Praxial Music Education : Reflections and Dialogues

Elliott''s groundbreaking 1995 book, Music Matters: A New Philosophy in Music Education, introduced the praxial theory of music education which argues for a socially and artistically grounded concept of music and music education, challenging the field''s traditional "absolutist" foundations. Praxial Music Education collects the responses to his thesis from leading scholars in the field. A companion to Music Matters, this book is designed to spark debate and deeper analysis of this influential theory in music education.

Praxial Music Education is a collection of essays by nineteen internationally recognized scholars in music education. Each essay offers critical reflections on a key topic in contemporary music education. The starting point of each essay, and the unifying thread of this collection, is the "praxial" philosophy of music education explained in Elliott''s Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (OUP, 1995). This philosophy argues for a socially and artistically grounded concept of music and music education, challenging the field''s traditional "absolutist" foundations. Praxial Music Education is both a critical companion to Music Matters, and an independent text on contemporary issues in music education. Among the themes discussed are multicultural music education, the nature of musical understanding, early childhood music education, the nature and teaching of music listening, music curriculum development, and musical creativity. Praxial music education is a living theory. This unique collection will not only enrich discussions that already use Music Matters as their core, but will globalize current discussions and applications of the praxial philosophy and emphasize the positive and practical values of collaborative efforts in music education.