Response to Judith A. Jellison's
"How Can All People Continue to Be Involved
in Meaningful Music Participation?
"
Warrick L. Carter
Warrick L. Carter is former director of Disney
Entertainment Arts for Walt Disney Entertainment in Lake Buena
Vista, Florida.
Our topic addressing "How can all people
continue to be involved?" presupposes that at one time
"all people" have been involved in some form of
meaningful music participation. I would suggest that, although
it has been an historic goal of music education, we have failed
to successfully provide meaningful music participation for
all people. Our question rather should be, "How can we
provide meaningful musical experiences so that all people
will seek to continue music participation in later life?"
As indicated in the introduction of the
paper, the main issue is about "learning" and what
knowledge is needed to function in adult life. My response
will address this aspect of learning to identify current trends
in adult music activities; describe how to positively impact
adult choices of music activity; and describe what may be
or should be our curriculum challenges in the future. As Judith
Jellison has stated, "Education is intended to improve
the quality in life." Therefore, all that is learned
should have some direct implication for the quality of one's
activities in later life. As it places the emphasis on the
development of skills needed to function effectively as an
adult, I like very much Jellison's use of the language "adults
and future adults."
When one looks at the study of other disciplines,
it is apparent that there is a direct correlation between
what is learned as a future adult and its implication and
application for adult life. For example, the study of languages
provides the foundation and tools needed to negotiate the
languages; the study of math gives one the tools that will
be used in day-to-day function for adding, subtracting, multiplying,
and dividing. The study of health and physical education gives
students the information and exercise skills needed to function
as healthy adults. There is no separation between adult discipline
needs and in-school preparation; nor is there a separate terminology
that differentiates between in-school subjects and out-of-school
application. Use of the terms "school athletics,"
"school English," "school math," or "school
dance," are avoided, but rather dance, art, English,
math, athletics, etc., are used. It is only in the study of
music that specific kinds of music are known as "school
music," separate from other music with whichstudents
may participate as adults. The line drawn between what we
define as school and nonschool music may be fundamental to
the difficulty that adults have in connecting "school
music experiences" with music activities in later life.
In other words, school music experiences have frequently neglected
large areas of music making and music expression and have
consistently not only failed to validate these but have in
many cases relegated them to areas that seem to be less desirable
and unimportant. Hence, when many adults have the opportunity
to participate in music, they do not relate school music activities
to adult music involvement, opportunities, and activities.
The MENC document Opportunity-to-Learn Standards
for Music Instruction. Grades PreK-12 appropriately identifies
the participation of music in adult life as the ultimate goal
for music education experiences: "[I]t is important to
note that the ultimate objective of all standards, all music
curriculums, and all school personnel is to help all students
gain the broad skills and knowledgethat will enable them to
function effectively as adults and to contribute to society
in today's world and tomorrow's.''1
As the ultimate goal of music education, the all important
and encompassing concept is, therefore, to identify those
skills and experiences that are important building blocks
on which to structure adult music experiences. We must look
at the kind of music involvement of adults today; interview
adults who either participate or do not participate in music
and identify reasons for their choices; and study the industry
data that reflects present and future adult music involvement
experiences. We must be cautious in validating any present
or projected adult music experience and speedily work to join
the concept of school music experiences with all music experiences.
Jellison writes eloquently and forcibly
in presenting a philosophy regarding the focus of music instruction
as means for preparing future adults for adult music making.
Inherent in this philosophy are a number of questions that
I think should be raised:
1. What are the present music-making activities
of adults?
2. Is there a projection that these activities
will significantly change in the future?
3. If not, what can music education professionals
do to make those music activities more meaningful?
4. If so, what are the new activities in
which adults will be involved, and what instruction can
be provided to make instruction more meaningful?
I would argue that presently, most adults'
music activities do not include performing music; attending
concerts; creating music (composing, arranging, improvising);
analyzing music; conducting music; not even listening to music.
