Daniel

Miles 1
Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17

When words fail, music speaks Hans Anderson

The ineffable feeling people get from listening to their favorite piece or playing in

their favorite ensemble is reason enough to enjoy music, but why is it taught? Music

education is critical because achieving this feeling is through performing, listening,

composing, and improvising, or musiking as David Elliot calls it (Elliott, 2015). In

addition, music must be taught for the simple beauty of music (Reimer, 2003). Thomas

Regelski (2003) makes an argument that the metaphysics of Reimers Aesthetic

Philosophy is so misunderstood it cannot be the only justification for teaching music. On

the other hand, the Elliotts paraxial philosophy focuses only on the making of music. A

healthy synergy must be achieved between both of these philosophies because music

making centered around beauty, through its very nature, captures the mind and

ensnares the soul. This concept is embodied by Merriams (1968) functions of music.

Therefore, music education must take our students on a journey to discover the

profound qualities in music because it helps humans be human.

To this end, music should be taught to every student because it is a creative

adventure, and this creativity is the flourishing of human nature (Elliott & Silverman,

2015). The Greeks thought music would help a person become more human and

Boethius believed that music leads us to a moral way of life. Later Reimer (1999) stated

that music helps to define aesthetic beauty in the human condition. Christopher Small

(1998), an ethnomusicologist who turned his lens onto western art music, says that

music is the interactions between every single person involved in the creation of music.
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Philosophy of Music Education
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These interactions are what make music special to us humans. Merriam (1968) has two

functions of music that helps with conformity to social norms as well as validates

social institutions and religious rituals further strengthening the argument that music is

a social event (p. 244). In each case, the focus is on the improvement of the human

race. Furthering Merriams functions of music, humans enjoy music for the aesthetic

experience, entertainment, human communication, and the symbolic representation;

how music promotes continuity and stability of culture all show the importance of music

in the curriculum to promote the human condition.

All of these great philosophers point to the idea that we study music to give us

as persons a reliable, thorough, and efficient way of becoming expert at creating,

communicating, and deriving meaning musically in our human world (Gates, 2000, 77-

78). The social and communicative nature of music helps elevate the human condition

and the human condition can only be elevated if all people are given a music education.

In order to fully experience the aesthetic-expressive value of music, students

need to be active participants in making music, in whatever form is appropriate for them.

This can be in the traditional ensembles, rock band, guitar, music technology, etc.

Boespflug (1999) argues that musical concepts can be taught through any medium.

Gone are the days where the only road to a music education is through band, choir, or

orchestra. One method for ensuring that music as an art form is taught in the ensemble

classroom is through the three outcomes of the Comprehensive Musicianship Through

Performance (CMP) model. The three outcomes of CMP are: knowledge, skill, and

affective; and they act as guides and have only been applied to large performing

ensembles for large performing ensembles. Often, only skill outcomes are effectively
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Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17
taught in these ensembles because skills are what make sound happen at the next

concert. At the same time, affective outcomes are left up to chance in the hopes that

students find beauty in music. All the while knowledge outcomes are neglected because

who has the time to teach the history of a piece because the right notes need to be

played on the next concert. All three of the outcomes are inextricably linked to the point

where they all rely on one another (OToole, 2003). Each outcome should not be taught

on its own, instead they should be used to inform each other. Through the outcomes

students should learn all of the elements of music: pitch, rhythm, expressive techniques,

texture, timbre, and form. By teaching through the elements of music, students will learn

more than just the ability to perform a piece.

By increasing the knowledge students have about a piece the closer they come

to developing an understanding. Then, the affective outcomes will lead to the ineffable

experience that helps the very nature of humanness flourish. This music only reaches a

small percentage of students in schools. If music is fundamental to the human

experience, it is criminal only a select few students are given this opportunity of music

education.

However, unfortunately traditional band, choir, and orchestra only reach a select

few of our students in schools. These ensembles need to reach as many students as

possible because music should not be for the select few. Large performing ensembles

may not be for every budding musician and that is where quality general music electives

and experiences can reach all students. These courses need to reach all students?

Regrettably, general music courses like guitar, piano and/or theory are often secondary

and subpar because they are taught to fulfill FTE or elective requirements. Instead, they
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Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17
need to be taught with as much effort, focus, excellence, and excitement as possible.

Music technology, popular music, alternative music ensembles, and song-writing or

whatever else the teachers and students want are all approaches that, if taught

properly, will be appealing to many students who are not in the large ensembles.

Students are more motivated to join these non-traditional approaches because they are

more relevant, and they are more conducive to student independence and creativity.

This experience allows all students to participate in music. Then, students who

participate in music need to learn the skills to participate in music once they leave

formal schooling. Students need to know how to rehearse themselves, discover

performing outlets, and either find music or learn it by ear. These are all skills that can

be learned. This type of education fosters lifelong learning so students are able to enjoy

music beyond school. Further, while students are in school they must have a highly

effective music education experience.

