ELTU PSE Outline

Name: Leung Lok Wai Louis

Student ID: 1155092495
Course Code: ELTU1001EH
Instructor: Kitty SZETO

Title: The Failure of Music Education in Hong Kong

1. Introduction

-Hong Kong has been criticized as a place which lack of creativity, especially on

music aspect (Chiu, A., & Martin, S. 2013).

-However, Hong Kong do have lots of academies and schools which have music

degree programmes, like The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong

Academy of Performing Arts (Music bachelor degree_CUHK. , n.d.) (Study

Programmes - Music - HKAPA., n.d.).

-The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) did received 90,950

exam entries in 2007, constituted 50 per cent of the total number of entries the

board received in the whole of Asia (Yeung, C. ,2013).

Thesis

To tackle the problem of immature music education system in Hong Kong and spread

the atmosphere of music learning in Hong Kong, increasing proportion of music

education in schools and joining orchestras can be possible solutions, while

combining 1-to-1 class and small class teaching together is the most effective way to

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tackle the issue.

Problems

-The failure of music education in Hong Kong has been very obvious that it failed in

molding a music atmosphere in Hong Kong.

-Music practices in Hong Kong government schools did not place sufficient emphasis

on creativity in music learning (Leong, S. ,2013).

-More than 70% of students reported having no creative activities in their music

lessons in secondary schools (Leong, S. ,2013).

Cause

1. Lack of opportunities for young musicians

-Hong Kong Philharmonic supposed to be representing Hong Kong, turns out that out

of 99 players, 45 of them are non-Asian players (HK Phil players' list. ,n.d.).

-Busking musicians in Hong Kong are always being complained when performing

outdoors (Yu, A., 2015).

2. Forced by parents

- Many parents forced their children to learn instruments and take exams. (Yeung,

C. ,2013).

-Exams like diploma from ABRSM should for people who achieve for music career

and becoming a professional (Diplomas. ,n.d.) but parents just aiming for higher

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grades in order to enter elite schools (Yeung, C. ,2013).

Negative Consequences

1.losing interest in Music

-Parents’ forcing attitude may kill their children’s interest in music (Yeung, C. ,2013).

2.less focus on technique

- In Hong Kong, 30 out of 40 students in a class can play the piano, but it’s a different

story in Italy, where only two or three people out of a village of 1,000 can play but all

of them are fine pianists (Yeung, C. ,2013).

Solutions

1. Increase proportion of music education in schools

To tackle the root problem, which is the music education system, it is an easier way to

increase the proportion of music lessons in school.

-Teachers have only 14 double music lessons during the academic year so that they

cannot teach as much as they want (Ho, W., & Law, W., 2009).

-Advantage: can get more lesson time to teach more variety of music knowledge to

students.

-Disadvantage: will cause longer lesson time for students, they will get bored.

2. Joining orchestras

By joining orchestras, children can experience a new way of music learning method.

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-Children will lose their interest in music mainly because of boring lectures and

exam-oriented lessons (Wu, C. B., 2017).

-Advantage: children can find their interest in music more easily as they will strive for

the same goal together with others (Wu, C. B., 2017).

-Disadvantage: Children might get stressed from parents and audience as well (Wu, C.

B., 2017).

3. Combination of 1-to-1 class and small class teaching

Based on a project conducted in Norwegian Academy of Music, combining 1-to-1

class is an effective way to make students gain interest in music lessons.

-students will have their own performing time and other students can give comments

on the performer’s performance (Bjøntegaard, B. J., 2015).

Disadvantage: students might get stressed since they will be commented in every

lesson.

Advantage: Students can get a more varied learning atmosphere by playing and giving

comments at the same time (Bjøntegaard, B. J., 2015).

Students can get more independence from teacher as they do not need to play through

the whole lesson (Bjøntegaard, B. J., 2015).

Conclusion

Best solution: Combination of 1-to-1 class and small class teaching is the most

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effective way as students have more interactions with others during music learning.

Future outlook: parents should not just focus on grades and exams, but also focus on

their interest and the purpose of learning music.

Word count: 718 words

Reference

Chiu, A., & Martin, S. (2013, December). Music in Hong Kong. Retrieved February

20, 2017, from http://www.thembj.org/2013/12/celebrating-the-amateur-in-hong-

kong/

Music bachelor degree_CUHK. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from

http://www.jupas.edu.hk/en/programme/cuhk/JS4082/

Study Programmes - Music - HKAPA. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from

https://www.hkapa.edu/music/study-programmes/

Yeung, C. (2013, December 15). Music education is used as a tool for students to race

to the top (C. Lim, Ed.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from

http://tyr.journalism.hkbu.edu.hk/?p=1193

HK Phil players' list. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from

http://www.hkphil.org/eng/aboutus/our_players/index.jsp

Diplomas. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://hk.abrsm.org/en/our-

exams/diplomas/

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Yu, A. (2015, November 30). Why Hong Kong's buskers are becoming vocal critics.

Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-

entertainment/article/1883537/why-hong-kongs-buskers-are-becoming-vocal-

critics

Leong, S. (2013, January). Solving the Creativity Crisis. Retrieved February 20, 2017,

from

https://www.hkiednews.edu.hk/en/content/index.do?contentCode=1354847909019

Wu, C. B. (2017, February 11). 【樂人投稿】媽媽，為甚麼你要我參加樂團？－

胡仲勳. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from

http://www.musicvalley.com.hk/2017/02/11/%E5%AA%BD%E5%AA%BD-

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8%82%E5%9C%98.html

Bjøntegaard, B. J. (2015). A combination of one-to-one teaching and small group

teaching in higher music education in norway - a good model for teaching? British

Journal of Music Education, 32(1), 23-36. Retrieved from

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 http://easyaccess.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1

780093774?accountid=10371

Ho, W., & Law, W. (2009). Sociopolitical culture and school music education in hong

kong. British Journal of Music Education, 26(1), 71-84.

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