ABSTRACT
By its very nature, music is a multidisciplinary experience. Anthropology, communications, history, linguistics, psychology, and sociology are fields of study that inform musical understanding beyond its sonic attributes. By situating a listening selection firmly within its culture, students can begin to understand why and how people make music. Guiding the students to sense the bigger picture of a music culture can include the historical origins of a musical example, how the music functions within the culture, or how it is transmitted among members of the community.
Within this chapter, the dimension of Integrating World Music is explored. To further inspire the interdisciplinary imaginings of secondary school music teachers, this chapter will also provide examples of true cross-disciplinary experiences. These integrative ideas allow music teachers to explore beyond the sonic properties of the music and emphasize the cultural meaning of the music by learning keenly through interdisciplinary means; however, some of these designs may not be suitable for all secondary music classrooms or age groups. While presented as potential courses, these ideas can take the form of a series of lessons, a single unit, or even a fully designed course that encourages integrating between fields of study.
