Abstract
Music lives where people live. Historically, music study has centred on the conservatory, which privileges the study of the Western European canon and Western European practice . The Eurocentric way music has been studied has excluded communities that are considered to be marginalized in one or more ways despite that the majority of human experiences with music is found outside of that realm. Community music has emerged as a counter-narrative to the hegemonic music canon: it seeks to increase the participation of those living on the boundaries.
Community Music at the Boundaries explores music and music-making on those edges. “The real power of community music,” writes Roger Mantie in the foreword, “lies not in the fiction of trying to eliminate boundaries (or pretending they don’t exist), but in embracing the challenge of ’walking‘ them. ” Contributions from scholars and researchers, music practitioners, and administrators examine the intersection of music and communities in a variety of music-making forms: ensembles, university and police choirs, bands, prison performing groups, youth music groups, instrument classes, symphonies, drum circles, and musical direction and performance. Some of the topics explored in the volume include education and change, music and Indigenous communities, health and wellness, music by incarcerated persons, and cultural identity. By shining a light on boundaries, this volume provides a wealth of international perspectives and knowledge about the ways that music enhances lives.
In this article we look at Community Music, and community based musical activities, more specific the manifestation of El Sistema in Italy (Il Sistema delle Orchestre e dei Cori Giovanili ed Infantile in Italia) – its relevance and possible applications in the more traditional music educational field. We explore complementary perceptions and thinking about music education spaces and contexts, and also offer a take on Music Education, viewed through alternative lenses, with special reference to Community Music practices.
Music Education in the twenty first century has much to consider in order to stay relevant and meaningful; making sure it addresses the needs of the contemporary child within a changing global environment. Are Community Music practices meaningful, emancipatory, and affirming enough to serve as possible alternatives to the traditional ways of music education? In an effort to provide an answer to this question, the fluidity of the global Community Music phenomenon will be viewed through lenses of alternative pedagogies such as transformative pedagogy; life-long, life-wide, life-deep learning; placed-based education and authentic learning.
An often-occurring scenario is that children are not accepted into the Governmental Music School System, either because of not enough teachers available or the child is labelled as not talented enough. It is our intention to argue that there are other credible music making activities that can serve either as a supplement or as an alternative to formal music education opportunities, like Il Sistema delle Orchestre e dei Cori Giovanili ed Infantile in Italia, an organisation that strives to bring high quality music education to underrepresented communities. The organisation (Il Sistema) shows a rapid growth across Italy during a time when arts more and more receive less funding, both at state and provincial levels. Its openness to a multitude of teaching styles offers its students access to different learning types and can therefore be seen as a Community Music activity that can play a significant role in promoting active music-making, particularly for those people who do not have access, or choose not to make use of standard formal educational opportunities (Koopman, 2007, p.151).