Kevin Jackson

February.04/16
ED3601-D

Music Education Philosophy

What is music? What is its purpose(s), value, and
importance?
Without music, life would be a mistake. This quote by the German philosopher Friedrich
Nietzsche has always struck a chord with me throughout my musical journey. I believe that this
is because it resonates the truth and depth of my feeling towards music, and the education of it.
Music is many different things to different people but can be defined as is an art form and
cultural activity whose medium is sound and silence. I believe that the definition of music
changes upon the situational use of it and the individual who is asked. To me music is what sends
chills down your spine on a hot day, makes you stop what ever you're doing to just listen for a
moment, and take you into comforting solitude on a bad day. It can capture historically or
culturally important events in a way that brings you back to them in an almost eerie way. Music
can mourn the death of a loved one or celebrate the coming together of two who are in love.
Music is the only truly universal language which can bring people together no matter where they
are from and what background they have. Furthermore it is something that brings people together
in a way that builds friendship and community. With this being said I believe it is easy to say that
music plays a part in everything around us and that it is impossible not to have music as a part of
every day.
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Should music be taught in the schools?

There is no question in my mind that having music in schools is a necessity. Music is
essential to all humans but in our schools somehow seems to be deemed less important. We owe
it to our students to advocate to ensure that they have the option of receiving a musical education
during school. Without music a students education is incomplete and they will not be as rounded
of a person, in both discipline and knowledge, as they could have been. Looking back to my
years in junior high and high school all I can do is wonder how many times my music teachers
must have advocated on their students behalf to ensure that our music programs didn't disappear.
For this I am forever indebted to them as I do not know where I would be without the skills I
gained from music. Teaching music encompasses so much more than just the teaching of musical
skills and terms. When students leave the music room each day they leave a class where they
practiced creativity, critical thinking, discipline, teamwork, collaboration, appreciation, history,
theoretical concepts as well as their instrument. Sir Ken Robinson states that Arts in schools
provide an aesthetic experience with creativity, having the students senses operating at their
peak. (Robinson 2006). I can not think of a reason why we would not want our students
receiving an education where these experiences dominated. We are, after all, trying to raise the
expectations so our students receive the best education they possibly can. Therefore music is a
necessity in schools.

If so, who should receive a musical education?

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I believe that musical education should be accessible for anyone who wants it. Music
education should be a subject that provides a key to music for everybody. If the eternal treasury
of music is to be opened with this key, it can be done easily; however, if this opportunity is not
desired then it is lost. No one should be deprived of music because their parents are too poor and
thus unable to provide music lessons. (Kodaly, p. 15) I also believe that there should be a choice
at a certain age that students need to make themselves. I believe that music should be a
mandatory part of their education leading to after their first year of instrumental band, whether
that is grade 6 or 7 depending on the school, and then it should become optional. I like the idea
of there being a general music class which doesn't focus on playing but rather the appreciation,
history and theory of music. Music supplies a great opportunity for thinking and understanding
that many other subjects do not allow for. In many other subjects such as math and science there
is often only one right answer, whereas in music the answers can take multiple shapes and forms.
This allows students to think divergently and learn through the effective way of collaboration
with their teacher and peers. I believe that it is important to start a students musical education
early and at as high of a quality as possible. As stated by Zoltan Kodaly, The smaller the child,
the more easily it learns, the less it forgets (Kodaly, p. 15). Like learning a new language it is a
much easier process to start at a younger age.

If so, who should teach music?

A person who teaches others about anything should be experienced, knowledgeable,
passionate and versatile in their field of expertise. In the case of music I believe this directly

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come down to being a strong musician and conductor yourself before you can instruct other how
to do the same. A music teacher should have a strong sense of multiple pedagogical principals as
well as real life experience in the music world. I believe that passion is a very important factor to
consider when teaching. If you are not passionate about the subject you are teaching how can
you expect your students to be interested and engaged in your lessons. Music teachers influence
how their students learn in a large way but music is also the art of learning by doing and this
allows students to creatively problem solve while learning how they learn best. Having this time
to build and master skills is something you don't find in a lot of other disciplines and is one of
the reasons music education is so important. It is my belief that as a mathematician should teach
math, a musician should teach music. If either taught the others discipline the quality of the
lessons would decrease significantly. It is important for a teacher to understand students and their
needs as well. This is why it is important for them to have a educational background in teaching
as well as a deep understanding of music.

If so, what should be taught in the music curriculum?

I believe that the music curriculum should contain music theory, history, appreciation,
performance, composition. It is important that the music curriculum be carefully structured and
that the classes be planned for. The concepts of unit planning, assessment and differentiation
should be used as well by the teacher. This helps legitimize music education as a profession and
as a subject. Often music is considered fat that can be cut away when the time get tough and by
treating music as a core subject it makes people think about it as a more important and real
subject. I believe that all of the different topics stated above are important to giving students
rounded musical education. Although all of the topics overlap in someway or another they help
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build stronger musical skills and creativity by focusing on them individually. Music education
can be seen as a spiral curriculum and because of this you will see many different units and
concepts happening at the same time and progressing over time.

If so, where should music be taught?

Music education should be a subject that provides a key to music for everybody. If the
eternal treasury of music is to be opened with this key, it can be done easily: however, if this
opportunity is not desired then it is lost. No one should be deprived of music because their
parents are too poor and thus unable to provide music lessons. (Kodaly, p. 15). This being said it
is important for public schools to have music so that all can have the opportunity to have music
in their lives. I believe that private lessons and conservatories have a place in all of this as well.
It is important for individuals to have the chance to take one on one lessons and develop their
skills with a private teacher if they wish to. One on one lessons can be very beneficial to
developing students because of their individualistic nature and can help push the students to a
new level. Opportunities should be sought out by teachers during the school year for the year as
well. Some things that could prove invaluable are things like hiring clinicians, going to music
festivals, and bringing in guest artists. Having these opportunities gives students insight into
how music can be seen as a career and what someone who is accomplished on their instrument
can do.

If so, how should music be taught?

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There are many beliefs on what the right way to teach music is and I think that
depending on your students that way can change often. For younger students I think it is
important to use pedagogy from both Kodaly and Orff. Having a combination of both
instrumental, notated music and singing will leave the students with a well rounded education.
Learning these pedagogies at a younger age with help them determine which discipline, if any, of
music interests them the most. Music should be taught in a enjoyable way that leaves the
students with skills to be life long music enthusiasts. I believe that it should be a combination of
both work and play. Once students reach the instrumental band level I believe that technique
should take a fairly large role as well as learning rep. Deep understanding of music and notes is
more important that just working towards the next concert. By teaching them the skills to
actually understand the music the quality will come for the concert and the students will have a
better understanding because of it.

What, if any, are the implications?

Music teachers have to be careful to plan and assess just as any teacher of a core subject
would in order to legitimize their profession. By doing this we do not work towards the concert
but rather gather the individual knowledge and skills necessary to be able to independently play
their part at a high quality. Through teaching students music we are teaching them to think
divergently, which may be something completely new to them. Because of this we have to be
patient and help them as much as we can. Without music, life would be a mistake. And I hope
that I never have to see a world where it is not a part of our childrens education.

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Bibliography
Kodaly, Z. (n.d.). Music Should Belong to Everyone.
Philips, C. (2014). Twelve Benefits of Music Education. Retrieved 0, from
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/twelve-benefits-of-music-education/
RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms. (2010, October 14). Retrieved January 30, 2016,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&feature=youtube_gdata_player.
Wasiak, E. B. (2013). Teaching instrumental music in Canadian schools. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford
University Press.

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