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Encyclopedia > Music teacher
Music education
Major instructional methodologies
Kodály Method - Orff Schulwerk - Dalcroze method - Suzuki method
Instructional settings
General music instruction - Extracurricular - Ensemble

Chorus - Concert band - Marching band - Orchestra Image File history File links Information_icon. ... Image File history File links Treble_clef. ... // The Kodály Method is an approach to music education which was developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century. ... The Orff Schulwerk or Orffschulwerk, also called as Orff-method is an approach for music education for children. ... The Suzuki method, (sometimes called Talent Education, or the mother-tongue method,) is a way of teaching, music education method or educational philosophy which strives to create high ability and beautiful character in its students through a nurturing environment. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... In classical music a chorus is any substantial group of performers in a play, revue, musical or opera who act more or less as one. ... A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, or wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family and percussion instrument family. ... An American college marching band on the field (University of Texas) A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who generally perform outdoors, and who incorporate movement â€“ usually some type of marching â€“ with their musical performance. ... A philharmonic orchestra An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually a fairly large instrumental ensemble with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. ...

International organizations
International Society for Music Education
International Association for Jazz Education
Organization of Kodaly Educators
National organizations in the United States
National Association for Music Education - Music Teachers National Association - American Choral Directors Association - American String Teachers Association - American School Band Directors Association

Music education comprises the application of education methods in teaching music. Music education encompasses many areas of teaching, including music history, music theory, instrumental proficiency, singing skills, and general music skills. MENC: The National Association for Music Education, also referred to as the National Music Educators Association and formerly called Music Educators National Conference, is an organization based out of Reston, Virginia which is focused on the advancement of music education, both as a profession and the assurance of music education... Music Teachers National Association (or MTNA) was founded in 1876 by Theodore Presser and sixty-two colleagues in Delaware, Ohio. ... The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is a non-profit organization aimed at improving the quality of education towards choral music. ... The American String Teachers Association with the National School Orchestra Association (or ASTA with NSOA) is a professional organization for music teachers. ... Allegory of Music on the Opéra Garnier Music is an art form that involves organized and audible sounds and silence. ...


The incorporation of music training from preschool to postsecondary education is common in North America and Europe, because involvement in music is thought to teach basic skills such as concentration, counting, listening, self-discipline and cooperation while also promoting understanding of language, improving the ability to recall information, fostering creativity, and creating an environment more conducive to learning in other areas. A nursery school is a school for the education of very young children (generally five years of age and younger). ... Counting is the mathematical action of adding (or subtracting) one, usually to find out how many objects there are or to set aside a desired number of objects (starting with one for the first object and proceeding with a one-to-one correspondence); however, counting is also used (primarily by... This article is about cooperation as used in the social sciences. ... For other uses, see Memory (disambiguation). ...


There are many additional benefits training young children, as well as older children and teenagers, in music. Brain activity is increased which, in turn, strengthens spatial-temporal reasoning and skills in abstract reasoning (skills used in math and science). The brain learns to organize better and perform several tasks at the same time, by practicing the many facets involved in playing a musical instrument.


The many personal benefits achieved are confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment. It shapes and molds the character with self-assurance and stability; and has the added bonus of public performance, which helps to conquer the fear of getting up in front of people. Furthermore, learning a musical instrument fosters good habits like focus, mental discipline, staying with a task until it is complete, and allows for the expression feelings.


In elementary schools, children often learn to play instruments such as the recorder, sing in small choirs, and learn about the history of Western art music. Many music educators also incorporate application and history of non-western music to give a well-rounded musical experience and teach multiculturalism. In primary and secondary schools, students may have the opportunity to perform some type of musical ensemble, such as choir, orchestra, or school band: concert band, marching band, or jazz band. In some secondary schools, music classes may also be available. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, or wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family and percussion instrument family. ...


