Klarinet Archive - Posting 000965.txt from 1999/07

From: "Paulette W. Gulakowski" <pollyg@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] European programs: was Re: [kl] school music programs(kinda defending corps too)
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 20:43:49 -0400

I have no quarrel with your statement except that in an isolated
experience I had a 16 year old foreign exchange student from France sing
in my church choir last spring. The boy was a good pianist (private
lessons) but had NEVER had the OPPORTUNITY to perform musically in
school. The choirs, orchestras and bands are all private in the area
where he lives (La Bassee - France). They learned about music history as
part of regular history classes and did a certain amount of listening as
part of that. There was no "Music" class. My understanding - and I
questioned him a great deal was that this was typical of school curricula
in his area. Alex had an astonishing grasp of theory which was evidence
by his piano compositions. He also played guitar (again private lessons)
and had his parents send him his so he could accompany my choir.

I think Europe has it's wide variety of programs, too and shouldn't
necessarily be held up as a shining example. I noted your caveat.
Paulette

"Historically, music was put in the public schools to educate people
musically - to make them musically literate. The criteria for literacy
is
quite specific and clear - and even 100 years later we use most of the
same criteria. We've come a long ways from singing horribly out of tune
in church (Colonial times) to better musical development in America.
Unfortuantely, compared to European countries, in comparison, the average
American child/citizen is horribly uneducated musically. We're not
talking about enjoyment of popular music or music arrangements, I'm
talking about literacty - the ability to read music, understand notation,
match pitches, understand form, function, tonality. The Europeans are
way
ahead of us - and why? They teach and incorporate musical literacy from
birth - and continue it formally in the schools their children attend.
(there are exceptions in Europe BTW). "

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