A survey of the importance of functional piano skills as reported by band, choral, orchestra, and general music teachers.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine which functional piano skills public school teachers consider to be of greatest value for their band, choral, orchestra, and general music jobs. The research sought information on which functional piano skills elementary/secondary school band, choral, orchestra, and general music teachers use, and how often; which functional piano skills these teachers would use if they had sufficient proficiency at the particular skill; which different skills are desired among band, orchestra, choral, and general music teachers; and how much undergraduate piano study should be required for proficiency of these functional skills. The population was 472 high school, middle/jr. high school, and elementary music teachers in the areas of band, choral, orchestra, and general music from throughout the United States. A questionnaire was used in this study to collect personal data, data regarding undergraduate piano training, and data regarding piano use in teaching. The results indicated that (a) courses in functional piano skills are important for all undergraduate music education majors, regardless of anticipated teaching area, (b) the functional piano skills that are most important for undergraduate music education students to focus on are accompanying and score reading, (c) school music teachers recognize the necessity of proficiency in functional piano skills, particularly accompanying, score reading, harmonization, technique, and reading, and (d) school music teachers would use these functional piano skills more frequently if they were more proficient, particularly accompanying skills.