Music Education in Malaysia: an Overview

Title: Music Education in Malaysia: An Overview Author(s): Johami Abdullah Source: Abdullah, J. (1990, Winter). Music education in Malaysia: An overview. The Quarterly, 1(4), pp. 44-53. (Reprinted with permission in Visions of Research in Music Education, 16(1), Summer, 2010). Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/ It is with pleasure that we inauGurate the reprint of the entire seven volumes of The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning. The journal began in 1990 as The Quarterly. In 1992, with volume 3, the name chanGed to The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning and continued until 1997. The journal contained articles on issues that were timely when they appeared and are now important for their historical relevance. For many authors, it was their first major publication. Visions of Research in Music Education will publish facsimiles of each issue as it oriGinally appeared. Each article will be a separate pdf file. Jason D. Vodicka has accepted my invitation to serve as Guest editor for the reprint project and will compose a new editorial to introduce each volume. Chad Keilman is the production manager. I express deepest thanks to Richard Colwell for granting VRME permission to re-publish The Quarterly in online format. He has graciously prepared an introduction to the reprint series. Music Education in Malaysia: An Overview By Johami Abdullah Specialist Teachers Training College Abstract: This article acquaints Ameri- of Malaysian life, including education, law, can music educators with the general medicine, civil administration, and politics. status of music education in Malaysia,' a Such British endeavors have been success- fast-developing Southeast Asian coun- ful in keeping a sizeable portion of Malay- try. Most of Malaysian music education sians tied psychologically to the United remains strongly influenced by the Kingdom, although this situation is slowly colonial legacy of the British, but many changing. These older Malaysians, quite changes are occurring as more and understandably, have been apprehensive, more Malaysian music educators wary, and even pejorative of approaches and trained in America and elsewhere ideas that are not perceived to be from begin to update the formal music England. Non-English ideas on music education process. education have also been considered inferior, unsuitable, or without standards. For people alaysiais a nation involved in find- who think along these lines, England remains ing its own culture and traditions the Mecca of music education. Mafter over 400 years of varying Expectations of music educators have also degrees of European influence and domina- been influenced by perceptions of British tion. Known as Malaya prior to its independ- traditions, and music education has seldom ence in 1957, this fast-growing Indonesian been considered a specialized subdiscipline country includes in its population a number of music study. Many believe that anyone of distinct ethnic subcultures as well as the who has acquired some formal qualifications majority indigenous Malaysians, and each in Western music, and can playa standard group traditionally has provided schools at Western instrument in the classical tradition, various levels. Yet, although there is a long is fully qualified as a music educator. Even and rich tradition of education in Malaysia, practicing music educators do not regard as formal music education in the Malaysian important the knowledge of subdisciplines schools is a fairly recent development. such as music psychology, musicology, Some of the reasons for this may be found music therapy, and ethnomusicology. in our recent history. The chief function of Formal music education became a compul- education during the British rule was to sory subject in all elementary schools in provide a work force of English-speaking Malaysia only in 1983-some 26 years after locals to fill submanagerial and other super- independence from the British. Much of the visory posts in both the public and private curricular content in these courses is based sectors. Thus, a balanced education with an on the colonial British system of education, equal emphasis in the arts and the sciences or at least patterned along similar ideas. was not traditionally a concern of the Unfortunately, Malaysian traditional music Malaysian schools. Moreover, the Malaysian and the music of other non-European populace was systematically indoctrinated cultures receive inconsequential attention, with the notion that English ideas were even in the present curriculum. second to none in many important spheres Music has yet to enter the formal curricu- 44 Tbe Quarterly lum in Malaysian high schools and universi- cultures were excluded, as were research ties, where it is treated only as an educa- procedures in music study. Some of these tional frill. Also, issues in music education teachers went on to acquire music-teaching like "utilitarian function" and "aesthetic certificates, which were primarily geared education," which have been debated and toward individualized teaching of European discussed in the United States, are unknown art music and not for teaching music in in Malaysia.' schools. The aforesaid, however, in no way Overseas Training for Malaysian means that such pedagogically oriented Music Educators subjects were not available for study at British universities. It is simply that, among The Malaysian government, especially Malaysians studying music in Britain, the under the leadership of our present prime main focus leaned towards performance minister, began in the late 1970s to counter rather than other areas. Malaysian overdependence on Britain. To diversify educational exposure for Malaysians Music Education in Colonial Times in all fields, the government began sending Malaysia attained independence on August students to study in countries such as the 31, 1957, after having been under varying de- United States, Japan, Korea, Germany, and grees of colonial dominion, influence, or rule India. Selected music educators in the by several European maritime powers since government service were offered scholar- 1511: Portugal, the Netherlands, the United ships to study music education at the post- Kingdom, and Japan. The British first secondary level in the United States. Several established formal public schools in Malaya of music educators in Malaysia have earned during the early part of the nineteenth masters degrees from American universities century. The English language was the noted for quality music education programs medium of instruction in these public like Northwestern University, Indiana Univer- schools. The chief function of education sity, and the University of Iowa. during the British era, as mentioned earlier, Earlier, all significant music educators in was to equip the Malayan civil service with Malaysia had been trained in England in a English-speaking locals primarily to serve performance-oriented system of music study British political and economic interests. at music conservatories. These Malaysians The Penang Free School, established by were rigorously trained for a period of about the British in 1816, was the first public four years to sing or to playa classical school in Malaya. Musical activities, if any, instrument to required proficiency levels. "in these early English schools were on a This musical training was coupled with the very modest scale and in the form of singing usual ensemble requirements, ear training, English folk and/or light classical songs, sight singing, Western music theory, and usually outside the formal curriculum. Any European music history. Diploma-level such activity very often depended on degrees in music were then earned from whether any member of the staff played the prestigious music schools like the Royal piano or had any other formal musical College of Music, the Trinity College of background.'? These musical activities were Music, or the Birmingham School of Music. then presented at some auspicious school The focus of this system of musical educa- event such as the Speech Day, the Annual tion was, of course, on exacting standards of Sports Day, or at an official visit of a digni- performance. Pedagogical concerns in music tary. This utilitarian tradition of music education like curriculum development, remains strong in almost all educational teaching methods and strategies, music institutions and official ceremonies. psychology, evaluation procedures, and Music was seldom taught for its own sake. foundations of music education appear to If any musical activity were conducted in the have received little or no focus. Also, music classroom, it was often part of the language appreciation courses covering ethnic music program in the earlier grades; children sang and the music of non-European musical standard nursery rhymes and folk songs in Volume 1, Number 4 45 the English language. It was not uncommon made up of the indigenous Malay races, with to include some accompanying movement or the Chinese and the Indians constituting the fingerplay activities in efforts to dramatize the other two major "minority" groups.' lyrical content of the songs. Educators felt The vernacular schools of colonial times that these musical activities helped the were attended mostly by the children of the children to acquire a better "feel" of the lower socioeconomic classes, who usually English language and reduced the degree of sought employment after six years of primary stress and unfamiliarity usually associated education. Very few were able to attend

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