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Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education
There is a mystery about music. On one hand, music making and music listening have occupied a prominent place in every culture since the dawn of recorded history and people everywhere continue to engage in a variety of musical experiences as part of their daily lives. Yet questions about the
nature and value of music and its importance as a subject of education remain perplexing to many thinkers and are still hotly debated, even today. As a result, while music has been part of the school curriculum since antiquity, its profound contribution to general education has never been
harnessed--until now.
What is music? Does music deserve a place in general education? If so, why? Music Matters builds new answers to these basic questions through a wide-ranging examination of music as a diverse human practice. The result is a ground-breaking philosophy of music education that provides critically
reasoned perspectives on the nature and significance of performing, listening, musicianship, multiculturalism, creativity, consciousness, curriculum development, and more. Indeed, Music Matters is exceptional for the attention it pays to many aspects of music and education that previous music
education doctrine either misses or ignores altogether. Following an incisive critique of past thinking, this important text develops a multidimensional concept of music that explains why music making and listening are unique forms of thinking and unique sources of the most important kinds of
knowing that human beings can gain. In a richly detailed narrative that examines a wealth of recent philosophical and psychological research, the author constructs a compelling philosophical foundation that allows teachers to affirm to themselves and others that music deserves a central place in the
education of all people. Among the many working ideas of this new philosophy is a distinctive concept of "curriculum-as-practicum" that explains how music educators can fulfill their educational mandate.
Invaluable as a core text for courses on foundations of music education or philosophy of music education at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Music Matters provides educators with critically reasoned perspectives on the "why, what, and how" of music teaching and learning, arguing
convincingly that music is one of the most vital, dynamic, and practical pursuits in the human repertoire and, therefore, fundamental to the full development of the individual and collective self.
nature and value of music and its importance as a subject of education remain perplexing to many thinkers and are still hotly debated, even today. As a result, while music has been part of the school curriculum since antiquity, its profound contribution to general education has never been
harnessed--until now.
What is music? Does music deserve a place in general education? If so, why? Music Matters builds new answers to these basic questions through a wide-ranging examination of music as a diverse human practice. The result is a ground-breaking philosophy of music education that provides critically
reasoned perspectives on the nature and significance of performing, listening, musicianship, multiculturalism, creativity, consciousness, curriculum development, and more. Indeed, Music Matters is exceptional for the attention it pays to many aspects of music and education that previous music
education doctrine either misses or ignores altogether. Following an incisive critique of past thinking, this important text develops a multidimensional concept of music that explains why music making and listening are unique forms of thinking and unique sources of the most important kinds of
knowing that human beings can gain. In a richly detailed narrative that examines a wealth of recent philosophical and psychological research, the author constructs a compelling philosophical foundation that allows teachers to affirm to themselves and others that music deserves a central place in the
education of all people. Among the many working ideas of this new philosophy is a distinctive concept of "curriculum-as-practicum" that explains how music educators can fulfill their educational mandate.
Invaluable as a core text for courses on foundations of music education or philosophy of music education at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Music Matters provides educators with critically reasoned perspectives on the "why, what, and how" of music teaching and learning, arguing
convincingly that music is one of the most vital, dynamic, and practical pursuits in the human repertoire and, therefore, fundamental to the full development of the individual and collective self.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 14, 2011
One of the finest thinkers in Music Education, David Elliott's Music Matters is a seminal book on how music is taught. A must read for any music educator!
July 7, 2020
I first encountered this book in college (2004ish) in a Philosophy of Music Education class and reading the whole thing fifteen years later was a good refresher for me, especially going into the fall of 2020 when who knows what the teaching situation will be.
My main gripe with the book is that he's constantly framing his argument against aesthetic education: In a nutshell, listening and understanding divorced from social aspects of music and without the necessity of performing. This was probably a necessity in 1995 when aesthetic education had been the reigning philosophy of music ed. for fifty years (or more?). To cement this philosophy there had to be some casting off of the old. However, I went back and skimmed A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision and felt that Bennett Reimer had done a pretty good job of trying to incorporate a lot of Elliot's criticisms. However, Reimer is driving an old car with new tires and an oil change and Elliot just drove off the lot.
Ultimately Elliot's philosophy relates much more to how music teaching has always been done, and therefore is immediately applicable. The gist is that students learn music by making music and encountering increasing levels of musical challenge. Of course, no need for a book to tell you that is the best way to teach music; music teachers have been doing that for as long as we know about music teachers. This book gives the why, and in doing so brings in important considerations in designing a program. With formal knowledge positioned as one of five types of musical knowledge, one has a better sense of how valuable written tests of music theory, history or vocabulary (not very, but somewhat if they can be immediately accessed in listening and performing activities).
Elliot argues to get back to the basics convincingly. I'm definitely rethinking aspects of my curriculum and looking forward to revisiting dog-eared and highlighted passages over the next few years to keep my own pedagogical decisions on track.
My main gripe with the book is that he's constantly framing his argument against aesthetic education: In a nutshell, listening and understanding divorced from social aspects of music and without the necessity of performing. This was probably a necessity in 1995 when aesthetic education had been the reigning philosophy of music ed. for fifty years (or more?). To cement this philosophy there had to be some casting off of the old. However, I went back and skimmed A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision and felt that Bennett Reimer had done a pretty good job of trying to incorporate a lot of Elliot's criticisms. However, Reimer is driving an old car with new tires and an oil change and Elliot just drove off the lot.
Ultimately Elliot's philosophy relates much more to how music teaching has always been done, and therefore is immediately applicable. The gist is that students learn music by making music and encountering increasing levels of musical challenge. Of course, no need for a book to tell you that is the best way to teach music; music teachers have been doing that for as long as we know about music teachers. This book gives the why, and in doing so brings in important considerations in designing a program. With formal knowledge positioned as one of five types of musical knowledge, one has a better sense of how valuable written tests of music theory, history or vocabulary (not very, but somewhat if they can be immediately accessed in listening and performing activities).
Elliot argues to get back to the basics convincingly. I'm definitely rethinking aspects of my curriculum and looking forward to revisiting dog-eared and highlighted passages over the next few years to keep my own pedagogical decisions on track.
August 19, 2018
Reading 'Music Matters' as a work of philosophy, I wasn't impressed; it oftentimes seemed sloppily reasoned, in a somewhat watered-down Aristotelian way. However, I heartily agree with many of his prescriptions for a far more praxial music education than seems to have been prevalent late last century... I just wish I had been more convinced by his logic (plus the assumptions underlying it!) and his mustering of quotes from hither and thither. Since I found myself warming to his conclusions and method about halfway through the book, though, it may repay a rereading in a year or two.
EDIT: I should note that I read the first edition. Elliott published a second edition twenty years later, which supposedly is practically a rewrite of several sections, so we'll see.
EDIT: I should note that I read the first edition. Elliott published a second edition twenty years later, which supposedly is practically a rewrite of several sections, so we'll see.
May 27, 2020
This text should be required reading for anyone who wishes to become or is a music teacher.
July 18, 2012
I don't consider myself one with the music educators of the world in general. I'm glad the author could state what appeared to be his main point in one concise and comprehensive sentence at a few different places, but really, (and I only know him through his writing) it seems like if I met him, he'd be one of those people who I have nothing against and appreciate the way he puts things at times, while he would have no use for me and I'd never be his idea of a good friend.
January 6, 2009
this is a really smart, well-done book on music education. recommended to nerds far and wide.
August 13, 2012
Horrible.
Read
September 30, 2016great
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews