Music, Education, and the Industry in Brazil: Reasons to be Proud or Ashamed?
Some say that art in music has died. But if it is true, who killed it? Is it a problem caused by the lack of music education or by the inconsistency of music industry? Are you proud or ashamed of the current music scene in Brazil?
Photo: Pixabay
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MUSIC, EDUCATION AND THE INDUSTRY IN BRAZIL:
REASONS TO BE PROUD OR ASHAMED?
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– by Paula Musique –
Music is life-changing. It is healing and brain-developing, it can influence people in their decisions, humour, behaviour, and even in their relationship status. According to Boethius, “music is a part of our human nature; it has the power either to improve or to debase our character”. However, music in Brazil has received increasing criticism from Brazilians themselves, from all socio-economic backgrounds and even within the artistic-musical environment. It is said that something is alarming about music lyrics. Why are they complaining? If there is a problem, where it comes from? From the education system? From the industry? Is it due to the type of music? Are Brazilians over-reacting? Are there reasons to be proud of ashamed of Brazilians music?
“Music in Brazil turned either pornographic or cuckold’s”. This is what Deborah Blando who was a very successful singer in the 1990s stated. She announced last year that she was leaving Brazil, and according to her, this decision was motivated by the direction of the music industry in the country. Academic articles and also the newspapers have shown Brazilians’ dissatisfaction with the music of this century. But it was not always this way.
From the 1950s onwards, Brazil experienced a musical boil never seen before: bossa nova, vanguard music, tropicalismo, and protest music were taking place. Brazilian music festivals were responsible to arouse the audience through broken guitars and hopeful artists. Until the mid-1960s, Brazilians prided themselves on producing and also consuming quality music. The industry was exporting “national anthems”. Brazilian music shared a sense of patriotism and belonging. The music festivals had established themselves and were very popular in the country. Additionally, in the second half of the 1960s the foundations of what we would be known as MPB, or Brazilian Popular Music, were being built. And under the umbrella of MPB were included samba, bossa nova, baião, forró, and modinha. At that time, music was being taught at public and private schools giving to students the opportunity to sing in a choir or play in the band.
Unfortunately, both music education and the industry changed in Brazil. Is it true that Brazilian music is, nowadays, increasingly poor and commonplace? If so, whose fault is it? Brazilian music has never been so simplistic, in general, confined to lyrics that abuse repeated words and few recurring chords in the harmony chart. Some people say that the current sertanejos are the ones to blame, but, rock in the 1960s, added to rap in the 1980s and 1990s plus the massification of music through since auditorium TV shows have changed the music scenario.
Studies show that the lack of music education in schools has influenced the direction of citizens’ musical taste. Due to lacking knowledge and access to a wider range of music, Brazilians are limited to listening to a small variety of music genres – those played on the most popular radio stations and television shows. The N.1 YouTube channel in Brazil is KondZilla with almost 28 billion views and 54 billion subscribers. It is a music channel on carioca funk music.
Some say that art in music has died. But if true, who killed it? It is often said that was the public. When there are consumers, there is trade. Higher-educated musicians in the field find it difficult to be notable by the industry, and cannot have music as their main source of income. On the other hand, some artists decided to join the market and make the music type the public asks for. There is very high-quality music being produced in Brazil and there are musicians with exceptional talent who are even international award-winners. On top of that, many artists have already migrated to other countries, where other music genres are valued. In academic debates at the music college, students wonder if the problem comes from a lack of music education or the industry. In which ways one influences the other? Do people dictate what the industry produces or the industry says what people will listen to?
