Required Choral Repertoire in State Music Education Performance Assessment Events

This study investigated required repertoire lists for state music education associations’ choral performance assessment events in the National Association for Music Education North Central division. Questions included: (a) How many states have required repertoire lists; (b) What categories/genres and historical time periods are represented on these lists; (c) Are there any notable differences between and among states’ required repertoire lists within NAfME’s North Central region; and (d) Do the required repertoire lists reflect NAfME’s National Core Arts Standards for Ensembles? Analysis of 2,714 pieces revealed 74.94% of the repertoire was representative of Western art music, with 60.72% of those pieces composed post-1900, and 25.06% of the total repertoire was Non-Western. Implications of these results may question the concordance between NAfME’s National Core Arts Standards and values set forth through required repertoire lists as determined by NAfME state performance assessment leadership.