Instrumental Performance of Female Students at Atwima Nwabiagya District

This study sought to explore the level of instrumental skills and setbacks female student’s in Atwima Nwabiagya experience in playing drums and other musical instruments. The study adopted a case study methodology and a purposive sampling technique was employed to select three Junior High Schools in the district. In each of the schools, five participants from each school were selected for the study also purposively. The research was based on data collected from 15 female students. The main instruments used for the study were observation and interview. The study revealed the following findings: teachers normally exempt females from drumming, but instead encourage them to dance because of their flexibility in nature, gender stereotyping of certain cultures affects their choices of certain musical instruments. Parent’s preventing girls from handling musical instruments due to their religious beliefs and other customs in their communities. The results indicated how important it is for teachers to develop the will (i.e. self-efficacy) and the skill(i.e. competence) to teach music and dance if they are to develop music competencies needed to provide adequate music opportunities for their future students (Males and Females). Teachers are encouraged not to exempt females from drumming. As a way forward, I suggest that women should form cultural groups/troupes where they take full responsibility from the playing of the master drum adowa dance up to the singing to encourage others to follow suit like the women Mmɛnson cultural troupe at Cape Coast.