Rohrer, T. P. (2002). The debate on competition in music in the twentieth century.

Update:

Applications of Research in Music Education, 21(1), 38-47.

The author, Thomas P. Roher, was the director of bands and director of music education

at Utah State University. A rift has been driven between music educators of all backgrounds on

the basis of one question: should music be competitive? Different education philosophies are

abundant among all kinds of music educators, and the purpose of this article is to address the

pros and cons to both sides of the debate through scientific study and presentation of

philosophies. The biggest argument for completion in music is that it creates a stronger drive for

improvement and performance within music, and therefore students will become better

musicians because of it. However, many opponents argue that music is subjective, and is not

meant to be competitive, so it should not be paraded as such. It also means that students’ self

esteem, interest in the activity, and motivation may dwindle if they have a bad experience with

competition. On the other hand, proponents say that it can help to prepare students for what life

beyond school holds for them—competition, and the potential disappointment that comes along

with it. It is also used to judge educators on their ability to teach—which can make or break a job

—and can be a way for educators to gain notoriety and local fame. The morality and nobility of

both of these uses for music competitions are debatable. There are too many arguments to list in

this paper, but the article is definitely an informative read.

The topics brought up in their article relate to me because I performed in competitions

both in band and in choir. Both pushed me to do better, but at the same time raised my anxiety

levels and lowered my humility. I am not entirely sure if the competitions were actually more

beneficial to me in the long run or not.

 I plan to integrate this into my teaching and management of music programs by thinking

on the subject a bit more, and tweaking my philosophy from there. I would also like to

emphasize the idea that music does not need to be competitive to my students, and to make sure

that they are not tempted to base their self-worths on the results of judged performances of a

subjective art form

. The logic of this article is easy to follow, and makes sense to me. I believe that I would

find the same results and conclusions through my own research. I hope that the philosophies and

facts presented in this article will serve me well one day in my future teaching career.