Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T04:33:21.188Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A perennial problem in gendered participation in music: what's happening to the boys?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2007

Scott D. Harrison
Scott D. Harrison*
Affiliation:
Griffith University, PO Box 3428, South Brisbane 4101, [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Despite three decades of research, gendered participation in music continues to be problematic. While many aspects of Western society maintain a patriarchal stance in the workplace, it is apparent that girls have made some significant changes in their musical choices. Males, it seems, are maintaining the same preferences for instruments as they did 100 years ago, avoiding ‘gentler pursuits’ like singing and playing the flute. This paper seeks to investigate the continued existence of stereotyping of musical participation and to discover some of the underlying reasons for this in the musical choices for boys through the literature. Furthermore, themes arising from existing research are investigated through fieldwork recently conducted in Australia.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , November 2007 , pp. 267 - 280
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ABELES, H. F. & PORTER, S. Y. (1978) ‘The sex-stereotyping of musical instruments’, Journal of Research in Music Education, 26, 65–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ADLER, A. (2001) ‘Male gender issues in music education: a three dimensional perspective’. Paper presented at Research in Music Education Conference, Exeter University, April.Google Scholar
BARTEL, L. (2006) Trends in data acquisition and knowledge. In Colwell, R. (Ed.), MENC Handbook of Research Methodologies (pp. 343–85). Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BENJAMIN, O. (1995) ‘Healing, community and justice in the men's movement: toward a socially responsible model of masculinity’, in Kimmel, M. (Ed.), The Politics of Manhood (pp. 151–75). Philadelphia: Temple University.Google Scholar
BURNS, R. (2000) Introduction to Research Methods (4th edn.). Sydney: Pearson Education Australia.Google Scholar
CAVANA, R. Y., DELAHAYE, B. L. & SEKARAN, U. (2001) Applied Business Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods. Brisbane: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
COLLINS, A. (2005) ‘Boys and Music: What encourages boys to remain involved and motivated in music education in their secondary school years?’ Unpublished Master of Education Thesis Deakin University.Google Scholar
CONWAY, C. (2000) ‘Gender and musical instrument choice: a phenomenological investigation’, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 146, 1–15.Google Scholar
CRESWELL, J. W. (2005) Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (2nd edn.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
DAMSON, I. F. (1936) ‘The boys who did not sing’, Music Educators’ Journal, 23, 41–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FORUCCI, S. L. (1957) ‘The crime against the singer’, Music Educators’ Journal, 43, 93–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FORTNEY, P. J., BOYLE, J. D. & DE CARBO, N. J. (1993) ‘A study of middle school band students instrument choices’, Journal of Research in Music Education, 41, 28–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FREY, J. H. & MERTENS-OSHI, S. (1995) ‘How to conduct interviews by telephone and in person’, The Survey Kit Vol. 4. London: Thousand Oaks.Google Scholar
GLESNE, C. (1999) Becoming Qualitative Researchers: An Introduction. New York: Longman.Google Scholar
GRACE, H. (1916) ‘A choir problem of today’, The Musical Times, 57, 367–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GREEN, L. (1993) ‘Music, gender and education: a report on some exploratory research’, British Journal of Music Education, 10, 219–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GREEN, L. (1996) ‘The emergence of gender as an issue in music education’, in Plummeridge, C. (Ed.), Music Education: Trends and Issues (pp. 41–58). London: University of London Institute of Education.Google Scholar
GREEN, L. (1997) Music Gender and Education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GRISWOLD, P. A. & CHROBACK, D. A. (1981) ‘Sex-role associations of musical instruments and occupations by gender and major’, Journal of Research in Music Education, 26, 57–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HALL, C. (2005) ‘Gender and boys’ singing in early childhood’, British Journal of Music Education, 22, 5–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARRISON, S. D. (2001) ‘Real men don't sing’, Australian Voice, 11, 31–36.Google Scholar
HARRISON, S. D. (2003) ‘Music versus sport: what's the score.’ Australian Journal of Music Education, 1, 10–15Google Scholar
HARRISON, S. D. (2004) ‘Engaging boys – overcoming stereotypes’, Choral Journal, 45, 25–9.Google Scholar
HARRISON, S. D. (2005) ‘Music and sport: new approaches to scoring’, Australian Journal of Music Education, 1, 56–61.Google Scholar
HARRISON, S. D. (2006) ‘Engaging boys in a sequential, voice-based program’, Bulletin of the Kodály Music Education Institute Australia, 6–13.Google Scholar
HORROCKS, R. (1995) Male Myths and Icons: Masculinity in Popular Culture. New York: St Martins Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KIPNIS, A. (1995) ‘The postfeminist men's movement’, in Kimmel, M. (Ed.), The Politics of Manhood (pp. 275–86). Philadelphia: Temple University.Google Scholar
KOZA, J. E. (1994) ‘Big boys don't cry (or sing): gender, misogyny and homophobia in college choral method texts’, Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning, 4, 48–63.Google Scholar
NICHOLS, J. (1991) A Practitioner's Handbook for Institutional Effectiveness and Student Outcomes Assessment Implementation. New York: Agathon Press.Google Scholar
O'NEILL, S. A. & BOULTON, M. J. (1996) ‘Boys’ and girls’ preferences for musical instruments: A function of gender?’, Psychology of Music, 24, 171–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PATTON, M., (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. (3rd edn). Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
PICKERING, S. & REPACHOLI, B. (2001) ‘Modifying children's gender-typed musical instrument preferences: the effects of gender and age’, Sex Roles, 45, 623–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PUCCIANI, D. (1983) ‘Sexism in music education: survey of literature 1972–1982’, Music Educators’ Journal, 70, 1.Google Scholar
SHENK, D. (1999) Data fog: Surviving the Information Glut. New York: Harper Edge.Google Scholar
TAYLOR, J. (2007) ‘Pink noise: queer identity and musical performance in Brisbane, Queensland’, Queensland Review, September, 2007.Google Scholar
VIGGIANO, F. A. (1941) ‘Reaching the adolescent who thinks its sissy to sing’, Music Educators’ Journal, 27, 62–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WINSLOW, R. W. (1946) ‘Male vocal problems in the secondary school’, Music Educators’ Journal, 32, 58–61.Google Scholar