At the university level, students in most arts and humanities programs can receive credit for taking music courses, which typically takes the form of an overview course on the history of music, or a music appreciation course that focuses on listening to music and learning about different musical styles. In addition, most North American and European universities have some type of music ensemble that non-music students are able to participate in, such as choir, concert band, marching band, or orchestra. Music education departments in North American and European universities often support interdisciplinary research in such areas as music psychology, music education historiography, educational ethnomusicology, and philosophy of education. For a list of universities around the world, see Lists of colleges and universities Representation of a university class, 1350s. ... A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, or wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family and percussion instrument family. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Historiography is the study of the practice of history. ... Ethnomusicology (from the Greek ethnos = nation and mousike = music), formerly comparative musicology, is the study of music in its cultural context, cultural musicology. ... The philosophy of education is the study of the purpose, process, nature and ideals of education. ...


The study of Western art music is increasingly common in music education outside of North America and Europe, including Asian nations such as South Korea, Japan, and China. At the same time, Western universities and colleges are widening their curriculum to include music of non-Western cultures, such as the music of Africa or Bali (e.g. Gamelan music). Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Africa is a continent with a wide range of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity. ...


Both amateur and professional musicians typically take music lessons, short private sessions with an individual teacher. Amateur musicians typically take lessons to learn musical rudiments and beginner- to intermediate-level musical techniques. While many individuals are content to play a musical instrument by ear or by practicing individual pieces until a reasonable proficiency is achieved, others wish to develop mastery of one or more instruments, and commonly seek formal instruction in the form of music lessons. ...

Contents

History

17th century

Music education in North America can be traced to the colonies of the seventeenth century. In the South, there existed no organized music education system. However, rote learning played a major role in the transmission of music traditions. In the Northern colonies, music was already an important consideration in the lives of the Pilgrims. The Bay Psalm Book, especially later editions, provided methods for solmization along with performance instruction. Thus Northern colonists could succeed in teaching themselves rudimentary music skills, as related to psalm singing. Historic Southern United States. ... It has been suggested that Rote memory be merged into this article or section. ... The Bay Psalm Book was the first book printed in British North America. ... In music and sight singing solfege or solmization is a way of assigning syllables to degrees or steps of the diatonic scale. ...


Standards

For much of its existence, music education standards in the United States were determined locally or by individual teachers. In modern times there has been a significant move toward regional and/or national standards. MENC: The National Association for Music Education, created nine content standards, called the National Standards for Music Education, adopted in 1994[1]: MENC: The National Association for Music Education, also referred to as the National Music Educators Association and formerly called Music Educators National Conference, is an organization based out of Reston, Virginia which is focused on the advancement of music education, both as a profession and the assurance of music education...

  1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
  2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
  3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
  4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
  5. Reading and notating music.
  6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
  7. Evaluating music and music performances.
  8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
  9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Many states and school districts have adopted their own standards for music education. Often, these local standards are derived in some form from the National Standards. For example, in Florida, the Sunshine State Standards[1] set grade-level expectations for music students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... A street musician with accordion in Bremen A performance comprises an event in which generally one group of people (the performer or performers) behave in a particular way for the benefit of another group of people (the viewer or viewers, or audience). ... Improvising is the art of organizing sound and/or motion during performance. ... Composing is the art of organizing sound for later performance(s). ... Reading is a process of retrieving and comprehending some form of stored information or ideas. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A kindergarten classroom in Afghanistan. ... A high school senior is a student in the final year of secondary education in the United States and some other countries; generally 12 years after kindergarten or 17-18 years of age. ...


Instructional methodologies

While instructional strategies are bound by the music teacher and the music curriculum in his or her area, many teachers rely heavily on one of many instructional methodologies that have been developed throughout the 20th Century: In education, a curriculum (plural curricula) is the set of courses and their contents offered by an institution such as a school or university. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ...


Major international music education methods

Kodály method

Main article: Kodály Method

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) was a prominent Hungarian music educator and composer that stressed the benefits of physical instruction and response to music. Although not really an educational method, his teachings reside within a fun, educational framework built on a solid grasp of basic music theory and music notation in various verbal and written forms. Kodaly's primary goal was to instill a lifelong love of music in his students and felt that it was the duty of the child's school to provide this vital element of education. Some of Kodaly's trademark teaching methods include the use of solfege hand signs, musical shorthand notation (stick notation), and rhythm solmnization (verbalization). // The Kodály Method is an approach to music education which was developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century. ... Zoltán Kodály (IPA: ) (December 16, 1882 – March 6, 1967) was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, educator, linguist and philosopher. ... Solfege table in an Irish classroom In music and sight singing solfege or solmization is a way of assigning syllables to degrees or steps of the diatonic scale. ...


