Musikalsk kompetanse som “mangfold og fordypning”. Kunnskapsdiskurser i Rammeplan for kulturskolen.

Abstract

Founded on the principle of equality of opportunity, the Norwegian municipal Schools of Music and Performing Arts (SMPA) aim to provide quality music and art programmes for all children and youth who wish to attend. A new Curriculum Framework for the SMPAs has been developed (Kulturskolerådet, 2016) to facilitate broad participation and a diversity of artistic expressions even while securing educational ‘standards’ related to learning outcomes and knowledge acquisition. In this article, a discourse analytical framework is applied to investigate how knowledge and learning outcomes in music are constructed and represented in the curriculum, as well as the discourses through which these representations are made possible. The comprehensive and elaborate hierarchy of intents and purposes, aims and learning objectives offered in the curriculum is subjected to close study and analysis, with special attention directed towards the discursive formation of musical knowledge and competence in the SMPA subject discipline Music. The article identifies and discusses four areas of discursive tension and negotiation related to the construction of musical competence conceptualised as: 1) Expressive culture and aesthetic interest, 2) Specialised musicianship and general self-development, 3) Diversity and/or deeper understanding, and 4) Active participation and entrepreneurship.