Philosophy of Music Education

From listening to a song in the elevator that reminds you of a childhood memory to being

brought to tears by dramatic music throughout an intense movie scene, music plays such an

important role in how we act, feel, and communicate with others. Thus, making it that more

important to have in an educational curriculum. Music has followed me my whole life and has

been one of the main influences of my character, personality, and career choices. Some use music

to get away from the world while others use it to reach the world. No matter which one you are,

music study should be part of the core educational curriculum.

My role as a music educator is to create a place of active learning, engaging

conversations, and music making. However, those things can only take place in a safe and

welcoming environment. An environment where you are free to express yourself in ways that are

not possible in other courses. Additionally, the environment I create as an educator should be a

place of grace and understanding with expectation. This way, mistakes happen in a safe,

forgiving environment where students can learn from them before they have to learn those

lessons in the real world. My job is not limited to teaching music, but to also use music to

prepare students to be high-functioning members of society when they leave the sheltered

environment of school, regardless of what their roles or vocations may be.

In Brian C. Murrays Student Times Article, “Developing a Personal Philosophy of Music

Education'', states that, “Schools have the ability to encourage students to actively participate in

musical ensembles, where they develop music reading, performance, critical thinking, work

ethic, teamwork, and social skills.” Additionally, I believe that students should experience new

and different cultures in music. In Paul R. Lehman's article, “A Personal Perspective,” from the

Music Educators Journal, he states that, “ In order for students to be high-functioning members
of society, they must recognize and respect people from other cultures and within their own

culture.” The process of music making, experiencing new cultures, and social skills must start

when a child is at a very young age. Additionally, every child, anywhere, has the right to learn

and experience music in their school because it also opens up the child's mind in extraordinary

ways.

During Richard Gill's TEDxSydney talk on the value of music education he mentioned

that, “Through singing is how we engage every child. Through singing, is how we teach children

to be literate, to read and write. Through singing, is how we teach children to analyze.” As a

music educator, I can use music to access their creative thinking to then transfer and apply to all

other areas of learning. This brings me to how music should be taught in schools. Music should

be taught in a way that utilizes the student’s interests, past experiences, and future goals.

Knowing your students will help you to help them more effectively. Additionally, having

common things to relate to in class will help further the learning.

As I mentioned earlier, music has the power to change lives, but it also has the power to

connect people. For example, communicating with each other in an ensemble and with an

audience during a performance is a feeling that has no words. I believe that feeling is something

you cannot experience anywhere else. Thus, my appreciation for music is increasing, leading me

to spread that love and appreciation to others, through teaching.

 Works Cited

Murray, Brian C. “Vol. 56, No. 9, April 2016 of the Choral Journal on JSTOR.” The Choral

Journal, American Choral Directors Association, Apr. 2016,

https://www.jstor.org/stable/i24632457.

Lehman , Paul R. “Philosophy of Music Education .” Philosophy of Music Education,

https://www.k-state.edu/musiceducation.
TEDxTalks, director. The Value of Music Education . YouTube, YouTube, 16 June 2011,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeRus3NVbwE. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.