'I don't sing': Exploring perceptions of selected high school students

Abstract

Many people in our society seem to identify with the phrase, ‘I don’t sing.’ Students who are not active in music classes might identify with similar beliefs. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of singing among selected high school students who were identified as ‘non-singers.’ Research questions were: (a) How do students describe their experiences with and perceptions of singing? And (b) What do students describe as influences on their perceptions of singing? This study employed a qualitative interview design. Purposeful sampling was used to select six students who ranged in age between 14 and 19 years old. A protocol was developed and used to guide one 60-minute interview with each student. These interviews were conducted at two similar high schools in Michigan during January and February 2012. Data was transcribed, reduced, and coded for themes. ‘Profiles’ were created to tell each student’s story and were presented with the unifying headings My Music, My Family, My Singing, Other People Singing, My Influences, and My Opinion of Singing. The following four themes emerged as findings: a) students described negative and positive experiences with singing, b) students described negative and positive perceptions of singing, c) students described their musical interests, family background, previous singing experiences, and their overall opinion of singing as influences on their perceptions of singing, and d) students described other elements of their identities as influences on their perceptions of singing.