Bridge over troubled waters: policy development for Canadian music in higher education

Abstract

Canadian music composed in the Western European tradition does not have a high profile in Canadian education. Composers, music educators and media representatives, councillors of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC), collaborated with the author of this article to develop policies that would promote Canadian music content in post-secondary music and education institutions by employing a multiple measures methodology called Integrated Inquiry. Data from a Canadian music questionnaire, commentaries on the results by university representatives, and a visioning exercise by councillors was integrated to formulate policy recommendations. Participating universities recommended that the CMC circulate Canadian music catalogues and guide lists to university libraries, develop program partnerships among universities, foundations and professional arts organizations, promote and disseminate research on Canadian music, recognize student achievement in Canadian music research and performance, and develop guidelines for implementing Canadian music content in post-secondary music and education programs. Councillors advocated that post-secondary institutions ensure the inclusion of Canadian music content in recitals and performances, in theory, history, composition and music certification courses, in juries for admitting and evaluating students and offering scholarships, in practice-teaching and in library holdings. Furthermore, visiting artists and university staff should be encouraged to include Canadian music within their personal repertoire and libraries.