Music education

The music education is concerned with the connection between music and man in appropriation and mediation processes. Perspectives of education, education, teaching, learning and education play a role. The music education is to be distinguished as the science of music education practice.

• 7.1 Germany

Definitions

Formerly called the tray into the research community and to educational institutions music education. The term continues to exist, but usually the term music education is preferred. Even among scientists is the distinction controversial. From the history of music education out in the course of arts education, which was also abused in the Third Reich, the term pedagogy seems to many appropriate.

Only a part of the music teaching science involves the teaching of the subject music as it is taught in the schools of general education. Other areas include the instrumental and vocal pedagogy, elementary music education, the pedagogy of lifelong learning music or comparative music education, which focuses on music and its mediation in other countries.

In music didactics is asked basically what music should be taught, what content and topics are most important, and how and by what means and media happen to this ideal. The latter in turn is referred to as the methodology of music teaching and thus describes another branch of music education.

The music education on the other hand initially a part of pedagogy throughout. Scientific knowledge gained of the general education are often for music education as valuable and valid, these include insights that people learn something especially good, so they can learn when they are motivated and be in a positive basic attitude and if it challenges them a little, but they are not overwhelmed.

Neighboring disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology and medicine, as well as musicology, the history of science and art education also provide important insights and methods for music education issues.

History

Already the ancient civilizations knew a regulated music education. She took in Egypt and in ancient China into a firm position in public life. The force in Western cultures arts education ideas are of Greek origin. Plato to the rhythm in the third book of his Politeia of great importance, as it forms the soul and character and as an organizing structure constitutes an analogy to the state system. Aristotle looked in his Poetics music as mimetic art; he approved of her equally a healing and a morally visual effect.

The Music Education of the Middle Ages took place mainly in monastic and cathedral schools under the supervision of the Church. Your course content matched the speculative music theory of time, which belonged to the liberal -oriented Quadrivium number within the Artes. The instrumental and all secular music belonged to the realm of game guards carrying a dishonest profession and a little socially respected layer belonged.

Humanism and the Reformation dealt with increases, so that developed a theory-based science with music educational issues from the second half of the 18th century. Suggestions came from Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Johann Gottfried Herder, Jean- Jacques Rousseau, Johann Adam Hiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The 19th century presented in the first half out the technical and artistic training and - teaching in the modern sense - social orientation of the subject. In the second half of the century was followed by the action of humanism government regulations, but the school music could not raise an established and independent professional. This was only in the 20th century with the onset of pedagogical reflection on aesthetic, psychological and sociological questions about the meaning and impact of music and art reception of various forms of music.

Music Educational Research

The music education research can be methodically broken down into three directions:

However, in view of recent interdisciplinary research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and pedagogy may be assumed, for example, that dealing with music as early as possible in the life span and at all levels of appropriation makes the most sense, sustainable and effective.

Hermeneutical attempts to understand the current reality of the music teaching practice and interpret in the light of their historical development.

Basis for this research is always the practical artistic, the music theoretical and analytical and historical study of music. Without musical skills and knowledge of such research is lacking, of course, the technical basis.

Starting point for an exploration is already the question, " What is music? ". " How does music? ", " What does music mean? " And " What does music? " ( In advertising, in political contexts, in the football stadium, at the disco ... ) are also key issues without the answers to little to say about to make choices, such as what music can be best taught and learned and should be.

In addition to training music practical skills in singing and in playing an instrument, the concept of " aesthetic education" for music education has become important. This music is considered as an understanding of the world, as a culture, as language and meaning of life. Musical education in turn is only possible - as the prevailing view of music educators - when musical experiences are made. To learn music includes musical practice, feeling (or listening) to music and thinking about music with a. Music is intended to be understood.

Musikpädagogische practice

Status quo

Such music-related experiences and this understanding of music to find the general education schools in Germany and Austria less and less place: The practice of music education in this area has a significant crisis. In part this is self-inflicted, such as due to a still strong fixation on "classic" educational content or by the Anbiederungsversuche to the students with a pure pop hit lessons.

In part, the social environment is responsible for this, because the subject of music has in parents, students and politicians an increasingly minor role: hours are deleted, missing teacher, the subject of music is deselected or no longer offered. Musical socialization is limited to increasing the consumption of a small portion of popular music.

This is also documented in the field of music schools ( private and public), the ( in Germany ) are often threatened by closures. Here, the overall economic situation is of course responsible.

Attempts at improvement

Positive approaches to improving the situation of music education are to be expected, for example, by:

• The return to teaching basic content and skills,
• The early development of children, especially through frequent, joyful singing,
• Models to make music together in the group or class on various instruments, such as brass classes,
• The inclusion of new media ( eg, compose on the computer),
• Trans-disciplinary approaches ( music in the context of images, stories, historical or social issues ... )
• Intercultural topics,
• The educational sustainable development through flexible forms of teaching,
• By reflection of the teachers for their educational task, especially on a critical reflection of their value judgments in the process of mediation.

Instrumental and vocal pedagogy

The instrumental and vocal pedagogy deals with the instrumental and vocal music lessons at music schools for children, adolescents and adults. In addition to the traditional single instruction in the instrumental main compartment and at music schools now a wide range of subjects, which is offered in various forms of education.

Music education and transfer effects

In the context of public discourse about music education is often referred to possible transfer effects in the approach to music. The development of positive personality traits and teamwork skills and an increase in intelligence are just a few positive effects that can be attributed to the study of music. Results from research projects in which evidence for the promotion of extra-musical ability areas or for a positive influence of music education is to be provided on personality development are widespread populist prepared partially through the media. In particular, the improvement of intelligence by the so-called Mozart effect has been repeatedly discussed in public. According to the current state of research appropriate transfer effects can be considered refuted. From music pedagogical point of view is partially doubted generally that transfer effects to the subject of music education include: These deal with effects on learning of music.

Studies in Music Education

Germany

The ability of music teaching at music schools and other non- state educational institutions presupposes the high school. The program is usually completed with a bachelor or master, partly it also ends - as usual before the Bologna process - with a high -school diploma or state. Prerequisite for working in the field of music education, is the general higher education, that is Abitur, Matura or a comparable degree and a teaching degree. This ends depending on the province with a state exam, with a bachelor's or a master's degree. In addition, music education can be studied as a scientific study at universities.