A.M FILCHENKOV
Phone 89629234452
My dream is to see the future of music
The magical sounds of music - winged swings - due to the genius of mankind soared above the sky. But has this sky always been cloudless for music? “Just joy ahead?”, “Not knowing obstacles?” Growing up, music, like human life, like the fate of our planet, saw different things ...
Music - the most fragile creation of man - more than once in its history has been tested. It passed through medieval obscurantism, through wars, centenary and lightning, local and world. Stepped through the revolution, pandemic, "cold war." Repressions in our country broke the fate of many creative people, but also silenced some musical instruments. Was repressed ... guitar.
And yet, music, albeit with a loss, but survived.
No less difficult for the music were the periods ... of a cloudless, prosperous existence of mankind. In these happy years, as many cultural scientists believe, fewer geniuses are born. Less than in an era of social and political upheaval! Among scientists there is a perception that the phenomenon of the birth of a genius is indeed paradoxical because of its non-linear dependence on the “quality” of the era, the degree of its favor to culture.
So, Beethoven’s music was born in a time of tragedy for Europe, originated as a “response” to the terrible bloody era of Napoleon, the era of the French Revolution. Russian cultural takeoff of the XIX century took place not in the paradises of Eden. Rachmaninov continued to create (albeit with huge breaks) outside of his beloved Russia. On his creative fate revolution struck. Andres Segovia Torres saved and magnified the guitar in the years when music in Spain was suffocating. His homeland lost in the war the greatness of the sea power. Rocked royal power. The land of Cervantes, Velasquez, Goya suffered the first deadly battle with fascism. And lost ...
Of course, it would be cruel to even talk about modeling a sociopolitical catastrophe with only one goal: to awaken a genius, creating a nourishing environment for him, acting on the principle "the worse, the better." And, nevertheless, the culture can be influenced without resorting to the scalpel. A person is able to help the music.
Music is a gentle phenomenon. She does not know how to fight, although she can fight against Darkness. Music needs our input. She is responsive to the benevolence of the rulers, human love. Her fate depends on the dedicated work of musicians and, in many ways, on music teachers.
As a teacher of children's music school. Ivanova-Kramskoy, I, like many of my colleagues, dream of helping children successfully navigate the road to music in today's challenging conditions of reforming the system of music education. Music and children, and adults too, are not easy to live in an era of change.
The epoch of revolutions and reforms ... Whether we like it or not, we cannot but respond to the challenges of the times. At the same time, developing new approaches and mechanisms for responding to global problems, it is important not only to be guided by the interests of humanity and our big country, but also not to lose sight of the dreams and aspirations of the “little” young musician. How, then, if possible, to painlessly reform music education, preserve the useful old, reject (or reform) the obsolete, unnecessary? And this must be done, given the new imperatives of our time.
And why do we need reforms at all? Indeed, many experts, although not all, consider our model of music education to be very effective.
Everyone living on our planet in varying degrees, faces (and certainly will face in the future) with the global problems of mankind. This is the problem of providing humankind with resources (industrial, water and food), and the problem of demographic imbalance that can lead to an "explosion", famine, and wars on the planet. The threat of thermonuclear war hung over humanity. As never before, the problem of preserving peace is acute. Ecological disaster is coming. Terrorism. Epidemics of incurable diseases. The problem is North - South. The list can be continued. Back in the 19th century, the French naturalist J.-B. Lemark darkly joked: "Man - this is just the kind that will destroy itself."
Many domestic and foreign experts in the field of musical cultural studies have already noted the growing negative impact of some global processes on the "quality" of music, the "quality" of a person, the quality of music education.
How to respond to these challenges? Revolutionary or evolutionary? Combine the efforts of many states or fight one by one? Cultural sovereignty or cultural international? Some experts see a way out of the situation in the policy of globalization of the economy, the development of the international division of labor, and the deepening of world cooperation. At present, this is perhaps the dominant, though not indisputable model of the world order. It is important to note that not all experts agree with the methods of preventing global catastrophes on the principles of globalization. Many experts predict coming to the fore in the foreseeable future of the neoconservative model of building the world. In any case, the solution of many problems is seen in consolidating the efforts of the conflicting parties on the basis of scientific principles, gradual reforms, mutual consideration of opinions and positions, testing different approaches based on experiment, on the principles of constructive rivalry. Perhaps, for example, it would be advisable to create alternative models of children's music schools, including on a self-supporting basis. "Let a hundred flowers bloom!" It is also important to look for compromises on issues of priorities, goals, and tools for reform. It is advisable to free, as far as possible, reform from the political component, when transformations are used not so much for the sake of music itself, but in the interests of groups of countries, in corporate interests as a tool to weaken competitors.
