ABSTRACT
Most formal music education contains one or more of the following: written curricula, syllabi, or explicit traditions of teaching and learning; paid teachers, lecturers, or "master musicians" who usually possess some relevant qualifications; systematic assessment mechanisms such as graded exams, national school exams, diplomas, or degrees; musical notation, which is sometimes regarded as peripheral, but more usually, central; and finally, a body of literature, including texts on music, pedadogical texts, and teaching materials. Over 94 percent of world record sales are in the realm of popular music, while a mere 3.5 percent are in classical music, and 1.5 percent are in jazz. It hardly needs adding that children and young people overwhelmingly favor and identify with popular musics above all others. This is, of course, no reason why popular music should be important for music educators. Both purposive and distracted listening carry on beyond the early learning stages and into professional realms.
