Philosophy of Music Education

Noelle Stubbe

Music has provided stability through every region of the world, no matter what has been

occurring. Learning music provides that stability, allows for universal language, helps in

personal development, and allows a person to set continuous goals for themselves. I believe that

music plays a huge factor with the development of a child mentally, emotionally, physically, and

socially. Every student has the ability, or aptitude, to be successful in music education. The

skills learned through music education are capable of being applied in everyday life.

Even though music is taught in different languages around the world, music in itself, is

understood by all and is a reflection of each culture. Music education supplies the imagination

of its listener with the emotions and images the mind needs while hearing it. Audiation helps

musicians accomplish this goal. According to Music Learning Theory, Audiation is the musical

equivalent of thinking in language. When we listen to someone speak we must retain in memory

their vocal sounds long enough to recognize and give meaning to the words the sounds represent.

Likewise, when listening to music we are at any given moment organizing in audiation sounds

that were recently heard. (Gordon 2007). Music education teaches the ability to be able to

predict what will come next rhythmically and tonally through audiation.

In music education, we learn about music theory and music history. Musicians have to

apply the information learned while performing pieces from different time periods. In addition

to performing music from different time periods, the musician must be able to connect emotions

to the music. Even though emotionally music can be interpreted differently, a musician must be

able to connect to the audience through the emotion of the piece being performed. Not only is
music a good connection emotionally to the audience, but it allows for the performer to portray

their own emotions. Being able to express themselves through music is a great way to escape the

real world for a brief time. I want to be able to teach students that music is a great way to

express themselves and release their emotions. In addition to emotional release, music allows for

physical development to occur. Physical development happens through gross and fine motor

skills while performing on their instrument. Music education also allows for social development

through working as an individual, a small section, and as an ensemble as a whole.

A musician has to put forth effort in everything they do. Being a student in music allows

for one to always be setting higher and continuous goals for themselves. Examples of some

goals could be anything from adding more practice time to their schedule to achieving a superior

on their solo at contest. Along with setting goals, music education teaches accountability for any

and all actions. If something went wrong during a rehearsal or a lesson, a musician must be able

to realize the mistake and take responsibility to fix it. Continually making the same mistake in

music education is not acceptable, for it shows that the musician did not take action in personal

practice to fix the mistake that was being made.

Music education works in correlation with other classes by teaching and providing

students with the stability, universal language, developmental levels, and continuous goals to

help them be successful in the future. My goal for being a music educator developed from the

emotional support and social atmosphere that was provided for me by being in music. I want to

provide students with that same stability and future success that I was blessed to have.
 References

Gordon, Edwin. Learning Sequences in Music: A Contemporary Music Learning Theory.

Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007. Print.