Ang Mei Foong - Articles

01.音樂, 人類的無形文化

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 09:15:29 GMT

01. 音樂, 人類的無形文化

            唐代詩人劉長卿（約西元709～780年）是唐玄宗開元進士，曾任监察御史，後來兩度被遷謫，因此他生平之作大部分描寫社會的離亂和他本身政治失意之寂寞。

他的其中一部詩作<聽彈琴>寫到:

                                    泠泠七絃上，靜聽松風寒。
                                    古調雖自愛，今人多不彈。

            詩歌大意為：七弦琴（指古琴，漢朝以後普遍定為七條弦而得此名）上彈奏出悠揚的琴聲，細細聆賞就如同風入松林般清雅；這樣的古調雖然自己很喜愛，可惜大部分的人都已不願彈奏了。劉長卿借用詩歌抒發情感，一方面議論古調的寂寞；同時也隱喻自己懷才不遇，進而抒發自己無法入流、曲高和寡只能孤芳自賞的孤寂之情。

            音樂，從遠古至今，都伴隨著人們的生活。從新石器時代挖掘出來的骨笛；到周朝制定的宮廷禮樂制度（又稱“雅樂”）以及採詩官做的民謠採集（當時的民間音樂被稱為“俗樂”，採成的民謠後來由孔子編定成『詩經』）；後到三國時代佛教梵唄從西域傳入到後梁武帝時代開創的“法樂童子伎”（即以童聲演唱佛曲）；再到各個朝代的歌舞表演，如唐代的“伎樂”，宋代的“雜劇”，元代的“元曲”，明清發展出的各種聲腔及劇種（其中最為代表的是崑曲）；一直到清末西方音樂表演形式與思想的滲入（如清朝引入合唱隊與銅管樂隊藉以提升清軍士氣、李叔同推廣“學堂樂歌”和梁啟超蔡元培等知識分子極力在公立學校推廣音樂美育課）；再到中國近代的“小調”和“舶來品爵士樂”(合稱 “時代曲”) 因著錄音技術的蓬勃而急速傳播等等…… 這些許多的歷史記載，都讓我們清楚的了解到：不管是宮廷還是民間，民俗或是宗教，歌曲或者歌舞戲劇，音樂不只作為各時代的消遣和娛樂之用，也在典禮、祭祀、宗教或教育上，廣泛的記載了人們的生活情境與精神。

            音樂在歐洲一樣有著類似的用途：從教會音樂 (sacred music) 到吟遊詩人（是歐洲中世紀流行的“街頭藝人”，他們是詩人也是作曲家）的“世俗音樂”(secular music)；再到各個時期的音樂，如中古時期的音樂 (medieval music)、文藝復興時期的音樂 (renaissance music )、巴洛克音樂 (baroque music)、古典主義音樂 (music in classical period)、浪漫主義音樂 (music in romantic period)、民族主義音樂 (music nationalism)、現代音樂 (modern music/ 20th century classical-music)等，都記載了音樂在社稷、政治、文化、宗教和教育上所扮演著的重要角色。

            這些看不到摸不到的無形文化，承載著人類的精神文明。正因為音樂的產生離不開人們的各種生活層面，於是，“學音樂”從廣義上來看，就是一種對民族歷史，民俗和文化的深入探討。學習“自己的音樂” 可以強化人們對 “自己的文化” 的認識，而學習 “世界音樂” 即可以從音樂的角度窺探世界文化的精髓，開拓視野並促進文化的包容。

            撰寫“聽彈琴” 的目標不在感嘆時下“古典”音樂之不被重視，而在藉由這股清幽之情激起大家從歷史、表演形式、類別等不同的角度，對音樂作進一步的認識。或許可以讓大眾觸類旁通，或讓學音樂的莘莘學子從這些廣角重探音樂的多元性與可能性。下來的專欄內容，將一一解剖各種音樂的故事，共同探索這些集合了人類精神結晶的無形文化遺產。


洪美楓/ 女高音‧UPM音樂系講師

A Survey Report on the Current States of Music Education in the Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia.

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:55:11 GMT

Author: Ang Mei Foong (APSMER ID: PA5080)
Date: 25/7/2007

* This paper was presented in the APSMER 2007, at the University of Chulalongkorn, Bangkok, Thailand.

