASTA members.

The purpose of this study was to investigate string and orchestra programs in Kansas public schools. Website searches were conducted of all 285 Kansas public school districts for evidence of orchestra programs and names and contacts of teachers. A survey was administered to all known string and orchestra teachers in Kansas (N=150). A total of 67 participants fully completed the survey for a response rate of 45%. Data were collected on the prevalence of school districts with orchestra programs, the number of orchestra teachers employed in the state, demographic profiles of orchestra teachers, orchestra program information, and recent changes to programs. Approximately 13% of school districts in Kansas had string or orchestra programs during the 2012-2013 school year. As a whole, the data indicate that Kansas string and orchestra teachers and programs are very similar to those on a national level. This study provides an easily replicable methodological model and survey instrument that could be used by any state, with limited changes, to collect similar data.

The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching behaviors and beliefs of three “tradition bearers” of old-time music: Alice Gerrard, Tom Sauber, and Lightnin’ Wells. The three teachers were selected based on their extensive careers as performers of old-time and folk music, and their reputations as teachers of old-time and folk music. Data were collected at the Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, and included 18 hours of video data, personal interviews, and field notes. Coding of the video revealed three main themes in the tradition bearers’ teaching: (1) Demonstration: use of recordings, teacher performance at tempo, teacher performance at reduced tempo, and co-verbal demonstration, (2) Verbal Instruction: verbal explanation, discussion, feedback, and story telling and (3) Group Play: whole group macro, whole group micro, and isolated play. Throughout the interviews, the tradition bearers shared their beliefs about teaching old-time music, the differences between they way they teach compared to how they learned, their goals for students, and their opinions about the role of tradition bearers in the education of old-time musicians.

The purpose of this study was to determine the rhythm sight-reading ability of high school string players, establish a hierarchy for detaché rhythm skills in string sight-reading, and discover any effects of key or bow direction. Twenty-six rhythm skills, grouped into seven categories were embedded into four 8-measure melodies, which appeared in three different keys and with occasional designated bowings. Participants (N = 82) obtained a mean score of 19.1 (73%), with success rates ranging from 20% to 94% for individual rhythm skills. While significant differences were found between skills appearing in the major keys of D and E-flat, no significant differences were found by bow direction. Future researchers may explore whether these rhythm skills hold their relative difficulty level with less accomplished players, investigate the effects of various bowing practices, and identify any effects of anxiety levels for sight-reading when the consequences of performance quality varies.

The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to examine influences on string teachers’ career decisions. We surveyed K-12 school string teachers (N = 338) who were members of the American String Teachers Association (33.8% response rate). We found that string teachers were most influenced to continue playing their primary instruments as pre-college students by seventeen individual items representing six categories: music, identity, “flow” experiences, feelings of success and recognition, emotional responses, and social connections. The item that least influenced this decision was, “It was important to my parents.” Results indicate a strong connection between choosing to become a string teacher and the opportunity to influence students and to continue music making. In general, job-related reasons and influence of others did not influence the career choice of string educators. The majority of respondents indicated their career decision was not influenced by the fear of not being able to make a living as a performer.