Japanese traditional music and the possibilities of its use in European music education

Abstract

This article analyzes of philosophical approaches and methods of teaching musical instru- ments at traditional Japanese schools. These approaches have a long history within the Japanese Iemoto system. This study’s author highlights several similarities between some conceptual settings of the Japanese tradition and Carl Orff’s Schulwerk system. The article formulates a hypothesis about the possibility and expediency of mastering Japanese tradi- tional music in Europe, also considering the pentatonic basis of Japanese modes. The article provides examples of the implementation of this idea (including the improvisational creativity of students on the instruments of Carl Orff in the style of Japanese traditional music) based on a generalization of the author’s practical experience.