Richard Laprise

Philosophy of Music Education

Requiring intelligence, reason, thoughtfulness, rationality, intellect, and

mindfulness (Reimer, 2000), music is a time-tested and transformative form of

communication and aesthetic experience that produces and transfers meaning through

a unique symbol system (Boardman, 2003). As with a masterpiece painting, eloquent

dancing, or a complexly flavored meal, describing music in words will never do it

justiceit must be experienced. "All humans have the capacity and need to experience

life at depths below the surface of the commonplace" (Reimer, 2000, p. 41), and it is at

these aesthetic depths that great art lives. Furthermore, the quality of aesthetic

experiences is dependent not just on the quality of the music, but also on the quality of

the experience and the participant (Abeles, 1995). With the support of substantial music

from various cultures and master composers, music education can develop and grow each

person's "natural responsiveness to the power and the art of music" (Reimer, 1989, p.

xii). As such, aesthetic experiences are enhanced through formal music education that

develops the body, mind, and feelings through the avenues of creating, performing,

listening and responding, and improvising.

For thousands of years, important philosophical and educational figures, from

Plato to recent experts like Dr. Howard Gardner, have advocated for the value of music

as one of the essentials of education (Gardner, 2011; Mark, 2013). It is societys

responsibility to continue to support formal music education that provides students with

mentally stimulating aesthetic experiences to balance the abundance of non-aesthetic

experiences typically found in schools (Maslow, 1968). This balance is best achieved

with a comprehensive music education that prepares students for the future by developing

the 21st-century skills of creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration

combined with a focus on emotional competency as a valued life skill (P21, 2016). The

ultimate goal is students lifelong learning and their enjoyment of music beyond the

surface level.

In order for students to experience this type of comprehensive music education,

they must experience a curriculum that is sequential and standards-based. Using a

backward design approach based on meaningful, enduring understandings, this

curriculum must include: 1) interacting with music through listening, responding,

performing, improvising, and composing and 2) exposing students to various historical,

cultural, and social contexts (Reimer, 2009). With equal value on the process and the

product of music, education will occur in a combination of general music, composition,

theory, music technology and ensemble courses. These courses must encompass the

student's entire formal education and must guide students to be independent thinkers and

music-makers. Independence and educational experiences that directly reference

enduring contexts for music experiences will empower students to be lifelong learners in

music (Jellison, 2000).

In order for this curriculum to reach its full and powerful potential, music

education must be a requirement for all students. With this in mind, the foundation of a

strong music education begins in compulsory general music classes beginning as early in

life as possible. In a spiral curriculum design, the concepts of rhythm, melody, form,
harmony, and various other elements will be continually developed while building music

literacy and performance skills. As fine motor skills become more advanced, instrumental

lessons should be offered to all students to allow for a deeper involvement in music while

generating greater opportunities for aesthetic development. The foundations of music

developed in general music courses also prepare students to study the more specific areas

of composition, theory, and music technology. Involving students in a variety of musical

experiences contributes to a well-rounded education in music which prepares them for

meaningful participation in music throughout their lives.

As students become better educated about how music relates to the human

condition, their aesthetic experiences with pieces of musical art become more

profound. To ensure a proper development of musicianship and artistic awareness,

students should only study pieces of significant artistic value (Floyd, 2015). These pieces

will be selected by the music educator and by the students, who will have multiple

opportunities to evaluate and choose high-quality music to study. The skill of evaluating

music of significant merit will transfer into adulthood by promoting student

independence. Through the study of great art, students will be continually motivated to

expand their aesthetic experiences into adulthood.

Dr. Howard Gardner revealed in his landmark book, Frames of Mind, that music

is one of the seven intelligences common to all humans and that it cannot be overlooked

in a well-balanced education (2011). Therefore, music education is a necessity for every

person regardless of age, cultural heritage, ability, or socio-economic status. In order to

engage the diverse levels of interest and ability of each student, school music programs
need to include experiences relevant to various cultures and appeal to other forms of

intelligences. Particularly in ensemble settings, programs also need to provide multiple

entry points throughout all aspects of the music curriculum to ensure that every student

has many opportunities to pursue different musical outlets. Since experiences must be

relevant to students of all cultures, music educators need to be cognizant of cultural

diversity and accepting of cultural-artistic pluralism (Reimer, 2009). With guidance

through exposure and the study of various culturally authentic expressive forms, students

develop compassion for other cultures while learning to communicate expressively in a

diverse world. The ability to experience all art at greater depths is enhanced by

embracing students diverse forms of intelligences and including music of various

cultures in the curriculum.

Music education should incorporate advancements in technology to maintain

relevance and enhance students engagement and opportunities for aesthetic experiences.

The increase in music composition software and similar technologies has produced

tremendous opportunities for the development of 21st-century skills and has great

implications for special learners. By moving beyond listening and recreating, students

can easily become engaged in creating, sharing, and collaborating with other musicians

on original pieces of art. In conjunction with a comprehensive music education,

technology has allowed for studentsespecially those who do not have access to or

cannot physically play an instrumentto easily continue creating music beyond formal

education and into adulthood. Therefore, technology is a significant resource to enhance

music education and should be integrated whenever possible into the curriculum.
 Experiencing music throughout life and at greater depths requires a core set of

knowledge and skills including music literacy, performing, composing, improvising,

listening, and interpreting music. Hands-on involvement, with an emphasis on

higher-order thinking and constructing individual meaning, is the best way for students to

develop these skills. In order to foster individual meaning and independence, assessment

should focus on self-reflections, rubrics, and presentations of both process and product.

Evidence from these assessments will allow the educator to evaluate the students ability

to create, evaluate, analyze, and read music. Students will continue to use the knowledge

and skills they developed through this comprehensive music education throughout the

multitude of lifes musical experiences.

Music education is a necessity for developing emotional competency and for

ensuring the well-rounded education needed to develop the 21st-century skills of

creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. This is best accomplished

with a focus on performing, composing, improvising, listening, and interpreting music.

Furthermore, studying music through its various social, cultural, and historical contexts

creates deeper meaning for students including increasing their ability to transfer

knowledge and skills. By being guided to construct their own understandings through

problem-solving, social constructivism, and critical thinking, students knowledge and

skills become more personally meaningful. A comprehensive music education that uses

high-quality works of art to broaden and deepen aesthetic-expressive experiences will

create intelligent, compassionate, and mindful people who will engage in meaningful

music making throughout their lives.

 References

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Boardman, E. (2003). Generating a theory of music instruction. In M. Fonder (Ed.),

The Grandmaster Series: Collected Thoughts of Leaders in Twentieth Century
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Floyd, R. (2015). The artistry of teaching and making music. Chicago, IL: GIA.

Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences (3). New
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music participation? In C. K. Madsen (Ed.),Vision 2020: The Housewright
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P21. (2016, January). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved July 22,
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