Transforming Music Study from Its Foundations: Music Theory Panel Survey Closing on September 15

Jennifer Snodgrass

Over the past year, a group of theorists began to discuss the ideas presented in the document “Transforming Music Study from Its Foundations,” now best known as the CMS manifesto. This group of theorists will be featured in a panel at the upcoming SMT meeting this fall.  

In the interest of developing a better understanding of some of the current teaching practices of teachers of theory and ear training, a survey has been developed to be distributed nationwide and beyond.  We are asking that all teachers of the musicianship core, including performers teaching core courses, share their responses.  We greatly appreciate the 270+ responses we have received so far, and we plan to close the survey on September 15.  The final results will be presented at the SMT meeting.  http://manifestopanel.weebly.com/survey.html

 Members of the panel wish to clarify that the survey sent out via the CMS and SMT-announce was not an official CMS or SMT survey, nor was it vetted by the membership or boards of these societies. Rather, it was created by a group of seven scholars, each of whom is a member of both CMS and SMT, and all of whom will participate in a panel discussion to be held at the 2015 SMT meeting in St. Louis. The purpose of the survey was to collect data that would allow us to better understand current teaching practices in preparation for this panel discussion.  Although the questions presented in the survey do refer to some of the material in the TFUMM report, the panel’s goal is not to endorse or attack the report, but to consider and discuss it.

We look forward to the discussion!