Abstract

UCSCAM (United Chinese Schools’ Committee Association of Malaysia) is a non government organization; it is also regarded as the headquarters of all Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia. The curriculum bureau of UCSCAM takes care of the schools’ curriculum development. The organization had published three complete music textbooks for junior music classroom teaching since 1998, however, the organization has never been able to master the comprehensive understanding of the implementation of music education among all Chinese Private High Schools throughout the entire nation.

Hence, a survey has been done in 2005 using questionnaires, interviews and observations respectively on each school’s music education implementation, the music teachers’ background, the current music teaching materials, the music teaching equipment, the extracurricular music activities, the methods of assessments and the teachers’ general opinion to the current states. The objective of this survey is to help the organization to know comprehensively the overall development of the recent music education implementation among all Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia, and to take this as basis into constructing a brighter future for the schools.

An approach to Early Music Singing

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:21:09 GMT

Author: Ang Mei Foong
Date: 11 Oct 2006

Introduction

Over generations, baroque vocal music has been placed an important role for voice training. The vast reservoir of baroque vocal music ranging from Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi is an essential repertoire list for many new singers. However, many of us (the singers) seemed unaware to the stylistic approach when performing these pieces, partly because most singers are over concerned on the voice technical development, and many are lacked of knowledge to the appropriate manner to the early music performance. Hence, my present study set to report some imperfections of voice performances based on my own experience and to confer with some of the early vocal music practices.

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独中新音乐课程之趋势：多元文化音乐教育之概念、实践与挑战

Wed, 24 May 2006 16:49:57 GMT

作者: 洪美枫
日期: 2006年5月25日

【摘要】

多元文化主义（multiculturalism）是许多音乐教育学术研讨会中时常出现的名词。大部分讨论多元文化音乐教育（multicultural music education）的国家是为了尝试以多元文化教育（multicultural education）来解决境内多元种族所引起的问题。这些国家大部分由于接纳移民而导致国内社会走向多元种族化。因此，在这些国家，“教育”扮演着重要的角色，主要目的就是为了帮助学生了解自身文化以及外来民族的文化。

马来西亚社会即由这些不同种族所组成，也因此，马来西亚社会与生俱来就富有多元文化的特质。然而，由于曾经是英国殖民地，对音乐教育来说，马来西亚的音乐教育体制却依然存有浓厚的西方色彩。至今，音乐的学习往往只等于西方古典音乐的学习。

独中在2005年进行教育改革以后，音乐课程被认为不应被视为“副课”，因为艺术类科目（美育）可以协助学生得到全面的发展，并能让学生发展个性和特长[1]。然而，音乐科目应该教些什么？为什么它能帮助学生得到全面的发展？它如何让学生发展个性与特长？音乐科目的内容该如何教才能达到整体的独中教改目标？在马来西亚这个多元文化的国家，音乐课程应该如何设计，才能达到尊重遇维护本国多元文化的特点？本文的重点既尝试回答以上问题，并以“多元文化音乐教育”作为基础，讨论音乐科目的新课程设计思路。其中，将包含国际上多元文化主义之崛起缘由、本国的多元文化因素以及历史包袱、独中实践多元文化音乐教育的概念、重要性及其挑战。

关键字：多元文化主义、多元文化教育、多元文化音乐教育、多元音乐文化、新音乐课程

Towards the understanding of Multicultural Music Education and its approach to the Chinese Private High Schools[1] in Malaysia.

Wed, 24 May 2006 16:08:50 GMT

Author: Ang Mei Foong
Date: 25 May 2006

Introduction

Multiculturalism is among the most common topic discussed in the Music Education Conferences. Most countries started to concern about multiculturalism after a large number of immigrants migrated into a certain country and form a multicultural society to the country. Consequently, education in these countries plays an important role to help students understand the local and diverse ethnic culture in which they live.

