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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Music Education and Cultures
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Music Education and Cultures

A Special Issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 6008

Editors

Prof. Wai-Chung Ho

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academy of Music, JC3_149, Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, Hong Kong Baptist University, 30 Renfrew Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Interests: sociology of music and its role in society; the impact of social change across cultures on music education; the intersecting forces of nationalism and globalization in music education
Dr. Siu Hang Eric Kong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Interests: music in early childhood education; sociology of music education; psychology of music education; teacher education; comparative education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite submissions for this Special Issue, which will critically examine the intricate relationships between music education and cultures. This Special Issue aims to explore how music education engages with cultural contexts, reflecting on its historical role in preserving cultural heritage and responding to societal transformations, as well as its contemporary practices in navigating the complexities of cultural diversity in an increasingly globalized world.

Historically, music education has been a vital medium for transmitting cultural knowledge, sustaining traditions, and fostering social cohesion. In contemporary contexts, music education serves as a platform for intercultural dialogue, creative expression, and societal transformation. Amid social changes, globalization, and rapid technological advancements, music education offers unique opportunities to bridge cultural divides, promote inclusivity, and address issues of equity. However, it also faces challenges, including cultural homogenization, unequal access, and tensions between honouring traditions and embracing innovative practices.

This Special Issue invites contributions that examine the interplay between music education and cultures from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Potential topics include the following:

  • Cultural diversity and inclusivity;
  • The impact of globalization on music education;
  • Intersections with identity (e.g., ethnicity, gender, religion);
  • Nationalism and its influence on music education;
  • Pedagogical innovations;
  • The role of technology in cultural representation.

We welcome submissions employing diverse methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research, as well as theoretical and critical approaches. Selected articles will provide insights into how music education fosters inclusive, culturally rich, and socially equitable practices, while addressing the cultural dynamics and dilemmas inherent in diverse educational settings.

Prof. Wai-Chung Ho
Dr. Siu Hang Eric Kong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cultural contexts in music education
  • cultural dilemmas in music education
  • cultural diversity
  • cultural dynamics in music education
  • cultural heritage and preservation
  • cultural transformation
  • equity and social justice in music education
  • globalization and cultures in music education
  • historical contexts in music education
  • identity and music education (e.g., ethnicity, gender, religion)
  • intercultural dialogue through music
  • music and social cohesion
  • music education
  • music teacher education
  • nationalism and music education
  • pedagogical innovations in music education
  • social transformation
  • technology in music education