Rather, I think the major music activity of most adults is
the "hearing of music." Because we in music education
have identified very specific skills that we feel should be
exhibited when one is engaged in meaningful listening activity,
I use the word "hearing" to differentiate this activity
from listening. We, as music educators, list the following
as appropriate skills that demonstrate meaningful listening:
• Listen to, analyze, and describe music
• Demonstrate perceptual skills by moving
and by answering questions
• Use appropriate terminology
• Identify the sounds of a variety of
instruments
• Respond through purposeful movement
to selected prominent music characteristics or to specific
music events while listening to music
• Describe specific music events
• Analyze the uses of elements
• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic
principles
• Analyze aural examples
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of
the technical vocabulary
• Identify and explain compositional
devices and techniques
• Demonstrate the ability to perceive
and remember music events by describing in detail significant
events occurring in a given aural example
• Compare ways in which musical materials
are used in a given example
• Analyze and describe uses of the elements
of music
• Identify simple music forms
• Use appropriate terminology in explaining
music
• Describe specific music events in
a given aural example
• Analyze elements of music in aural
examples representing diverse genres and cultures
Hearing, on the other hand, can be described
as the first or second level of the Affective Domain: Receiving
and Responding, which is defined by Bloom & Associates
as follows:
• "At a minimum level we are here
describing the behavior of being willing to tolerate a given
stimulus, not to avoid it."
• "It involves a neutrality or
suspended judgment toward the stimulus."
• "Given the opportunity
to attend in a field with relatively few competing stimuli,
the learner is not actively seeking to avoid it. At best,
he is willing to take notice of the phenomenon and give
it his attention."
• "Concerned with responses
which go beyond merely attending to the phenomenon."
•"Sufficiently motivated
that he is not just willing to attend, but perhaps it is
correct to say that he is actively attending."
• “Committing in some small
measure to the phenomenon involved. This is a very low level
of commitment."
• "In doing something with
or about the phenomenon besides merely perceiving it."2
Hearing, at this level, requires minimal
personal emotional involvement, and seldom does the individual
have to demonstrate any personal responses. Now, granted there
are various levels of hearing, some of which can be extremely
meaningful and can be described at the Bloom areas of Valuing.
However, one does not have to operate at the higher level to
participate in enjoyable hearing experiences. Therefore, in
order for us to help all future adults have more meaningful
experiences, we must help them develop better hearing skills,
which we hope will lead to listening.
Using the Bloom Affective Domain taxonomy
as our guidepost, the listening standards to which we would
hope to bring our pre-adults would be in the higher levels
of Responding and the category of Valuing. However, we seldom
teach value for all music listening, hearing, or participating
experiences, but rather for specifically prescribed "school
music" activities. If our music instruction is to lead
to enjoyable adult musical activities, and a "satisfaction
in response" is a desired musical behavior, we should
be less concerned with the musical genre that produces that
satisfaction and more concerned with enabling students in
gaining the requisite skills to function and react musically,
regardless of music genre.
As we are well aware, the pre-adult and
adult worlds are bombarded with various musics, which present
many hearing and listening opportunities. The plethora of music
that is programmed for pre-adults and adults is too numerous
to mention here. However, I do believe that these two or three
examples may conservatively serve our purpose.
1. The radio industry has created
many hearing experiences for individuals as they are involved
in a variety of activities. We have such terms as "drive
time radio," "work time radio," all of which
include specific types of music to attract specific types
of audiences and responses.
2. The term "easy listening music"
moves directly to the concept of hearing as opposed to listening.
It lets the prospective audience know that few listening skills
are needed to participate in this music activity; the mind
can therefore concentrate on other "more important"
activities. This is not all bad. Many of us, present company
included, frequently use a variety of musics as background
to other activities. Personally, I have classical music playing
in my office (probably a surprise to those of you who know
of my jazz involvement). This creates an ambiance for me that
makes it an extremely pleasant and productive working environment.
