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Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to examine a single modern band ensemble to discover how an ensemble director/facilitator implemented student-centered pedagogical approaches. Examinations of practical applications of facilitation were found due, in part, to an educational approach that promoted the opinions and decisions of students. The facilitator encouraged students to share their knowledge, opinions, and suggestions for the ensemble’s direction. Findings include the significance of sharing knowledge between students in a relaxed atmosphere in which student agency, autonomy, and democratic decision-making were key tenets. Data analysis revealed musical and social benefits with a facilitator who championed a democratized and deterritorialized approach within a relaxed environment. Through an approach of shared power, student voice and choice increased, and there existed a co-constructed ensemble. Modeling was found to be a key tenet of learning and communication between the ensemble’s members reflected the ways that students learned on their own. Pedagogical suggestions for music education include increased autonomy and student agency in all classrooms; the provision of pathways for teachers to develop facilitation and peer mentoring skills. Other implications for the profession include the implementation of facilitation in all ensembles to address hegemonic, teacher-focused methodologies.

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