#3: Using the Popular Music Idiom to Refine Music Education

Green (2004) discusses the psychological differences between popular and classical musicians; the first group tends to treat music-making as a social activity, while the second group prefers to learn music alone. The author also suggests that current music curriculums do not create an inclusive learning experience for students, making the subject inaccessible to many.

The popular music education culture — an environment focused on learning music by ear, always intrigued me. I find it remarkable that individuals can learn and apply advanced theoretical concepts, such as modal interchange, without having the "most exact" or "most correct" terminology to describe them. I observed this phenomenon in Michael's experience with suspended chords; he understands the concept without appreciating the overly formal, textbook definition of the idea. After reading this, I began to comprehend one concept: students can learn music auditorily, allowing it to be a more personal, intimate experience.

This process has multiple applications for the music classroom. Similar to the article's suggestions, I believe that teachers should encourage students to listen to recordings of the music they are learning or implement an active listening routine that entices students to think critically about the music they play. After listening, teachers and students should engage in discussions about the music, allowing both academic language and personal experiences to guide these conversations. For instance, the instructor could ask the class: "Why do you think this piece evokes images of winter? Use your knowledge of theory and your personal opinions to structure your answer." Overall, this will probably entice children to feel more connected to the music, increasing student engagement — something that modern, outdated curriculums fail to gain.

To summarize, this selection gave me an interesting perspective on the music-making process that popular culture has adopted. I resonated with the experiences of the musicians in this essay, and their stories serve as a lesson on how we can approach music education differently.

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