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

A. REPORT PRESENTED BY THE RAPPORTEUR-GENERAL

OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE

AND PLACE OF MUSIC IN THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH

AND ADULTS

by

Arnold WALTER

Director, Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada

The plenary sessions had been planned to define the objective of the confer-
ence as a whole; to develop themes of a more general nature; to survey the
present state of music education in the various continents; to draw attention
to new trends observed in different countries; and to acquaint the delegates
and participants with a proposal for the establishment of an international
society for music education.
The inaugural meetings-formally opened by Mr. Arnold Walter in his
capacity as co-chairman of the Preparatory Commission-brought greetings
from the Belgian Government : Mr. Paul Harmel, Belgian Minister of Public
Instruction extended to the members of the conference a warm welcome
which was most gratefully received. He was thanked by Mr. Jean Thomas,
who on behalf of Unesco outlined the basic reasons for proposing and
planning the conference, emphasizing the importance of its contribution to
music education the world over.
After the election of Mr. Julien Kuypers as president of the conference,
Mr. Doming0 Santa-Cruz addressed the assembly on ‘Music and Interna-
tional Understanding’: music being a powerful link between men, compo-
sers, teachcrs and musicologists must work untiringly to make it stronger
still. The study of each country’s musical idiom and accomplishment, inter-
change of musicians and musical material, and especially performance of
other countries’ new music are regarded as possible means to full and true
mutual understanding.
The second plenary session was honoured by the presence of H. M. Queen
Elisabeth of Belgium who was welcomed by the chairman, Mr. Julien Kuy-
pers, by hlr. Marcel Cuvelier, and (on behalf of Unesco) by Mr. Jean Thomas.
In his capacity as secretary-general of the International Music Council,
Mr. Marcel Cuvelier spoke on the background and the aims of the con-
ference, on the work done by the Preparatory Commission, on the contri-
bution made by the International Music Council, by Unesco and the Belgian
Government. Mr. Georges Duhamel, of the AcadCmie Fransaise, gave an
address on ‘The Philosophy of Music Education’. In a speech full of wit
and wisdom (incidentally a speech impossible to summarize) he paid tribute
to music as an intellectual and emotional power, as a key to untold treasures of
the past, as an ethical force and character builder. He strongly recommended