Orff Schulwerk

Main article: Orff Schulwerk

The Orff Schulwerk is considered an "approach" to music education. It begins with a student's innate abilities to engage in rudimentary forms of music, using basic rhythms and melodies. Orff considers the whole body a percussive instrument and students are lead to develop their music abilities in a way that parallels the development of western music. The approach encourages improvisation and discourages adult pressures and mechanical drill, fostering student self-discovery. Carl Orff developed a special group of instruments, including the glockenspiel, xylophone, metallophone, drum, and other percussion instruments to accommodate the requirements of the Schulwerk courses.[2] The Orff Schulwerk or Orffschulwerk, also called as Orff-method is an approach for music education for children. ... Carl Orff (July 10, 1895 – March 29, 1982) was a German composer, most famous for Carmina Burana (1937). ...


Suzuki method

Main article: Suzuki method

Ths Suzuki method was developed by Shinichi Suzuki in Japan shortly after WWII, and it uses music education to enrich the lives and character of its students. The movement rests on the double premise that "all children can be well educated" in music, and that learning to play music at a high level also involves learning certain character traits or virtues which make a person's soul more beautiful. The primary method for achieving this is centered around creating the same environment for learning music that a person has for learning their native language. This 'ideal' environment includes love, high-quality examples, praise, and a time-table set by the student's developmental readiness for learning a particular technique. The Suzuki method, (sometimes called Talent Education, or the mother-tongue method,) is a way of teaching, music education method or educational philosophy which strives to create high ability and beautiful character in its students through a nurturing environment. ... Shinichi Suzuki (鈴木鎮一 October 17, 1898 - January 26, 1998) was born in Nagoya, Japan, and studied in Germany. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ...


Dalcroze method

Main articles: Dalcroze method and eurhythmics

The Dalcroze method was developed in the early 1900's by Swiss musician and educator Émile Jaques-Dalcroze. The method is divided into three fundamental concepts - the use of solfege, improvisation, and eurhythmics. Sometimes referred to as "rhythmic gymnastics", eurhythmics teaches concepts of rhythm, structure, and musical expression using movement, and is the concept for which Dalcroze is best known. It focuses on allowing the student to gain physical awareness and experience of music through training that takes place through all of the senses, particularly kinesthetic. According to the Dalcroze method, music is the fundamental language of the human brain and therefore deeply connected to who we are as human beings. Eurhythmics (also Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rhythmics) is an approach to the education of music that was devised by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze. ... Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (July 6, 1865 - July 1, 1950), was a Swiss musician and educator who developed Eurhythmics, a method of learning and experiencing music through movement. ... Eurhythmics (also Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rhythmics) is an approach to the education of music that was devised by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze. ...


Other methods

RITMìA

RITMìA is an innovative form of music education conceptualised by Sonia Simonazzi, an Italian bassoon player. Its aim is to provide children from the ages of three to ten with notions in music appreciation, theory and practice that go beyond traditional approaches to music teaching. Its intention is give a deeper, richer significance to music instruction by integrating sound stimulation (using a particular range of musical instruments the children can listen to and play) with body movements and yoga.


Tobin method

Main article: Tobin Method

The Tobin Method has been under development since the early sixties. The main criteria was that the primary classroom teacher should be enabled to teach the rudiments of music to a high level, without it being necessary to play an instrument other than pitched percussion instruments such as hand-chimes. The method uses a number of innovative techniques based around colour, pattern, games and stories, and provides a fun way to learn all aspects of music theory to a great depth. The method provides a logical, clear, and highly visual way of explaining the many aspects of music theory, and a seamless way of transferring these theoretical skills to instrument playing. The Tobin Method, (sometimes called the Tobin System of Music Education or the Tobin System), is an effective method of teaching music literacy both in the classroom, and to individuals. ...


Integration with other subjects

Some schools and organizations promote integration of arts classes, such as music, with other subjects, such as math, science, or English. It is thought that by integrating the different curricula will help each subject to build off of one another, enhancing the overall quality of education.


