Traditional music as co-construct of intercultural music education

Renata Sam Palmić

Summary:   From a didactic, sociocultural, social, and communication angle, the primary school is an important link between the diversity of traditional music and different folk cultures. This work wishes to corroborate knowledge of the need for strengthening the sensibility of music education pupils towards their own musical and cultural identity as a source and stimulus for developing feelings for traditional musical and cultural pluralism in an urban environment as a co-construct of the multicultural society and intercultural dialogue. The paper presents the results of an examination of the relationships and attitudes of pupils toward traditional music after they have completed compulsory basic education. The results of the examination of a Croatian sample showed that, in the multicultural reality of contemporary society, traditional music has strong potential to serve as the foundation of intercultural music education in primary school; however, the music education curricula should be more open to multiculturalism in primary school education. An intercultural approach to primary school music education, based on traditional regional music in the role of co-constructor and to general intercultural education in the multicultural society, is necessary. This need is driven by the manifold meaning of traditional music for the development of the individual and society, and the appearance of traditional music beyond the source of its creation in various musical forms and genres, regardless of place and historical moment.