Kai Smith

MUED 273
Allsup Chapter 4 Response
For this response, I collaborated with Zachary Winkworth
1. From Dr. Allsups points on pg. 107, I gathered that as music educators, we should not tie ourselves down to the
traditions that we grew with (assessment bands/orchestras) but rather teach music as it really is. Music should
not be taught as only band, orchestra, jazz, and choir but expanded to other teach other genres, styles, and
ensembles. I think the first tradition that we, music educators, need to inspect is how we treat music
assessments. First off, it is impossible to objectively view something as subjective as music because it will
always boil down to the personal taste of the adjudicator. Secondly, this futile emphasis on trying to objectively
look at music ends up only caging the students within the norms and traditions of music education because it
praises students who do it the right way.
2. When Allsup says a third meaning," "moving beyond the predetermined," and "opening a closed form, I
believe that Allsup is trying to create a music education setting where teachers job isnt to pass down knowledge
from one generation to the next but rather to help teach students how to learn and to inspire curiosity of the
different arts forms. By doing this, music education can begin to taught in a more personable way and becomes
more applicable for the students to learn.
3. Responsibility: It has something to do with a symbol system that has been made obvious and less open, in
which the mere relay of information is characterized as education. (pg.106) From this quote Allsup might
answer the question of Responsibility by saying that as future educators, we have other obligations other than to
teach music. While it is unreasonable to assume that every student we will teach will go on to master musicians,
we should at least teach music in a way that would inspire life long musical curiosity and discovery.
Fairness: There are fields of interest and longing beyond traditional norms and authorial intentions toward
which a learner may choose to stray. (pg.107) For Allsup, the current traditions within music education funnels
students into learning the right way to do things which isnt fair for the students that want to learn all the other
different genres and styles.
Empathy: School and university music education can be enriched and engaged, I suggest, by paying attention
to our forms of study and attending to an expanding range of practices that have the well-being of our students at
the forefront of our concern. (pg.108) If Allsup cared deeply about those involved in music education, he would
start to listen to his students and begin to change the ways of his teaching for the fullest benefit of his students.

Outcomes: To teach in a way that renews openness, from encounter to encounter, from classroom to classroom,
is to forego conclusions. (pg.141) For Outcomes, I feel that Allsup would think that the current music education
model (especially in the upper ensembles) is directed to short term musical success where they rehearse year
long for a festival where they get an objective grade based on their performance quality. I feel like that the
music education model that Allsup is advocating for is great for the long-term. It would teach Music in a way
that is much more inclusive than the current one.