Community music as a part of higher education: Decisions from a department chair/researcher

The following article addresses the partners in the lifelong music cycle (school music, collegiate music and community music) and how these partners might approach music education for the benefit of music participants. While community groups have commonly tapped graduating students from public schools to feed their groups, there is a need for universities to take part in this cycle by taking ownership of community music as a part of their college music programmes. Considerations are presented concerning the structure and specific content of the curricular topics that may be needed in the preparation of future instructors and musicians in community music settings.