One example is the Kennedy Center's "Changing Education Through the Arts" program. CETA defines arts integration as finding a natural connection(s) between one or more art forms (dance, drama/theater, music, visual arts, storytelling, puppetry, and/or creative writing) and one or more other curricular areas (science, social studies, English language arts, mathematics, and others) in order to teach and assess objectives in both the art form and the other subject area. This allows a simultaneous focus on creating, performing, and/or responding to the arts while still addressing content in other subject areas.[2] The Kennedy Center as seen from the Potomac River. ...


The Tobin Method specifically encourages and supports integration of music teaching with other subjects through its multi-sensory approach. Very young children quickly understand the meaning of communication (reading and writing) through its music shorthand method. Students of the system also quickly pick up rudimentary numeracy skills such as fractions and lengths, due to the method used to explain time signatures and note lengths. The use of colour and pattern provides a strong link to the arts, and the many games introduced by the system provides a good link into dramatic arts. The Tobin Method, (sometimes called the Tobin System of Music Education or the Tobin System), is an effective method of teaching music literacy both in the classroom, and to individuals. ...


Music advocacy

In some communities - and even entire national education systems - music is provided very little support as an academic subject area, and music teachers feel that they must actively seek greater public endorsement for music education as a legitimate subject of study. This perceived need to change public opinion has resulted in the development of a variety of approaches commonly called "music advocacy". Music advocacy comes in many forms, some of which are based upon legitimate scholarly arguments and scientific findings, while other examples rely on unconvincing data and remain rather controversial. Among the more recent high-profile music advocacy projects that have become the subject of widespread controversy are the "Mozart Effect" (which is now widely believed to be based on misinterpretation and exaggeration, or even pseudoscience), and the National Anthem Project, which seeks to harness American patriotic fervor during wartime with the hope that music education will be "saved" through the resulting increase in publicity for school music programs. The Mozart effect can refer to: A disputed set of research results that indicate that listening to certain kinds of complex music may induce a short-lived (fifteen minute) improvement on the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks known as spatio-temporal reasoning; Popularized versions of the theory, which... Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ... The National Anthem Project was launched in 2005 to raise national awareness of the importance of music education by MENC: The National Association for Music Education. ...


Many music scholars believe that music advocacy will only be truly effective when based on empirically sound arguments that transcend political motivations and personal agendas. This position regarding music advocacy has especially been advanced by music education philosophers (such as Bennett Reimer, Estelle Jorgensen, David Elliott, Wayne Bowman, etc.), yet a gap remains between the discourse of music education philosophy and the actual practices of music teachers and music organization executives.


Futurism in music education

In 1967, a uniquely innovative meeting called the Tanglewood Symposium was offered in the Boston area to chart the future course of music education (see Boston University Tanglewood Institute). Ever since, the 1967 Tanglewood Symposium has been regarded by many historians as the most significant event in the history of music education in North America. The Fortieth Anniversary of the Tanglewood Symposium occurs in 2007, and the Boston University College of Fine Arts has decided to offer Tanglewood II to commemorate the event and examine once again music in American life, expanding its horizons to global perspectives. Through a three-fold mission, the Symposium will explore fundamental questions, the last of which is primary: 1) Where have we been and what has been the effect of Tanglewood I on music education in the U.S.?; 2) What is the current status of music education that can be analyzed and evaluated for future planning?; 3) What are worthy goals for the next fifty years in music education? This event promises to offer a new perspective on the current state and future of music education in the USA and abroad (see Futures studies). Groton Place, Boston University Tanglewood Institute The Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) is a summer festival for high school musicians located in Lenox, Massachusetts, USA under the auspices of Boston University. ... The Boston University College of Fine Arts (CFA) is a conservatory-like school that operates under the Boston University system. ... Futures studies reflects on how today’s changes (or the lack thereof) become tomorrow’s reality. ...


Settings

United States

Music education in the United States occurs in different classroom settings.

Musical ensembles may be considered a curricular class; additionally, there may also be auxiliary or extracurricular ensembles available. A choir or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. ... A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, or wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family and percussion instrument family. ... A philharmonic orchestra An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually a fairly large instrumental ensemble with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. ...


