A Survey Study of U.S. Collegiate and K–12 Steel Band Directors’ Attitudes Relating to Steel Band Curriculum and Pedagogy

Abstract

Steel bands were introduced into U.S. schools and universities during the 1950s and 1960s. There are now more than 600 U.S. school and university steel bands. The range of teaching methods and repertoire choices must be examined to more fully understand the variety of steel band traditions present in K–12 schools and universities. U.S. steel band directors responded to Likert-type, yes/no, and open-ended items about their curriculum and pedagogy as part of a March 2012 survey ( N = 216). Some of the main issues examined include methodology, the balance of genres programmed, the inclusion of contextual information, and directors’ steelpan performance backgrounds. Recommendations for the field, including suggestions for professional development opportunities for steel band directors, are included.