Music in schools is disgraceful — Brain

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 20

Music in schools is disgraceful — Brain

New Zealand’s’ music education in schools is ** “decades behind” Europe X and the United States, «■- says Gary Brain, a leading X New Zealand percussion- • Ist

Brain has just returned ** to New Zealand after “ studying music education in Europe and. the United f States. For 17 years he ... has toured New Zealand schools, giving concerts.

* "I really think that we »• are so far behind in this X area that something has * got to be done.” On average, secondary v schools in West Germany each get one free concert <=- a week, he says. New * Zealand schools are lucky to get one a year.

X Exposure to music is » also important in primary * schools, Brain says. X “The person I feel sorry ** for (in New Zealand) is

the high school music teacher, who inherits nothing.”

New Zealanders do not realise the very important part music plays in education, Brain says. “In this day when people, through technology, are having more leisure time, it’s better to turn the kids on to creative things than have them idle. “Music is one of the best emotive mediums known to humankind. It’s not political, it’s not evil, it’s very creative, and it tends to turn humankind’s creative nature on to better and more constructive things. “Culture is proved again and again and again to be the basis of any society. Without it, you are nothing. It’s like a society without a soul —

without a soul, how can you have a life that means anything?”

Educators overseas recognise this, Brain says. “The children learn that there’s just a little bit more to life than earning as much money as you can, or the dole, or leaning up against a bar swilling beer.” With the lack of emphasis on cultural learning, society is “breeding a generation of kids that doesn’t care about anything or anybody,” Brain says.

“They (educators) need to look long and deep at music. It’s the only language that’s absolutely multi-national, and requires no speech.” Critics might say music education takes time away from the “basics,” but this is incorrect, Brain

says. “In my show there are musical instruments from Africa, America, Europe and Polynesia. I cover their history as well. “If that’s not education, I don’t know what is. “You can use music as a very profound educational tool, if you can handle it properly. The children learn a heck of a lot in the hour that I’m here.”

While in Europe, Brain dealt a lot with the multinational group, Jeunesse Musicale (Youth and Music), and was asked to start a New Zealand branch.

The group aims to foster international communication through music, without political interference.

Brain says he would like to develop a New

Zealand branch to the point where every school could be guaranteed to receive at least one free concert a year. He would also like to see it offer summer camps for young talented musicians, and provide bursaries for overseas study. New Zealand is full of talented musicians, whose talent is underdeveloped and undervalued due to lack of funds, he says.

In order to achieve this, Government and corporate support would be necessary.

“If they want a better society, it’s the only way to do it — to give the kids a quality of life, and some quality things to latch on to. Let’s face it, they need it.”