Being Musical

The early childhood centre is a meeting place of many different musical threads. Teachers bring with them their own conceptions of music and also have to contend with musical influences from both within and beyond the centre, for example, the children, parents, the community, the curriculum. All of this takes place within the overarching cultural influences that make up Aotearoa/New Zealand: issues of Pākehā identity, Māori identity, biculturalism, and multiculturalism. This study combines perspectives from education, ethnomusicology, and ethnography in its approach and examines the early childhood teacher’s development as a teacher of music within this context. This book deconstructs the concept of being musical, and provides a model for the formation of musical identity. It will interest teachers and academics who are passionate about music education.