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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine factors and sources considered by Georgia public middle school band directors in the selection of band music repertoire. The following research questions guided the study: 1) What are some factors that influence Georgia middle school band directors in their selection of performance repertoire for concert band? 2) Are perceptions of these factors by Georgia middle school band directors influenced by variables such as geographic region or socioeconomic considerations? 3) What sources do Georgia middle school band directors use in selecting repertoire for concert band? A mixed methods design consisting of both quantitative and qualitative techniques was used. Quantitative data were derived from a survey that was sent to Georgia public middle school band directors with students in grades six through eight who participated in events sponsored by the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA). For the qualitative portion of the study, interviews were conducted with four exceptional middle school band directors with a variety of backgrounds from different regions of the state. Educational value and instrumentation were the most important factors in concert band repertoire selection according to the quantitative data. Meanwhile, educational value as well as aesthetic value were emphasized in the qualitative data. While survey data revealed that the gender and ethnicity of a composer were viewed as less important, these factors were shown to be more highly considered by some in the interview data. The lowest factor for both quantitative and qualitative data was administrator input. Neither geographic region nor school setting appeared to greatly impact the survey responses. This was also consistent with the interview responses. Both quantitative and qualitative data revealed that popular information sources for repertoire were state lists and professional recordings, while online discussion forums were found to be less popular.