Choral Performance Assessment: An Overview of Research to Date

Authors

  • Marvin E. Latimer Jr. Central Michigan University

Abstract

Reliability of adjudicators responsible for choral performance assessment has long concerned music educators. For example, Radocy (1989) argued, “any measure that involves human judgment is inherently subjective because it involves human impressions (p. 30).” He concluded music educators must recognize that all measurement procedures are inherently subjective, either in construction, application, or interpretation. To address such matters, numerous assessment forms have been employed to enhance consistency and reliability of performance adjudication. Recently, performance assessment rubrics, which contain narrative descriptions of various categories, have come into use. The purpose of this study was to longitudinally investigate the validity and reliability of one such rubric employed in the Large Group Choral Festivals in a Midwestern state in the United States. This paper/presentation will report choral adjudicator reliability and validity findings from 45 different adjudicators assessing 350 different choral performances, which occurred over two years. To that end, the following research questions will be addressed: (a) What was the level of agreement among choral adjudicators in assigning the global rating (that is, I, II, III, IV, V) when utilizing this rubric? (b) What was the level of agreement among choral adjudicators in assigning scores for individual performance categories (that is, tone, interpretation, rhythm, and so on) when utilizing this rubric? (c) What was the level of correlation between individual performance categories and global ratings, or specifically, which performance category tended to be the best indicator of the global score? And (d) what is the perceived efficacy of this performance assessment rubric among both adjudicators and directors?

Author Biography

Marvin E. Latimer Jr., Central Michigan University

MARVIN E. LATIMER JR. is currently Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of the University Chorus at the University of Alabama. He received a BME and MME from Wichita State University and a PhD in Music Education with honors from the University of Kansas. Marvin taught secondary choral music in Wichita, Kansas High Schools for 28 years and served as Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of the Women’s Ensemble at Wichita State University prior to his appointment at Alabama. In addition to his work in education, he has been active as Church Choir Director, Community Choir Director, Performer, Music Theater Director and Producer, Technical Director, and Scenic Designer. Marvin has published articles in the Choral Journal, the International Journal for Research in Choral Singing, and Contributions to Music Education. His professional distinctions consist of numerous choral convention presentations and performances. Marvin received recognition on two occasions as a University of Kansas GTA Distinguished Service Nominee and his dissertation, Harold A. Decker (1914 – 2003): American Choral Music Educator, was submitted to ACDA for the Julius Herford Prize for outstanding research in choral music. He serves on the Alabama ACDA State Board and on the National ACDA Research and Publications Committee, and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the Alabama Vocal Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Voice Care Network.

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Published

2013-10-29

Issue

Vol. 7 (2009): The Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium VII

Section

Articles