3. The popularity of TV channels dedicated
to specific music genres is further evidence of the great
"needs" for and interest in music of pre-adults
and adults alike. MTV, VH1, BET and CMTV are each developed
to meet the hearing needs of specific publics. Where are the
like channels for other music, or should these outlets reformat
their offerings to be more inclusive?
Data reported in "American Attitudes
towards Music 1997," an executive summary of a survey
conducted by the Gallup Organization for NAMM, show that 84%
of those surveyed felt that music is a very important part
of their life; that music is a good hobby (95%); and that
music brings the family together (82%). A number of those
surveyed agreed that playing a musical instrument (84%) is
fun and playing a musical instrument provides lifetime enjoyment
(96%).3 These attitudes are reinforced
when one looks at the product retail sales from 1990 to 1998
as reported by NAMM. With the exception of fretted products
(guitars, etc.), where there was a slight decline in the amount
of revenue between 1997 and 1998, all categories of product
sales, from drum machines to sound reinforcement, showed significant
increases over the previous year.4
Comparing that to historic data, over the past ten years,
we see a great increase (sometimes fourfold) in the expenditures
for products used for making and participating in music. The
1998 figures reported by the National Association of Recording
Arts & Sciences and the consumer products associations
mirror those of NAMM and show consistent increases in revenues
for the sales of records, CDs, and tapes (12.2 billion) and
of equipment (10 billion). All of these studies show an increasing
interest in music participation and a demand for music-related
products and activities. More and more adults are seeking
more and more experiences in music.
The most telling numbers are reflected
in the NAMM report, which indicates that of the 6.5 billion
dollars in manufacturing shipping for the 1997-98 year, 804
million dollars were spent on fretted products (electric guitars,
acoustic guitars, banjos, etc.) and 833 million dollars were
spent on sound reinforcement equipment. For acoustic instruments
(wind, percussion, and stringed instruments), as well as printed
music—all of the stronghold of music education—the
numbers reported were much smaller.5
I feel that the implications are clear; if we plan to more
effectively meet the demands, interests, and needs of adults,
we need to change/expand instructional opportunities and offerings
for pre-adults. The following findings in the report "American
Attitudes towards Music 1997" bear special notice:
• Of the total number of former players,
55% stopped playing before the age of 18 and 24% stopped before
the age of 35. Of the total number who currently play, 33%
are aged 15 to 17, 24% are aged 35 to 49, and 19% are aged
50 and older. Piano and guitar are played by larger portions
of children age 5 to 17 (and adults) than any other type of
instrument.
• A large majority (84%) of people
who played instruments or who were former players, first
learned to play between the ages of 5 and 14; a smaller
proportion began the studying of instrumentals after the
age of 14 (23%), and over the age of 16 (6%).6
Although the NAMM report shows continuous
growth in the instrumental market, it does not show that growth
in what is indicated as the school music market (brass, woodwind,
and stringed instruments). I concur with Jellison that it
appears adults often discontinued what they studied as students
in school and they are not listening to the classical music
they may have heard in their music classrooms. They are also
not attending classical concerts and opera but are increasing
their attendance and appreciation for other music experiences;
i.e., CDs and videotapes, television, and nonclassical concerts.
In a 1993 article, "Personal Observations
on Integration and Music Programs," I investigated the
lack of participation of African American students in post-integration
music programs. I looked, historically, at the number of black
students who participated in instrumental programs in pre
and post-segregated environments in the South. Although, most
of the content of the article may be irrelevant to this discussion.
some specifics have credence for this topic.
Black students are quite active in music
outside of the school's music programs; there are no indicators
that Blacks have lost interest in making and learning music,
in fact, the numbers reflect the opposite.... Black students
have found a variety of non-school related activities to which
they can receive music instruction, such as community music
schools, churches, music stores, local private teachers, and
self-instruction. These "in parallel schools" provide
teaching and learning outside the formal education setting.
