The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between students' musical training in school and their music preferences. There is an extensive body of research on music preferences of musically trained adolescents and adults. This study focused on the influence of each of three specific types of musical training in school (band, chorus or orchestra participation) on shaping students' attitudes toward various musical genres, therefore addressing a gap in the literature on music preferences. Furthermore, school musical training was treated separately from the other possible factors contributing to shaping of music preferences. The study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What music preferences exist among high school students with various kinds of school musical ensemble participation and with those who do not participate in school ensembles?; (2) To what extent does participation in school ensembles influence the development of perceptual frameworks (schemas) for theunderstanding of various musical genres?

Four groups of students participated in the study: (1) band participants (n = 96); (2) orchestra participants ( n = 99); (3) chorus participants (n = 95) and; (4) nonparticipant students (n = 96). Data were collected using a questionnaire that measured students' preferences for fourteen musical genres and their musical experiences with each of the genres. Descriptive statistics were employed in order to determine whether there are differences in preference, knowledge and perception of the genres between the groups of participants. Results suggested that: (1) music students possessed a broader range of musical preferences than nonparticipant students; (2) music students had a better understanding of a greater number of genres and tended to focus on musical elements. The implications of the research for music education are discussed.