This book compares, from a historical and sociopolitical perspective, the respective systems and contents of music education in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in response to globalization, localization and Sinificiation, with particular reference to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei.

While attention has been paid to various aspects of music education in China, to date no single publication has systematically addressed the complex interplay of sociopolitical transformations underlying the development of popular music and music education in the multilevel culture of China. Before the implementation of the new curriculum reforms in China at the beginning of the twenty-first century, there was neither Chinese nor Western popular music in textbook materials. Popular culture had long been prohibited in school music education by China’s strong revolutionary orientation, which feared ‘spiritual pollution’ by Western cultures. However, since the early twenty-first century, education reform has attempted to help students deal with experiences in their daily lives and has officially included learning the canon of popular music in the music curriculum. In relation to this topic, this book analyses how social transformation and cultural politics have affected community relations and the transmission of popular music through school music education. Ho presents music and music education as sociopolitical constructions of nationalism and globalization. Moreover, how popular music is received in national and global contexts and how it affects the construction of social and musical meanings in school music education, as well as the reformation of music education in mainland China, is discussed. Based on the perspectives of school music teachers and students, the findings of the empirical studies in this book address the power and potential use of popular music in school music education as a producer and reproducer of cultural politics in the music curriculum in the mainland.

First, this book will synthesise the methods of the sociology and cultural studies of music education for a variety of readers, including music scholars, educators, and even arts policymakers. At present, there are no books about the development of school music education in response to the double paradigm of nationalism and globalisation (or multiculturalism), so this book will provide a fascinating basis for comparative studies of these three Chinese societies. It will also provide key papers that will enable students to have a single point of reference for their music education, cultural studies, liberal arts education, and even other humanities courses. Second, the book will be a core text on culture and education, as well as music education programmes, for both undergraduates and postgraduates in both local and international markets. In particular, it will present readers with background material to understand more about cultural politics and the characteristics of music education with the analyses of official documents and data from teachers collected from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as well as advance social and political perspectives that will contribute to informed discussions about the key education issues facing educators in the three territories. Third, other educators and academics who are interested in Chinese cultural studies and/or Chinese education will come to understand the changing role of music education in the global era and be able to see how the relationship between school music education and the process of state formation has evolved.

This book focuses on the rapidly changing sociology of music as manifested in Chinese society and Chinese education. It examines how social changes and cultural politics affect how music is currently being used in connection with the Chinese dream. While there is a growing trend toward incorporating the Chinese dream into school education and higher education, there has been no scholarly discussion to date. The combination of cultural politics, transformed authority relations, and officially approved songs can provide us with an understanding of the official content on the Chinese dream that is conveyed in today’s Chinese society, and how these factors have influenced the renewal of values-based education and practices in school music education in China.

While attention has been paid to various aspects of music education in China, to date no single publication has systematically addressed the complex interplay of sociopolitical transformations underlying the development of popular music and music education in the multilevel culture of China. Before the implementation of the new curriculum reforms in China at the beginning of the twenty-first century, there was neither Chinese nor Western popular music in textbook materials. Popular culture had long been prohibited in school music education by China’s strong revolutionary orientation, which feared ‘spiritual pollution’ by Western cultures. However, since the early twenty-first century, education reform has attempted to help students deal with experiences in their daily lives and has officially included learning the canon of popular music in the music curriculum. In relation to this topic, this book analyses how social transformation and cultural politics have affected community relations and the transmission of popular music through school music education. Ho presents music and music education as sociopolitical constructions of nationalism and globalization. Moreover, how popular music is received in national and global contexts and how it affects the construction of social and musical meanings in school music education, as well as the reformation of music education in mainland China, is discussed. Based on the perspectives of school music teachers and students, the findings of the empirical studies in this book address the power and potential use of popular music in school music education as a producer and reproducer of cultural politics in the music curriculum in the mainland.

Higher education is an important resource for any country, and it serves as the key agent in forming a better society. The development of higher education has aroused widespread concerns among stakeholders in the sector, including policymakers, university administrators, academics, parents, and students. While there is a growing trend toward incorporating general education into the compulsory curriculum of higher education, this topic is under-researched. The broader societal benefits of including cultural understanding in higher education have received less attention, but these benefits are fundamental to the well-being of society. No direct research between the learning and teaching of cultures or musical cultures in higher education can be found in academic references. Dialogue on this issue will help to map humanities and social studies, education policies, and practices in contemporary and future higher education. This book addresses the overriding issues concerning the consequences of links between higher education and social change. The main objective of this book is to present information and scholarly research on the development of and challenges to social change, cultures, and higher education in Hong Kong. Major trends and movements in the literature of education and their effects on cultural diversity and social experiences will be reviewed in order to develop a framework for the study of diverse cultures and higher education. This study will trace the development of education and cultures and musical cultures in Hong Kong from 1984 to 1989 framed by the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration Agreement, as well as the return of Hong Kong's political sovereignty from the United Kingdom to Mainland China on July 1, 1997. It will also discuss the sociopolitical contexts and cultural practices of the Hong Kong Chinese community and show how the interactions between globalization, localization, and Chinesenization have created their respective conditions under the influence of diverse musical cultures. Particular reference will be made to a study of the General Education Course "Music, Culture, and Society", which is one of the core requirements offered in the history and civilization category at Hong Kong Baptist University. The principal research question of the study focuses on two issues: To what extent might students be helped in knowing and understanding music and society, and how might such cultural and social awareness be perceived by students and inform contemporary educational practices? This study will report the researcher's recent survey data and the students' assignments collected from the general education course, delivered to three different sessions of the course "Music, Culture and Society" between Spring 2013 and Autumn 2014. The data will also include the students' reflection assignments on the 2014 Umbrella Movement, where popular songs were used to support pro-democratic activities.

"Ho's book explores music education in China, and how creativity, education reforms, and social transformation can be enabled through music. The essential elements of music discussed include perception and creativity, sources and stimulation, and the integration of musical creativity in diverse cultures and participation. It focuses on three Chinese cities; Changsha, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, which have creative industries and Shijiazhuang, which has cultural industries. Readers will gain insights into the introduction of creativity into the Chinese education system through music, particularly during the pandemic. The author analyses official documents, selected music textbooks adopted by schools, and in-depth interviews with both students and teachers. These interviews reveal the underbelly of the dilemmas of introducing creativity into schools through music education. The volume will be of interest to those keen to increase creativity in teaching through music, and researchers in the fields of creativity and music education. It will also interest students undertaking Chinese, teacher education or Music"--