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Music Education: Invitation To Join The MayDay Group . . . [SIG] (C)


Submitted by:  ed.asmus@music.utah.edu (Ed Asmus)

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                An Open Invitation To Join The MayDay Group



The MayDay Group is an international group committed to on-going theoretical
discussion among members in diverse music disciplines on

a wide range of topics that affect music education.  On the basis of

that dialogue, the Group is equally committed to taking action for meaningful
practical changes in music instruction and thus is predicated on the need for
a healthy and constructive critique of traditional practices and paradigms.
Members include teachers, graduate students and scholars from several
disciplines within music, all of whom have an interest in the consequences of
music instruction for individuals, society, culture and the health of the
musical art.

>

 The current activities of the Group are organized around a series of seven
guiding "ideals."  These wide-ranging propositions are not presented as
doctrine,  dogma or conclusions but, rather, as ideal directions or proposals
for change that focus dialogue, discussion and further inquiry by the Group.
These ideals are what this 'think tank' thinks about and acts toward refining
and resolving.  While members join because they are generally in agreement
that these proposals are important,  by their very nature the ideals elicit
considerably different (sometimes even contradictory) points of view among
members.

>

 Membership includes both the opportunity and the obligation to take

part in and monitor the often lively informal dialogue and exchange of

information that takes place via email, and highly participatory conferences
that are held twice a year at various locations (see the announcement

below for details of the next conference).

>

 There are no formal requirements for membership (although email is a

necessity to participate fully), just

**an interest in the proposed guiding ideals,

**a willingness to be publicly associated with these kinds of

concerns,

**a "critical" spirit that is interested in re-examining the status

quo in music education today,  and

**the assumption that joining implies the desire to become engaged

with shakers, movers and other thinkers from around the world in matters

of theory and teaching practice that go beyond the usual institutionalized

channels.

>

 For more, access the MayDay Group web page at

<http://members.aol.com/jtgates/maydaygroup/>

where, along with a fast-growing roster of current members, the guiding action
ideals are explained and a range of other information is provided concerning
the theoretical premises of the MayDay Group, its background, proposed
activities and future conferences.  Graduate students, teachers, professors
and scholars

who seek wide-ranging theoretical discourse for the purposes of progress

in music teaching and its foundational scholarship are encouraged to consider
membership.

 =========================Read on!!!=======================

TORONTO!!! -- Oct. 22-25, 1998 -- A weekend colloquium based on

Keith Swanwick's consideration of the second issue of the MayDay Group

agenda, the influences of culture and society on music education (see below).
The colloquium will begin on Thursday evening and end on Sunday noon at the
University of Toronto's Faculty of Music.  It will include prepared
commentaries as well as expansions on Professor Swanwick's paper, interactions
with musicians from a variety of cultures and discussions with music teachers.
David Elliott will host the meeting...details to come later.

If you are not now a MayDay Group member and want further details about
Toronto when they are available, reply to this note with "Toronto" in the
subject field; MayDay Group members will be automatically notified.


The text of the second MayDay Group issue follows:
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2.  The social and cultural contexts of musical actions are integral to
musical meaning and cannot be ignored or minimized in music education.

Aesthetic theories, with their claims that musical meaning and value transcend
time, place, context and human purpose and usefulness, fail to account for the
fullest range of meanings inherent in individual and collective musical
actions. Such theories fall short of providing an adequate rationale for
music-making or music teaching. Instead, all music must be seen as intimately
tied to social and cultural contexts and conditions. The theory and practice
of music education must account for this situatedness of music and music-
making. Music educators must have, therefore, a theoretical foundation that
unites the actions of producing music with the various contexts of those
actions, so that musical meaning appropriately includes all of music's
humanizing and concrete functions.

a. How can musical values be understood in terms of the human needs and
contexts that bring them forth, while at the same time retaining appropriate
standards of musicianship and musicality?
b. What standards of musicianship and musicality in music education can be
guided by traditions associated with aesthetic theories, while still
emphasizing the situatedness of the musical practices in question?
c. How can students be guided to advance their aspirations for identifying and
serving the musicianship needs called forth by different musics and
situations?
d. What tangible qualities of musicianship can replace hypothesized and
ephemeral aesthetic qualities as a basis for teaching, learning and evaluating
music-making that is appropriately situated?
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For more, access our web site <http://members.aol.com/jtgates/maydaygroup/>,
or contact Thomas Regelski <regelski@cecomet.com> or Terry Gates
<JTGates@aol.com>.
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