Qualitative Research on a Marching Percussion Ensemble: Creating Opportunities to Young Musicians
Kendra Staub
Department of Sociology
Fresno State
Introduction
I studied a local music organization, Blue Thunder, that serves young adults between the ages of 17-22 years old. The group focuses on percussion instruments and instructors help students create a show involving music and marching movements that is then presented to a public audience. For this study I used three different types of qualitative research, starting with conducting three different observations each ranging from 30 minutes to 60 minutes to understand the way the group communicates and acts towards themselves and others to understand what sociological theories can be applied. Secondly, I interviewed three individuals to better understand member's roles, how they interact with each other, and how they work together. I chose members that serve different roles in order to get a variety of perspectives and opinions. I interviewed each participant alone, and asked questions related to differing sociological theories. I focused on five theories: front stage/backstage, roles, teamwork, props, and definition of the situation. Each of these played in an important part in how the group functions and views their purpose. Lastly, I analyzed various documents about the group including news articles, public events, and social media accounts. I gathered 30 documents or items and analyzed them all with different theories or concepts. While analyzing the documents of my group, I was able to connect them to Goffman's framing concepts, specifically, I was able to connect these sources to framing, agency, identity, motivation, and prognosis.
Literature Review
Typically, the best place to start with a qualitative research project is an observation. Ethnography allows us to view a group of people in their natural state and look for meaning and patterns in their actions. Find an appropriate setting by evaluating accessibility, geographical issues, interest to the subject/researcher, and the cost (money, time, emotional). A public space is more accessible than a private space and you want to ensure that the location is geographically convenient/nearby. The kind of person you look like, the way you dress, your demeanor, voice, accent, etc. affects your first impression and how your group perceives you. This can determine how comfortable they feel and if they're willing to open up. Your age, race, gender, and appearance will shape your fieldwork access and entree, facilitating or preventing you from doing research in a particular setting. Before entering a setting be aware of what kind of behavior and dress is expected and considered appropriate. Politeness and courtesy in language and behaviors is key for entrance and acceptance in a group. Approaches of reaching out to individuals will differ depending on the situation. Emails or phone calls may be appropriate for a CEO or organization but students or individuals in a public setting might be more receptive if you go up to them and ask to talk to them.
Explore the field as a researcher as well as a member. Status refers to the individual's place within a social setting, as seen by self, others, or both. Roles are the behaviors and expectations that go along with an individual's status. The ways that a researcher is granted or denied entree depends on many things, such as researcher's race, age, appearance, and gender. Gender has especially been an influence if the group is gender-stratified or separated. However no individual factors can determine that a researcher will or will not face difficulties. A mascot is someone that's nice to have around but not taken very seriously (more common for female researchers). An apprenticeship is where a researcher is tried to be brought into the group as a member, recruited. The "dancing daughter" role is also associated with women but focuses on a paternal (not sexual) relationship with men in the field.
There are various tips and interview styles that can be used to conduct a successful interview, the following paragraphs are a brief introduction and summary. Thick descriptions are based on attending to as much detail as possible in a setting, writing down everything that you see and hear. Write down extra details and elaborate on jotted notes as soon as possible to avoid losing any important information. A recording device can be helpful for remembering detail, but only if situationally appropriate. Recording voice audio immediately after for later transcription can be beneficial, especially if you are unable to record notes. Do not rely on your memory. Shorthand can save time while taking notes and help avoid missing further detail, use whatever form is easiest and most efficient for the researcher. Completed field note sets resemble an essay or narrative with heading, a beginning, a middle, and an end. Do not include the real names of individuals in fieldnotes for confidentiality reasons; keeping a same-letter pseudonym can shield identities while helping you keep track of each person.
In depth interviews, or qualitative interviews, centers around life experiences of those being interviewed. Interviews are often single events where the interview with the respondent takes place once, but they can sometimes be part of a longitudinal study that traces development of social meaning over time. Field research interviews differ from typical conversations because of its formal structure: the development of specific questions, the selection of respondents, and the recording of interviews (audio and/or video). Face sheets can help gather basic information about respondents prior to the interview to save time. It is better to begin with easier and less invasive questions to gain the trust of the respondent, and then move on to more personal questions later in the interview. Although there should be prepared questions, the interviewer must be prepared to probe for clarification or prompt for additional details. This can be difficult to since these tactics rely on the individual's response. The purpose of qualitative interviewing is to elicit narrative stories from the respondents that indicate the meaning they give to those aspects of their life, relevant to the interviewer's topic. Working with local organizations can be a successful way to access respondents.
