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ntertainments which are the product of the hot-house are a menace.... [We have a] seeming willingness to sacrifice culture to a desire for popularity.1 Thus began a century-long discussion about the repertoire and materials appropriate for use in American music education. In the ninety-six years since those phrases appeared in the first volume of what would later become the Music Educators Journal (MEJ ), the resulting debate has frequently centered on the use of popular music in the classroom.
Copyright 2011 MENC: The National Association for Music Education DOI: 10.1177/0027432110394970 http://mej.sagepub.com
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musics role in the classroom were predominantly philosophical in nature. The conversation changed somewhat again with the adoption of the National Standards for Music Education in 1994. From that point on, articles published in MEJ often integrated elements of philosophy, theory, and practice. Notable of these were Robert Woodys March 2007 article, Popular Music in School: Remixing the Issues (which kindled a lively reader response), and George Boespflugs Popular Music and the Instrumental Ensemble (May 1999). Articles appearing in MEJ have frequently pointed to a lack of knowledge about popular music among music teachers, and others have tried to fill that gap either by presenting information about popular music itself or by offering suggestions for reciprocal studentteacher
learning experiences. Among these were Frank Groffs Music in High School, dealing with adolescent motivation (June/July 1950); Henry Pleasants Bel Canto in Jazz and Pop Singing, regarding similarities of vocal technique (May 1973); and Peter Winklers historical overview in Pop Musics Middle Years (December 1979). Winklers account, by the way, should be required reading for anyone teaching courses in pop music at any level. In the current issue, Allsup extends the line of articles presenting ways to link elements of classical and popular music traditions. Although he does not state this, Allsup presents a thought-provoking way to deal with the either/or dilemma of whether to use popular or classical music. He redefines popular music with some of the same standards that make classical
music, well, classical. These include standing the test of time, harmonic integrity, compositional inventiveness, and the interplay of text and tone. The conversation continues. What do you think about Allsups article, popular music, and music teaching and learning? Send your comments to pfreer@gsu.edu.
NOTE
1. Stella R. Root, Scrutinizing Our Material, Music Supervisors Bulletin 1, no. 3 (1915): 26.
Editors note: MENC members can read all the articles mentioned in this column at http://www.menc.org/resources/view/ menc-journals (member log-in required.)
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