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Upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education and “The State(s) of Music Education”

Curious about the latest research and thinking on music education from the perspectives of music teacher educators? Take a look at the schedule for the upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education taking place at UNC Greensboro Sept 26-28. The program looks fantastic and is sure to generate a buzz regarding the current state and future of music teacher education along with implications for K-12 music programs. I’m looking forward to presenting with my colleagues Marg Schmidt, Sandy Stauffer, and Jill… Read More »Upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education and “The State(s) of Music Education”

Has music education changed since 1970? On students who rock. . .

David Bornstein recently wrote two opinion pieces for the New York times regarding music education. The first “Beyond Baby Mozart, Students Who Rock” focuses on Bornstein’s perspective on the state of music education and the Little Kids Rock organization. The second “Rock is Not the Enemy,” does a nice job of integrating a wide range of reader comments from the first opinion piece. In the first opinion piece Bornstein writes: Music education hasn’t changed fundamentally since the 1970s. Students are… Read More »Has music education changed since 1970? On students who rock. . .

Women, music, and music education: FTM11 Conference

When you think of the history of music education do the names Frances Clark, Lila Belle Pitts, and Julia Crane ring a bell? How about Mabelle Glenn, Marguerite Hood, Eunice Boardman, or Consuela Lee? All of these women and of course countless others had, and continue to have, a tremendous impact on music education. In light of the upcoming Feminist Theory and Music Confernce or FTM11 conference at Arizona State University, we might pause to reflect on ways that music… Read More »Women, music, and music education: FTM11 Conference

How do you introduce classical music to young people?

The NPR blog deceptive cadence recently posed the question “How Do You Introduce Classical Music To Kids?” A great discussion ensued and several responses are now organized around emerging themes on a follow up post. Oddly, while deceptive cadence invited some fabulous artists to contribute to the conversation on their blog (and those invited shared wonderful approaches to connecting young people in performance settings), no K-12 public school music educators were invited to provide their perspective. Since the majority of… Read More »How do you introduce classical music to young people?

American Idol, Judging, & The EveryFan Sensibility

Just as the NAEP provides a national assessment of 8th graders’ music and arts education, I think the commentary surrounding Ellen DeGeneres’s role as the newest judge on American Idol is also worth looking at in terms of assessing the state of music education in the US. In articles across the Internet such as this one from Craig Berman for MSNBC, the notion of an “EveryFan Sensibility” is lauded in terms of average people not having the knowledge or desire… Read More »American Idol, Judging, & The EveryFan Sensibility