Name
Spirituality and Civil Rights in Music Education: Teaching and Music-Making in a Community String Orchestra
Date & Time
Monday, July 27, 2026, 11:50 AM - 12:20 PM
Description
This study examines the narratives of music educators and teacher-conductors involved in the New Song Festival Orchestra Jr. from 2018 to 2025 in the Philippines. This community-based string orchestra gathers musicians from various church communities, providing a space for artistic growth, Christian fellowship, and shared worship through music. The orchestra functions as both a learning environment and a ministry of service, where teaching and music-making nurture not only technical skill but also faith, character, and community spirit.Through the narratives of participant teachers and teacher-conductors, the study explored community music from pedagogical, spiritual, and social perspectives. Grounded in the tenets of music education, it emphasizes inclusive and developmental learning that affirms the worth of every musician. Within the Christian context, pedagogy becomes an act of discipleship where rehearsals and performances are guided by mutual encouragement and the pursuit of excellence as church instrumental musicians. The repertoire, composed of both secular and liturgical music, reinforces spiritual reflection and collective devotion, allowing participants to experience faith as lived and expressed through sound.Additionally, the study examines the civil-rights dimension of access to music education, arguing that community-based orchestras uphold the right to cultural and educational participation. Using the Social Outcomes in Community Music framework which encompasses individual, micro, meso, and macro levels the study analyzed how such initiatives build social cohesion and inclusivity while strengthening faith communities.Ultimately, this study asserts that music education grounded in spirituality and community engagement contributes to both personal transformation and social equity. In this orchestra, pedagogy, faith, and fellowship converge. Such, empowering musicians to grow in artistry and conviction. As Christian educators and performers, their shared music-making becomes a testimony of faith in action, where education, worship, and civil rights harmoniously unite in the service of faith and community.
Location Name
513B
Full Address
Palais des Congres - Montréal Convention Centre
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
Session Type
Paper Presentation
Presenting Author(s)
Jesher Edrei Perez