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Purposes were (1) to identify all current adult community band activity in the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and (2) to develop a profile of participants in community bands, to include educational level, personal and musical...
Identification of community bands was accomplished primarily through mail response from members of professional music organizations. The study verified twelve community bands in Alabama, twenty-six in Georgia, and forty-four in Florida.
A 60-item questionnaire was developed and distributed to the membership of fourteen community bands selected as a sample of small, medium, and large cities. Five hundred twenty-eight surveys were completed for a return rate of 74.6%.
Responses revealed twice as many men as women playing in community bands, and a very low rate of participation by minorities. More than half of respondents held a college degree, and half had majored in music at some time during college.
High school band was the most active level of school music participation, and positive indicators of continued adult activity were solo and small ensemble activity, private lessons, keyboard lessons, choir, and honor bands.
Three-fourths of respondents were recently active in another instrumental ensemble. Most participants had played in the community band for five years or less. Family influence was not a positive indicator of continued activity. Half of...