“Where Are All The Girls?” Women In Collegiate Instrumental Jazz

Abstract

Abstract: This qualitative study was undertaken to answer a question posed by a visiting high school musician who, after sitting-in with a college jazz ensemble, noted that she was the only girl in the room. Three undergraduate women music majors were selected for this study. Each was an instrumentalist, had an extensive background in jazz at the high school level and had withdrawn from college jazz bands after the freshman year. Individual and focus group interviews with the participants revealed that each of the three had made conscious choices that led to their withdrawal from the jazz program. Analysis of the data revealed the following themes: (1) a lack of female role models and mentoring in jazz; (2) pressure to perform both classical and jazz and (3) a negative environment sometimes associated with jazz ensembles. These factors led the students to make choices based on self-assessment and gendered expectations for success.

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