Instrumental Ensemble Learning and Performance in Primary and Elementary Schools

Abstract

Children around the globe are involved in multiple ways of making music both inside and outside the classroom. Children identify playing musical instruments as one of their most enjoyable activities, and it is not surprising that a variety of instrumental programs are found worldwide in both formal and informal learning settings. While traditional instrumental ensemble models in schools have provided a meaningful and enjoyable music education for some, to serve students well we need to expand our conception of instrumental music education beyond prevalent musical models, ensembles, and literature, and begin to embrace and value students' informal learning strategies and approaches as well. In the context of a Western band model, this article considers whether the ways instrumental music learners engage with music outside the formal settings of schools can inform and transform our understanding of how to teach in formal settings.