ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the challenges of sociocultural perspective in the teaching and learning of Putonghua songs as part of music curriculum at Hong Kong schools. Since the change of sovereignty in 1997, Hong Kong has been undergoing the process of post-colonisation. This chapter explores a study in which music teacher education students completed questionnaires and semi-guided interviews about their experiences of learning Putonghua songs during primary and secondary education. In the study, participants also discussed the Chinese national anthem, a unique Putonghua song that carries specific civic and political messages, on aspects of national and cultural identities, hegemony and resistance, cultural citizenship and values education, and self-censorship. While findings show that most participants expressed preference in learning, singing and listening to Putonghua popular songs, their perception towards the Chinese national anthem was the polar opposite. Many participants expressed a lack of singing of and interest in the Chinese national anthem while growing up. This was often accompanied by a lack of encouragement from family, teachers and peers, which further dampened their incentives in learning the Chinese national anthem. Based on these findings and supported by related sociological literatures, this chapter advocates a holistic approach to the teaching and learning of Putonghua songs in Hong Kong during post-colonisation. I argue that this may provide a student-oriented curriculum with a mixed mode of formal and informal music activities in order to arouse students’ critical thinking and interest, address and better communicate important civic messages, and encourage inclusiveness in music learning.
