One of the oldest universities in the world, Oxford, is reviewing its music curriculum amid pressure to “decolonise” lessons after Black Lives Matter protests.
Academics at Oxford University are reportedly questioning its music curriculum and its “complicity in white supremacy,” including the use of sheet music in classrooms, the Telegraph reported after reviewing proposals from the school.
The Daily Mail also reported that Oxford University is looking at scrubbing sheet music from its curriculum, but an Oxford spokesman told the Washington Examiner that “there is no truth in the ‘sheet music’ claim” and that reports on the matter were allegedly based on one professor.
“While retaining (and in no way diminishing) our traditional excellence in the critical analysis, history and performance of the broad range of western art music, we are exploring ways to enhance our students’ opportunities to study a wider range of non-western and popular music from across the world than is currently on offer, as well as music composition, the psychology and sociology of music, music education, conducting, and much more. We look forward to sharing our curriculum in the coming months,” Oxford said in a statement.
The Telegraph reported that professors at the school say lessons focus too much on “white European music from the slave period” and proposed reforms to address “white hegemony.”
“Teaching notation which has not ‘shaken off its connection to its colonial past’ would be a ‘slap in the face’ for some students, documents state, and music-writing studies have been earmarked for rebranding to be more inclusive,” professors said, according to the Telegraph report.
One proposal reportedly says lessons could refocus from composers Guillaume de Machaut and Franz Schubert to “African and African Diasporic Musics,” “Global Musics,” and “Popular Musics.”
Staff stated in the proposal, “arising from international Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the Faculty Board proposed making changes to enhance the diversity of the undergraduate curriculum.”
Black Lives Matter protests spread in the United Kingdom last year after similar protests took place in the United States following the death of George Floyd.
More than a thousand protesters gathered at Oxford University last summer, for example, to demand a statue of British colonialist Cecil Rhodes come down.
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Oxford University leaders also signed a letter last year vowing their commitment to fighting “against systemic racism” and to “advance equal dignity and respect, diversity of thought, good race relations, tolerance and multiculturalism in our institutions and the world.”
“We acknowledge the role that education can play in building racial equality and fair inclusion of black voices and perspectives in society. We recognise and regret that, for black members of our community, the unfolding crisis, together with the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on their communities, has caused them particular anxiety, anger and pain,” the letter stated.
