Music in curriculum

[kvchellappa]

From a FB post:
PM exhorts educationists to become leaders of Teaching to the World. Also focus on Music in the Syllabus, hope ,it is high time that Music gets right place in our education system not lip sympathy.

[VK RAMAN]

Music - a most ignored subject although the schools start with National Anthem in the morning. If the FB post is reliable, why not ask for details where PM exhorted educationist. Our respected Munirao may be able to shed some light on this.

[Nick H]

In my previous country it used to be said that, whilst there was budget for support, encouraging competition, there was no budget for music, which is not only an academic subject, but also a pursuit that encourages true teamwork and creativity. That this remains unrecognized is a mark of the stupidity of our so called civilisation ...worldwide.

I suspect that there is more management skill to be learnt in, say, conducting an orchestra than in an mba course full of stupid jargon. There is certainly at least as much discipline in learning an instrument as in learning the technique of the bat or club.

Of course, neglect of India's unique musical heritage is an Indian problem, but neglect of music, and wrong priorities in education, is the same in other places too.

[seema]

I wonder why the gargantuan efforts of people like Anil Srinivasan get routinely ignored in this area. Maybe, since he is a pianist, it doesn't count. His Rhapsody foundation is now part of the curriculum in over 60 schools. And about 65,000 children. But yes, a pianist ought to just be banned. For what it's worth, pasting a previous link on it.

http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... dy#p260380

[VK RAMAN]

seema - you have taken the first step in bringing out Anil Srinivasan. Please continue.

[seema]

Haha V K Raman. Hardly. I think the articles on Rhapsody and Anil are self sufficient. It's just - we spend hours discussing others and their antics. Good work such as his go unnoticed. I am surprised that even veteran Chennai vasis such as Nick who ought to know more hardly mention it.

[vasanthakokilam]

Nick, at least in that sense, the music programs in U.S. schools, especially the suburban ones, are top notch. Our members who are parents of kids in U.S. high schools can comment how wide spread this is. There are of course exceptions to this but they are always there. One aspect that works in U.S. high schools is the marching band that is associated with the ever popular (american) football program. Though it is laya heavy, there is enough money to support a music teacher or two and there are quite a few instruments involved in that. That sort of helps shape the overall music program of the school. It is quite a sight to see little kids, just 8 or 9 years old, playing a bass trumpet that is almost as big as them!!

One (CM aficionado Indian) mom who had kids go through the U.S. school system had an interesting reaction to Sudha Raghunathan's fusion concert. She was surprised that she actually liked it and she speculated that it may be due to her attending the numerous programs of her Kids' orchestral and jazz music programs. Stating this in this context to bring out the possibility that such school music programs in India can have similar secondary and tertiary effects beyond the kids' music education. The parents may get interested in CM as well just through such sub-conscious osmosis.

Seema, good of you to pitch in and surface Anil's efforts. Your lament is understandable. Anil's is a great start. What will help expand such efforts and sprout new ones is to keep the successes of such efforts in sight and so it is in the minds of many. ( sort of opposite of 'out of sight, out of mind' ). What will help is for someone who is involved with that effort to open a thread under our 'Music Education' forum and keep all of us updated on what is happening in that front.

[Nick H]

Ok, USA has more sense than UK on this! Glad to hear it ...and come to think of it, maybe I heard that before and forgot.