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 451 KB  
Article
Teaching Across Cultures in Music: Rethinking Authenticity and Practice in Initial Teacher Education
by Alberto Cabedo-Mas and Dawn Joseph
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16081223 - 3 Aug 2026
Viewed by 382
Abstract
In contexts of growing social polarisation and cultural complexity, tertiary educators are increasingly called upon to move beyond celebratory multiculturalism towards critically informed intercultural praxis in preparing students for 21st-century classrooms. Drawing on a sustained transnational collaboration between Australia and Spain within initial [...] Read more.
In contexts of growing social polarisation and cultural complexity, tertiary educators are increasingly called upon to move beyond celebratory multiculturalism towards critically informed intercultural praxis in preparing students for 21st-century classrooms. Drawing on a sustained transnational collaboration between Australia and Spain within initial teacher education, this paper adopts a collaborative autoethnographic approach to critically reflect on our pedagogical practices and their implications for culturally responsive music education. We examine how intercultural musical encounters, particularly those involving culture bearers, can foster cultural competence and critical reflection among pre-service teachers, while also generating tensions related to knowledge, cultural ownership, authenticity, and appropriation. Building on these reflections, we reconceptualise authenticity as a relational and dialogic process, co-constructed through interaction, mediation, and context-sensitive engagement. We propose a conceptual framework grounded in three interrelated dimensions: collaborative partnerships, relational authenticity, and dialogic mediation through educator facilitation. Together, these principles offer an ethically informed and pedagogically grounded approach to intercultural music education that moves beyond representation towards sustained, meaningful engagement with cultural diversity. By foregrounding the role of the educator as a cultural mediator and drawing on insights generated through sustained intercultural practice and prior research, this paper contributes to ongoing debates on belonging, inclusion, and the development of culturally responsive practices in contemporary music teacher education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
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21 pages, 318 KB  
Article
School Music Teachers on Television: Identity and Practice
by Hugh Gundlach
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 1217; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16081217 - 1 Aug 2026
Viewed by 472
Abstract
This study examines how school music teachers are represented in English-language television series and considers implications for professional identity, pedagogy and recruitment. Drawing on a novel, systematically coded database of 36 on-screen music educators from 28 television series from 1952 to 2026, quantitative [...] Read more.
This study examines how school music teachers are represented in English-language television series and considers implications for professional identity, pedagogy and recruitment. Drawing on a novel, systematically coded database of 36 on-screen music educators from 28 television series from 1952 to 2026, quantitative description maps demographic attributes (age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status), narrative role (minor, major, protagonist), genre and institutional context. Our findings show music teachers are most often supporting characters, typically mid-career, male and predominantly white, with comedy—especially ensemble school comedy—dominating portrayals. Qualitative interpretation demonstrates persistent teacher archetypes and pedagogical tropes: the failed performer turned teacher, the inspirational mentor who singles out a talented student, and blurred teacher–student boundaries. These portrayals routinely privilege spectacle and rapid transformation over sequenced curriculum, assessment and routine labour, risking the creation of distorted public expectations about what music teaching entails. This article situates these findings within contemporary concerns about teacher shortages and declining occupational status in English-language contexts, arguing that mediated images may influence career choice, teacher retention and societal attitudes. Methodological advances include expanded time and geographic contexts of studied texts and detailed coding. The paper concludes by calling for reception and experimental studies to test causal effects on aspiring teachers and to inform teacher education curricula. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
14 pages, 229 KB  
Article
Rebetiko and Critical Pedagogy in Greek Music Education
by Zoe Dionyssiou
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1116; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16071116 - 13 Jul 2026
Viewed by 486
Abstract
Rebetiko, as a musical genre, has a very limited presence in Greek school music education, potentially due to its historical association with social marginalization. This paper describes the development and implementation of the educational project “A Journey to Rebetiko,” conducted by students of [...] Read more.
Rebetiko, as a musical genre, has a very limited presence in Greek school music education, potentially due to its historical association with social marginalization. This paper describes the development and implementation of the educational project “A Journey to Rebetiko,” conducted by students of the Department of Music Studies at the Ionian University in six high schools in Corfu during the 2023–2024 academic year. The project, with a duration of two academic hours, featured a short musical drama performance, an open discussion between university and high school students, and a set of collaborative group music activities. The primary objective of this research was to investigate how adolescents and university students engaged with rebetiko and how the genre facilitated discussions on issues of social justice, poverty, xenophobia, and refugeeism. Adopting a qualitative methodology, the study was framed by the principles of critical pedagogy, which guided the project’s scope, the dialogue-based activities (focusing on solidarity, democracy, and active citizenship), and the collaborative group work. Data collection was based on: (a) students’ reflective diaries, (b) the researcher’s reflective journal, and (c) an analysis of original song lyrics composed by the students. The research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on whether rebetiko can offer a transformative musical experience for today’s youth and explores how critical pedagogy can foster a more relevant, inclusive, and student-centred music education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
31 pages, 329 KB  
Article
The Intersection of Music Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Occupational Health: A Job Demands-Resources Analysis of Technostress, Burnout, and Engagement Among Music Students
by Tiange Zhou
