Introducing non-western music into primary and intermediate schools

Abstract

The object of this thesis is to establish a method for introducing Non-Western music into the social studies and music programmes of Primary and Intermediate schools. It combines a structured approach, through establishing and defining basic concepts and terminologies which are appropriate to the field, with an experiential emphasis by outlining a range of practical activities for the classroom. The thesis is divided into five major sections: I Introduction and statement of objectives. II Zone Maps and Charts of Musical Features. III Definitions and Activities. IV Class Activities to Introduce Non-Western music, including Sample Units on the Music of Africa and Indonesia. V Lists of Resources. In section I the writer discusses such questions as What is non-western music? Why non-western music in the classroom? Is the Primary level the place to begin? How does non-western music fit into present class programmes? Objectives of the programme are defined as: Helping children to become aware of the common humanity of man and the richness of diverse cultures; Understanding the importance of Function in the development of musical cultures; to explore factors which contribute towards the organisation of musical styles; and to provide a comparative basis for a deeper understanding of our own music. Accepting the view that relatively distinct cultures tend to form within land masses which are isolated by physical barriers, Section II goes on to define seven cultural zones and the musical characteristics of each. These zones, which do not include those of Western and Northern Europe are:- The Near and Middle East; Africa; India; North-East Asia; South-East Asia; The Pacific; and the Amerindian cultures of North and South America. Maps and Charts outline some of the dominant musical features to be found in each region. A study of this kind inevitably introduces new terminologies which will be unfamiliar to the non-specialist. Section III sets out to define all the terms used in the concept charts under the following headings: Tone Colour; Rhythm; Melody and Pitch; Texture; and Form. Learning, at this level, occurs best through practical activity. Section IV emphasises this by discussing a variety of class experiences such as singing ethnic songs, making and playing instruments, listening to recordings, and compiling musical dance and dramatic adaptions of folk stories. This is followed by fairly detailed unit studies on the music of Africa and Indonesia. The latter study includes four audiovisual productions, photographed and recorded in the field: I The Instruments of the Gamelan II The Barong Dance III Music and Young People in Indonesia IV Music and Festivals in Indonesia. Finally, Section V, lists recordings and films available from the New Zealand National Film Library, and a selection of useful texts. The films and recordings are categorised under the seven zone headings for easy reference by teachers. An appendix reports the results of a brief questionnaire on Music and Social Studies completed by one hundred and thirty-one teachers.