The Role of Singing in Music Education

Abstract

English: The singing ability of youths in South Africa, Germany, Great Britain and United States of America is poor. This implies that the merits of singing are not accentuated and that singing is not used optimally in general and formal music education. This also has an effect on multicultural music education. The success of folk song singing depends on successful singing activities. The primary reason for the poor singing of youths can be found in unstructured singing. The merits of singing in formal music education include the development and improvement of: * singing accuracy and correctness * aural training * inner hearing * sight reading skills * sight singing skills * pitch discrimination * speedy memorization. Effective use bf the singing voice in formal music education includes: singing themes, motives and phrases. This can ensure a practical, music-making approach to aural training, music theory, harmony, composition, form, counterpoint and solo instrument studies. By means of an initial singing programme, young aspiring musicians could be introduced to formal music education. By means of a music ability test which consists mainly of singing, a teacher could make recommendations regarding the viability of continued formal music studies. The merits of singing in general music education include: *the development of the voice as each child's primary musical instrument * the experience of success regardless of the level of technical singing ability * opportunities for self-expression are created * the expansion of pupil's repertoire * the transfer of culture * the ability to listen selectively, to concentrate, to react and to evaluate * aural training with respect to melody, rhythm, harmony, form and dynamics * an awareness of and facility in language. Structured singing ensures that sufficient attention is given to: * the quality of singing * good choice singing material and song teaching methods * singing enrichment * singing evaluation. Structured singing enables the teacher to identify and develop individual musical talent. For multicultural music education in South Africa to succeed, emphasis should fall on singing folk songs of the different microcultures in South Africa. This is facilitated by taking notice of folk song singing in African, Afrikaans and English communities.

Afrikaans: Die sangvermoe van jeug in Suid-Afrika, Duitsland, Brittanje en die Verenigde State van Amerika is swak. Dit impliseer dat onvoldoende klem op die meriete van sang geplaas word en dat sang daarom in algemene musiekopvoeding en formele musiekonderig nie optimaal benut word nie. Dit het ook 'n uitwerking op multikulturele musiekopvoeding, aangesien suksesvolle sang 'n voorvereiste is vir geslaagde volksliedsang. Die hoofrede vir swak sangvermoe van jeug is ongestruktureerde sang. Die meriete van sang in formele musiekonderrig behels ontwikkeling en verbetering van: * sangakkuraatheid en -korrektheid * gehoorsopleiding * innerlike gehoor * bladleesvermoe * bladsangvermoe * toonhoogte-onderskeiding * die spoed van memorisering. Die effektiewe gebruik van die sangstem in formele musiekonderrig sluit in: die sing van temas, motiewe en frases. Dit kan daartoe lei dat gehoorsopleiding, musiekteorie, harmonie, komposisie, vormleer, kontrapunt en solo instrumentale studies meer ingestel is op musiekmaak. Jong aspirante rnusikante kan deur rniddel van 'n sangprogram, met forrnele rnusiekonderrig begin. 'n Musiekvaardigheidstoets wat hoofsaaklik op sang berus, kan 'n aanduiding gee vir die wenslikheid van voortgesette forrnele rnusiekonderig. Die meriete van sang in algemene musiekopvoeding behels die: * ontwikkeling van die stern as die kind se prirnere rnusiekinstrurnent * belewing van sukses ongeag die vlak van tegniese sangvaardigheid * skep van geleenthede vir selfekspressie * uitbrei van leerlinge se liedereskat * oordrag van kultuur * inskerp van die verrnoe om selektief te luister, te konsentreer, te reageer en te evalueer * ontwikkeling van gehoor ten opsigte van rnelodie, ritrne, harrnonie, vorm en dinamiek * verwerwing van taalbewustheid and -vaardigheid. Gestruktureerde sang impliseer dat voldoende aandag spandeer word aan: * die kwaliteit van sang * goeie keuse sangrnateriaal en liedaanleerrnetodes * sangverryking * sangevaluering. Vir 'n suksesvolle Suid-Afrikaanse multikulturele musiekopvoeding, behoort voldoende klern op die sing van volksliedere van die verskillende kulture in Suid-Afrika te val. Dit kan deur kennis van, respek vir, en bemoeienis met volksliedsang in swart, Asiatiese, Afrikaanse en Engelse gemeenskappe bewerkstellig word.