Great Britain

The British education system in schools up to the age of 14 is defined by the National Curriculum. Under the National Curriculum music is a compulsory subject. The National Curriculum divides music education into three Key Stages which roughly align with the Primary/Middle/Secondary School division. In areas where a Primary/Secondary School division exists, both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are taught at the Primary School level. Each Key Stage is divided into 5 programmes of study: performing, composing, appraising, listening and breadth of study. Each programme is of equal weight (e.g. composing is equally as important as listening). After 14 years of age (Year 10 onwards) the study of music is optional, but all schools are legally obliged to offer music education to those pupils aged 14-16 who desire it. Music is examined at 16 at GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) level and may be studied further at those schools and colleges that choose to offer the higher qualifications of AS and A levels in music. The National Curriculum was introduced into England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as a nationwide curriculum for primary and secondary state schools following the Education Reform Act 1988. ... GCSE is an acronym that can refer to: General Certificate of Secondary Education global common subexpression elimination - an optimisation technique used by some compilers This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...


The teaching of instrumental technique is an extracurricular activity. Pupils are often excused from lessons on a weekly basis for their instrumental lessons. The provision of these lessons depends very much on the Local Education Authority, and so varies wildly in different areas of the United Kingdom.


School ensembles generally rehearse at lunchtimes or after school. Each school is free to make its own arrangements regarding such teaching. A successful school orchestra is viewed as good material towards the "value added" criteria of OFSTED, the national school inspection authority.


International professional organizations

  • International Society for Music Education[3]
  • International Association for Jazz Education[4]
  • OAKE: Organization of Kodaly Educators[5]

National professional organizations

MENC: The National Association for Music Education, also referred to as the National Music Educators Association and formerly called Music Educators National Conference, is an organization based out of Reston, Virginia which is focused on the advancement of music education, both as a profession and the assurance of music education... Music Teachers National Association (or MTNA) was founded in 1876 by Theodore Presser and sixty-two colleagues in Delaware, Ohio. ... The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is a non-profit organization aimed at improving the quality of education towards choral music. ... The American String Teachers Association with the National School Orchestra Association (or ASTA with NSOA) is a professional organization for music teachers. ...

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.firn.edu/doe/menu/sss.htm
  2. ^ http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0002658
  3. ^ International Society for Music Education
  4. ^ IAJE: International Association for Jazz Education
  5. ^ OAKE: Organization of Kodaly Educators

Bibliography

  • DeBakey, Michael E., MD. Leading Heart Surgeon, Baylor College of Music.
  • Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra. "The Singing Muse: Three Centuries of Music Education in Germany." Journal of Historical Research in Music Education XXVI no. 1 (2004): 8-27.
  • Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra. "Didaktik of Music: A German Concept and its Comparison to American Music Pedagogy." International Journal of Music Education (Practice) 22 No. 3 (2004): 277-286.
  • Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra. "General Music Education in Germany Today: A Look at How Popular Music is Engaging Students." General Music Today 18 no. 2 (Winter 2005): 14-16.
  • Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra. "Performing with Understanding: Die National Standards for Music Education und ihre internationale Bedeutung." Diskussion Musikpädagogik 27 (2005): 34-39.
  • Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra. Every Child for Music: Musikpädagogik und Musikunterricht in den USA. Musikwissenschaft/Musikpädagogik in der Blauen Eule, no. 74. Essen, Germany: Verlag Die Blaue Eule, 2006. ISBN 3-89924-169-X.
  • National Standards for Arts Education. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference (MENC), 1994. ISBN 1-56545-036-1.
  • Neurological Research, Vol. 19, February 1997.
  • Ratey, John J., MD. A User’s Guide to the Brain. New York: Pantheon Books, 2001.
  • Rauscher, F.H., et al. “Music and Spatial Task Performance: A Causal Relationship,” University of California, Irvine, 1994.
  • Weinberger, Norm. “The Impact of Arts on Learning.” MuSICa Research Notes 7, no. 2 (Spring 200).
  • Pete Moser and George McKay, eds. (2005) Community Music: A Handbook. Russell House Publishing. ISBN 1-903855-70-5.

External links


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