In recent years a number of publications have emerged which attempt to capture the critical issues in the field of music education, and as a lecturer in primary music education I find these general introductions useful in setting the scene for my students. Consequently, any new collection instantly attracts my attention and this publication, by Abeles and Custodero, is no exception.

What is instantly obvious is that this text does not emerge from the British tradition of music education. The list of references, while familiar in many instances, is rather remarkable for the names which are absent. That said, one might be forgiven for thinking that this text is more suitable for an American audience, and on first sight, that was indeed my own response. However, on closer inspection, here is a useful text that has much to offer all who study music education. For example, Roberta Lamb describes the American music tradition as having four components: band, orchestra, choir, general music. She explains the tensions and paradoxes in the various manifestations of this music tradition, in particular considering how more formal, instructional approaches to music making are regarded with higher esteem than those in which children engage in a more informal context. There is something here which chimes with tensions and developments in the English system, perhaps.

The book contains 14 chapters, organised in four sections. Each chapter deals with a separate issue in music education. There are similarities here with the issues raised in earlier collections, as one might expect, and it is interesting to consider differences and progression in thought. The chapters deal with: historical contexts; socio-cultural issues; philosophical perspectives; music and meaning; learning communities; musical learning and development; the curriculum; assessment; teaching methods; musical forms; genres and traditions; technology; current issues; music education research; and the professional development of a music teacher. In each case, the subject is approached from an American perspective, however, there is much here that casts light on UK, European and worldwide approaches to music education. In the remaining paragraphs I will provide a flavour of the issues raised in this book as I comment on just six of the 14 chapters, focusing in particular on how the chapters may inform those who work in the field of music education.

The first chapter, by Abeles, is concerned with the history of American music education. Drawing on developments familiar to those involved in American education, such as ‘No Child Left behind’, the text traces music education's history from the early 20th century to the present day. The chapter is most successful in relating developments in music education to contemporary political issues: in America, the politics of equality are regarded as having a significant impact on the emergent picture of music education. This approach, in which history, politics and ideology emerge as an intriguing backdrop to our own highly politicised education system, offers much by way of discussion and inference for students in the UK and elsewhere. The text makes good use of sub-headings, and the author is careful to set out his intentions for this work. The text is well supported by reference to literature and there is a clear sense of structure. The chapter concludes with a summary which offers a useful starting point for those who seek to support undergraduate students, as they begin to make sense of the subject-specific literature. In addition, the author provides points for discussion and suggests further projects in which students might engage in order to advance their understanding.

In his conclusion to chapter 3, Randall Everett Allsup states that his intention has been to raise questions about the nature of music education and, furthermore, to engage learners in the kind of thinking in which questions may emerge without end – always returning, as it were, to the beginning. Allsup traces the development of thinking about music education, from notions of aesthetic education and the education of feeling, to the emergence of praxial notions in which musical understanding and musicianship become neatly entwined. There is nothing new in this, certainly, and it is said equally well in other places. However, it is the focus on the disposition to ask questions which is refreshing. In his notes for class discussion, he asks: ‘What is philosophy good for?’ What appears clear is that questions are no less interesting than the answers they elicit.

In chapter 4, Custodero considers musical meaning. Here, meaning is seen to concern embodiment, conceptualisation and creativity. The discussion considers how music is felt and understood through an embodied, physical experience and the author discusses the relationship between physical and conceptual modes of understanding. Music teaching is considered from both behaviourist and constructivist positions, emphasising the differences between the master-apprentice model (considered behavioural), and the child-centred/explorative model in which understanding is constructed through creative engagement. This interesting chapter holds much for discussion about the very nature of music education and the different ideologies we each hold as music teachers.

Chapters 5 and 6 are concerned with musical learning, largely from a psychological perspective. In chapter 5, St. John considers the impact of social learning through engagement in community music activity. This chapter gives credence to informal pedagogies and has much to support moves elsewhere (e.g. Musical Futures in the UK) to emphasise the importance of musical learning as a social experience. In chapter 6, Custodero follows the preceding discussion of the social psychology of music with an examination of developmental psychology. This discussion will be familiar to readers of basic texts in musical learning but it is rehearsed here with detail and in a clear manner. I particularly liked the way the chapter concluded with a set of key statements, each with a brief discussion. These statements would form the basis of an interesting class discussion and have practical value to the teacher educator.

Chapter 7 deals with curriculum. Clearly, any view of curriculum is ideologically positioned and this chapter is well placed within the edited volume. It takes some time for students to understand their own ideological position and many will be dealing with conflicts and double standards in their own thinking about what is important in music education. In this chapter the whys and wherefores of music education are discussed; questions about purpose, design, outcomes, processes and products. This discussion is most fitting in the current English climate as we see a shift from creative pedagogies to technical-instructional pedagogies. The ‘Singing School’, a relic from rather ancient American musical traditions, has re-emerged as a ‘title of desire’ in English schools. The progressive, child-centred view of children as composers is set in contrast to views of the child as band or choir member. This too, resonates with our experience (in English schools) of wider opportunities and the emphasis of teacher direction over child-initiated learning. Curriculum is a complex issue that is given full consideration in this chapter.

It is not my intention in this review to give an extensive coverage of each of the chapters. I hope I have given at least some sense of the text and an indication of its potential contribution in initial teacher education. The remaining chapters follow in the same vein, offering a thorough investigation, at least from an American perspective. Each chapter is well-defined with coherent headings and sub-headings and concludes with a useful summary, with ideas for class discussion and further project work.

This text is designed with the specialist in mind and I suspect it is more suited to postgraduates than the undergraduates identified in the introduction. While it deals with the same issues as other texts concerning general issues in music education, the style could not be described as straightforward. To those who operate in the American system this must surely be a must-have which I would encourage any music teacher-educator to buy. And to those who work in other countries, who see their own tradition as emerging from an international dimension, this is a worthy addition which offers much in terms of both subject knowledge and personal reflection.