ABSTRACT
In Mexico, music composition in schools is usually overlooked. Despite educational policies emphasizing the development of creative skills as an important goal for arts education in basic education (preschool to grade 9), the national curriculum does not yet provide a clear guidance or a systematic approach for music teaching and learning, or music composition in particular. The purpose of this chapter is to present a deeper examination on how music composition (creation) is positioned within the curriculum and how it is approached by Mexican music teachers. First, an analysis of the national curriculum for arts education and its elusive conceptions of music creation and composition in basic education is presented, taking into consideration its multi- and interdisciplinary approach. Later, an overall description of music teachers’ views and experiences in teaching composition in schools, their pedagogical strategies, and their perceptions toward the national curriculum is provided. Finally, the educational policies and their practical implications based on music teachers’ own experiences are compared and contrasted.
