Music Education in School

Aims, contents and methods in general music education

Every person should have the ability to perform, create and listen to music with understanding. To achieve that end, every person should have access to a comprehensive and balanced programme of music education in school in order to:

·         support a person’s development;

·         experience, understand and evaluate cultural and musical heritage of the world;

·         develop personal skills;

·         educate knowledgeable audience.

Singing, including choral singing, is regarded as one of the main goals of music teaching to preserve and maintain Estonian cultural heritage and traditions. Music is a compulsory subject from the first up to twelfth grade.

(National Curriculum for basic and secondary schools 2002)

Besides compulsory music lessons it is common in Estonia that every school has to have at least one or two choirs. In Estonia music is mostly taught by qualified music teachers (there are few exceptions in primary and basic level where music is taught by classroom teachers). From seventh grade up to the twelfth grade all subjects are taught only by teachers-specialists (regulated by the law).

Basic activities of general music education:

·         Performing: singing, playing instruments (classical, Orff, folk, electronic incl. “body percussion”)

·         Composing: creating musical improvisations, rhythmic and movement accompaniments, creative musical expressions using visual arts and media

·         Music listening and music history: experiencing and analysing vocal and instrumental music of different styles and genres from different eras

General music teaching in Estonian basic and secondary schools is based on methods by Riho Päts, Heino Kaljuste, Carl Orff and Zoltán Kodály.

CURRICULUM FOR BASIC SCHOOL

Music teaching aims to introduce students to the world of music, to enrich the emotional side of their nature, to develop their musical taste and to develop their understanding of musical culture. Music teaching has the following components: singing, the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to voice and music, improvising, listening to music, rhythmical motion, playing on simpler children’s instruments. Teaching is based on the experience gained through practical musical activities.

From grade 1 to grade 3 – teaching is focused on singing a cappella. Alongside with single melody line songs, the student is introduced to elementary two-part (voices) pieces (canons). Once a song has been mastered by the student, it may be sung with instrumental accompaniment.

From grade 4 to grade 6 – attention is increasingly paid to songs in two parts. The main aspects the student needs to consider while listening to music are the mood, content and form of the piece, as well as its dynamics, tempo and musical patterns.

From grade 7 to grade 9 – the student usually takes a great interest in popular music. In addition to teaching songs, including popular songs, and musical theory, attention is paid on rhythm. Well-known classical compositions are recommended for listening at this stage.

Objectives of teaching

The aim of teaching music in basic school is to ensure that the student:

·         engages actively in musical activities;

·         is able to sing in a relaxed and natural way;

·         develops musical literacy;

·         acquires listening experience;

·         enriches the emotional side of his/her nature through musical impressions;

·         develops musical taste.