IRISH MUSIC education is, according to an Council report, of the worst in Europe. Last October the National Forum for Music Education emerged from a three year initiative - The Music Education National Debate (MEND) - to look at how to promote an effective music education programme spanning pre school to third level.
The current music Leaving Cert syllabus, for example, is structured in such a way that students generally have to get private music lessons to supplement work at school or, in cases where the school doesn't offer music, do the entire course privately elsewhere.
At second level the urgent need to improve music education has produced some positive developments. The Junior Cert music syllabus has been revamped and next year sees the implementation of a new Leaving Cert syllabus. Sean Mac Liam is a music lecturer in St Patrick's College and education officer in music for the NCCA.
The old syllabus focused on classical music, but 90 per cent of the world's music is non classical, so we were missing most of the world's music. The new syllabus is designed to meet the needs of students today, placing the focus on valuing all forms of music, and thus improving the participation rate.
To assist with the implementation of the new syllabus, a curriculum support team, supported by the in career development unit of the Department of Education, has been put in place. The support team consists of four second level teachers, seconded for two years to introduce and promote the syllabus.
The new team will meet principals and teachers to discuss the new programme. It will also organise meetings for teachers to develop new areas of the syllabus and co ordinate courses designed for teachers to develop their own skills.
At the moment only two per cent of Leaving Cert students study music. Most are girls and an unusually high rate go on to study music at third level.
"Leaving Cert music had become quite an elitist subject," says Mac Liam. "The levels of attainment in technical requirements were unrealistic and grades were low. There was a loss of confidence in the subject and taking music for the Leaving was getting a bad press.
"We needed to make it more accessible to students from a range of musical backgrounds so we have tried to plug into real life by being sensitive to aspects of local and national culture and to pitch it at a level which will see grades improve."
Continuing on from Junior Cert music, the new Leaving Cert has three core modules - performing, listening and composing. According to Mac Liam, "the emphasis is on the `ing', drawing attention to the experiential nature of the task. In the past the emphasis was all too often on imparting information about music as opposed to an educational experience in music.
"Performing as opposed to performance, for example, stresses the value of the activity itself and the enjoyment of music making. Performing, composing and listening are not just convenient headings but vital ways in which to explore music creatively."
The new syllabus offers students more scope for performing and composing. "They can perform individually or as a member of a group or a choir or a mixed vocal and instrumental group," says Mac Liam. "They can play a pop song, jazz or a fusion of styles. The ideal in the classroom is to have greater creativity within a narrower range of technical requirements."
Mac Liam feels that the syllabus also addresses developments taking place in music technology. "One of the performing options is using technology as an instrument. It can also be used for composing. Most second level schools already have some multimedia equipment to which they would need to add between £3,000 and £4,000 worth of equipment to update their facilities. However, the Department of Education would need to resource the implementation of the new syllabus appropriately by providing the necessary funding to update current school facilities and teacher skills.
"The NCCA course committee has recommended that the Department's curriculum support team should develop suitable resource packs for this purpose," he adds.
The economic benefits of music education are acknowledged too.
"The wealth generated by the music industry in Ireland is huge and the syllabus should reflect this," says Mac Liam. "Some students will want to progress into musical employment, be it at management level or as a member of a band, and the syllabus needs to recognise the employment opportunities available through music, but also for personal development."
The primary objective of the new syllabus, he says, is to broaden students' horizons. "It's designed to meet the needs of students who are interested in it as a creative subject at Leaving Cert level, for students who want to study music at third level and also for students who want to work in the music industry."
