participate in some musical activity and provision should be made so
that they can do so. Opportunities for music study are not limited to
those children who display an early or a special talent. Everyone is
encouraged to develop his musical capacities to his fullest possibilities.
The second premise involves the teaching procedures necessary for
the fulfilment of this universal goal.
In my observations in the United States and in Europe, there are
three general ways in which the teaching of music can be approached.
It is probably true that all three are incorporated in a sound programme
of teaching, but very often one or another is given decided emphasis,
depending upon the purposes and goals set up by the teacher.
The first approach is the most obvious and probably the most uni-
versal. In this one, music is considered primarily a skill to be mastered.
Emphasis is given to learning to read music developing vocal tech-
nique, obtaining a knowledge of the fundamentals, memorizing songs,
and, whenever possible, gaining technical facility on a band or orches-
tral instrument.
A second approach is to think of music as a heritage belonging to
everyone. In this approach, acquaintance with the great masterpieces
of music is the goal. This knowledge is supposed to raise the cultural
level of the students and enhance their appreciation of music. On ac-
count of the technical limitations of the students, the music is usually
presented through listening.
A third approach accepts the idea that the personality and character
of a human being can be changed through his association with music.
All the various activities such as singing, playing all kinds of instru-
ments, rhythm; listening and composing are utilized, not as ends in
themselves, but as means through which this wholesome change in
students takes place. In this approach music serves man while in the
first two approaches man serves music.
Now it is to this latter approach that music teachers in the United
States give lip service. Also, many forward-looking teachers are en-
deavouring to gear their teaching with this fruitful human service in
mind. However, many of our teachers, unable to grasp the true edu-
cational potential of music, trudge along with the stilted and limited
purposes represented by the first two approaches. Strange as it may
seem, the administrators of our schools, superintendents and princi-
pals, readily accept the possibilities of the latter approach to teaching
music with more enthusiasm than the teachers of music. This attitude
on the part of the administrators has far-reaching implications for
teacher training.
singke
(singke)
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