Mufie in education
received through self-study. The last two groups naturally pose a prob-
lem because of the limited musicianship and meagre cultural back-
ground which they possess.
However, in the Philippines today there exists a very healthy and
encouraging musical situation. There is an awakening of musical con-
sciousness all over the country. A great mass of students, both young
and old, have flocked to music schools and private studios. Music
education has made big strides. Music schools have increased in num-
ber, and with the growth of schools, there has been an increasing
tendency to absorb pupils gradually from the private studios. The
need for adequate training of music teachers has been recognized, and
this training and certification is being undertaken by the State conser-
vatory and private music academies or conservatories. To give a com-
plete picture of the status of music~instruction in the country, a little
history is necessary here.
Previous to the establishment of music schools in the Philippines,
music education was informally conducted by private tutors, a system
dating back even to the Spanish regime. House-to-house voice training
and instrument playing lessons were given. With the coming of the
Americans, music became an integral part of the curriculum. Music
was introduced into the public schools as early as 1901 with a school
period devoted to the singing of songs and the learning of the rudi-
ments of music. Formal music education was begun with the estab-
lishment in 1907 of a pioneer music school run by the German Bene-
dictine sisters in Manila and with the founding of the State conser-
vatory in 1916. Both schools trained students along curricula following
trends in conservatories of Europe and America. In later years all
private schools of music came under the direct control of the Bureau
of Private Schools. To be exact, there were 12 authorized music schools
when the war broke out in 1941. The war of liberation resulted in the
complete destruction of many music institutions. But in spite of handi-
caps and inadequate facilities, these schools have risen from the ruins,
and new schools have opened. Private schools and universities are
now contributing their share to the promotion of music and the train-
ing of teachers by establishing music departments and academies.
In addition to the State conservatory, there are at present about 33
music schools all over the Philippines, offering regular professional
courses.
Because of the considerable increase of music schools and to meet
the problems of music education, the Bureau of Private Schools sought
a revision and standardization of the music curriculum. Aiming not at