ABSTRACT
The changes that had taken place in music education since 1945, from a curriculum based upon singing and musical-appreciation lessons to one which enabled the pupil in primary schools to enjoy a much more participatory role were outlined by Dorothy Taylor in her book Music Now as long ago as 1979. In a classroom with many West Indian or Asian children, there is some justification for broadening the curriculum to embrace Caribbean and Indian traditions, though it is a rare teacher who can enthuse equally knowledgeably about ragas, reggae and Rigoletto. If the National Curriculum Council continues to support the Orders for music by including statements such as ‘choose an approach which suits the needs of their pupils’ quoted above, there is every reason for teachers to feel that they can provide rewarding and imaginative musical experiences for their children, allowing both teachers and pupils to encounter, better appreciate and understand the musics of many traditions.