Maybe this is an example of how music education can remain
attractive to students and how music education should be undertaken.
Two well known our of school programs that have had great
results are those offered through Jazz Mobile in New York
City and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
(AACM) in Chicago. These programs retain many of the qualities
that made many pre-integration black music programs so successful:
• Needs and accessibility
• Effective, sensitive, culturally
aware and broadly trained music teachers
• Relevant, open and rigorous
curriculum and
• Strong black community identity
and or support7
The point made in that article was that
many music programs failed to meet the needs of their constituency,
who had been actively involved in school music programs during
pre-integration but found the offerings wanting in post-integration
settings. A similar parallel can be drawn for some current music
education programs that fail to connect with students in any
meaningful ways, causing students to seek their music training
and activities external to the schools.
I don't foresee (with my crystal ball) that
there will be a significant change in the kinds of activities
in which adults will be involved in the future. I feel that
recorded musics will be the number one activity for adults
for the future. So then, the most important question is therefore:
"What kind of music experiences are needed for pre-adults
to positively enhance the projected dominant music experience
for adults?"
Jellison has defined transition as "the
movement of individuals across a variety of school and nonschool
environments throughout life" (p. 116). Hence, if this
is to be used as a valued principal and foundation for the instruction
of music, all students must participate in realistic school
music experiences that are grounded in the principals of transition.
"Planning for transition requires music experiences in
schools that are directly referenced to contexts for music experiences
valued for adulthood" (p. 121). Jellison cites examples
describing the need and the uses of transition and how instruction
based upon this concept would change to prepare for later life
participation.
Of particular interest is the following:
"If students, as a part of most classes, reviewed program
guides for their local classical radio station and selected
dates and times for listening, would they as adults, be more
likely to listen to that station and lend financial support?
. . . If students left elementary school and middle school
having had a choir (band/orchestra) 'big brother' or 'big
sister' for several years and had, on several occasions each
year, performed with the older students, would they be more
likely to join and stay in their ensemble" (p. 123)?
These questions lead me to think of four possible scenarios
for different individuals and the manner in which transition,
if used as the foundation for an approach for music to education,
could have an important impact and effect on their participation
and involvement in music. I feel that any involvement in music,
not just classical music and other forms of the European tradition,
can be meaningful and valuable, and that it is incumbent upon
us in music education to find ways to help students, and then
later, adults, find value in the many varied music experiences
that are available.
1. Individual #1 studied piano from the age
of 5 through high school. She served as a pianist for the
local church and served to accompany fellow students from
the school as they participated in solo contests. In high
school she also performed with a "garage band,"
performing at weddings and various other kinds of events in
the community. As an adult this individual has chosen to continue
her participation in music, serving as a church organist and
still finding the opportunity to serve as an accompanist for
various community groups. Although very active in music throughout
her life as a student, she did not benefit from the music
instructional programs in the school system, other than her
participation in mandatory general music instruction in the
elementary grades. She sees no connection to her present music
activities and the school music program in which she participated.
2. Individual #2 was a band student.
This individual began participating in band in the fourth
grade, started first with mellophoneand graduated to performing
on baritone horn. He continued this activity throughout high
school by switching to mellophone again in the marching band
program in college. Since graduating from college, he has
not participated in any music activities, nor has he attended
any band concerts in the local community. Now he is the parent
of two children who are actively involved in sports, and the
activities of this individual are aimed at supporting the
sports activities of his children. When interviewed, he indicated
he valued music and enjoyed performing, but failed to see
a relationship between school activities and the present.
With limited opportunities for mellophone players as adults,
he is an active music listener and has a large collection
of rock and pop CDs.
3. Individual #3 is a vocalist who began
participating in vocal music ensembles in elementary school.
