Music in Schools: commodity or scholarship?

Abstract

This paper inquires into the development of the law 11.769/2008 which disposes on the imposition of musical teaching in elementary schools in Brazil. A brief survey on musical teaching in Brazil shows the contradiction between all the arguing on the subject and the documental evidence, such as the comparison of the Nacional Curriculea Parameters (Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais), showing the importance of the academic studies in music for the music teacher, against the veto of the 2nd article of the Law 11.769/2008, which foresaw exactly this academic studies. We show the debates on the development of the studies of the economic expression of the culture in Brazil, arguing how the last years saw an expressive increase in numbers, but UNESCO points to brazilian understanding of culture as a good in an economic market for cultural services and goods. In this context, music appearing as an economic good, our worries are directed to ensuring that Law 11.769/2008 instead of regulating an economic market trading of musical goods stand for a shield in ensuring musical scholarship.