Educational Change and the Secondary School Music Curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand

Educational Change and the Secondary School Music Curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, edited by Graham McPhail, Vicki Thorpe, and Stuart Wise (2018), presents a wide variety of perspectives on curriculum matters in contemporary music education in New Zealand. This review gives an overview of the main themes presented by the editors and contributors, which include the concern that under present education policy, secondary students are liable to receive an incoherent music education that does not include important concepts that are necessary for success in tertiary music study. Contributors to the book also consider issues such as the use of computer technology in the music classroom, the teaching of composition, and initiatives such as the Smokefree Rockquest which present students with access to the local music industry. The book also situates the present state of New Zealand music education in the context of local politics and international educational movements, and considers how music teachers might respond to cultural diversity in their classrooms.