Examining the relationship between self-esteem and attitudes towards violin lessons of 9-12 age group children palying violin

The aim of this research is to examine the level of self-esteem and the attitudes of 9-12 age group children towards the violin lessons who take violin lessons in terms of demographic variables and to determine if there is a meaningful relationship between students? self-esteem level and their attitudes toward the violin lessons. Research population of this study consists of the 9-12 age group children taking violin lessons in Ankara. The sample group of the study is formed of 281 9-12 age group students who play the violin from Çankaya, Ankara. ?Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory?, ?Attitude towards Violin Lesson Inventory?, and ?Personal Information? form were taken by these students who take violin lessons in music courses in Çankaya in 2012-2013 academic year. According to the findings of this research,there is a meaningful relationship between attitude towards violin lesson and sub-dimensions of self-esteem like ?General, Domestic, Social and Academic?. A positive meaningful relationship was found between ?attitude towards violin lesson? and ?General, Domestic, Social and Academic? sub-dimensions of self-esteem. ?General Self-Esteem, Social Self-Esteem, Domestic Self-Esteem, and Academic Self-Esteem? point averages of the female students were found to be higher than that of the male students?. On the other hand, there is no meaningful relationship between students? ages and their self-esteem was not found. When students? self-esteem was compared to the education level of the mothers of these students, among their ?General, Domestic, Social and Academic? self-esteem. When students? self-esteem was compared according the education level of their father, among their ?General, Domestic, and Academic? self-esteem, a meaningful relationship was also found. It is concluded that ?General, Social, and Domestic? self-esteem point averages differ significantly according to the duration of time students play the violin, and that ?General Self-Esteem? point averages of the students who play the violin unaccompanied by the piano is significantly higher. It is found that ?Social Self-Esteem? point averages of the students who perform violin concert are significantly higher than the students who have never performed a violin concert. A meaningful relationship is not found between students? self esteem in terms of group/individual performance activities. Additionally, it is determined that students? ?Domestic Self-Esteem? point averages differ significantly depending on the affection level received from their teachers. In addition students? ?Social Self-Esteem, Domestic Self-Esteem, and Academic Self-Esteem? point averages who have a musical instrument playing member in their family is significantly higher than the students who don?t have a musical instrument playing member in their family. It is figured out that attitudes towards violin lesson point averages differ significantly according to the gender and the affection level received from their teachers. A meaningful difference is not found in the students? attitude towards violin lesson point averages according to their age, the education level of their mothers and fathers, duration of time they are playing the violin, their group/individual activities, the condition of training accompanied with piano, the condition of performing concerts, and the presence of a member playing a musical instrument in their families. Key words: Self-esteem, Attitude, Music Education, Violin Training.