Devising musical expression in teaching methods for elementary music : an attempt at shared teaching materials for singing and arrangements for piano accompaniment

摘要

In March 2017, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan announced the new-generation designated courses of study, following partial amendment of the enforcement regulations to the School Education Act. The designated courses of study are prepared by MEXT pursuant to the School Education Act to establish standards for curriculum development at every school, in order to ensure that students in any region of the country can receive a uniform level of education. They establish objectives and general educational content for each subject at each of the levels of elementary, junior-high, and high school. The new designated course of study for elementary school released this year will be implemented beginning in April 2020. The designated course of study for each subject in elementary school consists of overall objectives as well as objectives and content for each school grade. Its overall objective for music incorporates more detailed content than the current course of study. Its objectives and content for individual grades also are specified in more practical terms, while still observing the three pillars of expression, appreciation, and common matters. This paper summarizes the revisions to the designated course of study for elementary-school music, focusing on “devising musical expression,” which is identified under Item 2 of the new designated course of study. The designated course of study establishes common teaching materials on singing. Four works are specified for each grade—for a total of 24 works over six years. These are considered extremely important works in elementary music education in Japan in light of Japanese traditional culture and classical song forms, their musical structures, and the Japanese historical background that can be identified from their lyrics. Focusing on piano accompaniment in the common teaching materials for singing, the authors use the expressive method of arrangement for piano to attempt to devise means of musical expression. With regard to arrangement, they focus on the important point of making works easier to play without losing the sound of the originals. They do so because this makes it possible even for instructors who have little experience performing on the piano to play songs on the instrument and sing along with pupils while also observing them. They then compare and contrast the original sheet music with that of the arrangements and discuss one teaching method for elementary music.