International Conference on the Role and Place of Music in the Education of Youth and Adults; Music in education; 1955

Mwic edwcatiori in the rzirricuhin

creasingly more difficult key signatures, and sight-reading is always

accompanied by all the other elements of music education: instrumen-

tal music, musical appreciation and musical composition.

After six years of study along these lines, the pupils will have ac-

quired an elementary knowledge of score-reading and be able to sing

sol-fa at sight.

INSTRUCTION IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

During the first and second years, a sense of rhythm is cultivated, prin-
cipally by means of percussioninstruments. From the third year, various
melodic instruments are added, so that more finished composition
may be practised.
The instruments most commonly used are: (a) Percussion instru-
ments : castanets, drum, triangle, bass drum, and tambourine; (b)
melodic instruments : xylophone, mouth-organ, accordion, vertical
and horizontal strings, simplified clarinette (with shortened keys)
piano, harmonica and violin.
Some schools, moreover, not only organize ordinary orchestras,
but brass bands as well.
I am sorry not to have the time to go into greater detail, but I should
like to mention two important and very characteristic activities in the
field of music education in Japan.
The first is the organization of musical competitions for school-
children only. These are organized either in regional groups, each of
which consists of several schools, or on a national scale by means of
the radio. The results of these competitions are most encouraging,
both as regards the children’s power of critical appreciation and their
general technical progress. It should be added that the competitions
are subdivided into three different parts : choral competitions, orchestral
competitions and competitions in musical composition. Winning
schools have their performances broadcast throughout the country.
The second activity is the organization of experimental classes in
music teaching by the Minister of Education. In these experimental
classes, various kinds of tests are carried out and the results, published
after each class, form a body of documents of great value to the edu-
cational authorities.
The following are some of the main problems examined in the course
of these tests: the training of children’s voices; how to teach children
to sing sol-fa from sight; how to teach children to compose; how to