While sitting in band class, I look around and see how one gender dominates a certain instrumental section. For instance, the clarinet section (where I sit) has only one guy in it as well as the flute section. The trumpet section has 5 girls out of 40 players. The trombone section only has 2 girls out of 20 something players. Then if you take a glance at our alto saxophone section, you will find that it’s about half and half between the sexes. Why is this? Why are some instrumental sections dominated by a specific gender while others are equal? According to Susan Hallam, Lynne Rogers, and Andrea Creech (professors at University of London, UK) females typically prefer higher pitched instruments such as piccolos, flutes and clarinets while males usually prefer bolder instruments such as tubas, guitars, and trombones (http://ijm.sagepub.com/content/26/1/7.abstract). Instruments that are not gender dominated include the saxophone and french horn (as well as a few others).
Since historically males and females preferred a specific instrument, stereotypes formed saying that flutes, clarinets, and piccolos are “girl instruments” and trombones, tubas and trumpets are “boy instruments”. I personally find this unfair considering that this leads to kids choosing a certain instrument because it “fits their gender” when really they may want to play a different instrument. Why should a guy play the trombone when clearly he is passionate for the clarinet, or a girl play the flute when she has always dreamed of playing the trumpet? I think that if these stereotypes were abolished, then we would find that more kids would enjoy band/orchestra and exceed musically because they play an instrument they love.
-Audrey J. Marshall
Since historically males and females preferred a specific instrument, stereotypes formed saying that flutes, clarinets, and piccolos are “girl instruments” and trombones, tubas and trumpets are “boy instruments”. I personally find this unfair considering that this leads to kids choosing a certain instrument because it “fits their gender” when really they may want to play a different instrument. Why should a guy play the trombone when clearly he is passionate for the clarinet, or a girl play the flute when she has always dreamed of playing the trumpet? I think that if these stereotypes were abolished, then we would find that more kids would enjoy band/orchestra and exceed musically because they play an instrument they love.
-Audrey J. Marshall