Week 13: Global Practices

I find the global practices of music exceptionally interesting. Although there is no globalized system/curriculum for learning music, there still seems to be an element of uniformity amongst different cultures and countries whether that refers to curriculum or simple enculturation. The newest field to research concepts like this is, ‘anthropology of children’ and ‘ethnomusicology of children’ (Patricia Sheehan Campbell-a very familiar name in world music). A brief summary of various musical pedagogies follows:

Ireland
-Learned by ear
-Social learning process of listening or playing
-Musical elders (role models)
-Family music-making and occasion music
-Pennywhistles are an entry-point instrument
-Government funded organizations to promote Irish traditional music, dance, and language

Japan
-Westernized since 1900’s (western instruments, ensembles)
-Basic musical skill encouraged over traditional Japanese traditions (Shoka – western song melodies sung to Japanese texts)
-Curricular shift beginning to encourage Japanese musical culture
-Modeling techniques through instruction (verbal instruction is rare)
-Rote, notation, and listening

Philippines
-European and American pedagogies
-Maestro system
-Aural and kinetic references (can sing by heart and read notation)
-Improvisation
-Traditional instruments taught by rote and intense instruction

Thailand
-Thai folk songs and games taught in piphat house (master, teaching by rote), community institutes (tablature, solfege, written notation, numerical notation), and Thai music clubs (traditional instruments)
-Wai kru (show of respect) used in all walks of life especially music

West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia)
-Song, dance, and singing games begin at birth and are intertwined with work and play
-Include tradition and creative change
-Call-and-response
-Music is fundamental to ceremonies and initiations

East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia
-Ngoma (combination of singing, dancing, instrumentalists). Used in education, ceremonies, work, therapy, communication, social awareness
-Sex-based stereotyping

North American First Nations
-Music used to pass on traditions, history by parents to children