Frequently singled out as an individual with good range and
pitch and with strong musical qualities, he was a highly sought
feature soloist and performer. As a student, he participated
in elementary and high school choirs and in musicals and continued
those activities into his adult life, seeking out community
choral and church groups. Actively involved in music all his
life, he has excellent musical memory and is able to "catch
on" very quickly; however, he is unable to read music.
He feels that music has been a very valuable part of his life
and continues to seek out a variety of music opportunities
and activities. He attends choral concerts and has a growing
classical (vocal) CD collection.
4. Individual #4 is a self-taught musician.
Having developed interests in rock music, he was drawn to
the guitar. As guitar instruction was not available in the
school setting, he taught himself and sought some evening
instruction from music stores, private teachers, etc. He has
developed strong skills in a specific genre and is felt to
be a rather strong player in that area. Although never having
learned to read music, he has wonderful improvisational skills
and a very "good ear" for music. Throughout high
school and after, he participated in various "garage
bands" and has continued this activity as an adult. He
frequents rock concerts, buys CDs of rock music, and listens
to rock radio. Now a successful attorney, he has participated
in adult rock-and-roll camps. He feels that music is a valuable
component in his life, but sees no direct relationship to
the instruction he received in school and the activities in
which he is presently engaged.
How would transition have been helpful and
meaningful to any of the above individuals? How could their
schools' music programs have better served them as adults?
Did those programs serve any of them properly?
According to Jellison, the support of transition
"comes from educational research on transfer of learning
and from the application of this research to models that have
been used successfully in education" (p. 124). In order
to increase the possibility for transfer from in-school music
experiences to "useable" out-of-school music skill,
the author suggests that students must:
(1) participate in music experiences and
learn skills and knowledge that are similar to music experiences,
skills, and knowledge that are valued for adults";
(2) "have frequent opportunities
to practice the same skills and tasks, and apply the same
knowledge using numerous and varied examples in multiple
contexts";
(3) "learn fewer things more
deeply and thoroughly"; and
(4) "learn meaningful principles
rather than isolated facts and skills" (p. 124).
Further, she identifies four transfer-of-learning
principles, derived from the research literature, that can
and should be used in a transition approach to pre-adult music
education that should lead to meaningful activities and involvement
for adults. Let's examine the four principles in relation
to the four adult cases above and see how the transition approach
for transfer of learning might have been of help to their
adult music activities.
"Principle #1. The more similar
two situations are, the more likely that learning in one situation
will transfer to the other situation" (p. 125).
For all practical purposes, it appears
that Individual #1 was well served by her pre-adult music education.
The music with which she was involved as a child is, by and
large, the music with which she is participating as an adult.
She has continued to seek out performing experiences on piano
and feels very strongly that the foundation laid in her piano
study has led to her success as an adult pianist. However, the
piano experiences she had as a pre-adult were external to the
school music program. She has indicated very affirmatively that
she sees no relationship between what she learned in school
music (i.e., general music programs) and her present involvement
in music. In order for the school music program to have had
any impact on her present activities, piano instruction should
have been included in her school music program. Ways of including
the study of piano, in a meaningful way for large number of
students, need to be investigated so that these students (who
presently get their instruction outside the school) can participate
in the school's music program. Granted there are opportunities
for accomplished pianists to serve as members of jazz ensembles,
accompany the school choirs, and accompany the solo ensemble
festivals; however, ongoing activities like those available
for instrumentalists and vocalists are not available for pianists
in the school's music program.
Individual #2 appears to have been
served well by his pre-adult experiences. That they were valued
is seen in his continued participation through college. It
appears, however, that he feels there is no place for adult
baritone horn or mellophone players. This is indicative of
the belief, held by many adults, that the music and instruments
associated with school band programs exist only for pre-adults,
as one sees very few professional role models performing on
many of the school band instruments. The lack of pop and rock
music as part of his high school and college band performance
serves as an additional indicator of the lack of similarities
between the music experiences and activities of pre-adults
and those to which this individual was drawn as an adult.