THE MAGIC OF SIGHT-READING
THE INDUSTRY AND MUSIC CULTURE IN BRAZIL
LAUGH OUT LOUD AT THESE MUSIC EXAM ANSWERS
CREATIVE ARTISTIC SHEET MUSIC
TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
MUSIC INSTRUMENTS QUIZ
Photo: Pixabay
As in many other countries, both the education and music industry in Brazil is problematic. What if people listen to what they listen because they have not been widely introduced to other options? Brazilians need to know and understand musical possibilities that go beyond what the media recommends. Nevertheless, it is difficult to enjoy what we do not understand. That is right. Remembering school days, which subjects students like and which subjects did they hate? Usually, students do not like the subjects they do not understand well – and sometimes, to make matters worse, the teacher did not show interest in those studies either.
A person who goes to an orchestra concert and do not know the name of the instruments, their sounds individually, do not understand any of the conductor’s gestures neither the differences between a work by Mozart and one by Stravinsky. Either this audience person is an exception and likes everything they see, is delighted with what they hear and cannot wait to go home to Google all questions and find answers or this person is an ordinary person who finds everything boring, and understands none of that, and cannot wait to get out to tune in to their favourite radio station and listen to the songs they understand.
It is difficult to value the unknown. How can one appreciate something that they do not even know how much work takes to get that result? When a pianist watches a piano recital, they have an idea of how long and how much work it took to get those Liszt cadences successfully played. Someone in the audience who took music lessons would appreciate the pianist who memorized a 20 pages long Beethoven sonata. Does the audience imagine that there are pieces which take 50h, 100h, 300h of study? Knowing these facts turns much more impressive to see Martha Argerich playing the piano. How much preparation do violinists need to prepare the Paganini Caprices? It is exciting to know that a beautiful vibrato did not come out of anywhere.
Brazil needs a new reality for its music education and industry scenario. One where more musical genres are valued and understood. One where all types of music expressions are respected – it does not matter if it is music from the favelas or the elite. Music education should be designed to develop students’ interest in opera, chorinho, rock, jazz, blues, and gospel, making them want to learn violin, piano, trumpet, sax, country guitar, ukulele, and percussion, for instance. Brazil should be a place where more singers can read music.
Something is alarming about the music lyrics in some genres and how it objectifies women and sensualizes kids. Some say those lyrics are a way of empowerment, others say it is depreciation. That is, it is a controversial topic that needs research.
In my opinion, everyone should learn about music from childhood. Everyone should have access to good music teachers in public and private schools, with opportunities to sing in a choir and play a band. Besides, families with financial conditions could further encourage their children to study a musical instrument, mainly due to all the positive aspects of musical practice. It is important to know the history of your people and to understand and respect cultural manifestations; however, I believe there is a limit of common sense.
People can express themselves artistically as long as they are not harming others. But there is the dilemma of the music industry. Should the industry be ethical and consciously promote music, or is profit the main focus, regardless of how it will be achieved? In Brazil, it is not clear that it is the people who consume, get used to and accept what the industry offers or if the industry would like to offer more variety and quality, but it is hostage to the tastes of the public.
I believe that Brazil has musicians to be proud of, there is a vast music production in many genres and, thanks to social networks, musicians with a differential become known and popular, but would need the industry to push them to reach larger audiences. I believe Brazil has reasons to be ashamed of, as there are child-exploited music videos in which children sing, dance and are exposed to adult situations. Brazil should be ashamed for not criminalizing this kind of situation.
Finally, Brazil needs to develop more research on these topics, as there are no studies that cover these areas together. Audience consultation, studies of the effects of song lyrics on the population, and industry research on interests by artists of other music genres are required. Studies are needed on the historical, sociological and anthropological aspects that relate music education to industry and how this is reflected in people’s music choices. Anyway, Brazil can be very proud of its music one day again. It is needed a general awareness about how important music education is and how the industry can contribute to a greater variety of music that will open new possibilities for listeners and musicians.
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THE MAGIC OF SIGHT-READING
THE INDUSTRY AND MUSIC CULTURE IN BRAZIL
LAUGH OUT LOUD AT THESE MUSIC EXAM ANSWERS
CREATIVE ARTISTIC SHEET MUSIC
TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
MUSIC INSTRUMENTS QUIZ
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