Interviews are special social interactions in which the interviewers want to know how something drives the interaction. The interviewer's ability to improvise in the back and forth of question asking and answering can greatly influence the outcome of an interview. The point of the whole process is to develop dialogue, from which will flow truths or at least stories. Qualitative interview researchers may try to match respondents on such characteristics as gender and race in order to maximize rapport, since having these things in common can create a sense of trust and commonality that may lead to more details being shared. Social class may also influence how a respondent interacts with an interviewer. Another interpersonal issue is the ability for the interviewer to grasp the meaning of what the respondent is saying. An interview is as much about listening as it is about talking. A good listener is an active listener and active listening lets respondents know that you are interested in what they have to say, not just there to collect data for your own research needs. Nonverbal and verbal (words of agreement) are signs of encouragement that let the respondent know you are interested and focused. Emphasize that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, but some respondents may still require reassurance that they are answering the questions correctly or in a helpful/interesting manner.
Qualitative researchers who focus on social artifacts are interested in analyzing them in roughly the same way as other qualitative sociologists analyze observations of social groups or interview data. Cross-cultural and trans-local comparisons can also be made by using documents, something that can be useful. Document types beneficial for this type of research include magazines, newspapers, advertisements, public documents historical documents, images, and the internet. Magazines cater to virtually every category of person or interest, are easy to access, and are a rich source of data on idealized cultural representation. Like magazines, historical documents can be culturally analyzed and used for comparisons over time and across space between different societies or nations. Although with historical documents we tend to hear certain (privileged) voices more than other kinds, which limits the perspective and information available. The internet offers many researchers including websites, blogs, photo and video sharing sites, and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Visual and textual qualitative research is often easier to set up than research based on face-to-face context but lack the interactional texture of interviews and ethnographic studies.
Qualitative analysis requires a large quantity of thickly descriptive data, good organizational skills, and interpretive ability. The first step is to organize your data for analysis and the second step is to choose your technology. Analytical descriptions are one endpoint of analysis involving the identification of recurrent patterns or themes and attempting to to create a cohesive representation of the data. The recurrent themes are then linked to concerns and issues in the research literature as you develop interpretations about what is happening in your setting (or interviews, documents, or images) and what their words or images mean to the participants. Insights that come to you as you immerse yourself in the data are first steps in identifying patterns and themes. Before narrowing your focus have an idea of the big picture of the data. Regardless of what technology you chose, organize your data in a way that matches your technology. Maintain a master copy of all data that you do not alter, organize data by type and by chronological order, complete a thorough log, and decide on a means of backing up or saving your work at each step of the analysis process. The analysis of of interview transcripts should be done keeping in mind that it is not a simple process of answers to questions; rather, the knowledge gained from interview data is knowledge based on collaboratively interacting between a sociologist with personal interests and a respondent with their own. Triangulation of date may be used to establish external validity.
(Symbolic Interactionism)
Symbolic interactionism is a leading American theory that focuses upon the ways in which meanings emerge through interaction (Scott 2015). It is the meaning we give to things based on our social interpretations of any given situation. It is not about what the reality of a situation is, it is about the meaning we attach and how we perceive it. The following concepts will go into further detail and help explain symbolic interactionism.
Eric Goffman introduced dramaturgy, or the front stage and backstage concept, in
This is the sociological approach that views life and human interaction as a theater. We are all acting on a stage and put on shows for each other, always performing for those around us. The frontstage is where the audience is present, and the performance occurs; this is where we control what others see and attempt to manage how they view us. The backstage can be viewed as "behind the scenes" of our life, the parts that we choose to keep private and out of view from the public eye. A place where we hide parts of yourself that may be viewed as negative if placed on the front stage. Backstage is typically where an individual is able to relax and be themselves without feeling the need to put up a front and maintain an image. This is also a place where we prepare for the front stage acting and decide what we want to perform. The separation of frontstage and backstage.
The situation and audience determine what kind of performance we put on. Different audiences will change what information and behaviors the actor is willing to share. For example, you might feel the need to dress professionally at work and monitor your behavior/speech around coworkers, but while you are hanging out with friends you dress casually and feel comfortable telling jokes or speaking about your personal life. In both situations you are controlling what is put on the front stage, but there are drastically different levels of behavior that are viewed as acceptable. Goffman concludes that for interactants to successfully stage the performances of everyday life they must have a consummate grasp of the dramaturgical "arts of impression management" (Smith 2001). Another theory closely related to dramaturgy (frontstage/backstage) is impression management.
Goffman clarifies that we are not impostors in doing so, but that we find ourselves in situations where impression management is needed to convey our positive characteristics (Sandstrom et al. 2006:110). We decide which aspects of ourselves will leave a positive impression on others and which parts will be viewed as less desirable to an audience. We then define the situation, which helps us decide how to persuade the current audience to view us favorably. The objective of the performer is to seek acceptance from his/her audience with little question of their performed role (Sandstrom et al. 2006:114). Individuals want to be seen as good and authentic.
