GETTING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INNER EMINEM

Baton charge directed at standard of music education (Matthew Westwood, The Australian, November 22nd, 2005)

Music education in schools has been dumbed-down, says conductor Richard Gill, who likens the study of rock'n'roll to reading comics in the classroom.

Pop concerts such as this month's NSW Schools Spectacular were a "betrayal of music" and no substitute for serious study, he said.

Gill, a highly regarded educator, said schools should concentrate on teaching the classical repertoire and how to read and write music.

But the chair of a federal Government review on music education released yesterday, Margaret Seares, sided with those who think it acceptable to study either Beethoven or Britney Spears in the classroom.

Speaking the language of outcomes-based education, Professor Seares said it was more important that children be engaged with music and that they learn to express themselves creatively.

"Ten to 15 years ago, what they seemed to do at school was learn about when Mozart was born and how to write a C-major scale," said Professor Seares, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Western Australia.

"Well, that's fine, but it doesn't really get the kids involved with themselves very much."

We’re looking forward to Fukuyama’s upcoming new book on the end of music.