Prejudices and irrelevancy: the dilemma facing music curricula in many South African universities

Abstract

Some of the music curricula at many universities in South Africa do not adequately address the needs of the Music industry and the indigenous people of that country. On the one hand, it does not adequately prepare students to take up various roles in the modern music industry for it mainly focuses on the academic work and instrumental recitals, yet the modern music industry is not only about performing instruments, but there are other important roles to be fulfilled too. The industry needs qualified personnel to operate music recording studios, market and manage musical groups, music archives, and music libraries among many others. On the other hand, the curriculum is also irrelevant to the majority of the Black students. The teaching of music theories and instrumental performance is generally based on the western genres at the expense of the African ones. Most of the curricula focus on the works of Western composers, such as Haydn, Bach, Mozart and others at the expense of such great composers of music from Africa like the late Lucky Dube, Dorothy Masuka, and Miriam Makebha among many others.