The purpose of this study was to gather information on measures of motivation among year 7, 8 and 9 students enrolled in class music in a major Australian secondary school. The rationale for the study was to gain insights into why retention in the class music program had dramatically increased since the introduction of a new teaching program. A survey instrument was utilized to gather rating responses to questions on motivational preference, using Expectancy-value Theory as a theoretical framework. Results indicated high means for items associated with personal importance (identity) and the transferability of skills to other musical activities. Exploratory Factor Analysis confirmed correlations between the importance of tasks to students and the perceived usefulness of tasks. Implications for music teachers and the development of class music programs are discussed.