Music and Music Education

Οι εθνικές σχολικές γιορτές, στην πράξη,  κινδυνεύουν να τυποποιηθούν, καθώς σε αυτές κυριαρχεί η λογοτεχνική προσέγγιση του ιστορικού γεγονότος, με τις υπόλοιπες τέχνες να έχουν έναν επικουρικό ρόλο.
Στην παρούσα εισήγηση παρουσιάζεται, το πώς μπορεί να γίνει μία μουσική προσέγγιση των ιστορικών γεγονότων του ελληνοϊταλικού πολέμου στη σχολική γιορτή της 28ης Οκτωβρίου. Πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο στη σχολική αυτή γιορτή παίζει ένα εκπαιδευτικό υλικό το οποίο περιλαμβάνει σατιρικά (κυρίως) τραγούδια της εποχής εκείνης, τα οποία είναι άγνωστα στο ευρύ κοινό, και αναφέρονται σε ιστορικά γεγονότα (κατάληψη της Κορυτσάς και του Αργυρόκαστρου από τον Ελληνικό στρατό κ.ά. ) και ιστορικά πρόσωπα της εποχής εκείνης (Benito Mussolini, Gaelazzo Ciano, κ.ά.).
Σε αυτήν την προτεινόμενη σχολική εορτή οι μαθητές:
 μαθαίνουν την ιστορία του ελληνοϊταλικού πολέμου με τρόπο πολύ ευχάριστο και αβίαστα μέσω της μουσικής
 πληροφορούνται για τη μουσική και θεατρική επικαιρότητα της εποχής εκείνης.
 καλλιεργούν κριτική σκέψη, κοινωνική μάθηση, δημοκρατική συμπεριφορά, αλληλεγγύη, συντροφικότητα και ομαδικό πνεύμα.

Programa de opțional propusă doar pentru un singur semestru are ca scop o abordare interdisciplinară a muzicii, folclorului și teoriei informației și comunicării (se poate mări numărul de ore pentru fiecare temă în parte). Noua disciplină urmărește formarea la elevi a gustului pentru folclor, în special pentru cel din zona natală, familiarizarea lor cu metodele de culegere și stocare a materialului folcloric, formarea unor competențe regizorale pentru punerea în scenă a unui obicei și au unora de operare cu limbajul popular specific zonei de referință. În acest context, integrarea resurselor, metodelor și mijloacelor IT vizează obținerea unor facilități de stocare, păstrare și valorificare a materialelor culese în anchetele de teren prevăzute.

L'esperienza della musica come fenomeno sociale non è mai entrata compiutamente nel raggio di azione della sociologia italiana, seguendo così la sorte di altre manifestazioni della vita individuale e collettiva che, per quanto dense di implicazioni sociologiche, rimangono ancora campi poco esplorati. Recuperando la lezione degli autori classici - da Simmel a Weber, da Adorno a Schütz, questo volume intende inquadrare, in una prospettiva sociologica, il rapporto tra musica e società, al fine di mettere in luce temi di grande interesse sul piano sociale e, allo stesso tempo, questioni ancorché inesplorate, tanto sul piano dei processi comunicativi quanto su quello dei processi formativi

This paper introduces teaching resources, particularly, Cartas do Gervásio (Letters from Gervasio) and self-regulated learning theory–from a socio-cognitive perspective–for university-level music
ear training classes. It is part of a doctoral research study that comprised pedagogical activities in 2011 and 2012 at two Brazilian public universities. The main purpose was to deepen the discussion on
teaching university-level ear training and to bring proposals for improvement. In this case, self-regulated learning was proposed as a curriculum infusion to compulsory classes. Methodologically, it follows
action-research processes and content analysis guided data processing. Students were offered a weekly study plan, coaching, a variety evaluations designs, readings and activities of three chapters (letters) from the book Comprometer-se com o estudar na universidade: cartas do Gervásio ao seu umbigo (Letters from Gervasio to His Navel: Getting Committed to Studying in Higher Education), by Pedro Rosario, José Núñez and Julio González-Pienda. The results showed a positive relationship between students and the new practices encouraging teachers to use these teaching resources.
Keywords: Selfregulated learning; music ear training; Cartas do Gervásio; higher education; teaching resources for class.

