Sound Strategies

Manifestations of Recruiting Present Generations for Music

Gayle L. Castle

As in most fields, those who choose music are recruited through a variety of factors, events, and people, including those of the self. The strengths and weaknesses of recruiting are influenced heavily by not only the methods and events of recruiting, but also the cultural views of music in daily life. Both the personal home environment and the larger community societal background provides impetus for musical proclivities. Alongside these issues is the formal musical education of the individual from their system of schooling. The ongoing presence of music or lack thereof, in tandem with people’s perceptions of music, form the grounding basis for the values placed upon music in American society today. These perceptions monitor the choices and actions to participate in music for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The task of recruiting the student for instrumental music belongs ultimately to the instrumental music instructor. The most successfully designed plans usually include a number of solutions and ideas to best address recruitment along a lengthier stretch of time versus using a quicker and more simplified approach, as noted by Christopher Marra, band and orchestra director for over ten years (MEJ 2022). Music instructors need to volley for time to address the program needs for recruiting.

The impetus for recruitment as existence in music and recruitment as retention in music should include the ongoing delivery of communication and connection between the instructor and the families being recruited, as noted by Dean Luethi. (MEJ 2015) The director should maintain a visible profile and remain in contact with the general public as well as current members of their program, sharing their presence in daily school life and activities.

In public schools, the challenges of recruiting, maintaining, and retaining music students prove greater at the move to a new building. Students changing to junior high or high school are susceptible to avoid instrumental music classes due to perceived unwieldy schedules, increased homework loads, and additional responsibilities such as extra-curricular activities and possibly a part-time job. Care should be taken to alleviate these fears and to present a positive recruitment schema. Attention to feeder programs should be given throughout the course of the school year to promote a smooth flow of transition from each year and school building requirements, as suggested by Dean Luethi (MEJ 2015). Music directors should work collaboratively at concerts and events and provide opportunities for the feeder school to visit the upcoming schools for a combined rehearsal and concert. The development of musical mentors and practice partners/buddies is highly valuable.

Live shows and performances for experiencing the true aesthetics of performing can prove challenging, as rural areas and smaller towns often are limited in frequency, variety, and cost-effectiveness. “Discussing the state of current music education, John Kratus encouraged music teachers to ‘[look] at how music is actually used in the world, not the ways it exists in schools.’ (Adams, MEJ 2016). If we as a country are unaware of the plethora of music genres and styles that exist, then our participation in those musics become less until they become virtually extinct, along with the traditional Western art canon.

The media and presence of digital information plays an extremely influential role in many aspects of life, and music is not exempt. The representation, absence of representation, and misrepresentation of music via these resources contribute to our viewpoints in American musical education. Especially for the younger generations, the information and delivery poses authentic questioning regarding music. The inadvertent control exerted by the digital directions can be manipulative, as stated by Mark C. Adams, “For example, if a student uses YouTube as a primary source to listen to music, an algorithm may be suggesting music based on previous searches rather than encouraging them to branch out to new styles or genres.” (MEJ 2016)

Performances with specific and overlapping focuses are optimal for recruitment. Those with a collaborative focus can be situated by genre (such as classical, jazz, fiddle, or pop); by department (ensemble or can be instrument-specific); or by entity (in-house/on campus; outside of program/off-campus exchange). Educationally focus-based performances can utilize cross-curricula projects; music conferences/festivals, competitions, tours/trips, workshops, retreats, camps, pre-concert music, recitals, and concerts. Performances with a community focus are art shows, community festivals, open houses, grand openings, community celebrations, holiday events, administrative meetings, library events, office celebrations, receptions, and those held at senior facilities. And most importantly, recruitment-focused performances contain instrument and ensemble demonstration concerts; “Try-It Night/Day” events that can be hosted with high school students as assistants; and instrument petting zoo opportunities.

Dean Luethi (MEJ 2015) compiled several successful recruitment techniques of student motivation and community resources: student membership drive (one week in length; offer an incentive for the person obtaining the most new members or contacts; have an open rehearsal invitation during the lunch hour or after school); school-wide performances (pep rallies; assemblies; lunchtime performances); concert receptions (to celebrate!); retreats; alumni events (holiday concerts); and social events (picnic; game night; pizza and a movie night). He also advocated for colleague and administrative connection and support through involving them at concerts and events; discussing scheduling issues beforehand; and supplying administration and teams with the director's musical goals.

Marketing is another avenue in the aims of recruiting, and may involve manipulatives of paper advertising, t-shirts, stickers, water bottles, and tote bags, with the organization’s information. Digital marketing of websites, email, text, and social media accounts are strongly advisable and useful for this purpose. Parental and music booster support can also supply fundraising and word-of-mouth advertising, which are both invaluable.

While recruitment of students remains an uncompromising mandate for the existence and success of music programs of all venues and backgrounds fraught with built-in challenges, a dearth of solutions and new ideas are replete within our musical education system that stems from and relies primarily upon the music director. The manifestations of recruiting the present generations in music are worthwhile and attainable causes for action.

References Adams, M. C. (2016). Educating the Music User. Music Educators Journal, 103(1), 64-69. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432116651117 (Original work published 2016)

Burke, A. (2025). Another Perspective: School-Driven Intergenerational Choirs: A Solution to the Decline of Community Choral Singing in Rural America. Music Educators Journal, 112(1), 14-17.

Luethi, D. (2015). Idea Bank: Ten Steps to Recruiting Singers: Ten Steps to Recruiting Singers. Music Educators Journal, 102(1), 25-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432115595969 (Original work published 2015)

Marra, C. M. (2022). Reframing Recruitment as Marketing: Building Connections with Prospective High School Music Students, Families, and Administrators. Music Educators Journal, 109(1), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.1177/00274321221112415 (Original work published 2022)

Gayle L. Castle is an orchestral conductor and string educator based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has taught students from very young children through college and adulthood in public, private, university, and community settings. Ms. Castle is the founder and director of Vision for the Arts Academy, llc, currently pursuing a second master’s degree at Bowling Green State University, studying creative writing/poetry and music. She holds a BM in Education, string emphasis from Bowling Green State University and a MM in Education, orchestral conducting cognate from the Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music.

${prev-page}

${next-page}