The emperor is wearing no clothes.

Interesting article.  Generally speaking, I try to keep bitter and ill-informed near-zealots at arm's length, and away from sharp things.  His fairly narrow definition of what constitutes "quality" music and his conviction that anything else must be necessarily junk overlooks two things: the expertise of the director (which varies, truthfully) and the needs of the child. 

 

While no one here* advocates a concert of Disney sing-a-long CDs, there's more to building the self-esteem, character, and musical ability than keeping a narrow focus on the works of his rather cliche list of composers.

 

Does he have a point? Sure.  Does it apply to the profession? It's worth consideration, as far as it goes.  I see no problem in taking a step back and examining my kids' education and the program in which they are enrolled in order to improve it.  Self-reflection can be good.  Is this person qualified to make sweeping pronouncements about music education and its fundamental flaws?  No, so I wouldn't lose my mind over this.  Take it with something like a barrel of salt.

 

--Craig

 

 

* as far as I know... : )

Gotta agree with you Dan. I was at GMEA last weekend and went to a reading session where I read (what I believe) was the WORST piece of literature I have ever heard. Something about crickets, and how they had girlfriends and....just awful! The worst part -- the conductor pitched it as "perfect for her middle school choirs"....drove me nuts. Also, in that same sitting I heard a new cliche in choral music that is stemming from the eric whitacre collection: the use of abnormally long suspensions in the soprano when there is ANY text in latin. It sounded like a fake whitacre; it felt like a fake whitacre, it IS a bad attempt of copying his style. 

Note that his original article is not band-specific, but puts choral music educators squarely in the crosshairs.  I tend to agree with him, having a 17- and a 12-year old and having had to sit through similar things.  In the not-too-distant-past I had the definitely unpleasant experience of conducting a choral festival for which someone else had chosen the music.  It was filled with exactly the kind of shlocky "esteem-building" stuff that the author refers to.  Very bad day for me.  I kept thinking about all the easily accessible quality literature that could have been done instead which would have allowed for cultural lessons, history lessons, vocal training, etc.

Philip-

I see where you would have a concern with my post.  I'm not entirely dismissive; I merely feel his point regarding his own child's experience does not necessarily apply to the entire profession.  In fact, if you read the rest of my post, I note that he has a point.  As a matter of fact, I endorse the concept of selecting material that both nurtures and nourishes your student musicians.  The article you linked has several appeals to authority and anecdotal self-references that suggest a considerable argument but not one backed by anything other than opinion... not evidence.  That written, the bibliography from the third article (with Colonel Foley) you listed was interesting; I'll give it more consideration when time allows. 

 

Out of curiosity, have you any idea why his final article was pulled by the new WASBE president?

 

My point is that music education is not dead; it hasn't been killed, and is absolutely loaded with people who want it to grow, thrive, and benefit the kids it serves.  Does it have poor performers, malcontents, and slackers?  Yes, it does.  Do they outnumber those striving to achieve great things?  I don't think so, but that's me.  Show me human endeavor that doesn't have this problem.

 

At your urging, I'll re-read his articles, but his tone and main concern doesn't seem to be with anything but the literature itself.  Does he offer solutions other than "anything I don't like is terrible, useless, and garbage?"  I'll be interested to find out.

 

Regarding the "bitter" comment:  if he titled his points with something other than the obviously bitingly sarcastic "Wonderful People" line I might be less inclined to shade my opinion him so.

 

Finally (as I need to get to rehearsal), Philip, if I've offended you in some way, it was entirely unintentional.  If so, please accept my sincere apology.

 

--Craig

For more discussion of this same idea, I recommend two articles by Randal Swiggum called "From the Heart" (parts 1 and 2).  These two articles are required reading and socratic seminar at the beginning of each of my HS choirs for the year.  You can read them and some other great work on this thought in "The Great Choral Treasure Hunt."  Check out the information at Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance.

If you were assigned to teach a high school American Literature class would you prefer to assign:

 

1. Bambi or To Kill a Mocking bird?

 

2. Lassie Come Home or Othello?

 

Assuming that you choose the latter work in each list, why would any director assign a band, orchestra or chorus to play or sing anything other than literature of quality?  As teachers, we are the clients and have every right to ask living composers to create well structured works that embody significant expressive content within the skill levels of our ensembles.

 

On a related matter, why not curtail the competition mania with limited repertoire (eg marching band contests) and introduce our students to more literature and a diversity of styles - unless of course our students are merely pawns in our crazed pursuit of trophies, certificates and other bragging paraphenalia.