MUSIC MATTERS
"A New Philosophy of Music Education" (1995)
David Elliot
Motivation to write "Music Matters"?
"I am discontent with the conventional thinking; after studying and teaching the traditional philosophy of music education as aesthetic education for many years, I have become more convinced of its logical and practical flaws."
Influence?
"…although I disagree with the philosophy he avows, I count my doctoral studies with Professor Bennett Reimer among the most important steps I have taken toward (my) present view."
MUSIC MATTERS!!!
David Elliot wants YOU to change the state of Music Education.
"Fundamentally, music is something that people do(!!)" - Elliot
In order for you to enroll in Elliot's Army and buy into the "new" philosophy, you should probably know what "the" philosophy has been (aesthetic music education philosophy).
Aesthetic Music Education (the philosophy)
What is music? Musical Works… Works of Art… (basically objects)
In "A Philosophy of Music Education" by Reimer, Elliot quotes "for an experience to be truly musical listeners must perceive and respond to the aesthetic qualities of music alone." [Therefore, listening for relationships between musical patterns and matters of moral, social, cultural, historical, political, or otherwise nonstructural nature is to listen "non musically."] "The elements of music are rhythm, melody, harmony, tone color, texture and form - they are functions of the aesthetic qualities themselves…music education must be so arranged that aesthetic experience is central."
"This philosophy insists that all music everywhere - across all cultures - ought to be listened to in the same narrow way."
Let's be fair...
So, where we separate is that Elliot does not believe that the aesthetic experience should be the central part of music education. The process of making music (performing, improvising, composing…musicing) should be the central part of the participant's experience. To fully develop strong musicianship we must become musicers and make music. We must be human and dive into this human activity of music.
What can "Music as an Object" look like in education?
Will we understand music well by purely explaining, studying and listening to musical works?
Really?
"Art education is the education of feeling." - Langer
…hmm… looks like Sara is feeling something… how does the music make you feel?
Little Tim
Timmy, how does the music make you feel?
Please no!
Ready for some listening maps!?
(These are examples of attempting to gain insightful musical knowledge without going through the process of making music.)
Let's be fair...
A New Philosophy
Through "Musicing" we will change the world.
"Musicing in the sense of musical performing is a form of intentional human action. To perform music is to achieve intended changes of musical kind through actions that are taken up deliberately or at will. What this means, is that to perform music is to act thoughtfully and knowingly. For selecting, deploying, directing, adjusting and judging are definite forms of thinking and knowing."
Through "Musicing" we develop our "Listenership"
"If I know how to interpret and perform a work well, then I understand it and i Know how to listen for it."
"…a musical performance is a rich, nonverbal explanation of what a performer understands…"
MUSIC MAKING HELPS CREATE MUSICIANSHIP
Musicianship: "Music making and music listening are interdependent…"
Go Make Music! NOW!
What should Music Education look like then?!?
Doing!
Interacting musically!
Yes!
…the process of making music...
Hold on! Developing MUSICIANSHIP is not the only goal!
"Self-growth, self-knowledge, and musical enjoyment are the aims of music education overall and the primary goals of every music teaching-learning episode."
- DAVID ELLIOT
Getting to the CORE… Self-Growth and Enjoyment!
Setting the Conditions of Self-Growth and Enjoyment
So…
"A challenge is what sets self-growth and enjoyment in motion. …(musical) challenges may take many forms: a composition to perform and listen for; an improvisation to improvise; a composition to compose; a performance to listen for as an audience member."
KEY: both the challenges and the knowledge and define the pursuit must become more complex over time to achieve lasting self-growth and enjoyment.
"I shall argue that music making and music listening are unique and major ways of bringing order to consciousness and achieving self-growth and self-knowledge."
Why is Self-Growth & Enjoyment so important?
A sense of "Flow": "When the level of challenge and the level of know-how match within a definite context of action, the psychic energy of attention is fully taken up. The doer experiences a oneness with the doing of the action itself. When we are thinking-in-action effectively, events follow one another so smoothly, with such a feeling of flow, that our actions seem effortless, or spontaneous…"
CALL TO ACTION!
Talent vs. Form of Knowledge...
Let's get this straight...
NO ONE IS BORN LITERATE.
Will some having a deeper interest or excel further than others? Sure, but the vast majority of people have sufficient linguistic intelligence to achieve at least a competent level of literacy through reading and writing education.
NO ONE IS BORN NUMERATE.
Will some having a deeper interest or excel further than others? Sure, but the vast majority of people have sufficient mathematical intelligence to achieve at least a competent level of numeracy through mathematics education.
NO ONE IS BORN MUSICAL. (gasp!)
Will some having a deeper interest or excel further than others? Sure, but the vast majority of people have sufficient musical intelligence to achieve at least a competent level of musicianship through music education.
Not everyone who is taught how to read and write are expected to become a Shakespeare or a Robert Frost...
"For the values inherent to knowing hot to make and listen for music intelligently are central to making a life; self-growth, self-knowledge, self-esteem, creative achievement, humanistic empathy and enjoyment are central life goals and life values in all human cultures."
Advocacy Task: educate our public about what MUSIC is and what it takes to make music well.
Music Matters
Follow up publication by David Elliot:
"Praxial Music Education: Reflections and Dialogues" - Elliot