Malaysia successfully announced its independency from British Colony in 1957 under the co-operation of the three major races; the Malays, Chinese, and Indians; Besides these three major ethnic group, according to the 2000 demographic census, Malaysia has a population of 23.27 million consisting of 61 percent Malays, 30 percent Chinese, 8 percent Indians and one percent of other ethnic groups. They are the Dayaks, Kadazans (Dusuns), Bajaus, Melanaus and Muruts from Sarawak and Sabah regions; the aborigines of Peninsular Malaysia and minor Europeans and Eurasians.[2] These different races formed a multicultural society in the country. However, being once a part of the British Empire, education in Malaysia has been colored by British thinking. For music education, it usually means studying the Western European music.

The educational system in Malaysia could be divided into different medium-language schools; for elementary schools, there are Malay schools, Chinese Schools, and Indian (Tamil) Schools. These elementary schools teach students in their mother-tongue language rather than the national language (Malay language is the national language, but it is still a compulsory subject in all sorts of schools). All elementary schools compliance the national curriculum, and music education has been compulsory in all elementary schools.

For high schools, all high schools teach students using national language except the Chinese Private High Schools, and this formed a special term for the previous stated high schools as the “government high schools”. Government high schools follow the national curriculum, and music education is no longer compulsory; while Chinese Private High Schools has their own curriculum that is established by another group of experts (under these schools’ chief educational department), and music education is also an elective subject.

The Chinese Private High Schools’ curriculum is written based on the national education curriculum, but is modified to be more adaptive for the students who learn in the private high schools that is taught in the student’s mother-tongue language (Chinese language). However, for the music education in Chinese Private High Schools, due to the influence of the British thinking, very little attention has been paid to either the Malaysian traditional music (these including the Malay Malaysian, Chinese Malaysian, Indian Malaysian and other music culture in the country), or any other music culture of the world except Western European music cultures.

Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia has undergone educational reforms since 2005. The reforms started after the educators realized the importance of integrating the local elements into the educational system. To be independent from foreign country’s curriculum and to focus on the local heritage become part of the weight bearing point in the educational reform. The objective of this change is to draw back the attention from others to the local heritage. The culture in Malaysia is multiple, music culture itself is also multiple, thus, multicultural music education is very much emphasized in the new music curriculum. However, the changing of the music curriculum doesn’t mean to ignore the Western European music culture until they are all been canceled from the curriculum, but is to make the curriculum more multiculturalism. To achieve this goal, local musical heritage such as the Malay Gamelan, Caklempong, the Chinese orchestra, Chinese Opera, the Indian Sitar, and the Kadazan music would be taking their place in the new music curriculum.

Towards the understanding of the concept and its historical perspective of the forming of multicultural music education in the world; the importance and the methodologies of promoting multicultural music education, has becomes the crucial element in reforming a new music curriculum to the Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia. In this paper, I will address on the rationales of multicultural music education; the concepts of multicultural music education; and some approaches, and challenges to multicultural music education for the Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia.

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獨中音樂教育現況調查報告(2005年)

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 17:24:58 GMT

作者: 洪美楓
日期: 2006年5月12日

【摘要】

董总在1998年开始编撰独中的统一教科书《初中音乐》三册。2000年《初中音乐》三册全面出版以后，5年以来确实为独中提供了开设音乐课程的最基本素材。然而，董总作为推动各学科在独中发展的主导单位，对于各独中音乐教育实施的成果、以及各独中之间音乐课程设立的差异与现况，仍未能全面的了解。

因此，董总课程局于2005年做了一次音乐科的问卷调查 “独中音乐教育现况调查”。此调查就学校音乐教育政策、师资背景、音乐教材使用现况、校内音乐教学设备、联课音乐活动、音乐教学评量的现况进行研究，并对此提出改革的建议，以期完善独中教改理念。

此调查分别以问卷调查、走访学校以及电话访问三个方法进行。对象为包括古来宽柔分校在内的全国61所独中。藉由以上三个调查方法量化与质化分析结果，做一个现况的论述。

希望藉此可以帮助教育机构以及各独中掌握我国音乐教育发展的背景与现况，并以此为依据，建构一个符合当前社会现况与适合各校程度的普及化的音乐课程。

关键字：音乐教育、多元文化音乐教育、音乐教材、课程纲要、课程设置、音乐教师、联课音乐活动、音乐课室、音乐教学设备、音乐教学评量