Preservice Music Teachers’ Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Music Genres

With the intent of informing music teacher education this study aimed to better understand American preservice music teachers’ experiences with and attitudes toward different music genres. The researcher developed and administered a 17-question survey to undergraduate music education majors (N = 124) at eight American universities in the Midwest and Northeast. These music education majors had predominantly classical music performing experiences, and listening activities, and they found Western art music (e.g., classical, jazz) to be most appropriate for use in school music programs. Implications for postsecondary music education curricula and acceptance requirements of programs are offered.