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Music, Expression, & Responding to Current Events: Michael Brown & Ferguson

A little over a year ago I wrote about Music, expression, and responding to current events in relation to Trayvon Martin. Perhaps it’s the musician side of me but whenever tragedies occur, I often wonder about the ways people use music to mediate their feelings, perspectives, and make meaning of the situation. It should be no surprise that musicians are already responding musically to the tragic killing of Michael Brown and ensuing situation in Ferguson, Missouri. I’m not sure how… Read More »Music, Expression, & Responding to Current Events: Michael Brown & Ferguson

Flipping the misogynist script: Gender, agency, Hip Hop, and music education

Tobias, E. S. (2014). Flipping the misogynist script: Gender, agency, Hip Hop, and music education. Action, Criticism and Theory for Music Education, 13(2), 49-84. In my article Flipping the misogynist script: Gender, agency, Hip Hop, and music education I make a case for including Hip Hop in music programs through a critical media literacy framework and providing students diverse opportunities to address socio-cultural and musical issues through related musical engagement. In particular I address issues of gender and agency as… Read More »Flipping the misogynist script: Gender, agency, Hip Hop, and music education

Music, Expression, Responding to Current Events, Trayvon Martin, & National Music Standards

Music plays numerous important functions in society and as part of the human experience. Merriam (1964), for instance, outlines 10 functions of music. Several functions of music apply to the role that music can play in responding to current events, such as the death of Trayvon Martin, recent acquittal of George Zimmerman and related issues. The following four functions of music hold particular relevance in this context: Emotional expression (including the opportunity to provide people with a variety of emotional… Read More »Music, Expression, Responding to Current Events, Trayvon Martin, & National Music Standards

House Subcommittee Hearing on Degrading Stereotypes of Women in Music & Media

I mentioned the Sept. 25th hearing on degrading stereotypes of women in media a couple of days ago in a post regarding the discussion of rap and misogyny. The House Subcommittee hearing titled “From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images” provides some interesting material to raise in music classrooms for students’ to discuss. While the transcript of the hearing is not available yet, copies of prepared testimony, video and audio recordings of the hearing are available.… Read More »House Subcommittee Hearing on Degrading Stereotypes of Women in Music & Media

Hip Hop In the Music Classroom? Discussing Rap & Misogyny

One reason why many music educators are hesitant to integrate rap music in the classroom or even discuss it, is the misogyny present through much of the commercial rap music and videos that the general public and many students are familiar with. The difficulty in navigating through the complexity of this and other issues leads to many music educators avoiding the topic all together. On September 25th of 2007 Congress will be holding a hearing focusing on media and “”stereotypes… Read More »Hip Hop In the Music Classroom? Discussing Rap & Misogyny