Influence of Primary Performance Area, Education Level, and Performance Quality on Pre-Service Music Teachers’ Ratings of String Orchestra Performances

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of primary performance area, education level, and performance quality on pre-service music teachers’ evaluations of middle school string orchestra performances. Participants (N = 78) were pre-service band, choral, and orchestra teachers who self-reported their academic status as lower (n = 39) and upper (n = 39) classmen. Participants assigned ratings to interpretation-musicianship, dynamics, balance/blend, and other factors on a 7-point Likert-type scale with criteria-specific descriptors. Repeated-measures ANOVA tests revealed that participants were able to distinguish between both good and poor performances. Upper classmen pre-service music teachers assigned more favorable ratings to interpretation-musicianship and balance/blend than lower classmen. Pre-service choral teachers gave less favorable ratings than pre-service orchestra teachers for interpretation-musicianship and balance/blend. Descriptive analysis revealed that upper classmen pre-service music teachers assigned more favorable ratings than lower classmen. For all evaluation statements, pre-service choral teachers gave the least favorable ratings and pre-service orchestra teachers assigned the most favorable.