Teaching world music in the Netherlands: Towards a model for cultural diversity in music education

Abstract

In the Netherlands today almost one million out of the population of fifteen million are of non-Dutch origin. Large concentrations of people from Turkey, Morocco and Surinam in particular, live in and around the cities. In Amsterdam, more than half the children in primary schools are of non-Dutch background. Similar situations exist in most other European countries. European culture has become multicultural by definition, and music education has to find answers to deal with the situation. The system of music education in the Netherlands can basically be divided into three levels: the conservatories of music, where students are trained to become professional musicians; the music schools, for people who want to learn music but have no professional aspirations; and music teaching in schools, where children are introduced to the general principles of music and music-making. Over the last fifteen years, national and local governments have devoted a great deal of money and effort towards integrating ‘minority arts’ into these institutions to very little effect at first. But since 1990 a new wave of activity has led to encouraging results and possible sources of inspiration for efforts on a European scale.