New approaches to solving the challenges facing humanity dictate their requirements for human resources. New modern man is changing. It must comply with the new production relations. The criteria and requirements for a person in modern conditions are changing. Children are changing too. It is on children's music schools, as the primary link in the music education system, that the mission is to meet the “other”, “new” boys and girls, and tune them to the necessary “tonality”.
To the question posed above whether reforms in the field of music teaching are necessary, the answer, perhaps, could be formulated as follows. New stereotypes in the behavior of young people, changing values, a new level of pragmatism, rationalism and much more require an adequate response from teachers, the development of new approaches and methods for correcting and adapting the modern student to the traditional, time-tested, demands that make great musicians "past" soared to the stars. But time puts before us not only the problems associated with the human factor. Young talent, without even realizing it, is experiencing the consequences of breaking the old economic and political model of development, international pressure ...
Over the past 25 years, since the collapse of the USSR and the beginning of the construction of a new society, there have been bright and negative pages in the history of reforming the national system of music education. The difficult period of the 1990s gave way to a more balanced approach to reforms.
An important and necessary step in the reorganization of the system of domestic music education was the adoption by the Government of the Russian Federation of the “Concept for the development of education in the sphere of culture and art in the Russian Federation for 2008-2015”. Each line of this document shows the desire of the authors to help the music survive and also give impetus to its further development. It is evident that the creators of the "Concept" have a soul for our culture and art. It is quite clear that it is impossible immediately, overnight, to solve all the problems associated with the adaptation of the musical infrastructure to new realities. This explains, in our opinion, an overly technical, not fully conceptual approach to overcoming new challenges of the time. Although it should be recognized that the carefully thought out specifics, the well-defined (although incomplete) identified problems of art education clearly orient the educational organizations of the country towards the narrowing of bottlenecks. At the same time, in fairness, it should be noted that the tools, methods and methods for solving some problems in the conditions of new market relations are not fully shown. The dualism of the transition period implies an ambiguous dual approach to the problems to be solved.
For obvious reasons, the authors were forced to bypass some essential elements of the reform of music education. For example, the questions of financing and material and technical support of the education system, as well as the creation of a new system of remuneration of teachers, are left behind the brackets. How in the new economic conditions to determine the ratio of state and market instruments in ensuring the career growth of young musicians (government order or market needs)? How to influence students - the liberalization of the educational process or its regulation, tight control? Who dominates the learning process, teacher or student? How to ensure the construction of musical infrastructure - public investment or initiative of private organizations? National identity or "bolonization"? Decentralization of the system of management of the industry or the preservation of strict state control? And if the regulation is strict, how effective will it be? What will be the ratio of forms of educational institutions acceptable for Russian conditions - state, public, private? Liberal or neo-conservative approach?
One of the positive, in our opinion, moments in the reform process was a partial (in the opinion of the radical reformers, extremely insignificant) weakening of state control and management of the system of music education. It should be recognized that some decentralization of system management occurred more de facto rather than de jure. Even the adoption of the law on education in 2013 did not solve this problem radically. Although, of course, many in the music circles of our country welcomed the declaration of autonomy of educational organizations, freedom of teachers and parents of students in the management of educational organizations (3.1.9). Previously, all curricula were approved at the level of the Ministry of Culture and Education, now music institutions have become a little more free in curriculum development, expanding the range of musical works studied, and also in terms of teaching modern trends in musical art, including jazz, avant-garde and others
The program of development of the system of Russian music education for the period from 2015 to 2020 and the plan of measures for its implementation, demanded by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, deserves high evaluation. At the same time, it seems that this important document could be partially supplemented. Let us compare it with the program "The main directions of the reform of music education in the United States for the next 40 years" adopted at the Tanglewood (second) symposium "Charting for Future" adopted in the United States in 2007. In our subjective opinion, the American document, unlike the Russian one, is too general, declarative, and recommendatory in nature. It is not supported by specific proposals and recommendations on the ways and methods of implementing the plan. Some experts justify the overly extensive nature of the American document by the fact that it was then that the sharpest financial crisis of 2007–2008 broke out in the United States. Building plans for the future in such conditions is, in their opinion, very difficult. It seems to us that the feasibility of future plans (Russian and American) depends not only on the degree of elaboration of what was planned, but also on the ability of the “top” to interest the musical community of the two countries to support the adopted programs. In addition, much will depend on the ability of top management to achieve the desired result, on the availability of administrative resources at the top level. How can you not compare the decision-making algorithm and their execution in the United States, China and the Russian Federation.
