"Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors."
Is the study of how to teach music theory and other aspects of music to students.
Basic Music Theory: Theory topics typically include reading sheet music, note values, key signatures, scales, chords, intervals, and basic music terminology.
Music composition: The analysis of how music is created, focusing on topics such as harmony, melody, rhythm, form, style, and structure.
Music history: The study of the evolution of music. Key topics would include various music periods such as Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern.
Music performance: How music is performed, how performers communicate, listen, and work together as an ensemble.
Music technology: How technology impacts music education, including the use of computers and digital audio software, as well as newer technologies like streaming and cloud-based services.
Music psychology: An exploration of how music affects the brain and people’s emotions, memories, and social interactions.
Music education philosophy: The teaching philosophy behind music education, including the different teaching methodologies used in music education.
Music pedagogy research: The latest research into music education and pedagogy, including topics like best practices, learning theories, and current trends.
Music therapy: The use of music as a therapeutic modality to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs in people of all ages, genders, and races.
Music culture & diversity: How music reflects cultures and communities’ diverse experiences and identities. Key topics include music from different parts of the world and music of different cultural groups.
Orff-Schulwerk Approach: This approach focuses on the use of percussion instruments and the integration of movement and dance into music education.
Kodaly Method: This method uses folk songs and solfege to teach children how to read and sing music.
Suzuki Method: This method is based on the belief that all children can learn to play an instrument with the right encouragement and environment. It focuses on ear training and parent involvement.
Dalcroze Method: This method focuses on using movement and bodily sensations to understand music.
Yamaha Method: This method uses a combination of keyboard, singing, and music theory to teach students of all ages and levels.
Creative Music Education: This approach emphasizes the importance of improvisation and creativity in music education.
Traditional Music Education: This approach focuses on the study of music theory and history, sight reading, and performance of classical music.
World Music Education: This approach exposes students to music from different cultures and traditions, with an emphasis on exploring cultural diversity.
American Popular Music Education: This approach focuses on the study and performance of American popular music, including jazz, rock, and hip hop.
"Music education touches on all learning domains, including the psychomotor domain, the cognitive domain, and, in particular, the affective domain."
"Many music education curriculums incorporate the usage of mathematical skills as well fluid usage and understanding of a secondary language or culture."
"The consistency of practicing these skills has been shown to benefit students in a multitude of other academic areas as well as improving performance on standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT."
"Involvement with music is considered a fundamental component of human culture and behavior."
"Teaching music from other cultures can help students perceive unfamiliar sounds more comfortably."
"Musical preference is related to the language spoken by the listener and the other sounds they are exposed to within their own culture."
"The Dalcroze method (eurhythmics), the Kodály Method, the Orff Schulwerk approach, the Suzuki method, Gordon Music Learning Theory, Conversational Solfège, the Carabo-Cone Method, the MMCP, and popular music pedagogy."
"The Dalcroze method emphasizes the benefits of physical instruction and response to music."
"The Suzuki method creates the same environment for learning music that a person has for learning their native language."
"Gordon Music Learning Theory provides the music teacher with a method for teaching musicianship through audiation, Gordon's term for hearing music in the mind with understanding."
"Conversational Solfège immerses students in the musical literature of their own culture, in this case American."
"The concrete environment of the specially planned classroom allows the child to learn the fundamentals of music by exploring through touch."
"The MMCP aims to shape attitudes, helping students see music as personal, current, and evolving."
"Popular music pedagogy is the systematic teaching and learning of rock music and other forms of popular music both inside and outside formal classroom settings."
"Some have suggested that certain musical activities can help to improve breath, body, and voice control of a child."