At my keynote address during the 18th International Kodály Society Symposium in Columbus, Ohio (U.S.A.) on August 3-10, 2007, I shared insights gained from my extensive fieldwork in the Philippines between 1998 and 2001. During this time, I collected over 1,500 vocal materials and developed a teaching sequence tailored for Filipino music educators, emphasizing diverse research perspectives. I urged collaboration among educators and ethnomusicologists in selecting teaching materials while also advocating for music educators’ own fieldwork to discover meaningful musical literature. Addressing the impacts of urbanization, globalization, and industrialization on music education, I supported a curriculum that preserves Philippine music while embracing global perspectives. Drawing on Zoltán Kodály’s vision of universal harmony through music, I proposed fostering inclusivity and unity through singing as a shared goal for all music educators. Embracing diverse musical traditions globally contributes to building a community where every voice is celebrated.

Read keynote address here: The Music Educator as a Fieldworker | Discoveries in the Field