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Teaching Musical Citizenship

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According to current census data, far less than a third of Americans have an undergraduate college education – 27.2% to be exact.  The numbers are even worse for advanced degrees; only 8.9% hold a Master’s degree, with just 3% having earned a doctorate. (In Friday's ChoralBlog, Joshua Bronfman will make some fascinating observations about the doctoral degree.)
 
What does that mean to us as choral conductors?  Well, a great many things.  One thought that occurs is that in our choirs we are not training the next generation of choral directors so much as we are enlightening the next generation of musical citizens.
 
Countless and ubiquitous music outlets already bombard those young ears with the pop music flavor-of-the-moment.  But where are they learning anything about Mozart?  Where will they hear meaningful poetry set to equally meaningful music?  Where will they be asked to offer a thoughtful assessment as to why a musical work has merit?  (We will discuss this idea of musical merit in next week's "Choral Caffeine" column.)
 
Since there is a statistical probability that 72.8 percent of the singers in a secondary school choir will never take a college music appreciation class, the future of music rests in the hands of their choral director.  So, what will it be . . . Lady Gaga or Brahms?
 

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  1. Thank you for the heightened awareness!
    And I fully agree with John – Womeldorff and Feieraband ! 🙂
    I would suggest that, since students will probably spend some time listening to current pop hits [ we are not with them each moment; neither are their parents]  we explore both in our classes. (Or at least touch on/mention some pop songs.)  While we may not wish to perform Gaga, Adele, etc., as that music generally lends itself to solo performing, we can certainly focus on selected sections for a few minutes  in class.  We can compare how these artistis treat certain elements of music [harmonic progressions, syncopation, relationship of vocal part to accompaniment] with how those same elements are utilitzed by Brahms.  (Remember Mr. Holland’s lesson using ‘Lover’s Concerto” and Bach’s Minuet?)
    It’s likely that will increase interest, motivation, and memory of the knowledge/experience.  It also may increase students’ respect for both artists.. [not to mention their teacher.. ;0 ]
    “Just thinkin’ ;)”..
    -Lucy

  2. I would take this two steps further and say that the future of music rests in the hands of K-12 music teachers. Over the last few years, I’ve had a few opportunities to hear and learn from John Feierabend, of The Hartt School, with regard to elementary music.  He advocates a philosophy of developing “musical people” by developing young students’ sense of beat, tune, and artistic expression.  He calls it being “beatful, tuneful, and artful.” With research indicating that musical aptitude is basically set around age 9, we must begin in early childhood, if we want an enlightened citizenry.
     
    Thanks,
    John Womeldorff
    Girard, KS

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