For those who are deeply interested an option as choice may be given as elective or additional subject. Earlier, music was the domain of the elite and aristocrats and music and art that was cherished in the western world related to the classical music styles and that has ever since undergone a lot of change. Music education in schools began in the 1960s. For the person willing to take music as a career, or art as the main goal in life, schooling and colleges in these subjects will be a blessing. For others it would become a tool whereby they can enjoy music and art better and by teaching the rudiment in schools and colleges we can create better artists and critics for the future. (Walker, 2007)
3. What is your opinion of today's music?
Western music has a rich tradition that was based on the classical composers and was reigning till the later part of the twenty first century. Many things in society began to change at that period. The old school of composers was overturned in 1980's and this gave way to individual composition. (Landy, 1991)
In my opinion there is art and music residing in every being and the expression of art must not be constrained by the classical composition codes. What was 'noise' and cacophony to the earlier generation is now venerated as popular music. No one has the patience to hear the masters. However comparison is impossible and there will always be a reversal to the old treasures when...
It can also be argued that the neo-composers are only recreating parts of the works of the masters and most music concerts today contain works that adhere to the conservative style. There are classical that people like DeBussy made famous. (Landy, 1991)
So what is modern music? It has proffered slight changes to the classical style in form and sometimes in substance but is based on the same foundation. Experimentalism as the neo-music is called, is simply putting the classical foundations of western music in a kaleidoscopic fragments and experimenting with that. Today the globe is a stage and international participation has infused the music of other countries, brought in new instruments and yet, the fact remain true that as the experiment and progress wears out in future there will be a journey back to the classical and the basic foundation of music.
References
Benardete, Seth. (1992) "Socrates' Second Sailing: On Plato's Republic" University of Chicago Press.
Landy, Leigh. (1991) "What's the matter with today's experimental music?: Organized
sound too rarely heard" Routledge.
Minsky, Marvin. (1981) "Music, Mind, and Meaning" Computer Music Journal, Fall, vol. 5, no. 3, pp: 23-27.
Walker, Robert. (2007) "Music education: cultural values, social change and innovation"
Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
