International Journal of Education & the Arts

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it outlines an author-developed school orchestra model. Second, it describes students' perceptions of their orchestra experiences after model implementation in terms of program satisfaction, personal and social experiences, and learning motivation. The orchestra program was implemented in 77 elementary schools over the course of a full school year. The model includes procedures for setting up and managing a school orchestra including teaching curriculum, learning repertoire, and networking the resources. For the students' perceptions of the orchestra experiences, 593 elementary students from 15 schools were randomly selected from the orchestra model schools, and were asked to complete a survey at the end of the one-year implementation. Students reported satisfaction with the orchestra program, positive personal and social experiences, and learning motivation. The results indicate that school orchestra programs can provide meaningful opportunities for students to gain positive experiences in self-confidence, actualization, building relationships, listening skills, motivation for participation and academic achievement.