ABSTRACT
In order to better understand where we are, and where we want to go, it’s a good idea to ground ourselves in where we came from and how we got here. I will frame this look at history beginning in the mid-1700s. This leaves out extraordinary musical traditions that were well established here by the time explorers began settling, however, compared to the European impact, these native musical practices have had little influence on the daily music practice and study in the United States. For those interested in a much deeper examination of music history in the United States, see A History of American Music Education, by Michael Mark and Charles Gary. It is an outstanding historical source beginning with influences from the Hebrews of the Old Testament. Also, Edward Bailey Birge’s History of Public School Music in the United States, which was first published in 1928, is a fascinating look at music practice from almost a century ago (while a lot of what we call history was actually happening).
