Should music be an essential subject for kids and teens?
There was a time when music was learned by sitting with grandpa on the front porch. Famous musicians of the past often learned from family members. The Bach and Mendelssohn families come to mind as examples of music being passed through generations, and some researchers or music historians have even looked into the possibility that perhaps musical ability could be inherited. When the industrial revolution normalized working away from the home, with children being schooled outside of the home, history saw music become part of the curriculum that was taught there. The only way to learn music seemed to be in the public school, from a band director. But even in the realm of public schools, which exist for the purpose of education, budget cuts and expense evaluations tend to loom. The film Mr. Holland’s Opus is an interesting study in the public schooling situation. Based on a true story, it mirrors many of the challenges that music educators in actual schools over the years. The sentiment that Vice Principal Wolters said in the film continues to be repeated even as time marches on, “if I’m forced to choose between Mozart and reading and writing and long division, I choose long division.”
Despite the fact that music educators have an eye on the issue, and work to combat it, the threat of defunding music education in the public schools isn’t likely to be eliminated any time soon. Research shows that significant cognitive benefits can be reaped from music education, however, music programs in schools have been threatened by an emphasis on math and reading, especially in the years following the no-child-left-behind campaign in the early 2000’s. Still the vast majority of schools do have music available in their curriculum in some form, although student participation varies.
Alternatives
The internet is something that now provides us all with alternative options for education in virtually every subject possible, and music is no exception. There are countless apps and courses available, many behind paywalls, but the largest cache of free music education online is without a doubt, YouTube.
YouTube automatically guides users to videos they think they will be interested in based on things they have previously searched or shown interest in. Content about music, singing. and recording almost immediately comes across my screen when I open the app. Video learning on how to tune a drum set, learn to make a sound on a flute, learn your first guitar chords, smooth out a rough vocal break, and many more aspects of learning music are all available in this vast media collection. The app began as a place for users to post videos of themselves, like their own tv channel, or to share home videos. Now, it has become so much more than that, with businesses and professionals also creating content to share. Live streaming is also a major aspect of YouTube’s capability, and during 2020 and 2021, when there was discouragement over interacting in person, we were able to watch live performances by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, both on the stage and from within their own homes. It also turned many people’s eyes towards the internet for entertainment while they were spending additional time at home, and many new performers found a platform on YouTube for music performance. In the midst of all this content, there is a wealth of information about learning music, musicianship, and performance, and finding other musicians to admire and emulate.
Music Community
There is no doubt that although YouTube is full of information and entertainment, one thing it lacks is personal interaction. Feedback is an important part of refining musical skill. Communities for musicians have popped up all over the internet. When I checked out r/WeAreTheMusicMakers on Reddit.com I was disappointed to find that it was very limited in the types of posts that could be made there, but that they have a weekly feedback thread which is extremely popular. Those who wish to receive feedback for their music are able to post one song a week there.
Options
One thing that we can be sure of is that there are options out there. Even if music is not found in school, it can be found online. At least for determined individuals, the accessibility is there as long as one has an internet connection. One of the elements of the film we looked at was the idea that children must be taught to love music. It was the passion of the protagonist to make them fall in love with music. We haven’t touched on the many other platforms that are available to our youth. One which is very popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha at this time is TicToc. There is a lot of junk on it but also role models for music. Lets hope they find the inspiration to dig into music for themselves. I would love to see music education have a more prominent place in schools but for those who don’t get it there, lets hope they find inspiration on TicToc. Perhaps there is a child on there whose grandpa is still on the front porch playing the banjo, to be shared with a new generation.
Sources:
- https://blog.myheritage.com/2019/10/the-music-in-your-genes/
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/
- https://nafme.org/advocacy/music-teacher-profession-initiative/
- https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/13/nyregion/nyc-music-high-school.html
- https://www.youtube.com/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/WeAreTheMusicMakers/