A Comparison Of Rehearsal Time Use By High School Band Directors

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of high school band directing experience on use of class time in the activities of performance and non-performance. Secondary objectives examined the effects of school class schedule, class size, and student grade level on the director's use of class time. Data were collected by observing high school band directors (N = 21), within a 75-mile radius of Charlotte, North Carolina, conducting their regular band class. Data were recorded as either performance or non-performance at the end of each 30 second timed interval. The range of percentages of time in performance was 32.46%-69.66%. The mean percentage of time directors engaged in performance was 50.21%. Directors were grouped according to years of experience, type of class schedule, class size, and student grade levels. Directors were grouped according to the following years of experience: (a)1-3, (b)4-6, (c)7-10, and (d)11 or more. No significant difference (p = .96) was attributed to the condition of experience. Directors were grouped according to class schedule using either a traditional class schedule (50-55 minutes) or a block schedule (75-90 minutes). No significance (p = .85) was found in use of class time as affected by class schedule. There was also no significant differences in the director's use of time as affected by either class size or student grade levels (p = .54 and p = .53 respectively).