Part of the reason for reduction in pre-adults playing brass
instruments is the absence of popular role models performing
on these instruments. At the same time, because of the large
number of saxophonists in popular music, there has been a
consistent growth of the popularity of this instrument. Another
example can be drawn from my own teaching. As a music teacher
during the '60s, I found it very difficult to convince students
to play bass clarinet. It was very fortunate when Benny Mauphin,
a rising jazz star, made bass clarinet one of the instruments
of his arsenal. His recording with Miles Davis on the historic
"bitches brew," and the use of bass clarinet on
this and subsequent recordings, through the late '60s and
early '70s, was helpful in attracting students to play the
bass clarinet.
Individual #3 gives music education a homerun.
The music experiences and activities he experienced as a pre-adult
continue to be those musical activities to which he is drawn
as an adult. His great interest in choral and classical music
is a direct reflection of the experiences and exposures that
he had as a pre-adult. The only concern I would have is whether
or not the music program was broad-based enough to have provided
exposure to a variety of choral performing activities, including
mandrigals, swing choir, jazz choir, pop, quartet singing,
etc., so that, as an adult, he would have more choices from
which to select his ongoing music activities.
Individual #4 appears to be one of the great
failures of our educational system. As a pre-adult, this individual
was drawn to music, sought out opportunities in which to perform,
and made music a priority. There were no experiences or specific
instruction within our school's system to accommodate him.
Hence, he developed his skills on his own and through the
help of out-of-school instructional opportunities. He has
continued to seek out these experiences and has developed
rather strong skills independent of the school music program.
"Principle #2. The more frequent
the opportunities to practice a skill or demonstrate knowledge
using numerous and varied examples, the more likely it is
that learning will transfer to new situations" (p. 126).
All four individuals needed many opportunities
to demonstrate their skills in a variety of music styles.
Individual #1 could have benefited greatly from performing
with school choirs, piano ensembles, and jazz and pop ensembles
and the accompanying of groups to develop other skills and
to be exposed to a plethora of musics. Individual #2 would
possibly have continued as a performing musician had he had
varied musical offerings in his music education. Individual
#3 benefited greatly through being afforded the opportunity
to demonstrate his knowledge with varied examples. I would,
however, suggest that a wider music offering should have been
available. Individual #4 sought out and created his own opportunities
to demonstrate his knowledge with varying performance opportunities
and venues independent of the school music program.
"Principle #3. The more deeply
and thoroughly something is learned, the more likely it is
that learning will transfer to new situations” (p. 126).
As Jellison has indicated, "Learning
to perform, discuss or analyze only a few pieces of music
well is not the same as learning a skill or knowledge. In
some situations, students practice and learn a limited repertoire
throughout the school year or can discuss and analyze only
a few pieces heard in class. Learning to perform particular
pieces well can be important at times, but skills and knowledge
will be acquired only when students have frequent opportunities
to practice, when practice is efficient, and when practice
involves numerous and varied examples in a motivating environment"
(p. 127). Of our four individuals, it appears that only Individuals
#1 and #3 were placed into environments that enhanced their
musical development according to the concepts of Principle
#3. Outside of the school community, Individual #1 spent a
sufficient amount of time in developing her skills within
a variety of settings and was exposed to a vast amount of
different literature so that she could function in a variety
of musical settings both as a pre-adult and adult. Individual
#3, although performing in a very narrow scope, was exposed
to a wide array of literature within that scope and consequently
developed rather significant skills that led to meaningful
adult music experiences. Individuals #2 and #4, on the other
hand, appear to have not had experiences that were deep and
thorough in their preparation. For Individual #2, the steady
diet of band music, although enjoyable as a pre-adult, was
limited and did not carry over to adult life. Individual #4,
self-taught and self-directed, did not have the benefit of
meaningful exposure to a wide array of musical examples; therefore,
his scope of music activities was limited.
