Music Matters: A Philosophy of Music Education 2nd Edition

This new edition of Music Matters surpasses all other philosophical contributions to music education past and present. Deeply resesarched, impeccably argued, comprehensive in every regard, and also practical when and where it counts. In a word: Outstanding!!

I needed this book for school; very helpful. Written clearly and easy to understand.

Very thorough and thought-provoking.

the book is in a good condition

When the first edition of Music Matters was published in 1995 it was immediately recognized as a major contribution to philosophy of music education. Here Elliott explained how our received understandings of music and education have been formed by a number of assumptions inherited from Enlightenment thinking. These include a ‘work based’ conception of music as a thing to be reproduced, as well as a related notion of ‘music education as aesthetic education’––where the term aesthetic is understood in the detached rationalizing sense associated with the thought of Emmanuel Kant and a number of “18th Century axioms.” According to Elliott, such assumptions led to a depersonalized and Eurocentric approach to music education that focusses on training students to ‘correctly’ analyze and reproduce ‘great works’ according to prescriptive codes of practice. As a counter to this, Elliott developed an impressive range of philosophical and empirical research to draw out an approach that sees music education not simply as a practice––as something people do in order to achieve a pre-given end––but rather as a complex, creative social activity with deep relevance for the formation of personhood and human well-being. Put simply, Elliott’s 'praxial' approach highlighted the deep ethical meaning of music education, pointing the way towards a new conception of what being and becoming musical (and music educator) entails.The first edition of Music Matters was not without its critics, however, many of whom articulated important problematic issues and oversights. Over the past decades Elliott has openly engaged with such perspectives, systematically incorporating the relevant views and concerns of his colleagues in order to to refine his approach. He has also explored a wealth of new philosophical, socio-cultural and scientific research, much of which has received little or no discussion in music education. As a result, Music Matters II, written in collaboration with Marissa Silverman, offers substantial developments on its predecessor. While the basic format is similar to the first edition, with useful summaries and review questions at the end of each chapter, the authors also discuss a fascinating array of new critical, scientific and theoretical perspectives––including developments in the neuroscience of music; emotion studies; the meaning of music for human evolution; as well as research in the role of music for socialization, identity and personhood. Perhaps most notable is the inclusion of recent ‘enactive’ approaches to human cognition, which highlight the embodied, situated and agentic nature of the musical mind. All of this results in a compelling alternative to the passive, decontextualized and disembodied approach associated with traditional views of musical experience. Music Matters II is thus highly recommended to anyone interested in music and education.A personal anecdote: I have recently used the text in a pedagogical context with university students in a teacher training program––many of whom had little experience with philosophy (let alone the sub-field of philosophy of music education). The themes raised in Music Matters II initiated a number of lively in-class discussions and reflective written responses. And while the students did find the book challenging, they nevertheless agreed that it opened up a number of ways of thinking about music and education that had previously gone unconsidered. Many students were excited to develop the new concepts they encountered in their own practice; while others looked forward to revisiting some of the more challenging ideas and to exploring the diverse research areas referenced in the text. In all the book was very useful and well received in this context––many students commented that it would have a permanent place on their shelf as a ‘go to’ text.

I have already mentioned to several colleagues who are using MM (1995) that they need to immediately switch to MM2. Many second edition books are old wine in new bottles, but there is so much new material in MM2 that it could almost be considered a different book! Not only is it deeper than the original, but it is also more accessible and practical—an astonishing accomplishment! It took me several reads to digest the points in MM (1995), but the words just roll off the page in the second edition. Elliott and Silverman clarify and expand on the socio-cultural valuing of music—music as both a noun and a verb, and do so in a clear, practical, and non-confrontational way. It is a bit longer than the original, due mostly to footnotes, but it is very well edited and the increased length only enhances the authors’ positions. MM2 addresses many of the questions about paraxial philosophy that remained in reader’s minds after the 1995 publication. It also addresses many of the positions in Reimer’s 3rd edition; something that the profession has long needed. Perhaps the most striking difference between this edition and the first is the authors’ careful attention to integrating theory and practice by providing myriad clear examples of how a paraxial philosophy might look in the music classroom. The first edition was sorely in need of concrete examples and supplementary materials, so one of the best things about this new edition is a website that includes blogs, podcasts, and videos to help illustrate points and connect theory to practice. New to this edition also are connections to 21st century educational policy, distinctions between philosophy and advocacy, and updated research from neuroscience, philosophy, curriculum, and psychology. If you are still using the first edition of this book, reference it as a valuable historical item and then have your students read Music Matters 2.Chad West, Ithaca College

Good book

Excellent book ,arrived in timely manner