This paper considers views of music education from beyond the mainstream of academic discussion, focusing on three areas: 1) recent media discussion of the neurological effects of music learning; 2) surveys of professional reflections on the role and identity of the music teacher; and 3) pupils' perspectives on the music curriculum, including their suggestions for its modification. It is concluded that these diverse sources, often neglected in research reviews, offer a diversity of purposes and values for music education, whilst sharing a commitment to its place in the lives of young people. Further research is called for, which recognises the validity of these multiple perspectives, and draws attention to the wealth of experience and expertise to be found in everyday teaching and learning in music.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Birkett, D. (2001). Future perfect. Guardian Education , June 5 2001. [Also available at http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,5500,501387,00.html]
2.
Blishen, E. (Ed.) (1969). The school that I'd like. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
3.
Brand, M. (1996). The celluloid music teacher: An examination of cinematic portrayals of music teaching and music education in American popular films. Paper presentation to the Society for Research in Psychology of Music and Music Education, University of Cambridge, UK.
4.
Campbell, P.S. (1998). Songs in their heads: Music and its meaning in children's lives. New York: Oxford University Press.
5.
Costa-Giomi, E. (2000). The non-musical benefits of music instruction . Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of Music Perception and Cognition (ICMPC), University of Keele, UK.
6.
Cox, G. ( 1999). Secondary school music teachers talking. Music Education Research, 1(1), 23-36.
7.
Delamont, S. & Galton, M. (1987). The oracle and the muses: Aesthetic activity in six schools. In L. Tickle (Ed.), The arts in education: Some research studies. London: Croom Helm.
8.
Drummond, B. (2001). The classroom music teacher — inspirations, aspirations and realities: The evidence from Northern Ireland. British Journal of Music Education, 18(1), 5-26.
9.
Elliott, D.J. (1995). Music matters. New York: Oxford University Press.
10.
Farrell, G. (1990). Indian music in education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
11.
Gardner, R. (1998). Listen with Mozza: Music on the mind. BBC Music Magazine, March, 26-29.
12.
Green, L. (1997). Music, gender, education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
13.
Harland, J., Kinder, K. & Hartley, K. (1995). Arts in their view: A study of youth participation in the arts. Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research.
14.
Harland, J., Kinder, K., Lord, P., Stott, A., Schagen, I. & Haynes, J. with Cusworth, L., White, R. & Paola, R. (2000). Arts education in secondary schools: Effects and effectiveness. Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research.
15.
Kemp, A.E. (1996). The musical temperament: Psychology and personality of musicians. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
16.
Kendall, P. (2000). The keys to a quick mind. The Daily Telegraph, February 26, 7.
17.
Kingsbury, H. (1988). Music, talent and performance: A conservatory cultural system. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
18.
Nettl, B. (1995). Heartland excursions: Ethnomusicological reflections on schools of music. Urbana: University of Chicago Press.
19.
Odam, G. (1995). The sounding symbol: Music education in action . Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.
20.
Paynter, J. (1982). Music in the secondary school curriculum. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
21.
Pitts, S.E. (2000a). A century of change in music education. Aldershot: Ashgate.
22.
Pitts, S.E. (2000b). Reasons to teach music: Establishing a place in the contemporary curriculum. British Journal of Music Education , 17(1), 31-40.
23.
Pitts, S.E. & Davidson, J.W. (2000). Supporting musical development in the primary school: An English perspective on band programmes in Sydney, NSW. Research Studies in Music Education, 14, 76-84.
24.
Plummeridge, C. (2001). The justification for music education. In C. Philpott & C. Plummeridge (Eds.), Issues in music teaching (pp. 21 — 31). London: Routledge/Falmer .
25.
Rauscher, F.H. (2000) Is the Mozart effect “debunked”? Poster presentation at the Sixth International Conference of Music Perception and Cognition (ICMPC), University of Keele, UK.
26.
Rauscher, F.H., Shaw, G.L. & Ky, K.N. (1993). Music and spatial task performance. Nature, 365, 611.
27.
Ross, M. (1995). What's wrong with school music?British Journal of Music Education, 12(3), 185—201.
28.
Ross, M. & Kamba, M. (1997). The state of the arts in five English secondary schools. Exeter: University of Exeter .
29.
Salaman, W. (1983). Living school music. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
