Abstract

In this narrative inquiry, I examined the experiences of six string teachers who successfully navigated barriers to teach nontraditional music classes and ensembles (NMCEs), often referred to as eclectic-styles ensembles, in public school orchestra programs despite the historical persistence of traditional large ensembles in string education. I explored the personal and professional journeys of these educators, focusing on how their family backgrounds, cultures of origin, training, and teaching philosophies shaped their decisions to offer NMCEs and teach related skills. The participants identified significant theoretical and structural barriers when they moved beyond traditional orchestral ensembles to offer jazz, fiddle, rock, and digitally enhanced string classes. They shared how they leveraged their life experiences, musical tastes, and understanding of their students’ cultures to create learner-centered communities of unconventional performance and assessment. The findings indicated central theoretical barriers of privileging classical music through notation and adhering to traditional performance structures and contest participation. Participants identified a lack of training as a common barrier to offering strings-based NMCEs. The structural barriers in secondary public schools included (a) a lack of equipment, (b) a lack of cohesive curriculum, and (c) difficulty in scheduling. The collective experiences of these teachers included several potential pathways to overcome barriers to nontraditional string teaching, including (a) hybrid models of teaching by sight and by ear, (b) collaborations with colleagues, (c) adaptability, and (d) innovative solutions. I argue that the participants embodied culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies by embracing NMCEs to enhance students’ musical engagement and affirm their identities and cultural histories. The findings indicate a need for preservice teacher training and professional development that emphasizes culturally responsive and sustaining practices in string education. To that end, they support a string pedagogy that values diversity and fosters a musical education that is current and reflective of student culture in order to reach the greatest number of students.

Keywords: string music education, eclectic-styles strings, nontraditional strings, culturally sustaining music education, eclectic-styles ensembles, alternative orchestra, jazz strings, modern band, alternative string education, nontraditional orchestra.