Anything goes: a case study of extra-curricular musical participation in an English secondary school

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical investigation into secondary school students’ experiences of participating in a school production of the Cole Porter musical, Anything Goes. The study was prompted by the absence in the research literature of any qualitative investigation of the extra-curricular activities that form a vital part of many young people's musical development. The project therefore focused on individual motivation and experience, exploring the effects of the school show not just on its participants, but also on the broader school community. Questionnaires and audio diaries were used to capture the views of a representative sample of the school population, before focusing in more detail on the experiences of a smaller number of participants. Results showed a widespread awareness of the show amongst non-participants, and a general belief that it made a valuable contribution to school life. Amongst participants, the costs and benefits of participation were evident in descriptions of the intensity and commitment involved in rehearsals, the effects on friendship groups of spending time with like-minded people, and the challenges to participants’ own musical, personal and social development.

I would like to express sincere thanks to the cast of Anything Goes for their co-operation in this research, and in particular to Mrs L for her support of the project. Thanks too to Karen Burland and Susan Pennington for their transcribing of audio diaries and questionnaires.