The Teaching of Music

THE TEACHING OF MUSIC • A. A. Nikolayev Music occupies a place of honour in the cultural life of the Soviet people and particularly in the artistic education of its youth. The chamber and symphony concerts held in city and village, the lectures on music popularizing the work of outstanding composers, the music programmes on radio and television, the extensive support and promotion of amateur art activities at factories and collective farms, public schools, universities, and other educational institutions, all help to bring music closer to millions of people throughout the Soviet Union. Singular attention is paid to the training of professional musicians--composers , players, teachers, and theorists. A multitude of special educational institutions have been established for this purpose, ranging from elementary music schools to the conservatories. To become a professional, a future musician must have not ouly a special education, but natural gifts which mayor may not be discerned early enough in childhood, but which are often disclosed during the period of training. This point has found due consideration in the organization and structure of Soviet establishments for musical training. The first stage on the way to musical accomplishment is the elementary (seven-year) school for children from the age of seven or eight. There are more than 1,000 of these in the cities and larger rural localities , in which some 150,000 children are enrolled. The curriculum of the children's music school includes, besides the usual subjects of public schools, classes in piano, violin, 'cello, brass and folk instruments, grammar of music, soifeggio, theory of music, and musical literature. Its pupils also attend a class in choral singing. By the time a pupil is ready for graduation teachers are able to judge competently of his gifts and the feasibility of his continuing with musical studies. Those of the more talented who wish to go on studying music take the entrance examinations to the secondary school of music, while the others limit themselves to a special course in music, and choose a 54 A. A. NIKOLAYEV more suitable profession for tbemselves. In tbis way, music remains for them a cultural pastime or hobby, and tbe grounding tbey have received in music school serves to give tbem a deeper understanding and appreciation of music generally. The secondary school of music has a four-year plan of studies and graduates pianists, orchestral players, and singers (chorus and ensemble) as well as teachers for elementary music schools in the classes of piano, orchestral instruments, choral singing, tbeory of music, and musical literature. Besides tbese and otber subjects-such as orchestral and ensemble classes for orchestral players, accompaniment and pianoforte ensemble classes for pianists, and the choral classes for vocalists--all pupils study tbeory (solfeggio, tbeory of music, harmony, short courses in tbe analysis and study of instruments, and musical literature), and also the general subjects of tbe eightb, ninth, and tentb grades of tbe secondary schoo!' The pupils of tbe tbeory department also major in theory and take a general course in playing tbe piano. In tbe larger secondary schools of music, a special class of composition has been instituted for tbose who show an aptitude for tbis subject. There are ! 20 secon.dEr)' ~chcch:. of :nus:::: in the U.S.S.R.. with a student body of 21,500. They can be found in all tbe large cities, and in tbe republican and regional centres of tbe country. Graduates of tbese schools are offered work in tbeir special fields. If tbey wish, tbey may take tbe competitive entrance examinations to a conservatory. Besides tbe schools mentioned above most of the conservatories have tbeir own schools for highly gifted children. These have a ten-year term of study, offering their pupils tbe complete secondary musical and general education required for admittance to the conservatory. At present, tbere are 19 conservatory schools witb a student body of 6,000. The activities of all tbese schools are directed by tbeir principals and educational officers appointed from among the more experienced and honoured teachers. The special classes are directed by department heads, who preside over the end-of-term recitals and examinations. The teachers of musical tbeory and the general SUbjects are supervised...