"Principle #4 Meaningful principles
will more easily transfer to new situations than rote learning
of isolated facts and skills" (p. 127).
Again, it appears that Individuals #1 and
#3 are the "winners"; while Individuals #2 and #4
are not necessarily losers, they could have had more meaningful
experiences as adults if the precepts of Principle #4 had
been followed when they were pre-adults. We are well aware
that in too many cases, specifically in choral music, a large
amount of note learning takes place. Although this may expedite
the rehearsal, this does not give the preadult the kind of
universal skills that can be used in later adult life for
lifelong music making. Although they lack music reading skills,
Individuals #3 and #4 still appear to have high-quality adult
music experiences. Granted these experiences could have been
even higher had music reading been a part of the learning
process as pre-adults.
I feel that the concept of transition,
within the principles of transfer learning, has important implications
for music learning for future adults to create meaningful experiences
as adults. I am concerned that some of the aims we describe
in music education are much too narrow. They do not relate to
the whole spectrum of music. If we as music educators are interested
in elevating the quality of musical life in America, then our
concerns should be with the quality and inclusion of all music
making as opposed to a very narrowly defined "school music"
genre.
In a recent Jazz Times article on
the "Yellow Jackets," Bob Mintzer, the woodwindist
of the group, stated the following:
I'm not a purist. I never have been.
I'm highly impure. I've always liked playing all kinds of
music. When I used to do a lot of freelance work in New York,
on a given week, I might play with the New York Philharmonic
on Sunday, with the Vanguard Orchestra on Monday, and a punk
band on Tuesday, and free jazz on Wednesday. I tell young
players that "You're crazy not to take a broad approach
to this business, because it just means you'll be working
a lot more." The players who seem to work a lot, who
are in demand, are guys who have a large vocabulary. That
comes from being fairly open-minded about music.8
Back to our original question, "How
can all people continue to be involved in meaningful music
participation," and how can we make all music education
experiences meaningful for later life? I feel, we start first
by ensuring that all people receive some form of music instruction
in school; that we base this instruction upon the concept
of transition and use the principles of transfer of learning
for transition; that we provide learning experiences that
help develop better "hearing skills" regardless
of genre; that we expose our future adults to varied and diverse
musical styles; and last, that we embrace all forms of music
making and set as our goal the rise in the quality of the
music in America. This includes embracing and valuing rap,
rock, funk, jazz, classical, gospel, country, bluegrass, etc.
As Libby Larsen has stated in her keynote speech to this symposium,
"Music is very generous, as it allows us to do anything
with it."9 However, we in
music education can be very stingy, as we put limits on what
we let students do with and experience in it!
Again from Larsen, "It is okay
for all roads not to lead to Mozart" as long as the roads
lead to good-quality musical experiences for lifelong music
exploration.10
There should be no separation between music
and school music. Perhaps by the year 2020, we'll all get
there.
1. Music Educators National Conference,
Opportunity-to-Learn Standards for Music Instruction: Grades
PreK-12 (Reston, VA: MENC, 1994), v.
2. Benjamin Bloom et al., "Affective
Domain," Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (New York:
David McKay, 1964).
3. American Music Conference, "American
Attitudes towards Music 1997," available from NAMM:
The International Music Products Association.
4. John Maher, ed. Music USA (Carlsbad,
CA: NAMM: The International Music Products Association,
1998).
5. Ibid.
6. American Music Conference.
7. Warrick Carter, "Personal Observations
on Integration and School Music Programs," Quarterly
Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 4, no. 2 (Summer
1993): 5 - 11.
8. Josef Woodard, "Yellow Jackets:
Educating the Ear," Jazz Times (October 1999): 22-32.
9. Libby Larsen, "Music Instruction
for 2020," speech presented at Vision 2020: The Housewright
Symposium on the Future of Music Education, The Florida
State University, 23-26 September 1999.
10. Ibid.
