ticulturalism influenced philosophical and advocacy practices. Psychology and neurobiology was used to justify music education. Technology brought new practices with new equipment, which advanced music education. Advocacy was influenced by the federal government; Music Educators National Conference (MENC) has been a successful advocate for music education.
Music education in the United States has gone through changes in philosophical foundations, beginning from an aesthetic focus and changing due to social, political, and cultural values of the changing times (McCarthy & Goble, 2002). Early in the twentieth century, music education had the functional goals of social, physical, moral, and intellectual development in school children. Psychology influenced educational theory and practice and music education. Economic changes led policy makers to a focus on basics in education such as educational accountability. Advocacy efforts were intensified for teachers of music and art. Efforts were focused on validating music in education. Government economic policies began to channel funding away from public schools and this led to cut backs in arts education programs. Aesthetic arguments were considered vague. New approaches addressed issues surrounding musical practices in different
contexts. The role of music in socio-cultural matters became a new focus (McCarthy & Goble).
Jorgensen (1995) discussed the aesthetic benefits of music education. Early arguments began with the statement that the Creator bestowed the gift of music on humankind to provide people with a methods to praise God. Neglect of this gift and the development of musical talent would be a display of disrespect and ungratefulness to the Creator. Other benefits included that music not only inspired religious devotion, but also it refreshed the mind, improved school discipline, and promoted habits of obedience, order, and union. Music was linked to the church...