Music Learning as Youth Development

Music Learning as Youth Development explores how music education programs can contribute to young people?s social, emotional, cognitive, and artistic capacities in the context of life-long musical development. International scholars argue that MLYD programs should focus in particular on the curiosity, energy and views of young people affecting the teachers, musicians, pedagogy, programs, and music with which young people interact. From fields of progressive music education, authors share their perspectives on approaches that can lead to new ways of enabling youth learners as they transition to adulthood.

A vast range of possible outcomes arising from in-school, afterschool, and community-based music programs are examined in order to highlight the aspects of youth development that music learning is particularly well-suited to support. Following an introductory essay that provides new perspectives on pursuing lifelong musical development, the volume is features two primary sections. The first focuses on case studies exploring several programs through the lens of the transitional stages of music learning as youth development, helping the reader understand key concepts and explore challenges for creating music learning as youth development programs. The second section addresses the broad implications and policy issues of programs described, including discussing why music learning should be conceived of as critical to formative stages of youth development that can lead to a productive and fulfilling life. The conclusion synthesizes the range of perspectives provided by eight contributors and offers implications for life-long human development through music in the 21st century.

Part I: Framing the Conversation about Music and Human Development

Introduction

Brian Kaufman and Lawrence Scripp

1. Human Development Through Music

Lawrence Scripp and Josh Gilbert

Part II: Exploring Music Learning as Youth Development

2. Making Music, Promoting Development: The Power of Practice

Dennie Palmer Wolf, Steven Holochwost, and Judith Hill Bose

3. Musical Futures: Informal Group Music-Making in Schools as a Context for Youth Development

Susan Hallam and Andrea Creech

4. A National Orchestra for All: An Ethos of Inclusiveness within Music-Making for Positive Youth Development

Andrea Creech and Lina Tsaklagkanou

5. From Problem to Progression: [Re]conceptualizing a Young People’s Music Program in the UK

Ruth Currie and Lee Higgins

6. Cultural Expression as Creative Youth Development: Experiences with the Palestine National Music Conservatory

Carol Frierson-Campbell

Part III: The Future of Music Learning as Youth and Human Development

7. The Leader of the Band: Exploring a Framework for Music Learning as Youth Development

Michael Raiber

8. Higher Education Music Programs as Youth Development

Brian Kaufman

9. Changing the Ecology of Music Learning: Lessons from Creative Youth Development

Erik Holmgren

Music Learning as Youth Development: Comments, Reflections, Conclusions

Lawrence Scripp and Brian Kaufman

Brian Kaufman is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Maryland Baltimore County where he oversees the Instrumental Music Education program.

Lawrence Scripp is Professor of Undergraduate and Graduate Theoretical Studies, as well as Chair of Music Education and Founding Director for the Music-in-Education Program at New England Conservatory of Music.