ABSTRACT
This chapter is a reflection on the state of music education in Jordan from the perspective of a Russian-born, British-educated woman who has been teaching in the country for over thirty years. The increasing use and accessibility of technology in Jordan has had a profound effect on the culture of the country, in particular with respect to people’s ability to access popular music. Together with a high rate of immigration, this has led to noticeable changes in the nation’s social structure, which has been diversified by imported cultures and attitudes. At the same time, Jordan continues to be a country where modern European ideals, ideas, and modes of behavior are brought into conflict with the old, deep-rooted Arabic Islamic traditions. The author describes how in her teaching she has attempted to achieve a finely tuned balance between different roles—including roles both intrinsic to music education and unique to her particular social standing in Jordan, which allows her to be a female role model, a mentor, and a counselor—in multicultural Jordanian society.
