ABSTRACT
The U.S. population draws on hundreds of different cultures for its artistic expression. Although the majority of the U.S. people have their roots in European cultures, a growing percentage of the population today comes from different minority ethnic groups. Projected population figures show that by the middle of the 21st century, the majority of the U.S. population will no longer be European. The United States will be a truly pluralistic society. According to the Music Educators National Conference (1994b) report on national standards in music education:
…music studied should reflect the multimusical diversity of America’s pluralistic culture. It should include…music from outside the art music tra-dition, music from the various cultures and ethnic groups that comprise American society, and authentic examples from the various musical cultures of the world. Many communities and many schools themselves are already smaller versions of the global village, (pp. 3-4)
As we move to the 21st century, the multicultural heritage existing in our U.S. schools and communities should be viewed as the opportunity to expand our knowledge, skills, awareness, and values of this “multimusical diversity.”
