The Effects of Race and Gender on In-Service Music Teachers’ Evaluations of Musical Performance

This study replicates and extends Elliott’s research on bias in music performance evaluations, examining whether implicit bias related to race, gender, and instrument type influenced music teachers’ evaluations. In-service music educators ( N = 45) evaluated eight videos of trumpet and flute performances with performers of varying races and genders. We synchronized all performances to identical prerecorded audio. Using a repeated measures analysis of variance, we found significant main effects for race ( p = .02) and instrument ( p < .01) but not gender. Evaluators rated Black performers lower than White performers and trumpet performances lower than flute performances. We observed significant interactions between race and gender ( p < .01), race and instrument ( p < .01), and gender and instrument ( p < .01), revealing complex intersectional relationships. Black female performers consistently received the lowest ratings, highlighting how race and gender interact to create compounded disadvantages. Results underscore the need for intersectional approaches in music teacher education to address these biases, contributing to more equitable evaluation practices.