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16071115 - 12 Jul 2026
Viewed by 556
Abstract
This study applies Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory to music student psychology, with particular attention to the differentiated impacts of artificial intelligence across music student subgroups. Background: Music education requires intensive cognitive, motor, emotional, and social training. Methods: Employing a narrative literature review and [...] Read more.
This study applies Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory to music student psychology, with particular attention to the differentiated impacts of artificial intelligence across music student subgroups. Background: Music education requires intensive cognitive, motor, emotional, and social training. Methods: Employing a narrative literature review and conceptual framework approach, this paper draws on JD-R theory, technostress research, and cross-cultural scholarship to identify demands and resources in music education and examine their relationships with burnout and engagement. Results: Seven demands: technical, physical, temporal, performance, social–emotional, technostress, cultural identity. Resources: teacher support, peer collaboration, instruments, AI tools, curricula, and intrinsic motivation. Critically, AI-related demands and resources differ substantially across subgroups: composers face direct demand shocks (job displacement) and resource opportunities (creative augmentation) that vary by career stage, while performers experience more indirect impacts through recording market disruption and emerging self-media opportunities. Singers face a unique paradox whereby AI voice cloning creates short-term recording opportunities while potentially enabling long-term vocal replacement. Cultural identity demands arise from heritage-Western tensions in East Asia. Conclusions: This JD-R framework provides a nuanced lens for understanding music students’ well-being that accounts for subgroup-specific vulnerabilities and opportunities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
18 pages, 340 KB  
Article
Sites of Becoming: How Non-Formal Music Learning Helps Forge Musical Selves in Culturally Diverse Contexts
by Annie O. Mok
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 1059; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16071059 - 2 Jul 2026
Viewed by 428
Abstract
This paper explores how non-formal music learning functions as a powerful agent in forging musical selves. Through a qualitative re-analysis guided by reflexive thematic analysis, this study re-examines data from three previously conducted case studies through the lens of non-formal learning as “site [...] Read more.
This paper explores how non-formal music learning functions as a powerful agent in forging musical selves. Through a qualitative re-analysis guided by reflexive thematic analysis, this study re-examines data from three previously conducted case studies through the lens of non-formal learning as “site of becoming.” These cases represent diverse music-making practices in Hong Kong: an amateur sacred choir, a traditional Chinese Chaozhou xianshi ensemble, and diasporic Filipino music-makers. Through this analysis, I generate five distinct facets of their musical selfhood: the performer, spiritual, heritage, social, and transcendence self, reviewing how participants form and negotiate these facets. Ultimately, this study illustrates the interplay between these sites and the formation of lived, embodied musical selves, offering insights into the educative potential of non-formal learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
13 pages, 1314 KB  
Article
K-12 Arts Educators of Color: Implementing Logic Models as a Collaborative Instrument
by Tiffany Bourgeois, Gladys Mitchell and Amy Lewis
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16060922 - 10 Jun 2026
Viewed by 310
Abstract
Using counterstories as a lens to center the experiences of K-12 arts educators of color, this study argues that professional learning communities are unique and useful sites for collaboration. Counterstories amplify storis that are commonly overlooked and challenge harmful stereotypes. Solórzano and Yosso [...] Read more.
Using counterstories as a lens to center the experiences of K-12 arts educators of color, this study argues that professional learning communities are unique and useful sites for collaboration. Counterstories amplify storis that are commonly overlooked and challenge harmful stereotypes. Solórzano and Yosso use counterstories to “identify, analyze and transform those structural and cultural aspects of education that maintain subordinate and dominant racial positions in and out of the classroom.” This research combines survey data from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) and vignettes to foreground the experiences of arts educators of color. The outcome of this inquiry emphasizes communication, democracy and collective participation as the foundation for collaboration and outlines the identification of resources, activities, and outputs as a strategy to engage with these concepts. This research extends the understanding of collaboration efforts and centers on the experiences of arts educators of color. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
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24 pages, 1154 KB  
Article
Constructing Layered Identity Through Music Education in Post-Handover Hong Kong
by Wai-Chung Ho
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050752 - 9 May 2026
Viewed by 697
Abstract
As Hong Kong approaches 1 July 2027—the 30th anniversary of its return to the People’s Republic of China—questions of cultural belonging and political identity remain salient. This study examined how local, national, and global identities have been constructed and hierarchically organized through post-handover [...] Read more.
As Hong Kong approaches 1 July 2027—the 30th anniversary of its return to the People’s Republic of China—questions of cultural belonging and political identity remain salient. This study examined how local, national, and global identities have been constructed and hierarchically organized through post-handover school music education. Drawing on qualitative discourse analysis of policy documents and government-approved junior secondary music textbooks, the analysis examined how these orientations are articulated and mediated in the curriculum. The findings showed that local identity is sustained through heritage canonization, Cantonese repertoire, and affective attachment. Additionally, national identity is reinforced more programmatically through Putonghua repertoire, patriotic theming, civilizational narratives, and the legally codified status of the national anthem. Finally, global identity is cultivated through structured multicultural exposure, including Western art music and international popular genres. Together, these orientations form calibrated layering, through which music education functions as cultural governance by stabilizing multiscalar belonging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
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Review

