Adopting an Interdisciplinary Approach to General Music

Music influences, and in turn is influenced by, other disciplines. Its vital and dynamic presence in our lives lies at the heart of an interdisciplinary approach to general music. This chapter describes the principles and aims of such an approach, as well as the characteristics of teachers who see themselves as interdisciplinarians. The chapter begins with vignettes from elementary, middle, and high school settings that illustrate complementary relationships between music and closely related subjects. Music teachers can create interpretive spaces in which inquiry-based projects open up opportunities for expressive and creative experiences. Because this approach is relatively rare in music education, avenues for the future development of interdisciplinary perspectives are explored, including dispositions, skills, and understandings conducive to interdisciplinary teaching; the development of students’ relational thinking across subject areas; and pedagogical strategies that foster meaningful connections.