The quote is from a transcript of the proceedings at the Tunis Symposium on Advocacy in Music Education back in 2009 and comes from Wayne Bowman.
Mr. Bowman is a professor of music education at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada and has written extensively about philosophical perspectives in music and music education. We look forward to learning more about him and reading more of his work. But for now, let us allow his quote to wash over us...
"And all too often advocacy claims sound like last gasp efforts to defend instructional practices that have simply failed to keep pace with social and musical change."
If you are a music maker or music teacher at any level, read the full transcript here, it will be well worth your time. And hopefully you'll be as gassed as we were to hear such insight.
It's time music educators re-vamped their approach, be more inclusive, professional, and by all means, modernize materials and practices to catch up to what is expected by today's students. Not doing so risks extinction.
2 comments:
"And all too often advocacy claims sound like last gasp efforts to defend instructional practices that have simply failed to keep pace with social and musical change."
That sentiment can be applied outside of education too. I was having a discussion just the other day with the Exec. Dir. of Michigan State's Wharton Center for the performing arts about how the United States orchestra model is broker. But the people in their development depts. keep issuing their "last gasp" requests for donations.
I'm thinking a lot about how the wikipedia model might be applied to music making. I'm not yet sure how it would work, but decentralization strikes me as a potential boost for art music.
Grant Charles Chaput
KillingClassicalMusic.com
Grant,
We have said there has never been a greater disconnect between those who teach music and those who want access to music education. And I imagine the same might be said about those who run orchestras, those who perform in them and those who buy the tickets. I like the way you think - thanks for the comment.
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