Likewise, other authors, including John Goodlad and Mortimer Adler, have argued persuasively that music and the arts must be included in education on the same level as other important subjects like English, science, and math. They comprise the most fundamental branches of learning. No one can claim to be educated who is not reasonably well acquainted with all three. Music educators are the agents for the preservation, refinement and transmission of that heritage to each succeeding generation of Americans. Listed below are several reasons for including music in the liberal arts curriculum.
Music is worth knowing.
It is a field of study with its own special body of knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking. The ability to perform, to create, and to listen to music is highly desirable for every member of society. One important purpose of education is to transmit our cultural heritage to succeeding generations, and music is one of the most glorious manifestations of our cultural heritage . Participation in music reveals to all students the richness and breadth of our musical heritage. It also facilitates the preservation and transmission of that heritage.