Curricula

The autonomous structure in Spain means there is no national curriculum. Instead, a number of different basic frameworks (Diseños Curriculares Base) exist, some of which differ again according to the type of school.

There is a kind of consensus among education experts and those concerned with education policy that music as a subject in general school education does not have the sole, or even primary, objective of creating the opportunity for musical activity and promoting it (singing, playing an instrument, playing in school bands), but must in equal measure foster knowledge of music and its cultural and historical contexts. Whether the coming years will see a nationwide simplification of the music syllabus in schools as part of the development of standards is doubtful, however.

The Diseños Curriculares Base in every region contains a total of six topics for the Educación Primaria. One of these is Educación Artística, of which music is just one part. Article 4 of the Decree for Andalusia that deals with elementary education cites the general learning objectives relating to Educación Artística that schools must include in their curriculum. These are, among others:

• active listening,

• visual and aural recognition of several musical instruments and of female, male and infant voices,

• repetition (AA) and contrast (AB) in songs and other musical works,

• use of the voice, body and various objects as musical instruments,

• recitation and singing (by heart) of single-part songs and series,

• simple dances,

• graphic notation,

• improvisation of rhythmical and melodic patterns.

Later, in Educación Secundaria, the learning objectives of Educación Primaria are extended. For example, the Andalusian Ministry of Education formulated the following eight objectives for music education that is not taught as a subject in its own right until secondary school:

• learning to appreciate the importance of silence as a prerequisite for the existence of music,

• acquiring the ability to express ideas and feelings with the aid of the voice, instruments and movement,

• the ability to appreciate musical works as a means of aesthetic expression and aesthetic communication,

• the ability to use various different forms of musical expression unaided,

• the ability to use dance and movement as means of portraying images, feelings and ideas,

• analysis of musical works that are classified as part of the regional, Spanish and universal cultural heritage,

• participation in musical activities at school and outside it,

• development of personal standards and value judgements for music.

In Bachillerato (= final exam to get the universities degree after secondary education II) these learning objectives are further extended: “The theory and practice of music enable pupils to deepen their musical knowledge. This subject is based on two pillars. Firstly, continued education in the morphological and syntactic elements of music. Secondly, the development of skills relating to musical expression: fashioning and practising music.”