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President's Message
Recently, I participated in and spoke at the 2nd ISME North American Regional Seminar and Summit in Anaheim, CA. The event was held in conjunction with the 2010 Biennial Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Delegates explored ways music educators in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico might collaborate on issues of common concern and planned for future North American ISME regional conferences. The two days were filled with excellent presentations and engaging and stimulating discussions. All in all, it was a productive event that holds the potential for some exciting and important possibilities.
In these discussions, I expressed general support for collaborations with our American and Mexican colleagues, but with a caveat. I emphasized that in our collaborations we must not lose sight of the cultural, political, geographic, and social differences within and among the three countries. To do so would result in a further homogenization of music education in North America. I was pleased to see that my cautionary note appeared to be generally well received.
As is the case with other aspects of Canadian life, music education has historically been influenced by practices in Europe and the U.S. This goes back to the beginnings of music in Canadian schools. Lowell Mason established the first music program in American public schools in Boston in the late 1830s. Shortly thereafter, officials from Upper Canada travelled to the United States and Europe to observe a variety of educational practices to make recommendations for educational policy in Upper Canada. Reportedly, school music programs in America, England, Ireland, France, Prussia, and Holland made a positive impression on these officials resulting in the introduction of music in the schools in Upper Canada sometime later.1
From that time on, we have largely adopted the methods and materials of our American and European counterparts (e.g. American school band movement, Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze). In particular, reliance on American methods and materials has been criticized by prominent thinkers in Canadian music education such as Robert Walker, Wayne Bowman, and Harold Fiske2. Despite globalization, the divergence between American and Canadian societies is growing. Just as our country is maturing, so too is Canadian music education.
Nevertheless, there are compelling reasons to explore collaborative possibilities with other North American colleagues. I found...