Popular Music Study in Schools

Not enough time is dedicated to helping students interested in today’s music find the tools and resources that they need within the school system to allow them to pursue their dreams. It is important to integrate popular music as an integral element into conventional music programs and to encourage school administrations to take notice and initiate plans towards providing instruction and facilities for these students.

I once ran across a notice in a musician’s chat room that read like this:

“Music defines who I am and it helps me to find myself. There is an endless beauty to every note of real music I hear. I love to watch the kids at my school play and let myself be consumed with their music; even if they have a wrong note… it’s still beautiful. I don’t know a single person who relates to me, and I want someone to talk to. If anyone shares this passion with me please contact- deviated from society”

This note reminded me of a day in music theory seminar at West High School (class of 1980) where we were all invited to bring in records to play during the class in order to analyze the recordings and talk about them. A friend of mine brought in the Neil Young record called “Decade” which was a multi-million seller and a landmark album of the time. After about half of the first song had played through, the teacher, one of my favorite instructors at the school, took off the record and told us that this music had little or no value for the class. He said that Neil Young played and sang off-key and he insisted that from now on all musical choices be appropriate for his class. His response was based on the fact that good music was something that should be played in tune and according to the rules! No matter how strong the emotional impact of the music might be, certain principals should be strictly adhered to.

This moment well represents the lack of instruction that there is for popular music in the school system. Popular music that grosses millions of dollars in profits each year is not usually of any interest to most school music programs. Although there are usually numerous programs for teaching music, most of them give instruction in the genres of classical and jazz and most of the instrumental and vocal groups in schools are geared toward this approach. Any exposure to popular music that students may have is after school, and it is usually left up to the student’s resourcefulness to find his way alone.