Music and Greatly Discourages Creativity - Term Paper Example

Certain perspectives of “value” that are fundamentally defined by the social conditions in which music is made, performed and consumed Introduction Music is an integral part of our society and culture. Ever since the dawn of human civilization music has occupied a predominant position in all societies across the globe. The contribution of music in the social context is remarkable. With its intrinsic values, music encourages creativity, offers opportunity to perform in public and helps in acquiring great jobs. Apart from being a great source of entertainment music acts as an expressive means of communication. Music should imperatively be an integral part of every curriculum. The importance of music in education is manifold. It not only improves the intellect of the students, by enabling them to grasp other subjects promptly, but also keeps them away from indulging in the intake of such harmful substance such as drugs, alcohols and tobaccos. Music aids the students in understanding the world around in a broader way. Some scholars have also pointed out the negative contributions of music in our society such as the pop music which according to them is an imposed music and greatly discourages creativity. However, such matters are simply topics of debates. It is music which gives shape to the characteristic of any culture or society by exhibiting its unique authenticity. For instance, the pop or the hip-hop music of America and the classical music of India depict a distinct feature of the respective cultures. Music undoubtedly adds to the elegance of any society or culture. In our study below, let us discuss how music actually contributes positively in the social context with its intrinsic values, particularly in education. Music & Culture Music is coherently considered to be the gift of a lifetime. Ever since its evolution, music has remained an integral part of society, culture and now even education. As a result of its affective power, music is seen to improve the learning environment. Social context provides a platform in the recognition of value in music. Music is it found in expressing religion as well as celebrations encompassing weddings, funerals, festivals, etc. No human community has ever been discovered without music. This enables us to think that music is not only a derivative of human activity but also a predominant part of human community. The hip-hop culture in the U.S. recognised by its distinctive costume and language is obviously the derivative of hip-hop music. According to Brian Longhurst, “Rap was a part of hip-hop culture in New York which included particular modes of dress, language and so on.” (Longhurst, 1995: 150). Another example can be that of music of Indian classical music which has always occupied a predominant position in the rich cultural heritage of India. Comprising of various races and cultural diversities Indian Music exhibits a complex musical system. The same implies for umpteenth number of other cultures characterised by their very own music e.g. punk rock music, jazz, etc. Music in Societal Context The social value of music is usually recognized when people view or hear it. Simon Frith in his book, Performing Rites: On the Value of Popular Music, says that it is “not just that in listening to popular music we are listening to a performance, but, further, that ‘listening’ itself is a performance...” (Frith, 1996). Frith begins his book by differentiating between the good and the bad music (Frith, 1996). Lucie Jenny MacCarthy Music Grants Music empowers its liaison with its social value. It provides an opportunity to exhibit talent and creativity in the public apart from linking creative art and society encouraging human creativity (Underwood, 2009). Apart from being an expressive communication medium between individuals music provides healthy entertainment to the society as well (Underwood, 2009). Not only does music provide us a celestial insight into various vivid and exotic ethnicities of the world, they also offer a unique blend of different cultures to meet our ever-changing tastes (Underwood, 2009). An authentic World Music is spontaneous and preserves the actual events, apart from being directly carried on from cultural tradition (Underwood, 2009). The true music prodigies of the world are those who play not merely for money but primarily for their indomitable passion for music (Underwood, 2009). In his book Popular Music and Youth Culture Andy Bennett has brought forward the ways in which the social world is witnessed (Bennett, 2000). According to Bennett social actors are not just the naives existing in the culture succumbing to whatever they are offered in the music business but are active and aggressive participators who look forward to music in creative and authentic state (Bennett, 2000). Music & Education It has been righty said, “Music courses may not turn students into musicians, but chemistry classes don’t necessarily make them chemists either” (Vervalin, 2004). The lovers of music consider music to be one of the leading ethnic factors of the society. To them music should be impeccably imbedded within the curriculum of every school and college unlike to those dry people who spread the rumour that music has no contribution in the making of a well educated individual (Vervalin, 2004). Cross-cultural enclosure of music in each and every discipline is the call of the day (Vervalin, 2004). A curriculum is complete only with rich contents of music with the view to enable the students to recognize and enjoy the valuable factor which adds to their society – music (Vervalin, 2004). In his book, Music, Culture, and Society: A Reader, in which Derek Scott has endeavoured to investigate “musical meaning and the extent to which it is informed by cultural experience and socially-derived knowledge”, the very first section, “Music and Language” highlights various appeals of literary disapprovals to music in the position of language (Scott 2000). Earlier, most of the schools remained ignorant of the celestial value of music when incorporated in the curriculum (Vervalin, 2004). As a result musical education remained missing from the public schools (Vervalin, 2004). As stated by the popular composer, Ned Rorem, “In the old days, whether kids hated music or not, there it was (Vervalin, 2004). Now, it is not even there to hate” Another quote by the great composer and pianist, Burt Bacharach reveals, “I hated being at that keyboard when the other kids were having fun (Vervalin, 2004). But later, I was so grateful that my mother pressured me to practice. It obviously created a life with music that I would otherwise have never had.” (Vervalin, 2004). All these have contributed to the revolutionary emergence of music in the educational system. It has been observed