A sense of belonging is imperative to the creative growth of a music student and can enhance academic success by providing a supportive environment where one feels safe, valued, accepted, and connected (Morieson et al. 2013). Music educators must strive to foster this sense of belonging across all learning styles and create a holistic learning experience, one that includes a curriculum accessible to students of all musical backgrounds.
Mastery of Western music theory is the standard by which society grades musicianship and the potential in an artist’s abilities. This leaves informal and non-formal musicians with little to no Western classical foundation in music at a disadvantage when they pursue music at higher learning institutions. These students are often underrepresented in the academic arena and deemed not ‘real musicians’ or inferior to formal musicians because of their different foundational knowledge of learning and composing music. Because of this perception, these music students experience a depressed sense of belonging. To encourage a sense of belonging for both formal and informal musicians, educators and undergraduate music education institutions must identify other means to measure musicianship, offer a curriculum which balances formal and informal learning strategies, and encourage music students of all educational backgrounds and skills. Juliet Hess (2020) emphasizes, “Including both formal and informal learning practices in music education will help to ensure that young musicians are not limited in the future by an inability to participate in a musical experience that is either formal or informal.” In short, formal and informal music teaching and learning should not be mutually exclusive (Folkestad 2020) and the pedagogy of formal and popular music education should embrace Hess’s (2020) idea to achieve music learning practices which inspire inclusivity and accessibility of music education. If music programs do not blend both learning opportunities, students may feel they have no place in music education (a common sentiment of students of popular music), and access to music education is restricted, disenfranchising an entire population of musicians.
The synthesis of formal and informal music education can facilitate a sense of belonging for music students, paving the way for a more inclusive and comprehensive learning experience. In blending a structured pedagogy with a more organic and individualized learning experience, music educators can empower their students’ creativity and encourage a deeper connection to music education. Hess (2020) points out, “the majority of North American music degree programs demand facility in Western standard notation and classical performance. These skills comprise the codes necessary to obtain a degree in music…and may preclude particular students from being able to audition for a music program.” In altering the perception of what qualifies as musicianship and music education, we can appreciate the sources and benefits of a student’s prior musical experiences.
In comparing methods of learning, Folkestad (2006) concurs that “musical learning should be considered in a much broader context than is typical of much contemporary research literature.” In his review of formal and informal music education, Jenkins (2011) affirms the need for a balanced education that allows teaching and learning methods to exist on a spectrum instead of in opposition. This approach also develops self-identity in the classroom and among peers (Jenkins 2011). “A good music education,” he writes, “Should bring about a fundamental change in the student’s self-identity and foster the ability to make critical decisions both about music and about life” (p. 193). A holistic music education program which blends formal and informal music pedagogies guides students to achieve autonomy in their learning experiences (Feichas 2010). Combining formal and informal music pedagogy not only fosters independence and belonging, but it has been shown to be effective in the development of musicianship and skills.
Dr. Lucy Green (2017) concurs with the significance of incorporating popular music into music education and its broader implications for diverse musical learning experiences. Green’s (2017) research on the learning strategies of the informal musician suggests that informal musicians undervalue the way they learn and sometimes do not even consider it learning at all, explaining that when they become teachers themselves, they do not value their musical background. Her research highlights the important aspects of the informal practice and the attitudes and values of the informal community.
As a self-trained, popular musician, I found the application process to undergraduate music programs discouraging because Western music theory was not part of my musical background. I felt inadequate as a musician, an outsider in the education and future I wanted to pursue. I believe musicians should be knowledgeable about a broad array of musical styles, history, and theory. However, my personal experiences in pursuit of my own music education inform my belief that we need to refine current music education curriculums making them more accessible and inclusive for students of all musical backgrounds, experience, and practice. Incorporating informal music pedagogy into undergraduate music curricula validates and inspires an entire population of learners.
To seek optimal music teaching and learning experiences, value learning differences, and facilitate a sense of belonging for music students, we must strive to amalgamate formal and informal music teaching and learning practices. It is essential this refined pedagogy be reflected in institution policy, curriculum, and teaching philosophies. Working together as music educators to design programs and integrative lessons benefits both the student and the teaching institution. Introducing a model of self-directed motivation to music education is one means of successfully bridging the two pedagogies, integrating the Western model and a student’s real-life experiences. In dismissing the value of informal/non-formal learning in formal music institutions, we trigger feelings of inadequacy and alienation for students. And, in disregarding the value of these musicians, the institution inhibits its advancement and deprives itself of an enriched student body. Many students of music yearn for a more comprehensive music education. As educators, it is our responsibility to deliver that to them.
Feichas, H. (2010). Bridging the gap: Informal learning practices as a pedagogy of integration. British Journal of Music Education, 27(1), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051709990192
Folkestad, G. (2006). Formal and informal learning situations or practices vs formal and informal ways of learning. Cambridge University Press, 23(2), 135-145. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051706006887
Green, L. (2017). How Popular Musicians Learn: A Way Ahead for Music Education (1st ed.). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315253169
Hess, J. (2020). Finding the “both/and”: Balancing informal and formal music learning. International Journal of Music Education, 38(3), 441-455. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761420917226
Jenkins, P. (2011). Formal and Informal Music Educational Practices. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 19(2), 179–197. https://doi.org/10.2979/philmusieducrevi.19.2.179
Morieson, L., Carlin, D., Clarke, B., Lukas K., & Wilson, R. (2013). Belonging in education: Lessons from the Belonging Project. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 4(2), 87-96. https://doi.org/10.5204/intjfyhe.v4i2.173
Rhian Bristol is a dynamic musician, educator, and multi-instrumentalist. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Popular Music Teaching and Learning at the University of Southern California after earning her BFA in Music and VoiceArts Performance, with a minor in Music Theory, from the California Institute of the Arts. Rhian has extensive experience as a nonprofit administrative and personal assistant, social media and marketing manager, video editor, event coordinator, and music theory tutor. She is currently the Administrative Intern for the Association for Popular Music Education (APME) assisting with graphic design, event organization for both the Los Angeles, California and Edinburgh, Scotland conferences, monthly newsletters, and backline data entry.