As a positive phenomenon, many experts consider a cautious approach in Russia to reform the organizational structure of music education. Many still believe that the differentiated three-stage music education model created in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century in our country is unique and highly effective. Recall that in the most schematic form, it includes primary music education in children's music schools, secondary special education in music colleges - schools and higher musical education in universities and conservatories. In 1935, music schools for talented children were also established at conservatories. Before the “perestroika” in the USSR, there were over 5,000 children's music schools, 230 music schools, 10 art schools, 12 music pedagogical colleges, 20 conservatories, 3 music pedagogical institutes, over 40 music faculties at pedagogical institutes. Many believe that the strength of this system lies in the ability to combine the principle of mass character with an individual anxious attitude towards capable students, providing them with opportunities for professional growth. According to some of the leading Russian musicologists (in particular, a member of the Russian Union of Composers, a candidate of art history, Professor L. A. Kupets), a three-stage musical education should be preserved, having undergone only superficial corrections, in particular with regard to the graduation of Russian musical institutions in accordance with the requirements of leading foreign musical educational centers.
The American experience of providing a high competitive level of musical art in the country deserves special attention.
The attention in the USA to music is immense. In government circles and in the music community of this country, both national achievements and problems in the world of music, including in the field of music education, are widely discussed. Extensive discussions are confined, in particular, to the “Art Advocacy Day” celebrated annually in the USA, which, for example, took place from March 20-21 in 2017. To a large extent, such attention is due, on the one hand, the desire to preserve the prestige of American art, and, on the other hand, the desire to use the intellectual resources of music, music education to enhance the immunity of society in the struggle to preserve American technological and economic leadership in the world. Hearing before the US Congress on the impact of art and music on the country's economy (“The Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry”, Hearing before the House of Representatives, march 26, 2009) to promote the idea of more actively using the possibilities of art in solving The following words of President Abama were used for national tasks: "Art and music play a very important role in improving the quality of the country's workforce, improving the quality of life, and the situation in schools."
Famous American industrialist Henry Ford spoke about the role of personality, the value of personality, "You can take my factories, my money, burn my buildings, but leave me my people, and before you come to your senses, I will restore everything and will again be ahead of you ... "
Most American experts believe that learning music activates the intellectual activity of a person, increases his IQ, develops human creativity, imagination, abstract thinking, innovation. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin came to the conclusion that students of piano play demonstrate a higher (34% higher than other children) activity of those brain regions that are maximally used by man in solving problems in the field of mathematics, science, technology and technology.
It seems that the music circles in the USA would welcome the appearance of the monograph Kirnarskaya D.K. "Classical music for all." Of particular interest to American experts would be the following statement of the author: "Classical music ... - keeper and educator of emotional sensitivity, intelligence, culture and feelings ... Everyone who loves classical music will change after some time: he will become more delicate, smarter, and his thoughts will acquire greater sophistication, subtlety, non-triviality. "
Among other things, music, according to leading American political scientists, brings enormous direct economic benefits to society. Музыкальный сегмент американского общества существенно пополняет бюджет США. Так, все предприятия и организации, функционирующие в сфере культуры США, ежегодно зарабатывают 166 млрд. долл., дают работу 5,7 млн. американцев (1,01% от количества занятых в американской экономике) и приносят в бюджет страны около 30 млрд. долл.
And how to measure in monetary terms the fact that students engaged in school music programs are much less likely to be involved in crime, the use of drugs and alcohol? Positive conclusions about the role of music in this area came, for example, the Commission on Drugs and Alcohol of the State of Texas.
And finally, many American scientists believe that music and art are capable of solving the problems of the global survival of humanity in new civilizational conditions. According to the American music expert Elliot Eisner (author of “Implications of the New Educational Conservatism for the Future of the Art Education”, Hearing, Congress of the USA, 1984), “only music teachers know that art and humanities are the crucial link between the past and the future, help us preserve human values in the age of electronics and machines. " A curious statement to this effect by John F. Kennedy is: "Art is not at all a minor thing in the life of a nation. It is very close to the main plot of the state, and is a litmus test that allows one to assess the degree of its civilization."
