Music Education as a Dialogue Between the Outer and the Inner. A Jazz Pedagogue's Philosophy of Music Education

Abstract

This chapter discusses the philosophy of work of a renowned Norwegian jazz pedagogue and its embodiment in practice as a dialogue between inner and outer aspects of music and human beings. Music, here, is conceived as something that doesn’t necessarily involve sound. The chapter is based on a qualitative study, and aims to enrich basic thinking in music- and art teacher education. Through a philosophical inspired discussion, three dilemmas are highlighted in the conclusion: Is jazz education about music or about humans? If it is about humans – is it about individuals or communities? If jazz education and jazz performance is regarded as two sides of the same thing, what then should jazz teacher education be about?