Tammy M. Fisher, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin ñ La Crosse
The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret the current structure of undergraduate percussion curricula implemented by percussion instructors at four-year colleges and universities accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. A secondary objective of the study was to identify the level and type of training received by university percussion instructors and to evaluate their level of knowledge and comfort teaching specific percussion instruments. The subjects for this study were Percussion Instructors at 530 four-year degree-granting universities and colleges accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
An initial cover letter, in the form of electronic mail, was sent to 530 administrators of four-year degree granting colleges and universities accredited by NASM. Email addresses were obtained from the 2003 National Association of Schools of Music Directory. Administrators were requested to forward the cover letter to the percussion instructor(s) in their program. This cover letter contained a link to the electronic questionnaire web address URL. As a secondary attempt to obtain responses from the on-line questionnaire, 328 Percussion Instructors received an e-mail cover letter containing the electronic questionnaire web address URL. From this population, 108 percussion instructors (20%) responded.
Quantitative data were retrieved for response analysis procedures, including response frequencies and percentages. Open-ended comment responses were extrapolated from an excel spreadsheet and reformatted into text documents. These responses were counted and categorized according to content.
Based on the results of this study, current curricular practices in undergraduate percussion studios indicated some differences exist regarding performance and education major requirements. The survey revealed a dedicated effort on the part of university percussion instructors to incorporate world percussion study into their curriculum, as part of studio instruction and ensemble experience. The majority of instructors indicated totalization as their philosophy regarding the training of undergraduate percussion students. Instructors identified keyboard percussion, snare drum, timpani, and drum set as the basic core of percussion instruments and instructor responses indicated a higher level of knowledge and comfort teaching keyboard percussion, snare drum, timpani and drum set.
Tammy M. Fisher, Ph.D.
Professor of Music Education, Percussion Studies, and Bands
University of Wisconsin ñ La Crosse
1725 State Street, 142 CFA
La Crosse, WI 54601