Goffman reminds us that first impressions last and the performer will face detrimental consequences if he/she misidentifies a situation (Dillon 2013). As members of a society, we share many common beliefs and perspectives. Over time we have many interactions with others and begin to form assumptions about how a situation is being perceived by those around us. This means that different people can have different definitions of the exact same situation, it's all about the interpretation and perception.
The Looking Glass Self describes how we are constantly trying to imagine what we look like to other people. The term was coined by Charles Horton Cooley who explained that the "self-image" is constructed through our interactions with others; we have an emotional reaction to how we think others think of us (Dillon 2013:276). We are constantly monitoring our behavior and words in order to keep track of how we may be perceived. Nonverbal cues, like body language, can be just as important in shaping interpretations, attitudes, and behaviors.
Methods
I observed my chosen group over the course of two weeks. This consisted of a few observations where I was in the Martian role, where I observed the group from an outsider perspective. I observed on different days and locations to ensure a variety of scenarios and situations. Strategically choosing different observation days helped me identify how interactions change depending on
The first visit took place at 2:00 pm on Saturday March 3rd, where I observed the group during one of their outdoor rehearsals. The next visit was on Friday April 5th, around 6:30 pm. This time Blue Thunder had a performance, so I observed them warming up in a public setting. The last observation was Sunday, April 7th, at 9:15 in the morning, I watched them during another weekend rehearsal but this time they were inside of a gymnasium. This added up to 3 observation visits and a total of 3 hours.
During the visits I would shadow the group, only observing and not interacting with participants. Playing the "martian role" allowed me to view the group in its natural setting without influencing their behavior and helped me enter with an open/clear mind. When I arrived, I began by writing down details about the environment around me. I wrote down all observation details in my notebook, using shorthand in order to get the information down in a timely manner. After each visit I would rewrite my shorthand notes into complete sentences and add in thick description. Thick description adds deep detail so it is easier to envision the environment and interactions taking place. I tried to get this done as soon as possible to ensure that little to know detail was lost in the process. Once my data was properly recorded I uploaded the file to NVivo and so I could begin analyzing the information. NVivo is a computer program that allows us to analyze qualitative research. I analyzed and organized my data by creating nodes and forming word-frequency queries.
Collecting data was easily accessible for my group. Many of their rehearsals and performances are public so I was able to observe without drawing too much attention to myself. One observation was private and did require permission, but it was easy to attain and did not create a barrier for my research.
Over the course of one week I interviewed three members of Blue Thunder Percussion. I chose one instructor, one front ensemble member, and one drumline member; this provided me with multiple perspectives from individuals that serve different roles within the group. I invited them to be a part of my interview and asked them to sign the consent form. I chose an interview time and location that was acceptable for each person and interviewed them separately. I assured the members that their responses would confidential and that there is no "right" or "wrong" answer. I focused on social theories that were previously discussed in class, continuing with the same concepts that were highlighted in the ethnography portion of my research. My questions focused on frontstage/backstage, roles, teamwork, props, and definition of the situation. I prepared a list of questions to help facilitate the interview and encourage the respondents to share their personal experiences. Throughout the interview I also created questions on the spot to dig deeper into the conversation topic and help elaborate on topics.
Each interview was recorded using the voice memo application on my cell phone. Afterwards I uploaded the audio recording onto Otter Voice Notes, a program that transcribed the data for me. Unfortunately Otter Voice made many errors in the transcription process so I edited the document until it accurately represented the audio file. The next step was to upload the newly transcribed interview onto NVivo, a computer program that allows us to analyze qualitative research. I analyzed and organized my data by creating nodes and forming word-frequency queries.
For the last step of my research project I analyzed over 30 different documents from the group I am studying. The sources I found were from social media sites, the group's webpage, newspapers,and Google searches on my organization. Some documents were directly posted by my group and some were posted by other individuals, organizations, or groups. I did struggle to find an adequate amount of documents about my group since they are a newer organization and have only been around for about three years. I began by looking through their website and public social media accounts, however that only provided a small amount of data to work with. I then did a simple internet search and found more information, including news articles, YouTube videos, and social media posts about the group that were posted by non-members. I also found videos, images, and captions that were posted by different circuits that the group competes in, on both a local and national level. The newspaper articles were by far the most beneficial to my research and provided a large amount of information about the group. I was disappointed by the lack of comments/responses on the groups media, but it is understandable for a newer group that is learning how to engage supporters online. I downloaded some of the articles through Ncapture and saved them as a PDF file which I later opened with Nvivo. Many of the articles I copied and pasted onto a word document, leaving out photos, videos, and personal information that was unnecessary. After downloading the items I needed I opened them up in Nvivo and began a new document. I carefully analyzed the documents and coded them into theoretical concept nodes. I chose five main nodes to focus on: framing, agency, identity, motivation, and prognosis. I chose three of the strongest quotes from each node and related them to the concepts. I also ran a word frequency query in Nvivo to create a word cloud.
