Before reading this blog post, I want you to watch this clip from American multi-instrumentalist, interviewer and session musician Rick Beato.
So why is that the case?
Why do we see these trends occurring not only in the United States but also worldwide? Why do we see our students more interested in swiping on their phone than starting a band or learning an instrument and more importantly what can we do about it?
Before I begin I must warn all "old school" band directors that I will not blame any one specific institution or societal actor in this current state of affairs. Yelling at clouds is not my forte and it is certainly not productive. However, that is not to say that I will not attribute causal influence and analyze the effects of certain cultural shifts both within the international school community and outside of it.
To begin, the picture painted by this short clip of Mr. Beato is not one I particularly agree with as in my experience the world is much more complex than the views presented. However, it is undeniable for anyone in international music education for more than 10 years that student interest in ensemble music making and institutional support for music programs has decreased at a staggering rate. In my personal experience, I have seen schools go from having 3 music teachers and band conductors to only 1 within an Upper School division and I have seen student-bodies going from having 3 - 4 different student-led bands to 0. And this experience is one shared by many of my colleagues around the world.
So then why? Why is this happening to our international music programs and why is this happening to our students?
Let us begin with the first question "Why is this happening to our international music programs?" and "Why are music programs around the world increasingly underfunded, understaffed and sometimes extinguished?"
To answer the first question we must understand that this isn’t an issue confined to a single country it is a global trend that has increasingly emphasized STEM education over Arts education. Since the beginning of the 21st century, we have seen a trend in which many schools believe that focusing on STEM will better prepare students for the job market, and therefore resources have increasingly been shifted away from the arts in favor of STEM. A recent survey from the International Schools Association found that over 60% of international schools reported reallocating funds from music and the arts to strengthen their STEM programs. This herculean reallocation is worrisome however at this moment I will not analyze the validity of them since I hope to do so in a future blog post. Suffice it to say that this trend is a reality and this reallocation may help explain the progressive underfunding of music education.
Another important aspect that explains this progressive loss in interest and support in Arts and music education is the cultural dynamics at play in most international schools. International schools generally serve affluent expatriate families and local communities that often overlook the value of music education. This, compounded with budget constraints, the pressure to keep tuition competitive and the noticeable shift in many international schools from a school-based culture to a corporate-based culture, means that programs lacking a clear economic return are being cut. According to a report from the Arts Education Partnership, fewer than 20% of international schools offer comprehensive music programs, a stark contrast to the 45% of public schools in the USA in similar socio-economic settings that still manage to provide robust arts education. This scenario denies students essential creative skills but also progressively diminishes the cultural richness within the international school community.
And what about student interest? Why is that in decline?
Fellow band conductors and I have a plethora of anecdotal evidence to support the thesis that students today are increasingly losing interest in playing instruments or forming bands due to a wider trend driven by the hyper-individualization characteristic of the 21st century. As sociologist Richard Sennett notes, "The new individualism emphasizes self-reliance and personal choice, often at the expense of collective experiences." This shift has led many would-be student-musicians to favor solitary activities, like scrolling through social media or gaming, over collaborative pursuits like music-making. With instant gratification easily available online, the dedication required to learn an instrument or participate in a band feels burdensome. As a result, students miss out on the rich social interactions, shared creativity and proactive collaboration that comes from collective musical experiences, further isolating them in a world that increasingly values individual achievement over communal engagement.
So, what can we do about it? How can we harness the behavioral shifts of Gen Alpha and the corporate mindset of 21st century educational leadership to adapt and create new avenues of ensemble music making and music education?
The first step is to approach this with a truly open mind.
It is very easy for music teachers and band conductors who have been teaching for more than 10 years to be set in their ways and resistant to change. However, as we have seen with the stark decline in the number of orchestras around the world and the progressive dwindling number of classical music concert attendees, if we as music teachers and band conductors do not adapt we will succumb to the cultural shifts of the 21st century. So what can we do?
First we must acknowledge that we are in a supremely privileged position as music teachers and band directors. We, by the innate characteristics of our craft, have the tools to fight back against this hyper-individualization and corporate mindset. Music almost ontologically is a collective experience that not only fosters but requires societal bonds and community. Therefore international music teachers and band conductors have a unique opportunity to push back against this hyper-individualization by creating collaborative projects that involve students in the decision-making process and hosting a variety of interactive concerts that invite family participation.
We can also foster a sense of community and shared experience like few other subjects and to not take advantage of this would be educational folly. Additionally, we must remember that historically, school ensembles, school concerts and musically laden school events have served as powerful catalysts for bringing people together in community gatherings, celebrating culture and connection through shared musical expression.
Finally, we can radically emphasize collaboration over competition and enrich the educational experience of all students through the revival of the age-old tradition of music as a unifying force, making our schools more vibrant and inclusive for all.
Unfortunately, there is no secret melody or perfect chord progression that will solve this problem. Yet, if we face these challenges as an opportunity to ask ourselves, "What is the place of the traditional school ensemble in 21st century international music education?" we may find a treasure trove of new educational avenues to explore.
Comentários