There are always talented young musicians around, but the overall standard of musical education must vary greatly. In Suffolk music education seems to be dying a slow death unless you've got money of course. Yes there are many players of great technical accomplishment but who often have limited 'artistic' ability, those with the rarer combination of the two seems to have remained the same for the last 30 years. Last autumn was a real eye opener for me, as I stated around 70% of a university UG class failed a Grade V Theory paper, (over half didn't know basic key signatures) which I would have expected at least 90%+ to pass, over half of the class either did not play standard orchestral instruments or have piano or singing as a first study, in fact the majority instruments were guitars, electric guitars and saxophones.
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whether this is a bad thing or not obviously depends on the specific nature of the degree they are takingOriginally posted by Suffolkcoastal View Post
I was equally shocked when a post grad from one of the London colleges had no idea whatsoever what the speed of sound was or even a basic understanding of the way in which sound travels in air................
if one is studying the western classical tradition then reading music would be essential but there are other ways and other musics worthy of study
when I learnt the Sitar as part of my degree one of the things that struck me immediately was how inadequate our notation system is for Indian music and that it was almost a waste of time trying to use it, much better to "change your head" to be able to remember things.
the other really important point is that music education is not a talent quest, its not there to supply orchestras with players or even to teach people to be musicians.Comment
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The main thrust of the course was western classical based with a third of the students concentrating on music technology but still requiring notation skills to progress, which a lot of them seemed to lack, I felt another third should have been doing a music education style degree because this appeared to be more in line with their interests, so it seemed like they were on the wrong course. Also very few seemed actually to be interested in the western classical tradition which concerned me. I have the impression generally that the western classical tradition ie being increasingly marginalised, to be 'with it' these days you seem to have to like all genres and to just like or be interested in 'classical' music is frowned upon and considered elitist.Comment
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Not in China.I have the impression generally that the western classical tradition ie being increasingly marginalised, to be 'with it' these days you seem to have to like all genres and to just like or be interested in 'classical' music is frowned upon and considered elitist.
(I just hope that they retain interest in their own music traditions)Comment
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I hope so aeolium and not end up frowning upon them as we seem to be doing.Comment
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One of the reasons that the great Shakuhachi player Yoshikazu Iwamoto came to live in the UK in the 1980's was that the Honkyoku music that he is a master of was no longer of interest to many people in Japan. Pop, Rock and Western Classical music being signs of sophistication........
I'm struck with the similarity with the issue of sanitation !
Last year i spent an interesting evening in a B&B with someone who works for Water Aid in India, apparently flushing toilets have become a symbol of wealth and "progress" so that in parts of the country where the water supply is variable and of dubious safety thousands of gallons or treated water are wasted in this way, when it would be better to have other more appropriate systems.............
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Would you like us to have a whip round to fund the repair of your Shift Key?Originally posted by MrGongGong View PostDiscussions about methodology are interesting
but if many schools loose music all together then they become more than a little empty
the obvious difference between now and the 70's is the number of people studying
there's an ocean of difference between undergraduate music at (for example !) Durham, Oxford and York Universities and at other places
one needs to compare like with like
though there's no excuse for poor teaching anywhere
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With the current turmoil in the education system, it is difficult to optimistic about music in schools in the forseeable future.Comment
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A quick update on the "National Plan for Music Education"
it should have been published last week
but is much delayed ......... no surprise there then
at least some folk know how to respond correctly at the RAH
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So finally they published it
you can read it here
and some interesting responses
as well
As many of us suspected there are huge cuts in funding thinly disguised as "developments"
but the issue of the curriculum is all "subject to the national curriculum review" no surprise there then !
its a bit galling to read this ...............
"England is a world leader in music education, but Darren Henley’s excellent review published in February showed there is more that we can do."
and then getting to the maths ........£75m from April 2012, £63m the following year and down to £58m in 2014-15
more for less .............. ?Comment
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