Analysis
(Ethnography)
Thick Description
As i observed the group, I paid close attention to detail and attempted to notate as much description as possible. In my notes I described what I was seeing at a certain point in time,
It's dusk and it's beginning to get dark as the sun is setting. The sky is lit up with shades of orange, yellow, and pink fading up into a dark blue. It's a cold evening and the air is humid, almost misty since rain is expected soon. A cold breeze blows through intermittently, possibly what caused an one of the instructors to zip up their jacket and place their hands in their pocket.
There was a lot going on at the time since this was a public performance, I tried to focus in on key elements of the environment to help paint a picture.
It's an indoor basketball court, with shiny pale wood flooring and red lines drawn to create the typical basketball court boundaries. Two tall basketball hoops stand at either end of the room with slightly tattered nets and scuffed backboards. Red and white posters from the school's athletic teams hang throughout the room, listing the years they won championships or important events. The gym is warm and slightly humid. A cool morning breeze blows through the open doors in the corner.
This was my third and final observation and I was beginning to feel more comfortable with thick descriptions. I found myself able to focus in on smaller details and not get overwhelmed with the simultaneous actions taking place.
One instructor sat hunched over in a black windbreaker and blue jeans, looking tired with a silver coffee mug in his hand. He stares up at the caption head and yawns, takes a sip out of the mug, and slowly nods his head.
I was trying to pay more attention to details about individual members. That was difficult at times since it is such a large group and I didn't want to miss anything important.
Front Stage and Backstage
I found frontstage and backstage behavior while doing my observation. One of those observations I coded into the frontstage and backstage,
A male cymbal player was goofing around and dancing while a few others watched and and laughed, one seemed to be recording him on his phone. The boy jumped around, spun in circles while others egg him on.
This moment represents the groups backstage behavior. When they are working during rehearsals they appear very focused and more serious, but once they have a moment of relaxation individual personalities and relationships appear.
After a while I noticed a pattern, while going through repetitions students are focused and in performance mode, but short breaks resets are where they crack jokes with each other and give feedback. I often couldn't hear the inside jokes being shared, but laughter would frequently break out as members made comments to each other.
Not only during long break periods do members open up and express themselves, but even during very short moments of rest you can see this. There seems to be a clear on and off switch, members are all aware of when a professional frontstage needs to be presented and when they are allowed to let loose
There was a noticeable shift in behavior once members stepped away from their instruments. The seriousness and intense facial expressions they had well performing faded away as many began to smile, or at the very least relax their facial muscles. Their shoulders and overall body language relaxed as well.
Similar to the members behavior during rehearsal breaks, there is an apparent shift in mood, body language, and facial expressions once they are away from their instruments. There was less of a contrast in this situation, possibly because it was a more public area with several non-members present. There was still a slight demeanor of professionalism compared to rehearsal breaks when individuals are dancing and laughing loudly.
Props
The group is gathered in an empty school parking lot, with a large tarp placed on the blacktop.The tarp is a thick canvas material about 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, it is used during rehearsals and performances for the musicians to march on. Half the floor is painted black and fades into white in the back left corner. A large red curtain is placed in the corner.
The tarp used for marching is essential to the groups activities and plays an important role in their rehearsals and performances. It is also used to help portray a reoccuring theme/story within their show.
Everyone is dressed the same and is wearing their performance uniform. It's a long sleeve and pants, both an off white color. There are red accent spread across the uniform and members have a red arm band around their bicep.
The uniforms worn by each member are only used during public performances. They are used to enhance the visual aspect of their show and represent the theme. It helps them portray a certain character and emotion.
The drums are red with silver rims and accents, tenors and snare drums have clear drumheads (that's the part they play on). The bass drums have large white drum heads that, each has a Yamaha logo at the top and a Remo logo at the bottom. Cymbal players are the only ones without drums or harnesses, they're each carrying a pair of round brass plates. Black leather straps allow the cymbals to stay on their hands.
Instruments are an essential prop for this group and are important throughout most of their activities. It allows them to create music
Roles
I noticed the roles that many of the members had to abide by. One of them was,
Members stood together in a group, while instructors stood facing them a few feet away. They are warming up and practicing for their performance tonight. The caption head yelled out, "take it from section C and play 16 bars". He clicked two drumsticks together as a countoff and the group began playing and moving.
In this example you can see the different roles that members take on. The caption head takes the main role of leadership and give directions for the performing members to follow. His job is to overlook the entire group including drumline, front ensemble, and instructors.
Between each repetition an instructor will give feedback to different individuals or groups. Comments to students include critique about both movement and the music they are playing, such as "Make sure this set is a straight line" or "watch the accent note on that third measure".
Instructors play a similar role to the caption head, but they focus on a specific instrument. There is a designated staff member for the bass drums, snare drums, front ensemble, etc. They are skilled at that particular instrument and provide feedback so members can improve their performance.
