Teaching multicultural music in elementary school: Issues about what, when, and how to teach

Abstract

This study explores the views of Greek School Advisors for Music Education on specific issues concerning the teaching of multicultural music in elementary school. The study seeks answers to what, when, and how to teach, focusing especially on contrasting approaches, implementation considerations, and dilemmas posed to the music teacher. The data were mainly collected through semi-structured interviews and classified into categories using content analysis. The results indicate that world musics should be taught from an early age alongside Greek music, which, however, will occupy the central place in the program. The instruction should involve students actively and also include appropriate non-musical information linking the music with its sociocultural context. The musical selections should, as a starting point, take into consideration the diverse backgrounds of the class, but ultimately they should go beyond them, expanding the students’ experiences and horizons.