Date
8-6-2025
Department
School of Music
Degree
Master of Arts in Music Education (MA)
Chair
Jerry Newman
Keywords
music preference, popular music, music major, racial identity
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Music
Recommended Citation
Stone-King, Destiny DeBerry, "A Diversity Dilemma: A Qualitative Research Study on the Past and Present Racial and Cultural Demographics of Formal Music Education Students" (2025). Masters Theses. 1352.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1352
Abstract
This thesis study examined the relationship between the preference for popular music, racial identity, and the decision to participate in school music courses and ensembles, aiming to understand how the interaction of these factors influences the demographics of music students. The researcher analyzed previous research on music preference, the history of music education in the United States, commentary on the music education system, and personal accounts of music educators and former music students. The researcher used a historical qualitative research design and meta-analysis to answer three research questions: 1) How does a musician’s racial identity, musical preference, and musical training affect their choice to participate in school music programs? 2) In what ways can school music programs diversify their student bodies? 3) How can implementing the standardization of popular music instruction diversify the demographics of school music students? The researcher proposes incorporating popular music courses and ensembles as a standard part of music curriculum at the secondary and post-secondary levels to increase the cultural and racial diversity of music students. The researcher also suggests that implementing popular music education as a core part of the music curriculum will not only benefit marginalized students but also increase the retention and participation of students from all racial and cultural backgrounds.
