A Qualitative Evaluation of the Logan Series
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Music as a Means to Inspire, Educate, and Expand Horizons: A Qualitative Evaluation of The Logan Series April 2017 Nicole L. Rosen, Ph.D. Project Director Susan Hirt Hagen CORE Kim Corson, Ph.D., CFLE Assistant Professor of Psychology School of Humanities and Social Science 4909 Jordan Road • Erie PA, 16563-1801 • (814) 898-6297 • [email protected] • psbehrend.psu.edu/core Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Key findings 3 Background 3 Method 5 Findings from Teachers at Diehl Elementary School 6 Appreciation and Excitement 6 Student excitement 6 Socio-emotional benefits for students 6 Cultural Opportunities 7 Exposure to diverse performances 7 Learning proper audience etiquette 7 Exposure to Behrend’s campus 8 Impact of Music 8 Findings from Students at Diehl Elementary School 9 Appreciation and Excitement 9 Cultural Opportunities 9 Impact of Music 10 Findings from Attendees to Music at Noon 11 Demographics 11 Remarks from Questionnaires and Interviews 12 Valuing music experience & exposure to music diversity 12 Student involvement 13 Musical performances and feelings 13 Free event and convenient 13 Moving Forward 14 Spread the Word – Promote the Series 14 Let it Grow 14 Concluding Remarks 15 References 16 Susan Hirt Hagen CORE 2 Executive Summary The goal of this qualitative study was to evaluate The Logan Series; a university-sponsored music series that includes six annual performances by an array of professional musicians from around the world. The Logan Series is offered at two locations; Music at Noon at Penn State Behrend and a local partner school, Diehl Elementary School. Data from this study include semi- structured interviews and were conducted with 11 grade school teachers, and “You don’t have to speak a 5 community members, as well as group interviews with 23 middle school particular language to enjoy students. Additionally, 65 college students and community members music…music itself is completed a questionnaire. enjoyable and speaks to just about everyone. The findings provide initial insights into the importance of being exposed to …Say for a refugee [that] diverse musical performances for an array of audience members. comes to this country - Specifically, given the diverse nature of Diehl Elementary School, The here’s a place where everybody can gather Logan Series was especially embraced since it complemented and together for the same strengthened their school culture. Community members reflected on their purpose and that’s to continued support, participation, and enjoyment of the Music at Noon enjoy the performance... performances. Findings from this study can help inform other school districts You know, it helps as they attempt to maintain funding for their arts and cultural programs. people to acclimate to our society and be part Key findings: of the society. And… There was widespread agreement that music is a “common here’s one more place language” and The Logan Series was embraced by community for inclusion where members in Erie, college students at Behrend, and teachers and people feel like they are students at Diehl Elementary School. part of the group.” Diehl’s participation in the music series offered emotional and social ~ Community member benefits to students, enriched cross-curricular collaboration amongst teachers, and enhanced a school wide culture of appreciation and open conversation. As a result of being exposed to The Logan Series, many children were interested in learning musical instruments themselves. Students at Diehl were exposed to cultural opportunities: they learned proper audience etiquette and were exposed to a college setting. The Music at Noon series provides community members (most retired) with a free and convenient opportunity to enjoy an array of music performances, as well as socialize with friends and family. Susan Hirt Hagen CORE 3 4909 Jordan Road • Erie, PA 16563-1801 • (814) 898-6297 • [email protected] Background There seems to be no escaping music; it is playing at the grocery story, the doctor’s waiting room, blaring out of car windows, and pumping through headphones into listening ears. In fact, most people hear music to some degree every day of their lives (Juslin & Sloboda, 2001). Given the omnipresence of music, it comes as no surprise that researchers have sought to understand the impact music has on people’s lives. Examining the emotional and social benefits of music over one’s life course has been key topics of inquiry by researchers in various fields (see Juslin & Sloboda, 2001). “I always say that music Whereas many people may consider music merely a form of entertainment, is a lifetime sport, and researchers have found that music can strengthen one’s mental and physical you know you can play health, serve as a positive form of socializing, and offer creative expression football until you can’t. (Coffman, 2002). Music also has the “power to evoke memories and capture You can play tennis only if you have a emotions” (Bailey & Collyer, 2006, p. 168). Some psychologists use music partner. But music, you therapy to help patients mitigate stress, anxiety, and depression (see Coffman, can participate in by 2002). The benefits of listening and participating in music are too extensive to listening, or if you have adequately summarize and capture within this report. Instead, we focus on how the ability and the music affects certain categories of people differently (e.g. youth, adolescents, interest, you can refugee children, and older populations). participate by singing or playing an For youth and adolescents in particular, music education has four key benefits. instrument.” These include success in society, school, and life, as well as increasing ~ Community member intelligence (Petress, 2005). Much of these benefits are best achieved if music education takes place in early childhood (Levinowitz, 1999). If implemented in early childhood, music education has the potential to strengthen children’s skills in social studies, math, and language, as well as build confidence (Levinowitz, 1999). For adolescents, music education can help inspire their own involvement in playing instruments as a form of extra-curricular activity (North, Hargreaves, & O’Neil, 2000). Other studies have noted the importance of adolescents staying active in extra-curricular activities to decrease their likelihood of anti- social behaviors (e.g. delinquency and truancy) (see North et al., 2000). Many studies have examined the social and emotional benefits music has for homogenous groups of youth, while others have looked into the benefits for specific populations. For refugee children in particular, exposure to music has the ability to give them a sense of belonging, empowerment, strengthen their language skills (Marsh, 2012), and connect them with their past (Baily & Collyer, 2006). Given the myriad of challenges that refugee children are faced with upon entering a new and unfamiliar country (e.g. bullying, language barriers, and racism), music may be part of the solution to fostering a sense of connection and respect. The social and emotional benefits of music do not stop after adolescence. In fact, “music heard early in life continues to have significance later in life” (Cohen, Bailey, & Nilsson, 2002, p. 96). Participating in music (listening and/or performing) can positively affect older adult’s perceptions of their quality of Susan Hirt Hagen CORE 4 life (for full report, see Coffman, 2002). Researchers found that participating in music strengthened older adults’ well-being by providing them with positive social relations and a sense of purpose and accomplishment (Coffman & Adamek, 2001; see also Coffman, 2002). Such positive benefits have the ability to influence older adults’ mortality, morbidity, and ability to cope with stress (see Coffman, 2002). Older adults’ participation in music activities, as well as ‘nonmusical’ activity (e.g. socializing), is especially important for their overall well-being, regardless of their cognitive status (Cohen et al., 2002). Given what we know about the benefits of music, this project aimed to understand how a university- sponsored music series, The Logan Series, affected its audience members. The Music at Noon: The Logan Series is a chamber music and performing arts series that was established in 1989 and is offered with the support from Penn State Behrend. Throughout the academic school year, The Logan Series has six performances at two locations: Penn State Behrend and Diehl Elementary School. The local grade school, Diehl Elementary School (K-8th grade) is composed predominately of New Americans and children of refugees. The grade school’s demographics are diverse (students come from 24 countries and speak 15 different languages). While there have been numerous performances accompanied by enthusiastic audience praise, a formal evaluation of the Logan Series success has been lacking. A formal evaluation of The Logan Series has helped illustrate the importance and community support for the continuation of the music series. Similarly, few studies have explored how musical performances that are for different audiences (e.g. adults, college students, elementary, and middle school aged children) may influence the attendees’ differently. Soliciting qualitative feedback from attendees to The Logan Series has offered in-depth personal accounts from different categories of people, which helps shed light on how the music series has benefited their lives and overall appreciation for music. Method Prior to data collection, permission from the Erie School District