Stephanie G. Mathis The music education system, which has traditionally been heavy on large ensembles as well as classical music, is now changing. Since the introduction of the school wind ensemble during the 1920s and the growth of the marching band during the 1950s, music education has undergone a significant transformation.
Changes are being made to encourage more students to take part in music classes, both at school and in the community. This applies to all levels of education from kindergarten through college.
I am a professor of music education and am also researching new classes to go beyond the traditional offerings of band, choir, and orchestra. This is a very exciting time in the world of music education. Here are five changes that have occurred in the world of music education.
- Students create their own songs.
Florida will be the first state in 2021 to offer an All-State Popular Music Collective to students in high schools. The state’s top student pop singers will perform in the group. Also, there are drummers, guitars, DJs bassists and keytarists. The group performs music ranging from hip-hop, pop and rock.
In 2023, Missouri launched The Collect as its version of Florida’s offering. Students submit an audition video. If they are selected, the students become part of a group of 15 people that write songs and perform together at the State Conference, along with other top-notch musicians from the concert band, concert chorus, and orchestra.
15 states currently offer a similar experience to their students.
Students can study Hip-Hop in college. The University of South Florida, where I teach, has joined the University of Southern California and the University of Miami in offering hip-hop, as well as other styles such as rock, pop, and country.
Students are given more opportunities to record and make hip-hop or rock in high schools. Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment from Getty Images
- Smaller ensembles
Since the 1990s, the school music program has focused on large orchestras that perform primarily classical music arrangements. Since the 1990s, theatrical marching bands and winter percussion have been added to the repertoire. They also incorporate modern instrumentation.
modern bands are popping up in schools across North America. They feature smaller, more current instrumentation and modern musical instruments, tools, and equipment, which sometimes include turntables, and effects processing. They try to make the band look like the music world outside the school.
- Focusing on the student is a more effective way to teach.
Music teachers in the United States and Canada have been focusing on teaching large groups of students, i.e. 100 or more. Teachers in the U.S., Canada and other countries teach marches bands that have 200 or more students.
The music teachers are the only ones in the school that want to have more students. The goal of pedagogical practice is to manage large groups of students in the most efficient way possible. This approach discourages individual autonomy and voice. That’s changing. smaller ensembles will allow for more student creativity and more flexibility in performances.
- Technology-driven performances
The music education industry has been increasingly influenced by technology, both for performance as well as delivery. is important for smaller ensembles as well as pop music. It’s also essential to understand how mixers work, public announcement systems, and digital instruments. It is not necessary to understand how to setup a mixing desk to perform with a traditional concert band.
Maschine and push have both become very popular instruments for creating ambient textures and beats. Students are able to make music similar to what they hear on the radio, in video games or movies.
Turntables are no longer carried by DJs, along with crates full of records for scratching. They have become hardware devices. is a common practice for professional music makers to trigger musical effects. These practices are affecting music education.
Many schools now have recording studios available for students. Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images
- Recordings, in addition to performing
Since 1877, people have recorded musical sounds. Since 1877, people have been developing their skills to capture other musicians. It’s become a form of art.
A musician’s life is divided into two main areas: recording and. Until now, students have been largely ignored when it comes to recording. While the school music curriculum includes performing, the majority of recordings are made by professionals.
In the last 20 years, teachers have only been able to record music from students using digital workstations.
We live in a new age where school recording studios have become more common and commercial, and contemporary music have entered music schools.
About One in five students in high schools participate in a music program. This is mainly through the traditional choirs, bands, and orchestras. This number may change as music education evolves to include more students’ music and less traditional music.
