Student Engagement in the School Music Ensemble:A Review of Literature

Droe, K. L. (In press).Musical Engagement in the School Ensemble: A Review of Literature. Update: Application of Research in Music Education.

Abstract

This literature review examines structural and environmental factors that may influence student engagement in school music ensembles. Drawing from research in music education, educational psychology, cognitive science, and developmental research, the review synthesizes findings across four dimensions of ensemble settings: director-centered authority and student agency, notation dependence and cognitive load, adolescent development and social risk, and identity formation. In this review, I employ three complementary theoretical frameworks, self-determination theory, flow theory, and sociocultural learning theory, as recurring lenses for analyzing how these structural features may support or constrain engagement. In this review, I argue that engagement is shaped not by any single factor but by the interaction among multiple structural conditions operating simultaneously within rehearsal and performance environments. Implications for practice emerge from four design principles: supporting student agency, designing for internalization, creating emotional safety, and fostering musical identity. Directions for future research are identified.