Members put great effort into acting out the story as they performed and played. Using very serious or pained facial expressions to convey emotion. When they march the members shift the weight to the platform of their foot, with their heels slightly up. Some sections of drill require them to get back into character so they walk eerily with their back hunched, almost an inconsistent twitching in their movements.
Teamwork
They march while playing music on their drums and create different shapes and formations while they move. Each person has to move extremely precise in order to avoid collisions or tripping over one another. From what I can see it seems that practice, teamwork, and coordination are needed in order to make their performance run smoothly.
This is one of the strongest examples of teamwork because every member of the group must work together in order to move through their performance drill without running into each other. They have to rely on one another and trust that those around them are doing the correct thing.
The drummers were setting up their tarp that they march on, but due to the size and weight it required a group effort to get it in place. It was folded up on a flatbed rolling cart. One member pushed the cart to the back left corner of the gym, even on a cart with wheels it appeared to be quite heavy by the way they leaned into the cart with their whole body and shoved it. Their facial expression was strained but focused. Once they got the cart in place, the other members began yanking the tarp and pulling it slowly off and onto the floor. Member made eye contact or gave short directions to each other in order to coordinate.
Setting up their marching tarp is not possible without members working together. The task required essentially every member to be done successfully.
A male member pushes a large black speaker through the doors but gets stuck, it appears that a wheel has got stuck on the track that runs along the bottom of the door. A girl shows up behind the boy and helps him maneuver the speaker until it's free and able to pass through the doors.
Small moments of teamwork like this became recurrent behaviors within the group. Several times I noticed members helping each other with moving equipment, setting up, or picking up things they had dropped. They were small acts of helpfulness that one could easily miss, but they showed that there is a sense of comradery and togetherness among members.
(Interview)
Frontstage and Backstage
We're much more relaxed and definitely joke around. It's kinda funny because we try to act so serious during our show but most of these guys are such jokesters like the other 90% of the time. It's actually hard for us not to laugh when we see certain people in character.
The respondent was describing how her fellow member behave when they are not performing or rehearsing. There seems to a lot joking and lighthearted fun whenever they are given moments of downtime. She shared how this is a stark contrast from the serious characters they try to portray in their show and how it can be almost comical to see the "jokesters" of the group attempt to behave in such a way that is outside of their expected behavior. Due to the expectations of their instructors, some members have to put effort into adapting their front stage behavior in order to be perceived appropriately by the audience.
I say it's like a switch because once you're in the activity for a while you learn to switch back and forth between relaxed and performance mode. Even on off days you just switch on performance mode and get out there.
This was a perfect example of frontstage and backstage from a performing member. She shared the mental changes that group members go through when shifting between performances and relaxed backstage moments. It's described as a learned behavior that members adapt to over time. This shift occurs even during times that the individual does not feel like putting a certain version of themselves in the front stage.
It's definitely something that we have all learned, as we've been taught by our instructors that there's always different times for different things. And we just kind of make sure that we're there for the right reasons. We're not wasting our time or money by just messing around at a rehearsal when we need to be serious. But on the flip side, we don't always want to be too serious. Because, I mean, I personally believe that if you're too serious you're just kind of like, not really enjoying what the activity is about. So there's always that kind of balance that you need to know.
From what this person describes, we can see that members of the group are taught by instructors to monitor their front stage presence. Their backstage behaviors and desire to let loose are acknowledged but they are often encouraged to suppress that for the sake of productivity and betterment of the group. Members comply but recognize that there is a fine line to walk in order to maintain a public image.
Roles
I'm responsible for making sure I know my music correctly, playing in time with the other members. Also, we have to know how to perform our show kinda dramatically so the audience can understand what it's about.
As a member of the front ensemble this individual describes her role as being a performer and a student. She is responsible for learning and memorizing music with the correct notes and tempo in order to perform smoothly with her group. Another duty of her role is embodying the theme of the show by using facial expressions and body language.
So with my job I have to kinda typically write some of the bass drum music for us. It can be changed up a little bit with like our other staff members, but I usually kind of have to take a lead of like our section. I usually run our section so with visuals and marching or playing music after kind of watch that and that's really just what I do. I'm just really focused on them. We have a lot of staff who each just kind of has their area of expertise, but with my position I just play with the bass drum portion. I just helped them and make sure that they're on their top game. And if they ever have any problems, I'm there to fix them or help them out during rehearsals or at a competition. I'm there for them to make sure they can perform at their best.
For this member their role is to be an instructor, more specifically they are responsible for helping one sections, the bass drums. He helps them with their music, marching, technique, and other aspects of performing. He is often solely in charge of the bass drums when they split off into sectionals, which allows each instrument group to focus on their individual goals. The instructor feels responsible for guiding students to reach their full potential and grow as musicians.
Personally, being one of the older members around the group, I think I have a responsibility of setting an example of how a rehearsal should go or how rehearsal etiquette should be.
