What is it about?
This article examines the content of nine commonly used beginner band method books (including Essential Elements, Standard of Excellence, and Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician) to see how they reflect cultural diversity. The study found that these books predominantly feature music from the Western canon, composed by White males from Anglo-American cultures, including a significant number of songs from blackface minstrelsy tradition.
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Why is it important?
The article highlights the need for more diverse and inclusive musical materials in beginner band classes. Students learning an instrument in schools should be able to have musical models representative of their culture, as well as exploratory of other cultures.
Perspectives
In particular, it is time for music educators to call for the removal of melodies from the blackface minstrel tradition. These melodies perpetuate harm and are not appropriate for a beginner music technique book.
Susan Davis
City University of New York System
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Content Analysis of Nine Beginner Band Method Books, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, January 2023, University of Illinois Press,
DOI: 10.5406/21627223.235.01.
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