feature Creating a More Compassionate and
Equitable World Through Music Kimberly Barrett, Ph.D., Lawrence University
M
Music has always been a conduit of cul- ture. Whether you consider Native Ameri- can drumming, slave spirituals, the folk music of the 1960s or today’s pop songs that combine the musical traditions of the many diverse peoples who call the United States home, it is an auditory history. It can also provide a glimpse of things to come culturally. Music at its best can be the embodiment of inclusion, a means by which to engage with diversity in ways that increase awareness, intercultural com- petence and cognitive complexity.
Personally, music serves as a strong emo- tional marker in my life. Not only does it highlight feelings of joy or gravity during important milestones, forever etching
them in memory, but it helps modulate my affective response on a daily basis. When I am feeling good it energizes me, providing a little extra boost. When I am down, it soothes me and is a source of catharsis. It serves as a sensory channel for understanding with feeling the experience of others. And in so doing, it allows me to practice the skill of empathy, which is so important in the diverse, interconnected world we all share. In these ways and many more, music is central to my practice of inclusion.
But what does it mean to practice inclusion as a musician educating others in the disci- pline? And why is it so important to do so? Practicing inclusion is important because
“Practicing inclusion is important because it is the key to both
remaining relevant in an age of rapid cultural change and to achieving excellence in the art form.”
it is the key to both remaining relevant in an age of rapid cultural change and to achieving excellence in the art form. I love the genre of classical music. However there is no absolute that dictates we must use a single genre, within a relatively nar- row window in time, as the standard bearer for all that is great in music. We can see the consequences of this narrow focus in the graying and shrinking of orchestra audi- ences. If we want the art form to remain relevant it needs to evolve so that all who could benefit from and contribute to it are invited to participate. In addition, a narrow education is incomplete. Therefore, it does not facilitate a comprehensive understand- ing of the discipline or the development of the skills necessary for lifelong learning related to it. As a result it is antithetical to the promise of inclusive excellence that multicultural music education holds.
The new curriculum for music majors at Harvard is an excellent example of inclusive excellence in action at the col- lege level. They no longer require the traditional music theory and history se- quence and have added two new courses that emphasize the development of skills for lifelong engagement with music,
46 January 2018
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