This drumline member feels that her role is unique since she has been involved with the group for several years now. Her experience creates a sense of leadership and responsibility for providing a positive influence among peers. She tries to set an example at rehearsals in hope that others will follow and increase the productivity of rehearsals, as well as set the tone for the level of respect desired.
Teamwork
A big thing in front ensemble is we nonverbally check in with each other while performing. We'll make eye contact with each other frequently and nod our heads with the tempo. We also look at each other's mallets to make sure we're at the same heights. That's important to the visual aspect of performing.
This front ensemble member describes the teamwork necessary to create a uniform appearance while performing. Individuals must constantly be aware of what others around them are doing and try to match their actions. This nonverbal communication requires practice and trust to be done effectively.
Also as staff we just like to, you know, make sure we're all not stressed out and we try to have a close relationship to make sure you know, if somebody is stressing out about something we all understand that way "that's why the practice ran this way" or "Oh, that's how you felt that the show." So we're really close.
Instructors have built a close relationship with each other while working together, this helps them communicate efficiently and appropriately. They rely on this bond to check in with each other emotionally which in return helps them work better as a team. This increases the effectiveness of their teaching and helps the group succeed.
Everyone has to be like, focused in, even if you stop thinking about what you're doing for even a second, that second can impact the person or the people around you in either a negative or positive way.
Blue Thunder members march and use other forms of body movement during their show to enhance their performance. These movements are often quick and require precise menuevers in order to avoid collisions among members. As this drumline member mentions, you must constantly think about your actions and how they can affect those around you. This requires a great amount of team effort to perfect these movements and trust in your peers.
Props
They're not exactly what I was hoping they'd be but I think they work well. They're mostly white so it's supposed to represent uh I guess purity is the right word and one girl is dressed in red to represent evil or addiction. A mesh stocking is placed over some people's heads throughout the show to represent them being taken over by the addiction.
Uniforms are worn by every student member during public performances, these help the group tell a story and convey the message of their show. They also create uniformity and improve the visual appeal. In this case, the white uniforms represent purity while one individual dressed in red represents addiction. Stockings placed over individual's slowly being taken over by addiction and succumbing to the girl in red.
So we use something called the metronome which kind of gives us tempos for us to work with. So with the metronome, you know, puts us on tempo and get everybody's hands kind of warmed up.
The metronome is a small device that loudly beeps so that members can hear the tempo. This is important because it assists members with playing their music at the correct speed and ensures the group is in sync. Ultimately this helps with the success of the group's performance and is an important prop that is regularly utilized during rehearsals.
You don't necessarily need props to convey what your show is about but with our props. It's just more like it helps guide people to understand, "Oh, this is what the show is about" without actually like telling them.
Members of the group use the term "prop" when describing physical items that they use to help convey the message of their performance. In this case, the group used small wooden boxes, a curtain, and red ropes to express the struggles of battling addiction. Props are often utilized in this activity to help nonverbally demonstrate emotion and/or a storyline to an audience.
Definition of the Situation
I wanted to know what being a member of this group meant to the individuals, so I decided to create a node for the definition of the situation. The definition of the situations is what is going on in the group; I wanted to know why they are drawn to the group and why they chose to be a member of the group.
I also teach at a local high school, so that's really fun. I get to teach all the students and then a lot of students who go from that high school like to go into Blue Thunder and it's really nice to have my students come from high school and watch them grow up and do Blue Thunder and just watch them grow you know over the course of the years that they go to college and with high school it's really fun. I enjoy it.
This person is a staff member that has been teaching the group for several years now. He found a sense of purpose in the group by helping students grow as musicians. Since he often began teaching individuals in high school and then saw them move onto a college group he had years to develop a bond and create a personal relationship with members in the group. He felt that this gave him the opportunity to positively affect the life of young people and help them excel at an activity that they're passionate about.
Yeah, I love it. It's fun. It keeps me busy. It keeps me on my toes. It's something I've been doing since high school or middle school, but I really do enjoy it. It's like I don't know how to explain it, but it's something I love. I don't think I'll ever stop doing it ever, you know, I've seen people who've been teaching longer than I've been alive. And so I think it's really something that is just always going to be around and I'm really happy to be a part of it and I don't really see myself leaving anytime soon because of how much fun I have with it.
This individual finds great happiness in this group and activity and intends on continuing with it for many years to come. Being involved since a young age creates a strong connection to the community and brings joy. Other individuals that have been involved for decades are an inspiration to him and encourage him to teach students. He sees longevity in the activity, which encourages his involvement.
I definitely would not have the college experience I had without making the friends I did. I wouldn't have been traveling every year to go see people with the same mindset of performing and creating a show that makes it something worth it, I guess. My friends, lifelong friends, that I wouldn't have had without the activity.
