An Immanent Pedagogy of Music

This article examines how American perspectives about world music have evolved based on the controversial discussion of “music is the universal language.” At earlier periods, scholars showed their interest in musics of other cultures from the ethnocentric standpoint. Gradually, scholars came to value the music differences of cultures, which generated the antithetical discussion of “music is not the universal language.” These past discussions contributed to the awareness of cultural differences of musics. However, we should go beyond mere awareness, until we reach the degree to which world music is actually learned and taught maintaining the sound balance of the two extreme aspects of music. Technology can promote the quality of both music class and music teacher education by offering real opportunities for engaging and exploring world musics.

2007

Introduces a special issue in English devoted to current polices and practices related to multiculturalism and music education, particularly within Europe. Offers a definition and overview of issues and concepts in multicultural music education as well as discussion of various critiques of the field and normative positions regarding the role that cultural 'authenticity' should play in music instruction. Introduces articles by contributors who discuss music education among various ethnic minorities in Europe.

During the past several years a variety of issues related to multiculturalism in music education have been extensively discussed in literature. Music educators, researchers and scholars have successfully convinced themselves that the musical sounds created by the planet's human inhabitants have a right to exist in our classroom. However, many theorists tend to disregard the fact that multiculturalism suggests the multiplicity of the instructional approaches, as well. The diversity of music teaching practices, which constitutes a notable social and cultural phenomenon, has not been perceived as a multicultural issue, and has been excluded from the discussion (Sprikut & Bartel, 2010, 29th ISME World Conference, Beijing). Not infrequently, internationally trained music educators are culturally isolated from the music education mainstream in host societies around the world. While professional flexibility is commonly perceived as a necessary prerequisite for a successful pedagogical adaptation process, internationally educated music teachers often seek to preserve and reaffirm their pedagogical cultural identity. This discrepancy not infrequently results in their inability (and reluctance) to participate on an equal basis in both the educational discourse and educational process. In this paper, I discuss certain aspects of culture that pertain to the realm of music pedagogy, and explore some of the factors that further the process of cultural separation. In order to find a common ground for the discussion, I offer a working definition of music pedagogic culture. The aim is to facilitate meaningful democratic dialogue, which would assist in bridging the gap between diverse music pedagogic traditions and practices that coexist in a contemporary society. The paper concludes with the suggestion that deeper understanding of the cultural factors and processes that shape music pedagogic practices will greatly benefit not only music education profession but also a society as a whole.

International Journal of Music Education, 1984

History of Education , 2018

2015

This essay responds to five commentaries on Music Matters: A Philosophy of Music Education, 2nd edition (2015). Because each author provides a substantial discussion of different aspects of the book, this essay does not attempt to address all points. Instead, we reflect on selected aspects of each scholar’s critique.

ISME, 2020

diversity, which has been increasing in recent times in educational settings, although society has advanced a lot, certain issues are still present, also in education. Our objective is, on the one hand, to know briefly the repertoire used in the training of future primary teachers, and on the other hand, what should be the political responsibilities regarding compliance with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Since ancient times, the songs have been used for different learning, numerical, poetic, geographical, or gender. The making of a song book, was already a proposal that allowed to assimilate theoretical musical content, now we want to go further and pay attention to the lyrics, their meaning, the roles they can mark. This leads us to an interdisciplinarity, from the need to meet the different competences that are demanded in education, both from students and teachers. Music, an element that lives and coexist with people of all ages, being part of their lives, also becomes a way of understanding life, values or emotions. In this sense, we believe that education must also acquire social commitment, as a fundamental key in teacher training, and responsibility in the knowledge, attitudes and skills that are developed in the school. We are still listening to predominantly masculine repertoires, which usually send a message, away from the new approaches to gender equality. On the one hand, we propose a brief review of the teaching programs of teacher training, and, on the other hand, a proposal to provide musical composition tools in the classroom, from some recommendations in the repertoire, as well as recommendations for policy makers. How we choose music and songs is important, and also to have resources that allow future teachers to use music education as tool to acquire values. We believe that a good way to educate on gender diversity from music is to encourage the creation of the own projects. This tactic will allow the future teacher a certain freedom to adapt their methodology, approaching the reality of his students. It will also allow the acquisition of skills and abilities other than music, in addition to knowledge of cultural diversity and heritage, which is, for example, the popular folklore of a territory. Our proposal also connects with most of the 17 SDGs and provides information for policy makers.

Fernando Sadio (ed.) Educação para a Cidadania Europeia com as Artes. Coimbra: Universidad de Granada, Center for Intercultural Music Arts. 105-116, 2007, 2007

This article focuses on the challenges confronting European music education in relation to various social changes experienced at the beginning of this century: the increasing mobility of people across the globe, the growing influence from immigrant culture and the growing availability of cultural expressions from virtually all over the world. A key understanding is that both music education and music performance by necessity are ideologically founded practices. In the European discourse concerning children and the arts, a dominating trend can be characterised as a multicultural ideology. By analysing selected multicultural music projects in Scandinaviaboth in schools and elsewherethis article looks at current trends, assessing results and consequences of a few highly profiled projects of an experimental or pioneering character. Based on an evaluation of this material, it is argued that there is a need for increasing the awareness of music as a social practice which on the one hand produces identification and group coherence, but on the other hand, also may contribute to the production and maintenance of social difference. In conclusion, it is argued that there is a need for reconceptualising the prevailing image of music as an instrument for cross-cultural understanding in music education and in the general presentation of music directed towards children.

In I. Harvery with K. Rees (eds.). Proceedings of the 35th ISME World Conference A visible voice (pp. 127-133). 31. International Society for Music Education (ISME). , 2022

As modern societies are more and more multicultural and as we are implementing more intercultural education for that understanding, we need to examine how multiple identities influence the structure, design and implementation of multicultural education. The concept of identity is very prominent in pedagogical theory and practice today, as it may influence the ways people teach, experience and learn. Given the fact that all people experience multiple identities as far as social, ethnic, national, cultural, musical, religious, and communal characteristics, we need to acknowledge and research more the impact of multiple identity reality in an increasingly intercultural education. Our paper seeks to draw connections to unite theories on identity with theories on intercultural music education. We attempt to pinpoint concepts and issues on intercultural education that appear to help and strengthen the feeling of the sense of place with achieving a stronger understanding of identity as it is understood by self and perceived by others. The experience of multicultural living and intercultural interactions paired with exploration of one’s identity or multiple identities, leads us to believe that a move from culturally responsive teaching and awareness is needed towards a more ‘interculturally’ responsive approach. By using a philosophical research approach in review of several fields of literature, we combine bibliographies from the fields of identity, multicultural and intercultural music education, and ethnomusicology through our inquiry. The research has shown that we cannot discuss matters on intercultural music education without discussing issues on identity. The more we support ‘a sense of place’ approach in music education, the more we strengthen intercultural education communities and the more we strengthen the evolution of multiple identities. We posit that this can be achieved with a shift from the current understanding of cultural responsiveness to a more ‘intercultural’ responsiveness.