Adam Martin My Philosophy of Music Education 8/29/12

Concerning the philosophy of Music Education, it is my firm belief that music is a necessary part of any well-rounded education, and that knowledge of music contributes greatly to the understanding of the other arts, as well as other disciplines. The opposite I also hold to be true, that understanding other art forms and other disciplines, including mathematics, the sciences, language, and others, will contribute to ones understanding and creative capacity in music. Therefore, I believe it is imperative that any institution claiming to be in the interest of creating an educational foundation for young people, or building upon the general education of adults should include music courses in the curriculum. Music courses should be available to all who are willing and able to participate, and required of those who have had no prior exposure to it. I include the latter clause because, as I stated in the previous paragraph, I believe that no education is complete without some measure of musical training or exposure. Obviously, an adult seeking a science degree at a university with a well established foundation of general knowledge should not be required to take music courses. However, music courses, taught by qualified instructors in the specific fields of said courses, should be available to anyone interested in them, provided they are prepared for the material. For example, if someone wanted to join a choral ensemble and enroll in the course, they should have the opportunity, pending the results of an audition if applicable. Also, they are entitled to receive instruction in this course from a well qualified choir director. Conversely, if a student wishes to enroll in an advanced theory course, but has not proven an aptitude in the preceding levels of the subject, the instructor has every right to refuse. I say this because the other students should have the right to learn without being kept at a lower level or slower learning pace because of one students poor performance. Music education, as it is, is a broad topic open to many interpretations, as it should be. The world of music is large, and growing larger all the time, so the education of music should provide students with the knowledge of all that it contains. Considering the expanse of available music with which to teach such a broad topic, I feel that the best music to choose is that which will best provide a generalized summation of as much music as possible. At some point in a students education, he should be exposed to a fugue because it will show him a clear example of extreme counterpoint. He should have access to homorhythmic music that will help him clearly hear and understand chord progressions. He should hear and experience clear examples of music from all genres and time periods, so that he may obtain an understanding of all types of music, including Classical, Jazz, Popular music, and all of their sub-genres. In an ensemble setting, performances should be one of the largest and most important parts of the curriculum because of their role as evidence of the students efforts. It is vital to build upon the students general knowledge of music, i.e. its history, theoretical construct, and famous works, but the

students cannot obtain a full understanding of these concepts, nor can the instructor be sure of the students progress, without a performance. Furthermore, students can be motivated by performances. Music classes can easily be the most enjoyable classes in a students day. Other classes are less apt to provide opportunities for creativity and interaction with other students on the level that music classes should. Also, a successful performance can be a great boost to a students self-esteem, which will motivate him to work more diligently in all of his classes and lead to a more profitable educational experience. However, poor performances can cause a negative effect on students, which is why it is imperative to determine the aptitude of students beforehand and group them accordingly. In summation, I will state that music is equally a part of any education as mathematics, sciences, language, and other art forms. Like any other subject taught in schools, music should be a regular part of the average students curriculum, and there should be a system in place to determine each students aptitude, and thereby his placement. Also, as with any other subject, these courses should be taught by instructors with sufficient knowledge of the specific subjects which they are teaching. Lastly, these courses should be funded and respected as any other regularly required course would be.