ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses that the arising from social and cultural roles and activities - the concept of 'identity' refers to a historically and socially specific condition. It considers some examples of the 'push-and-pull' effect of globalization versus localization in relation to musical identity-formation, and sometimes very different effects that both sides of the dialectic can produce. The chapter examines some of the different ways in which musical identity-formation is specifically intertwined with music learning, cutting across from the informal to the formal music education spheres. It considers some issues concerning the formation of local, national and ethnic identities within a globalized musical culture, in relation to music learning and music education. For centuries, the advent of the electronic media that are associated with globalization, musical cultural imperialism or colonialism took place primarily through the export of Western classical music as a status symbol and cultural icon, and along with this went the educational systems that were associated with this music.
