The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate band conducting students’ exposure to conductors of color and women conductors. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions: 1) Do undergraduate band conducting students have conducting role models? 2) Do undergraduate band conducting students perceive their conducting role models to be their same gender or race? 3) Have undergraduate band conducting students’ been exposed to conductors in the following categories: White male conductors, White female conductors, male Conductors of Color, and female Conductors of Color? 4) Where have students been exposed to White male conductors, White female conductors, male Conductors of Color, and female Conductors of Color? 5) Overall, to what extent do students value and want exposure to White male conductors, White female conductors, male Conductors of Color, and female Conductors of Color? 6) To what extent do male and female students value and want exposure to White male conductors, White female conductors, male Conductors of Color, and female Conductors of Color? 7) To what extent do White students and students of color value and want exposure to White male conductors, White female conductors, male Conductors of Color, and female Conductors of Color? Participants (N = 106) were undergraduate instrumental music education students specializing in winds and percussion who were currently enrolled or had previously been enrolled in a conducting class. A Qualtrics survey was constructed and distributed to participants consisting of demographic information, one set of questions about conducting role models, and four sets of questions investigating the participants exposure to Male Conductors of Color, White Male Conductors, Female Conductors of Color, and White Female Conductors. The findings in this study reveal that female students and Students of Color have significantly fewer role models with whom they identify than White male students. The findings in this study also indicate that lack of exposure could be a main source of this discrepancy. The participants in this study had been exposed to more White male conductors than non-White male conductors in every role. This study’s findings also indicate that undergraduate band conducting students, specifically women and Students of Color, placed a high value on matched conducting role models and expressed a strong desire for more exposure to non-White male conductors.