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18 pages, 748 KB  
Review
Integrating Theoretical Perspectives: A Narrative Review of How Music Training Enhances Word Reading
by William Choi
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16030449 - 16 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1242
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been considerable evidence suggesting that music training can improve word reading. However, the mechanisms through which music training enhances word reading remain an open question. Although various claims and hypotheses have been proposed, they are scattered across the [...] Read more.
In recent decades, there has been considerable evidence suggesting that music training can improve word reading. However, the mechanisms through which music training enhances word reading remain an open question. Although various claims and hypotheses have been proposed, they are scattered across the literature. By reviewing existing research, this narrative review article identifies three possible theoretical accounts: the perceptual account, the cognitive account, and the music reading account. The central argument is that these accounts are not mutually exclusive and can be integrated into a comprehensive framework. Specifically, this article proposes an integrated model suggesting that music training improves word reading by enhancing phonological awareness, cognitive skills, and music reading abilities. Rather than dismissing any single account in favour of others, this article advocates for their integration and calls for an evaluation of their relative contributions to music-to-language transfer. Additionally, future research directions for investigating this transfer process are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
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Other

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15 pages, 310 KB  
Perspective
Decentering Musical Creativity: Towards Situated Musical Practices in Asian Classrooms
by Yingying Pan, Yan Lam Ho, Jerry Yeung and Alfredo Bautista
Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1363; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16091363 - 24 Aug 2026
Viewed by 273
Abstract
Globalization has led to the widespread adoption of dominant Western understandings of creativity in music education curricula and educational policies worldwide. These Western understandings often emphasize particular markers of musical creativity, taking for granted the need for exploration, improvisation, creation, originality, and individual [...] Read more.
Globalization has led to the widespread adoption of dominant Western understandings of creativity in music education curricula and educational policies worldwide. These Western understandings often emphasize particular markers of musical creativity, taking for granted the need for exploration, improvisation, creation, originality, and individual expression. However, a growing body of research in certain East and Southeast Asian educational settings reveals persistent mismatches between these imported understandings and local classroom realities. In this conceptual paper, we claim that musical creativity, as conceptualized by Western scholars, should not necessarily be the core of music teaching and learning practices in Asian classrooms. To make this case, we synthesize findings from empirical studies conducted in these Asian contexts, focusing on teachers’ practices, stakeholders’ beliefs, and scholarly discourses on musical creativity. We argue that music educators in Asia should not evaluate their practices against imported Western understandings of musical creativity. Instead, we advocate for a reorientation toward developing culturally meaningful and contextually appropriate musical practices. We propose that the concept of musical creativity does not need to be abandoned, but if used, it should be decentered and locally defined. In conclusion, we call for a glocalized approach to musical creativity that is globally aware of dominant Western ideas, but prioritizes locally situated musical practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music Education and Cultures)
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