Multiple perspectives: the conceptualization of the core purpose of American music education

One of the most important and infrequently questioned issues around music education touches the ground of very understanding of the necessity to provide the population with music education. Why should we do this? Music education cannot be grasped outside of the socio-historical background in which it occurs. Understanding the roots of music education can assist contemporary music teachers as well as the general public to approach the current and future pursuits in the hands-on artful and scientific experience of music making. David Eliott acknowledges that “improving as a music educator involves the thoughtful examination of aims, goals, strategies, standards, and plans in relation to a rigorous professional belief system” (Elliott, D. J., & Silverman, M. (2015). Music matters: a philosophy of music education (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 4).

During different historical eras, the conceptualization of core social purposes of music-making and education varied vastly. Some of the main ideas behind music education include religious worship purposes, socialization purposes, purposes of establishment of international and interracial relationships, cultural preservation purpose, profit gaining purpose. All those grounds to music making were developed to dominate in some periods of time; however, they can coexist harmonically in a single individual’s reasoning to study and practice music. In the given paper, I’ll briefly overlook and compare the prevailing social constructs and bias around music education in the United States.

Good society? Good person? Good school?

Late capitalism emerged as colored with the transformations in media and information enterprises, intensified global migrations and the stabilization of class allocations in the United States. The values which are developed and practiced during capitalism era proved themselves good but insufficient to satisfy the definition of a good society or a fair society. Capitalism tends to seek the equality of rights and responsibilities between various races, genders, and classes; and people thrive for the equity and fairness in sharing the social rights and responsibilities and preserving their freedom.

How does public education reflect the innovations in accelerated life rates, and does the current educational scheme reflect the changes at all?