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Adapting in Music Education (PreK-12): Introducing the Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM)

Updated: Jun 27

It is not the strongest of the species that survives,

not the most intelligent that survives.

It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

― Charles Darwin

A Blog about Adapting in Music Education
Adapting in Music Education

Introduction


Music serves as a creative and unifying expression of people around the world. With an emphasis on human creativity and expression, the role of music education is increasingly vital in today’s rapidly changing technological world. As music educators, it is essential for us to reflect and adapt to ensure that we continue to inspire creativity, expression and inclusivity regardless of the challenges we face. This blog will introduce the "Harmoniously Upward Model" (HUM), a new approach to music education where students progress together from vibrant elementary music classrooms to broader secondary musical experiences bursting with possibilities.


Adapting


Music educators must establish broader frameworks for musical expression, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to engage in joyful and expressive music-making. As we continue to enhance our preparation of students for traditional secondary music ensembles, we can include more students through diverse and creative approaches. Inclusive and innovative elementary music classrooms lay the groundwork for fostering more participation, creativity and expression in secondary music programs.


The Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM)


Introducing the "Harmoniously Upward Model" (HUM), which champions a smoother transition from elementary into secondary music education. HUM builds upon what elementary students are able to do harmoniously as they move upward into secondary music programs which are becoming broader in scope, genre and repertoire. This model promotes higher levels of engagement while encouraging students to explore creativity and expression through music. As students move upwards together musically, we will hear a gradual crescendo of vibrant harmonious sound, like the steady resonance of a hum.


Secondary ensembles will unfold with new possibilities and new technologies. Our current secondary ensembles will expand and burst with broader interest and participation. Educators will find themselves exploring more diversity, allowing students to discover their unique and collective musical voices and developing their skills in a variety of genres and styles. All of these possibilities flow as an extension of a strong musical foundation in the elementary general music classroom.


Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM) in  Music Education
Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM)

Starting from the Beginning


Elementary music classrooms can and should lay the cornerstone for a lifetime of musical engagement and creativity with repertoire that spans across cultures, incorporating folk songs from around the world. We should ensure that all students participate joyfully and experience a sense of belonging. Additionally, the early and continuing practice of improvising and creating music enriches the learning experience, fostering exploration and personal expression.


Drawing upon the insights of renowned educators such as Kodaly, Feierabend, Orff, Gordon, and Suzuki, research underscores the significance of prioritizing sound before sight. Students should engage in expressive singing, while skilled teachers integrate solfege and rhythm syllables as fundamental building blocks for literacy. This multisensory approach should also extend to instrumental music, as all students seamlessly apply their established singing and literacy skills towards playing instruments.


Implementing the Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM)


Secondary music teachers heavily rely on notation in order to perform band, chorus, and orchestra literature. While effective in its own right, this approach can operate as a top-down model, where students' skills in solfege and singing are underutilized, missing an opportunity to ease their transition into notation and literacy. With a primary focus on literature, we also miss the opportunity to explore creativity and expand the students’ diverse song repertoire.


The Harmoniously Upward Model (HUM) champions improvisation and creativity, acknowledging music as a universal language of expression. Emphasizing singing and solfege, we explore a diverse repertoire of global music and ensemble literature. Central to HUM is the understanding that music is a powerful, unifying force, serving as a creative outlet for our students, our school community, and people worldwide. At the secondary level, music education can and should expand beyond the performance of a limited repertoire by composers, instead fostering holistic musical engagement.


Conclusion


It's imperative to recognize that this evolving transition is not a matter of either/or, but rather an integration of traditional practices with broadening understandings. Our traditional ensembles have the potential to transcend their conventional roles, becoming dynamic spaces for the performance of established literature as well as places of exploration of diverse repertoire and creativity. 


Instead of limiting ourselves to a narrow selection of repertoire dominated by Western composers, we can embrace more expansive musical sounds, incorporating genres and traditions from around the globe. From Celtic melodies to Mariachi rhythms, from African drumming to Gospel harmonies, from Jazz improvisation to the rich tapestry of world music, the possibilities are boundless.


Call to Action


Adapting in music education for the future is an ongoing journey that requires collaboration and flexibility as new and renewed visions emerge. Join us in the 'Music Education Influencers' Facebook Group to actively participate in this vital conversation and collaborate on shaping a vision as we adapt in music education for a new era.

Music Education Influencers - Facebook Group
Music Education Influencers - Facebook Group

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