Pulse: Journal for Music and Interdisciplinary Practices

TULTUGAN CONTEXTUALIZING MUSIC EDUCATION THROUGH THE ARTISAN’S PERFORMANCE-TEACHING PROCESS

2025-05-29T10:59:57+07:00

The Philippine k-12 music education curriculum promotes engaging music classes through output-based learning. Such a learning approach aims to develop learners who are expressive, creative, and culturally aware individuals. However, there is limited information or knowledge on how to address the learning demands of the learners based on the mandate of the Philippine education system. Also, there is a lack of information on the cultures of different regions in the country. Furthermore, educators don’t have enough learning resources and knowledge to deliver quality music education to learners. With that, there is a need to document and study different cultures in the country, specifically in the province of Iloilo, to establish the plurality and dynamism of cultures in the Philippines. Likewise, studying cultures in the country would inform members of the community and other outsiders about the knowledge, expression, approaches, and practices organic to a specific community. This paper is anchored to Symbolic Interactionism with the aim to answer the question of how Tultugan practice is transmitted from one generation to another and find its music education possibilities. Furthermore, to look at the music education possibility of Tultugan, the paper used the TCTF framework by Schippers which can enlighten music educators on how to navigate in designing music classes using local music materials. The study interviewed an artisan or culture bearer in the community. Data gathered are from the interview, pictures, and observations. Data were then triangulated and member-checked to ensure the reliability and validity of the study. Results show that the transmission processes in learning Tultugan have a lot of potential for music education that promotes socio-cultural awareness among learners while developing their expressive and performance competence.

TEACHER AGENCY AMONG MUSIC TEACHERS IN THAILAND: AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

2025-07-22T15:35:25+07:00

This article examines the concept of teacher agency in the context of music teachers in Thailand, using an ecological perspective that conceptualizes agency as emerging from the dynamic interplay between past experiences, current contextual conditions, and envisioned futures. The study critically analyzes how educational structures impact music teachersí capacity to design meaningful learning and proposes systemic support across three levels: policy, school, and professional community. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing music teachers as active professionals who initiate and shape learning in ways that align with studentsí cultural identities and educational values. The article advocates for sustainable structures that nurture teacher agency and support creative pedagogical autonomy within the Thai educational system.

FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER IN GHANA: RETHINKING MUSIC EDUCATION IN A CULTURE OF ECONOMIC ASPIRATION

2025-07-16T11:41:05+07:00

This study examines the prevalent undervaluation of music education in Ghana, where formal training in the arts is frequently perceived as economically imprudent and socially peripheral. This paper employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating document analysis, surveys, and interviews with music graduates, to investigate the perceptions, structures, and funding of music education within Ghana’s educational system. This research utilises Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach and Decolonial Education Theory to identify significant patterns of underfunding, social stigma, and curricular exclusion. Research indicates that music graduates often face financial difficulties and social stigma, despite acknowledging personal development and their contributions to their communities. The exclusion of music as a fundamental subject in national curricula has intensified these perceptions, separating music education from Ghana’s overarching development strategy. Comparative policy reforms in Africa suggest that music education can enhance cultural identity, foster social cohesion, and contribute to the development of the creative economy. The paper concludes by presenting practical strategies for repositioning music as a developmental asset instead of a non-essential luxury.

MUSIC THERAPY IN AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOM: UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING EXPERIENCES IN THE CONTEXT OF DIVERSE ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDS

2025-06-10T14:38:56+07:00

This article presents the teaching experience of an undergraduate elective course, ìIntroduction to Music Therapy,î which is designed for students from diverse academic backgrounds. The course aims to establish a foundational understanding of music therapy as an interdisciplinary field that integrates music, psychology, and medicine to promote physical and mental well-being. The course was designed with flexibility to accommodate students with various levels of prior knowledge, including music major students, health-science related students, and those from unrelated disciplines, while preserving essential content, including both active and receptive approaches to therapy, based on international standards such as those of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The curriculum emphasizes relevance by allowing students to connect music therapy concepts with their disciplines through context-specific activities. Learning outcomes include improved understanding of music therapy, broader career perspectives, and greater awareness of its practical applications. The article also highlights challenges such as time limitations, resource constraints, and learner diversity. This article also highlights factors that will need to be considered in the future development of music therapy education.

ART PIECES AND AUDIENCES ON THE FADING BOUNDARY: THOUGHT REFLECTION ON THE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION VOICES BENEATH THE LOUD WAVES

2025-07-29T08:56:05+07:00

Immersive exhibition design, which directly connects to the concept of immersive experience, leverages sensory stimulation to cultivate profound audience engagement, fostering novel interpretations of narratives and environments. This methodology blurs the traditional dichotomy between artwork and observer, thereby integrating artistic expression more closely with everyday life. An exhibition, Voices Beneath the Loud Waves, utilizes the narrative of the 52-hertz whale to symbolize solitude. This theme enables visitors to forge personal connections with the presented story. The exhibitionís visual and auditory design guided the audienceís emotional and contemplative journey through each thematic segment. Elements such as theatrical games and sound baths were set within an ambience of the deep sea, featuring a blend of classical and contemporary music. Post-exhibition reflections from attendees frequently cited a newfound sense of emotional tranquillity and heightened awareness regarding their own mental well-being.

METHODS FOR CREATING THE SOUND OF THE RAJABHAT SAMPHAN WINDS

2025-06-09T13:40:03+07:00

The Rajabhat Samphan Winds is an ensemble, bringing together students and music lecturers from eight distinct Rajabhat universities across Thailand: Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University, Songkhla Rajabhat University, Thepsatri Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, and Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University. The ensemble was established with a specific goal in mind-to participate in the prestigious Thai Youth Winds and Friends Season 6 concert. This concert, which took place on August 17, 2024, at the Thailand Cultural Centre, was a significant event for the ensemble. This article presents approaches to the ensemble’s sound development, employing a practice-based research methodology grounded in the pedagogical concepts of Edward S. Lisk and Niphat Kanjanahut. The warm-up and rehearsal processes include overtone tuning, the use of a harmony director, scale training, and functional chord groupings. Findings indicate that systematic rehearsal planning based on these approaches effectively enhanced performers’ aural skills, ensemble cohesion, and tonal control. Despite limited rehearsal time and diverse member backgrounds, the ensemble achieved a high-quality performance. This case thus illustrates a model for contemporary wind ensemble management within the context of higher music education.