International Perspectives
Music educators are united by a common purpose: To engage children and youth in music and to develop their artistic life and their humanity. To achieve that purpose, they advocate the values of music, develop instructional programs that are comprehensive and dynamic, and expand what is known about music teaching and learning through reflective practice and participation in research and inquiry. In these and other ways, music educators serve to build on past traditions and open the way to cultural transformation through the imaginative and creative contributions of a new generation of music-makers. The process of music education is manifest uniquely in each national context, based on political, social, and cultural histories; geographical location; and economic circumstances. This article provides a historical perspective on how music education has developed into a global community during the twentieth century. It examines trends and challenges that confront music educators at the beginning of the twenty-first century and makes projections about the future course of music education.