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

Music education in the cwricidum

lation from the community, with nothing to sustain them but their
silent, lonely devotion to children and to their own rather narrow
practice of music itself. We all commemorate the Unknown Soldier.
Could we not raise a plaque or monument (at least in our minds) to the
‘unknown teacher’? Every one of us, at one time or another, has felt
the influence of the private music teacher.
In Wales itself, as in the rest of Great Britain, the private music
teacher is generally the product of the external music examination
system directed by recognized schools of music. Some, it is true, have
received their training and qualifications as internal students at such
institntions. Fortunately these examinations being subject to the super-
vision of higher authority, have established a plan and standard which
have minimized the worst defects of the profession.
How can we add prestige to a profession which means so much in
the musical training of our children? It is possible that Yugoslavia
with its establishment of State music schools (for elementary and
secondary pupils) suggests a solution.1 What is clear, however, is that
all of us should direct our minds to bringing the private music teacher
into closer positive relation with our schools. If that could be achieved
as a modest beginning, then our children would certainly benefit and
we might have talien a step towards our goal of granting the private
music teacher some more honourable and dignified status in the general
community.

TRAINING AND CERTIFIC-QTION OF THE PRIVATE TEACHER

1. There is no statutory obligation on the part of schools to provide
   individual tuition in the playing of musical instruments. Such pro-
   vision is made, it is true, in schools with residential accommodation
   and a special staff (on a part-time or fuIl-time basis) is recruited for
   the purpose. The teaching, however, is regarded as additional to
   the normal educational curriculum and extra fees have to be paid.


2. As the boarding school attracts only a small minority, the vast
   majority of pupils of school age whose parents so desire are wholly
   dependent for their so-called music lessons on teachers in private
   practice within their immediate locality.


3. Where competition is keen (as in the larger centres of population),
   the private teacher with a formidable record of ‘examination


4. See article by Dragotin kvetko on ‘Music Education Within the Reach of All’, p. 41.