An investigation into factors impacting on large instrumental music programs in New South Wales public secondary schools, and directors' perceptions of program success

The study determines what factors and human input are placed into large instrumental music programs within New South Wales (Australia) public secondary schools and investigates the perceptions of instrumental directors as to what variables contribute to overall large instrumental music program success. Two survey instruments were developed with 73 directors of 142 schools secondary schools partaking in the study. The first survey instrument was designed to investigate directors’ perceptions of what variables are important to an overall successful large instrumental music program. (Success Survey Part A). The second survey sought to determine what factors and input make up the current programs (Factors and Input Survey Part B). The findings have implications for all large instrumental music program directors, students, those associated with both of these groups, such as administrators and volunteers, and also has implications for DET. The implications include a need for the NSW Department of Education and Training to acknowledge in an academic sense the input that students give to the instrumental programs, the time that teachers spend and accreditation for directors of the large instrumental programs