that children studying music tend to be good in learning other subjects too (Vervalin, 2004). According to the director of the National School Boards Association, “Music has a tremendous value as an academic discipline. It contributes to the understanding of other subjects (Vervalin, 2004). There is a big difference between learning something and doing it. With music, you do both.” (Vervalin, 2004). Role of Music in Education and Society Each child has a right to music education as music is the very core of our society. It has been a regular practice of the human cultures to express their ideas and ideals through music. In their book, Music & Society: the Politics of Composition, Performance and Reception, the authors Leppert and McClary express opinion that art belongs to celestial source and is self-contained as well (Leppert & McClary, 1987). The following illustrates how the value of music acts as a significant role in framing the potentials of individuals in a number of ways (Music & Success in Society, 2002): 1. Prevention of intake of harmful substances like alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, etc. It has been clearly observed that teenagers participating in band or orchestra are less frequently found to indulge in consuming harmful substance such as drugs, alcohols, tobacco, etc. 2. Music leads to better understanding of subjects Music is a lifetime gift and children who practise music are noticed to learn subjects faster than those who do not study music. Also, it seen that training in arts produces better results in maths and science subjects. The newborn babies too are observed to acquire improved spatial intelligence through music. 3. Solution to teen violence Music is often seen to calm the minds of teens thereby subduing violence, the most obvious state of the age. 4. Music – A Valuable Experience Music is considered to enhance the knowledge-bank of the students of high schools and colleges by broadening their minds thereby leading them to understand the world around them in a coherent way. It also contributes to the children’s intellectual development. 5. Music – A Source of host of Positive Affects By offering various prospects music leads to umpteenth number of rewarding consequences such as creating jobs, increasing the local tax base, encouraging tourism apart from development in related businesses like hotels, restaurants, printing, etc. It even goes on to improve the overall quality of our lives and our cities. Pop – Adding Positive or Negative Value While understanding the positive values that music contributes to the society, it also becomes practical to acknowledge the negative impacts it brings in which is always debatable. Leppert and McClary states, “from very early times up to and including the present, there has been a strain of Western culture that accounts for music in non-social, implicitly metaphysical terms.” (Leppert & McClary, 1987: 15). Moreover, Leyshon and Matless have stated in their book that as per Adorno, “pop music is essentially a set of standardized noises calling forth a standardized reaction, providing profits for companies….” (Leyshon & Matless, 1998: 32). However, the two authors oppose Adorno’s criticization of pop music on the ground that it is simply imposed from above without using natural creativity has been by stating, “artistic creativity can be applied to the making of and listening to all sorts of musical styles.” (Leyshon & Matless, 1998: 32). Conclusion From the dawn of human civilization music has persistently remained embedded in the everyday life of individuals around the globe. The fact that no society or culture is ever been untouched by music enables us to acknowledge that music is the very core of our lives. Each society or culture is characterized by its distinct form of music. The hip-hop music or the pop music for example exhibits its unique kind of culture like dress, language, etc. Music is responsible in adding elegance to a particular culture. With its intrinsic values it coherently touches our souls and acts as an active contributor in the social context. It encourages creativity, provides the opportunity to perform in public and acts as an excellent means of communication as well. Considering the extents to which music has dramatically influenced individuals in the education system, the integration of music in education becomes highly imperative. Music actually plays a pivotal role in education and all the understanding of all other subjects rotate around it. The regular practice of music prevents the intake of harmful substances such as drugs, alcohols, tobaccos, etc among the adolescents. Music enhances the intellects of the children enabling them to grasp other subjects quickly and understand the outer world in a broader way. Music provides entertainment and offers great prospects in career along with encouraging related commercial industries. In the above study, we have observed various perspectives of “value” that are fundamentally defined by the social conditions in which music is made, performed and consumed. Hence, we have encompassed how social context contribute to the definition of ‘value’ in music. Works Cited Bennett, A. (2000) Popular Music and Youth Culture: Music, identity and place, Macmillan: London. Frith, S., (1996). Performing Rites: On the Value of Popular Music. Harvard University Press. Longhurst, B., (1995). Popular Music & Society. Polity Press: Cambridge. Leppert, R & McClary, S., (1987). Music & Society: the Politics of Composition, Performance and Reception. Cambridge University Press. Leyshon, A., Matless, D & Revill, G., (1998). The Place of Music. The Guilford Press. Music & Success in Society. (2002). Encore Music Lessons. Accessed on 23rd March, 2010 from http://www.encoremusiclessons.com/benefits-of-music-education/success-in-society Lucie Jenny MacCarthy Music Grants. Collier County. Accessed on 23rd Mar, 2010 from http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.educationforcollier.org/images/pool/VIOLIN%2520STUDENTS.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.educationforcollier.org/index.cfm%3Fpage%3D36&usg=__qowy-_4Doq1Wq2mUJadw2GUlJHg=&h=344&w=578&sz=26&hl=en&start=9&sig2=RBfuWbYjJ_hUItYXe6fpBg&itbs=1&tbnid=_eJ5JnWoAafxyM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlearning%2Bmusic%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=CzKqS8u2O8S0rAfrgK24AQ Scott, D. B., Ed. (2000). Music, Culture and Society: A Reader. Oxford University Press: Oxford Underwood, R. Milton. (2009). “Music’s Value to Society”. Accessed on 23rd March, from http://homesaustin.com/Documents/Music_ValueToSociety.pdf Vervalin, Charlie. (2004). “The Role of Music in Education”. The Black Rose Acoustic Society. Accessed on 23rd March, 2003 from http://www.blackroseacoustic.org/encore/role-music-education.htm. Read More