Forming relationships: investigating social capital in a low socio-economic school music program

2017-07-17Social interactions and networks shape our ways of being in the modern world. Through our interactions in groups we learn social cues and behaviors, and unspoken rules. We also gain social resources that help us form lasting relationships. Music performance ensembles are credited with creating strong bonds, which translate into having a sense of family. Social capital is the social resources accumulated and exchanged between members of groups. The social capital of schools, teachers, and parents has been investigated, yet there is very little research that has investigated the social capital that exists between students, particularly students in school-based music programs. ❧ This qualitative, multiple case study investigated social capital within a low socioeconomic school music program. The study takes place in Prince George’s County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. The time span for data collection took 14-weeks and included three stages of data collection. Stage one included participatory and non-participatory observations, field note writing, and artifact collection. Stage two contained interviews with two students, two parents, and one band director. They spoke candidly about the relationships they have cultivated within the music program. During stage two, participatory and non-participatory observations continued. Lastly, stage three contained data validation via triangulation and member checking. ❧ The findings revealed indicators of social capital, along with links to cultural and economic capital. Additionally, the study exposed threats to social resources and their negative impact on the music program. Implications for music teaching and learning and music research were included, including the need for purpose-driven engagement, leadership, organizational structure, and culture changes