Post-war developments in music education : an investigation of music education policy and practice, as implemented within three local education authorities during the period, 1944-1988

摘要

In recent times there has been a resurgence of interest in the history of musicudeducation, which has opened up new opportunities for the re-interpretation ofudboth established and changing philosophies, pedagogies and practices. Historicaludresearch into music services within LEAs is still a fertile area for investigation.udThis thesis brings new arguments and evidence to bear upon an under-researchedudand emerging area of study.udThe focus of this particular investigation emerged from the author’s earlierudresearch into the history of the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) musicudservice, the findings of which revealed three interrelated factors underpinning itsuddevelopment: funding and commitment, strong leadership, and the ‘London’udfactor. These earlier research findings prompted further questions leading to theudconception of the rationale and focus for this thesis. The first was to ask ifudgovernment reports, and the ensuing initiatives they fuelled, had led to otherudLEAs developing their approaches to state music education in similar or paralleludways and at similar rates, and the second was to examine the role that individualsudplayed in steering the direction of music education within the differentudauthorities.udEmpirical research has provided an overview of the developments in Englandudwithin three separate demographically contrasting LEAs: Leicestershire, Londonudand Manchester, which in turn represent a large rural county, the capital city, anduda relatively large northern industrial city. During the period of the chosen timeudframe of this study the LEAs, and those appointed to lead them, were at theirudmost powerful and influential, but, from the mid-1970s onwards, their autonomyudgradually declined as education became more centralised through governmentudintervention, resulting in loss of power and the consequent sidelining of theirudrole, a situation which impacted significantly on state provision for music. Thisudthesis examines the consequences of the effects of decision making, byudorganisations, and their individual interpretation, on music education thinkingudand practice.ud