It is important to note that the Russian educational model (especially the developed system of children's music schools and schools for talented children) does not fit in with the overwhelming majority of foreign systems for the selection and training of musicians. Outside of our country with rare exceptions (Germany, China), a three-stage system of training musicians, similar to the Russian one, is not practiced. How effective is the domestic model of music education? Much can be understood by comparing your experience with the practice of foreign countries.
Music education in the United States is one of the best in the world, although according to some criteria, as many experts believe, it is still inferior to Russian.
For example, the North Atlantic model (by some essential criteria received the name "McDonaldization"), with some external similarities with ours, is simpler in its structure and, perhaps, somewhat less effective.
Despite the fact that in the USA the first music lessons (one or two lessons per week) are recommended to be held already in the elementary secondary school, but in practice this is not always the case. Learning music is optional. In reality, musical lessons in American general education schools, as compulsory, begin only from the eighth grade, that is, at the age of 13-14 years. This, even according to Western musicologists, is too late. By some estimates, in fact, 1.3 million primary school students do not have the opportunity to learn music. Over 8,000 public schools in the United States do not provide music lessons. As is known, the situation in Russia in this segment of music education is also extremely unfavorable.
Music education in the United States can be obtained at conservatories, institutes, music universities, music departments of universities, as well as music schools (colleges), many of which are incorporated into universities and institutes. It should be clarified that these schools / colleges are not analogous to Russian children's music schools. The most prestigious of American music education institutions are the Curtis Institute of Music, the Julliard School, the Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and others. In the US, there are more than 20 conservatories (the very name of the "conservatory" among Americans is too conditional; this may be what some institutes and even colleges can be called). Most conservatories build on classical music. At least seven conservatories are exploring contemporary music. The fee (only for tuition) in one of the most prestigious American universities Julliard School exceeds 40 thousand dollars a year. This is two to three times higher than in conventional music universities in the United States. It is noteworthy that for the first time in the American history, the Julliard School creates a branch in the city of Tianjin (PRC) outside the United States.
The niche of children's special music education in the United States is partially closed by Preparatory Schools, which operate in almost all major conservatories and "music schools" in the United States. Children can start de jure in preparatory schools from the age of six. After completing studies at the Preparatory School, a student can enroll in a music college and qualify for the “Bachelor of Music Education” qualification (analogy to the level of knowledge after three years of study at our universities), “Master of Music Education (like our master’s program),“ Doctor Ph . D in Music ”(vaguely reminiscent of our graduate school).
It is theoretically possible in the future to create specialized primary music schools in the United States on the basis of general education “Magnet schools” (schools for gifted children).
Currently, there are 94,000 music teachers in the United States (0.003% of the total population of the country). The size of their average salary is 65 thousand dollars a year (varies from 33 thousand dollars to 130 thousand). According to others, the average wage is slightly lower. If you calculate the remuneration of the American music teacher per one hour of teaching, then the average salary will be $ 28.43 per hour.
The essence of the American method of teaching ("McDonaldization"), in particular, is the maximum unification, formalization and standardization of education. Some of the Russian musicians and scientists are especially reluctant when this method leads to a decrease in the student's creativity. However, the North Atlantic model has a lot of advantages. It is very functional, good quality. Allows the student to gain relatively high level of professionalism relatively quickly. By the way, an example of American pragmatism and enterprise can be the fact that the Americans managed in a short time to set up a music treatment system, and bring the number of music therapists in the United States to 7,000.
In addition to the aforementioned downward trend in students' creativity, the growing problems with music education in general education schools, the American music community is concerned about a reduction in budget funding for the music education cluster. Many are concerned about the fact that the local and central authorities of the country are not fully aware of the importance of teaching young Americans art and music. There is also an acute problem of recruitment, teacher training, and staff turnover. Some of these problems were examined by Professor Paul E. Leyman, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Music, in his report at the US Congress Hearing on the Subcommittee on Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education.
Since the 80s of the last century in the United States, the question of reforming the national system for the training of musical personnel has been acute. In 1967, at the first Tanglewood Symposium, recommendations were made on how to increase the effectiveness of music education. Reform plans in this area were drawn up for a 40-year period. In 2007, after this period, the second meeting of recognized music teachers, performers, scientists and experts took place. The new symposium “Tanglewood II: Charting for Future” adopted a declaration on the main directions of education reform for the next 40 years.
In 1999, the scientific conference “The Housewright Symposium / Vision 2020” was held, where an attempt was made to develop approaches to music education for a 20-year period. A corresponding declaration was adopted.
