"Kim Had the Same Idea as Haydn": International Perspectives on Classical Music and Music Education

Abstract:Classical music has often been a chosen enemy in discourses about music in general and music education in particular. It has been blamed for being an elitist culture and perpetuating inequality in societies. This and many more rather one-sided arguments dominate the discourse about classical music. But are they really true? Should classical music therefore be eliminated from the music education curriculum? This paper analyzes selected aspects of the ongoing criticism of classical music in music education from a philosophical and sociological perspective. It identifies, questions, and addresses significant arguments. The main thesis of this paper is that it might be time to deconstruct the discourses surrounding classical music, as particularly dominated by Anglo-American education, toward understanding classical music in music education from a global point of view, recognizing it as one musical culture among many others.