Chapter 5 and 6: Sociology

1. What are some of the social functions of music? How do such functions differ from the aesthetic, artistic function of music?
Some social functions of music include: ceremonial, entertainment, accompaniment for work, use in the home, concerts, personal experience, knowledge, collective possession, therapy and a link with the past and the future. These functions differ from the aesthetic function of music because of the setting in which they are played and the particular time they are performed. The aesthetic and artistic function of music has a specific place and appropriateness that has been set up in society to be listened to. For example: you wouldn’t hear the 1st Mozart Horn Concerto’s played live by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at a professional football game. But one would hear this at a large and extravagant concert hall with appropriate attire and behaviors. The social functions of music might be the fight song at a high school basketball game or the background music at a shopping mall. The different functions of music have been institutionalized by society. A social function of music is different from the aesthetic and artistic function of music because of each has a specific role in society.

2. How does socio-economic status affect the kinds of music people know and like?
Socio-economic status greatly affects the kinds of music people like. People in the upper and middle class tend to appreciate art music, attend concerts and listen to art music regularly. Lower class people may recognize what a symphony orchestra sounds like but they more than likely will not attend a concert. The lower class also tends to not wait for higher quality ‘new’ music and prefers any type of new music as long as it is within the same genre. Music familiarity is another role-playing factor. People of every class gravitate towards the music that their friends and family enjoy and heard played while they were children. Another difference in socio-economic levels is the comfort factors within the music genre itself. The classical music listener might not feel comfortable going to a karaoke bar while the country music listener might not prefer to attend the symphony because they are not sure how to talk or dress like the people who usually attend such concerts.

3. What does the desire of adolescents to develop feelings of competence through their own music, style of speech, and the like indicate in respect to the actions music teachers should take regarding popular music?
Students want music teachers that are tolerant of pop music just as music teachers want students that are accepting of art music. The music teacher has to walk the fine line of being too interested in pop music and publicly degrading pop music. Music educators have tried to incorporate an analysis of pop music in their classrooms but students tend to shy away from analysis to because it would ruin the piece for them. Teachers need to show that pop music is not ‘junk’ but it has its proper place in society, just like art music. Teachers need to give pop music a fair chance just as students need to be tolerant and accepting to art music.


4. What is creativity? What traits appear to be related to creativity?
Creativity is not deliberate imitation of something that already exists. Making an exact copy of a painting is not a creative act. Fluency is related to creativity because fluency is the ease with which people can make associations of words or ideas. Flexibility is related to creativity because flexibility involves changing procedures to solve a problem. Originality is also related to creativity because originality is a trait involving the ability to think in unusual ways, to see relationships that others have not seen, and to think of new and different used for ideas and objects. Openness is also related to creativity because openness is receptivity to all the sights, sounds, and ideas that one encounters and to one’s own inner feelings. Independence is related to creativity because independence is the ability to be free from social pressures and to question assumptions.

What evidence is there that learning to work within a strict structure is the best way to encourage creativity?
Jerome Butler (1964) states: “much of what we speak of as discovery consists of knowing how to impose a workable king of form on various kind of difficulties.” Butler is stating that the solution is useful and appropriate to the situation. Some effective solutions may be predictable because they associate things that have been associated before. Sometimes the quote “necessity is the mother of invention” is not only true but applicable to music education. After World War II the Navy left oil drums behind on the island of Trinidad and other islands and these people created the vibrant steel bands that we know today. The Orff system that is used in general music today is a strict system of limited notes and rhythms used within a creative practice. There is a very overwhelming feeling about composing without any guidelines.

What evidence is there that learning without any restrictions is the best way to encourage creativity?
Learning without restrictions encourages creativity because it gives the student the chance to take in all different kinds of music and different styles before creating their own. Jazz musicians can listen to many jazz artists improvise over the same song or chord changes and hear the different nuances that each musician uses. The student is not told which jazz artists are the best or worst, they only know what they like. Students learning without restrictions allow for complete creativity flexibility.

Why should all students be encouraged to attempt creative activities?
There is much value in encouraging students to be creative. Creative activities are used in the classrooms because the act of creating is itself of value to students. This allows students to try out their own personal musical ideas and gain experiences to enrich their lives. Encouraging creativity also promotes motivation to pursue and commit to refining their creative talents. Encouraging creativity creates an environment in which the students learn music better. A student goes through the trial and error process of creating music and gradually form a set of organized sounds that they prefer the best.



What are some procedures music teachers can employ to encourage creativity in music class?
Teachers can be the positive encouragement and even the ‘push’ that some students need to be creative. Music teachers need to realize that creativity is an individual matter and not something that is created by a group or committee. Music teachers can allow students to collaborate but within certain guidelines that each student must fulfil. In certain cases the music teacher has to be a role model and not necessarily the encouraging ‘coach’ from the sidelines. Coming up with something different involves a certain amount of psychological risk and students need to feel assured that their creative attempts will not be made fun of.