People need music to sing, dance, play, work and listen to during a substantial part of their daily
lives. Musicians understand and communicate life through music, a form of art that individuals
and societies treasure. Tertiary music educators invest time and energy in order to assist music
students in creating their own successful careers, but do their teaching and learning include
holistic education approaches that develop the student into a well-rounded person? As a “think
piece”, this article advocates a few important perspectives that will encourage undergraduate
music educators to structure a music programme that will prepare music students to flourish in
their lives and future work place. 21st-century skills for living and lifelong learning recommended
by researchers, business leaders and education specialists are acknowledged and related to
the challenges of teaching music as a well-rounded person. Wellbeing, flow and mindfulness
are aspects that open up other dimensions such as meaningfulness and spirituality.
Musiek speel ʼn belangrike rol in mense se alledaagse lewe. Hulle sing, dans op die maat van
musiek, luister daarna wanneer hulle werk, kuier en sport beoefen. Musikante verstaan en
kommunikeer die lewe deur musiek sodat individue en die samelewing dit as ʼn kunsvorm kan
ervaar en koester. Tersiêre musiekopvoeders spandeer tyd en energie om musiekstudente
vir produktiewe betekenisvolle musiekloopbane voor te berei. Maar word daar ooit aandag
gegee aan holistiese onderrig en leer wat musiekstudente se menswees ook aanraak en
afrond? In hierdie artikel beredeneer ek ʼn paar standpunte wat tersiêre musiekopvoeders sal
aanmoedig om voorgraadse musiekkursusse so te struktureer dat musiekstudente in hul lewens
en werkplek sal floreer. Ek ondersoek lewenslange leervaardighede wat deur sakeleiers,
navorsers en onderrigdeskundiges aanbeveel word. Hierdie vaardighede word verbind met
die uitdagings om musiekstudente te laat fokus op hul persoonlike welstand, die hier-en-nou,
betekenisvolle lewe en hul verbintenis met spiritualiteit deur musiek en musiekaktiwiteite.