To foster the most effective music education experience the music must be of the

highest value. In addition, since music takes on its own meaning for each individual a

variety of music must be selected; this diversity in, and quality of, music and experience

is most likely to promote student interest while also broadening the participants

perspective related both to music and to the human condition. There are several

methods for selecting quality music. The Ostling-Gilbert selection method offers a

systematic look at music selection while focusing on quality music for quality teaching

moments. CMP offers a section that focuses on what the teacher believes the students

need to learn. The primary selection criterion for CMP is called The Heart. This is the

over-arching reason for selecting this piece of music and the teacher will always keep
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Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17
the heart in mind while teaching this piece. Stephen Budiansky (2005) makes a case

that only the best literature is read in English class. If English classes were told to read

anything else, parents would be frustrated and students not enriched. Quality music is

the way forward to musically enrich the lives of our students.

Likewise, concerts must be meaningful musical experiences for every person

involved. Concerts should not be forma or for the sole purpose of assessment and

evaluation; instead, concerts should be an expression of the human need to create a

joyful experience (Reimer, 2003). More meaningful concerts could center on broader

goals like having a comprehensive focus and/or serving a humanitarian service.

Informances create meaningful experiences for all involved because the music is

accessible to all because it is explained. Concert goers do not need to be well informed

musicians to make understanding Using music for humanitarian purposes, could include

performing concerts at nursing homes and refugee camps, etc. in order to elevate the

human condition for all. Meaningful concerts result in meaningful musical experiences.

The meaningful musical experiences also come from the skills and knowledge

the students gain during the process of learning music. Above all students need to have

such a strong connection to music that they have a desire to seek out quality musical

experiences when they leave the confines of school. Boespflug (1999) says, one way to

teach students to appreciate music is through the elements of music: pitch, rhythm,

expressive techniques, form, texture, and timbre. How each of these elements is taught

depends on the type of music class. A performing ensemble should teach these

concepts through performing music, as that goes beyond. A GarageBand class should

create musical works that clearly employ the elements of music. These non-typical
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Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17
classes are another way for students to express themselves through music once they

leave the confines of formal schooling. Approaching music learning in a non

performance based setting is a profound way to enter into music in a holistic way.

The Action Ideals from the MayDay Group provide programmatic ideas for

teaching music in a holistic and transformative way. The most powerful action ideal for

international music teachers is number 3, As agents of social change who are locally

and globally bound, we create, sustain, and contribute to reshaping musics [sic], ways

of knowing music, and spaces where musicing [sic] takes place. Thus, music educators

must always strive to provide equitable, diverse, and inclusive music learning practices.

This statement shows how teachers are agents of social change and can provide

culturally affirming music to all of our students. David Elliott calls for music teachers to

create a new type of citizenship as a way to promote positive social change in people.

Both the Mayday Group and Elliott argue the masterpieces do not need to be

abandoned, instead create a culture of people who at least in part identify with

themselves as artists.

Music education is an essential component in human nature and therefore

quoting Karl Gehrkens(1937), Music for every child, Every child for Music (p. 31). This

means that quality music expressive experiences should be made available to all

students where musiking is authentic and envelopes the students soul instead of, for

example, the teach yourself guitar class. This course does not ensnare the soul of

students. Music must be available to every student and music must be taught with an

emphasis on students wanting to be active music makers beyond school. Music is a

form of human expression that resonates with every soul.

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Philosophy of Music Education
Seminar Summer 17

Reference:

Boespflug, G. (1999). Popular Music and the instrumental ensemble. Music Educators

Journal, 85(6), 33-37.

Budiansky, S. (2005, January 30). The kids play great. But that music. Washington

Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Elliott, D. J., & Silverman, M. (2015). Music matters: a philosophy of music education.

New York: Oxford University Press.

Gates, J. T. (2000) Why study music? In C. K. Madsen (Ed.), Vision 2020: The

Housewright Symposium on the Future of Music Education (pp. 57-82). Reston,

VA: MENC.

Gehrkens, K. (1933). Music for Every Child; Every Child for Music. Music Supervisors'

Journal, 19(5), 31.

Mayday group. (2017, July 6). Retrieved from https:\\www.maydaygroup.org

Merriam, A. P. (1968). The anthropology of music. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern

University Press.

O'Toole, P. (2003). Shaping sound musicians: An innovative approach to teaching

comprehensive musicianship through performance. Chicago, Ill.: GIA

Publications.

Small, C. (1998). Musicking: The meanings of performing and. Hanover: University

Press of New England.

Regelski, T. A. (2003, April 1). Implications of aesthetic versus praxial philosophies of

music for curriculum theory in music education [Web log post]. Retrieved
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from http://www.maydaygroup.org/2003/04/implications-of-aesthetic-versus-

praxial-philosophies-of-music-for-curriculum-theory-in-music-

education/#.WWEnZMaZM0Q

Reimer, B. (1999). Facing the risks of the "Mozart effect.". Phi Delta Kappan, 81(4),

278-83.

Reimer, B. (2003). A philosophy of music education: Advancing the vision 3rd ed..

Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.