Community Music In Schools

Community Music, in another word is a wide range of “music education” programs that take place “outside” the boundaries and schedules of ordinary school music programs. (Veblen, 2008) Sometimes, it could be hardly define between music education and community music, which is it involve certain same attribute such as forming a music workshop, clinic, music program, music activities or extracurricular music activities in school. However, music education could be limited in approaching towards society, only students and teachers in kindergarten, primary, secondary, university or conservatory could involve, sometimes they required skillful music background.

Community music could be more variety and outreach to wider community than an education

We believe that active music-making should be encouraged and supported at all ages and at all levels of society. Community Music activities do more than involve participants in music-making; they provide opportunities to construct personal and communal expressions of artistic, social, political, and cultural concerns. Community Music activities do more than pursue musical excellence and innovation; they can contribute to the development of economic regeneration and can enhance the quality of life for communities. Community Music activities encourage and empower participants to become agents for extending and developing music in their communities. In all these ways Community Music activities can complement, interface with, and extend formal music education

Rhythm in Bronze started off as an all-women gamelan group in 1997 and today, continues to make waves by pioneering and spearheading totally new dimensions of gamelan performance. Rhythm in Bronze founded by composer and ethnomusicologist Sunetra Fernando, has brought the gamelan to the contemporary concert stage and developed a new audience for its music. Rhythm in Bronze’s music springs from diverse creative collaborations: between the ensemble and Malay, Javanese and Balinese gamelan, Carnatic music, Chinese drumming and percussion, Malay and Sufi poetry. Rhythm in Bronze first started its outreach work through its Rhythm in Bronze in the Community projects in 2005. The rationale was to bring the gamelan and music performance in a collaborative environment to children in marginalize communities. Today, its outreach work has expanded to producing full-scale performances of children’s gamelan theatre. Its first show of this kind, Bites of Delights, won awards for “Best Sound Design” and “Best Group Performance” at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards 2012. Their recent workshop supported by Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur and Enfiniti Academy just finished by 10th of May