This member has been involved in the group since it originated and felt a deep connection to it and the other members involved. She implied that this activity allows her to connect with other individuals that share her passions, including traveling around the country to perform and meet other performing groups. Relationships built through this activity are highly valued by this member and they would not be possible without Blue Thunder.
(Content Analysis)
Framing
For my first node, I created one for framing as its own node within Nvivo. Framing stems from Goffman's theory of symbolic interactionism and helps us to understand what a group is all about, allowing us to see the ways they perceive reality. It helps us understand how a group uses different methods to communicate with each other, and those outside of the group to construct their claims and arguments. For example, one social media profile for them mentioned,
Although much of the focus at the championship is placed on competing with other indoor percussion ensembles, (the director of bands) said he doesn't necessarily feel hostile toward competitors.
"We have other groups that are different than us," (the director of bands) said. "But we appreciate what they do, even though we're in direct competition with them."
In a newspaper article the director of bands and founder of Blue Thunder describes the groups relationship with their competitors and how they do not feel hostile towards them. There is a sense of comradery and appreciation towards other similar groups. This shows that Blue Thunder is not overly worried about winning competitions, their focus is pleasing the audience and providing an opportunity for musicians in their community.
Indoor is looking for a piano player. If you're a music major who is going to be a band director one day, it could be a great opportunity to get to know the world of indoor percussion (of which you will be overseeing someday). Or, maybe you're just a good piano player and want a different type of ensemble outlet for your music!
I chose this quote from the groups Facebook page to represent framing because I felt that it describes the opportunities the group offers. Not only does Blue Thunder provide a place for individuals to have fun and perform, it can also provide opportunities for individuals to grow as a musician or a teacher. The group serves a bigger purpose in their community and developing the skills of young adults.
AGENCY
Secondly, I created agency as a main node in Nvivo. Agency helps motivate others to joins a group by highlighting it's positive attributes and contributions to society. Success stories not only explain, but show others that change can be made. The following quotes show how the organization was constructed based on agency. I found a very relevant quote for this in an online document for this group. It mentions,
The hope was to give the members something that they could have a blast doing and pave a solid path for the future.
The group puts an emphasis on enjoying the activity as well as creating a successful plan for the future. The positive atmosphere is inviting for prospective members and hints at a pleasurable and meaningful experience for those who join.
Blue Thunder Percussion inspires all of us as we craft and innovate the world's finest marching percussion products," said (redacted), marketing manager for Yamaha Percussion. "Yamaha is honored to be a part of this extraordinary group of young professionals, and we look forward to their continued success."
This statement was made by the marketing manager at Yamaha Percussion, a well known company and producer of marching band drums. Receiving such a positive comment from a reputable company shows that Blue Thunder is a respected and talented group. It also eludes to a sponsorship that would supply the group with Yamaha instruments and supplies. All of this would be alluring for prospective members and could possibly persuade them.
The first weekend of auditions was amazing! There's still time to be a part of the team: join us this Sunday for our second day of auditions! At the very least, just come out and play with us for the day. We're really excited about the season, and would love to see you come out - bring a friend!
This was from a social media post on the group's public Twitter account, they are sending an open invitation out to anyone that wishes to join the group. Although this was for their competitive auditions, the group emphasizes that anyone is welcome to show up and play, even if just for fun. This sends a positive and welcoming message about the group and would likely encourage others to feel comfortable showing up to a meeting.
Identity
The next node I coded into Nvivo identity. The concept of identity revolves around the group's culture and who they are. With identity we can see a group take on their social norms or behaviors. Each member of this group may have their own individual identity, however being involved with the group may shape a collective identity. It can consist of attitudes such as us vs. them, or show us who exactly is represented. A good example of this I coded in Nvivo was,
"About 65 percent of the students in the group aren't music majors," (the director of bands) said, "so the composition of the membership is very diverse and represents a cross-section of our community."
Although the group is associated with the music department at a local university, members do not have to be a music major or even a student to be involved in the program. The group consists of a diverse population that is brought together because of a common interest and passion.
Taking the pageantry of the university marching band onto the floor, the independent percussion ensemble brings the energy from venue to venue making itself a symbol of BOLD at California State University, (redacted).
The university marching band program that Blue Thunder Indoor Percussion is connected to share an identity with the group in many ways. Most percussion members perform in both ensembles and are expected to maintain a certain level of ability and etiquette, especially since they're associated with a school. The group has a lot of pride in their university and enjoys representing the school spirit.
The group prides itself in diversity as the largest student organization on campus.
This is a short sentence pulled from an article about Blue Thunder and it's founders, but the phrase encompasses an aspect that it greatly valued by the group. The percussion ensemble and marching band are proud of their substantial size and are pleased to be such an inclusive group on campus.
Motivation
Motivation focuses on what drives the group and its members to be involved. It revolves around the values and why they believe the group is important in the community or to them as an individual.