In 2012, the All-American organization “The Music Education Policy Roundtable” was created to discuss issues related to music education in US elementary and secondary schools. The following associations of American musicians bring their favor: American String Teachers Association, International Society for Music Education, International Society for Music Education, Music Teachers National Association.
In 1994, national standards of music education were adopted (and supplemented in 2014). Some experts believe that the standards are set out in too general terms. In addition, these standards were approved only by a part of the states, due to the fact that they have a high degree of independence in making such decisions. Some states have developed their own standards, and some - did not support this initiative at all. This confirms the thesis that in the American educational system it is the private sector, and not the ministry of education, that sets the standards for music education.
From the USA we will be transferred to Europe, to Russia. The European Bologna Reform (understood as a means of harmonizing the education systems of countries belonging to the European Community), having taken the first steps in our country in 2003, has stalled. She faced her rejection by a significant part of the national musical community. Attempts from above, without wide discussion, to regulate the number of music institutions and music teachers in the Russian Federation met with particular resistance.
So far, the Bologna system exists in our musical environment in a practically dormant state. Its positive aspects (comparability of training levels of specialists, mobility of students and teachers, unification of requirements for students, etc.) are leveled, as many people believe, by modular training systems, by the “imperfection” of the system of scientific degrees awarded on the basis of training. Some experts believe that, despite significant progress, the system of mutual recognition of certificates of education remains incomplete. These "inconsistencies" are especially acutely perceived by non-member states of the European Community, as well as by the candidate countries for entry into the Bologna system. The countries joining this system have a difficult job to do to match the curriculum. They will also have to solve the problem arising as a result of the introduction of this system in reducing the level of analytical thinking and critical attitudes towards educational material among students.
For a more fundamental understanding of the problem of Bolonization of the national system of music education, it is advisable to refer to the works of the famous musicologist, pianist, professor K.V. Zenkina, other prominent art experts.
At some stage, it would be possible (with certain reservations) to the European Community, which is passionate about the idea of unifying the systems of music education in Europe, with the initiative to expand the geographical scope of this idea, first to Eurasian, and eventually to global scales.
In Britain, the creative system of training musicians has taken root. Popular private school teachers. There are a small number of children's Saturday music schools and several elite specialized music schools such as the Purcell school, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales. The highest level of musical education in England, as in most countries of the world, in its form, structure has much in common. The differences relate to the quality of teaching, methods, forms of education, the level of computerization, student motivation systems, the degree of control and assessment of each student, etc.
In matters of music education, Germany stands apart from most Western countries with its rich experience in music education. By the way, the German and Russian systems have a lot in common. As you know, in the XIX century, we borrowed a lot from the German music school.
Currently in Germany there is an extensive network of music schools. At the beginning of the XXI century, their number increased to 980 (for comparison, in Russia there are almost six thousand children's music schools). A large number of them are paid Public (state) institutions, managed by city authorities and local governments. Their curriculum structure is strictly regulated. State participation in their management is minimal, symbolic. Approximately 35 thousand teachers of these schools teach almost 900 thousand students (in the Russian Federation in higher professional education, the normative acts establish the ratio of the faculty to the number of students as 1 to 10). There are also private (over 300) and commercial music schools in Germany. In German music schools there are four levels of study: elementary (from 4–6 years old), middle lower, middle and higher (highest - free). In each of them, the training is designed for 2-4 years. More or less complete musical education costs the parents about 30-50 thousand euros.
As for the ordinary secondary schools (Gymnasium) and secondary schools (Gesamtschule), the basic (elementary) music course (the student can choose either to study music or master the visual or theatrical art) is 2-3 hours a week. The optional, more intensive music course provides lessons of 5-6 hours per week. The curriculum involves the development of a general theory of music, musical notation, the basics of harmony. Practically every gymnasium and secondary school has an office equipped with audio and video equipment (every fifth music teacher in Germany is trained to work with MIDI equipment). There are several musical instruments. Training is usually conducted in groups of five, each with its own tool. Practicing the creation of small orchestras.
It is important to note that German music schools (except public ones) do not have a single curriculum.
Higher education (conservatories, universities) provide training for 4-5 years. Universities specialize in training music teachers, conservatories - performers, conductors. Graduates defend a thesis (or dissertation) work and receive a master's degree. Further defense of a doctoral dissertation is possible. In Germany, there are 17 higher music institutions, including four conservatories and 13 higher schools equated to them (apart from specialized faculties and university departments).
In Germany, are in demand and private teachers. According to the German trade union of independent teachers, the number of only officially registered private music teachers exceeds 6,000 people.
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