Intercultural music education:What have the students learnt?

Trevor Wiggins

Anyone for Bach?

Neporo

Krobo Matakole Kainka Brass Band, 1897-8

A Xylophone?

Language acquisition

‘Human fetuses are able to memorize auditory stimuli from the external world by the last trimester of pregnancy, with a particular sensitivity to melody contour in both music and language.’

(Mampe, Friederici et al. 2009)

Enculturated Musical Tuning

Bi-Musical/Bi-Lingual

Levels of ability/understanding?

• Phrase book

• Basic communication and vocabulary

• Good competence

• Equivalent of native speaker

Summary

• Intercultural education?

• More cultures = better?

• No cultural hierarchy.

• ‘Immersion’ using authentic instruments.

• Collaborative teaching.

• Understand what you don’t know.