ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the study of instrumental teachers working in the UK, including the research question, method and short introductions to the case study volunteers in this research. It explores the dominant contextual influences in the development of professional identity in instrumental music teachers and therefore requires an understanding of both context and individual experience. The central assumption associated with research involving multiple or mixed methods is that the combination of statistical trends with individual experience leads to a ‘collective strength’ with the capacity to provide a more thorough understanding of the research phenomena than either of these methods used alone. Instrumental music teachers in the UK typically perform as visiting specialists in a range of institutions including schools, universities and conservatoires and, in addition, provide tuition in private studios including homes in some cases. The survey was distributed via various music education networks, organisations and institutions and was live for a six-month period.