I can't thank the people in this group enough for being the biggest extended family I ever had. I've learned more than just how to keep my pinkies on a stick. I've learned life skills, how much friendships matter. I've become a better person thanks to the people around me. The techs, my section, my drumline and pit family pushed me to the best that I could be. They're my Medicine. And I love every single one of them. Blue Thunder Indoor will keep growing and new faces will come and go but I'll always look back on this season and the memories I've made. Thank you
This example came from a public social media page where a current Blue Thunder member expressed their gratitude for the group after the latest season ended. For this individual the friendships and memories created are what motivates them to continue to be involved with the group.
After that, the goal will be working towards bumping up to World Class and continuing to move up the ranks. All the while, the group plans to strive to continue to be an inexpensive, but highly competitive ensemble. Through partnership with the university marching band, Blue Thunder Indoor hopes to see more people auditioning each fall. Likewise, the university marching band hopes to keep members of Blue Thunder busy in the fall in one of the finest college marching percussion programs on the West Coast.
The founders and current staff members of Blue Thunder are working hard to ensure the longevity of the program and create a reliable flow of new members. Support within the local university is motivating them to grow and thrive.
(redacted), also a member of Blue Thunder, said the lighthearted nature of their performance allowed the audience to be more at ease while watching.
"With ours, you can just turn your brain off and enjoy the humor and the quirkiness to it," (redacted) said. "It was just an entertaining show that anyone could enjoy."
A Staff member finds motivation in the group because of the enjoyment it brings to others. The opportunity to bring entertainment and joy to a large audience is important to those in the group, especially since other similar group don't typically focus on a lighthearted performance like Blue Thunder does.
Prognosis
Prognosis is the concept that is recognizing a solution that the group wants to go about solving a problem. Compared to the diagnosis concept, we see that diagnosis is highlighting an injustice whereas prognosis is offering a solution to that problem. As we will see in these next few quotes, we will understand on how prognosis works with education platforms.
There is so much talent in the Central Valley, and most of it leaves for Southern California, as there wasn't much of an outlet here. It wasn't until the university's Associate Director of Bands came along that the idea finally came into a realistic possibility.
This quote is from the caption head of Blue Thunder where he discusses how and why the group started. There was a lack of music organizations like this in the Central Valley, leaving many people with no other option but to commute to Southern California if they wanted to be involved in marching percussion. The Director of Bands at a local university decided get the group started and find support in the community.
Bill has been monumental in orchestrating the logistical ends of the program, including the creation of the class through the university, the financial backing for equipment, and gaining the support of the rest of the faculty at California State University, (redacted).
The same individual that pushed for the creation of the group also played a big role in finding adequate funding and gaining the support from the university. He knew that the financial aspect would hold the group back from being successful so he found creative solutions to the problem. The university saw the potential of the program and how it could provide a creative outlet for young students.
Right now the group is going to take things slow and build the right way so that it has the possibility to stay and grow for a long time. This year, it is very cheap to join, and is staying local. The hope was to give the members something that they could have a blast doing and pave a solid path for the future.
An obstacle for groups of this type, especially in this area is maintaining funding and stability. The leaders of this organization have carefully mapped out a plan that will allow the group to slowly grow and gain credibility so that current and future members have someone to count on.
Conclusion
I found that people act and react to things in their surroundings differently based on their definition of the situation. I observed Blue Thunder by being in the Martian role documenting interactions, this was difficult at times since I am familiar with the group and activity. This applied during my interviews and content analysis as well. Over time I learned how to play the martian role efficiently and dig into the research with a fresh eye. I found that member's behavior and interactions could be applied to symbolic interaction theories, including frontstage/backstage, props, roles, and teamwork. These concepts play out in their daily activities and interactions, although members are unaware.
After analyzing various documents about my group, I found that they use various framing concepts. They view themselves as a group that brings music and joy into people's lives in a community that lacks similar organizations. They use the Prognosis Frame to describe how they started the group and worked to keep it sustainable for future generations. The identity frame was used to explain who they are as a group and what common interests/concerns bring them together. I saw examples of how my group used the agency frame to share their success and encourage others to join them. Overall this research was exciting and interesting in understanding how people within the group react to different situations, view the purpose of their roles/organization, and interact with others.
Reference
Dillon, Michele. 2013. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Retrieved March 6, 2019 (https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csufresno/detail.action?docID=1566387).
Goffman, Erving. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Anchor Books.
Kivisto, P. & Dan Pittman. 2013. Goffman's Dramaturgical Sociology: personal sales and service in a commodified world. Thousand Oaks, CA. SAGE Publications.
Sandstrom, Kent, Daniel Martin, and Gary Alan Fine. 2006. The Nature and Significance of the Self. Chapter 4. Symbols Selves and Social Reality 2nd.ed. Retrieved March 7, 2019 (https://fresnostate.app.box.com/file/408800769118).
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