This paper describes the context and methodology for research into developing heightened listening as a pedagogical and compositional tool. It builds on my previous research into whether heightened listening (which is defined as a close concentration on sound that allows for external associations with the source) can be effective as an access tool for electroacoustic music. The paper describes the results of my previous project and outlines how my current research aims to build on this to help facilitate a greater interest in sound-based music, for school children, through creative practice.
In the current research writing exercises are being used to help participants listen to their ‘inner soundscapes’ (Tzedaki, 2011). They are then required to create their own narratives and, when composing their pieces, use sounds that will support that narrative. In working this way, participants can begin to make the step to listen as composers by internalizing their initial listening, rather than just as listeners, an approach advocated by the composer Michelle Nagai (Nagai, 2011). It is hoped that through this process a deeper interest in sound-based music will be cultivated.

My aim in this chapter is to isolate certain key threads that have emerged from the substantial body of literature on songwriting that has been produced over the last few decades – threads that constitute those theoretical perspectives that might usefully inform the development of practical pedagogical frameworks for the teaching of songwriting. In particular this will involve a consideration of the nature of the songwriter's social environment (or ‘domain’) and the apparent tensions between this and the educational context, as well as a discussion of the range of factors that determine the means by which songwriters come to understand the practice of songwriting in technical terms. My principal objective is to demonstrate that approaching the study of songwriting from this vantage point can provide useful insight into the creative process and engender constructive self-reflection on an activity that is often engaged in intuitively.

The author suggests that music harbours a special capacity for its listeners to sympathetically relate to foreign sets of values. Music has the ability to function as a limit-transgressing and unifying link at both a collective and individual level. That music is particularly suited for this has to do with the emotional power of music, the affective impact by which music in its very specific way becomes a felt experience in time. On the one hand we may be affectively addressed by (in principle) any music, irrespectively of cultural differences. But above all, music – one’s “own” music – has the possibility to become a confirming self-object, enhancing a self-confidence that enables critical assimilation, rather than authoritarian dismissal. This may thereby facilitate and enable constructive and enriching encounters with others. Listening to and learning about the sets of aesthetic values that define different cultures, styles and genres of music – but also others’ individual preferences and aesthetic appraisals – may thus function as cultivation of social competence in an aesthetic context. However, for this sympathetic function of music to come off on the individual level, certain requirements must be met.

The musical practice of the Wind Ensemble in Singapore dates back to at least the 19th century.
Dairianathan (2006b: 31) noted how historically "references to the presence of the Band in Singapore seem to have been caught between apparent absences to relatively little known activity among military bandsmen as professionals". In recent years, the musical practice witnessed a new breakthrough from its enigmatic past, as Dairianathan (2006a: 313) observed that “Band Music underwent a transition towards Music for the Band.” Within the first decade of the new millennium, works for the wind ensemble have been written by young Singaporeans. Two outstanding names are Wong Kah Chun whose compositions are published by Tierolff Music and Benjamin Yeo, whose compositions are published by C.L Barnhouse and Beriato Music. The notable achievement of Wong and Yeo as third generation. Singaporean composers was to have their works published by international publishers. Wong and Yeo are currently music undergraduates in local universities where rudimentary knowledge of music are formally taught to them. Two interesting points were observed: first, they started their creative endeavors as early as 12 years old and second, their compositions were published prior they entered university. Without any formal education in music composing, how did they manage to write compositions that are internationally recognized? This paper hopes to shed light on how informal learning (in the perspective of Lucy Green) has enabled Wong and Yeo to produce musical works of excellence. I also hope to elucidate a number of issues which are vital points of drawing a conclusion to this paper: 1) how the works of Wong and Yeo are found suitable for publication as international wind ensemble
repertoire 2) The impacts of formal compositional education to the composers; and 3) Wong and Yeo’s attitude towards their creative endeavor.