Do Students See Themselves in the Music Curriculum?

Abstract

Greater diversity and inclusivity in music curricula are goals that permeate discussions in education. Achieving these goals, however, is complex and presents inherent difficulties as music not only values tradition but also promotes the past. Many music traditions were exclusionary and unintentionally cultivated a culture in which many people today continue to be marginalized. Faculty and students in a Wisconsin music department created a project titled “A Year of Inclusivity,” which sought to recognize exclusionary practices in the department and highlight contributions of underrepresented composers and other musicians in performance programming and curriculum. Our goal was to influence future directions for our department as well as help all our students, including preservice teachers, reconsider their roles as ambassadors of musical culture.