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Enriching Education in Vietnamese Schools through the Introduction of Instrumental Music Education

Overview

The “School Project” Conveying the Joys of Playing Instruments

The School Project is a program unique to Yamaha, taking into account its position as a musical instrument manufacturer and its possession of know-how concerning the music education business. While starting the introduction of its uniquely developed Music Time program in Malaysia, Indonesia and Russia from 2015, Yamaha also initiated implementing instrumental music education as a part of compulsory education in Vietnam in 2016.
By enabling children to become familiar with musical instruments in the course of school education, we make it possible for children to experience the joys of music while facilitating their growth. Additionally, we help enrich musical education by providing the infrastructure required for carrying out classes. Research concerning the educational values of this program is conducted in cooperation with the Faculty of Education of Yokohama National University.

Music Time Program

Yamaha’s Music Time program offers musical instruments, textbooks, and training programs to public elementary schools in one package. Instructors who have gone through Yamaha training teach classes using instruments and class materials specially developed for the Music Time program. Currently, we are developing instructional materials for portable keyboards (PKs) and guitars, and are organizing recorder and Pianica programs.

Supporting the Introduction of Instrumental Music Education in Vietnam

From January 2016, Yamaha started supporting the introduction of instrumental music education in music classes for elementary and secondary education in Vietnam. In Vietnam, no “Course of Study” is provided in the elementary and secondary schools for teaching pupils to actually learn to play musical instruments. In order to develop music education in the country, Yamaha, with an eye to the revisions in course of study for elementary and secondary schools scheduled after 2018, is promoting the introduction and establishment of instrumental music education in cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training.
The population in Vietnam is increasing by approximately one million persons per year^*, thus an increase in the number of children is expected in the future. Through this initiative, this program will not only contribute to promoting music education in the country, but also expand the market for musical instruments due to the expected increase in the number of instrument players.

Comment

I Will Continue to Support New Music Education

The introduction of instrumental music education is a natural step for the development process of music education, and I feel Vietnam has just opened its doors to take its first steps in new music education.
The business know-how that Yamaha has gained through its global expansion is a large advantage. I was able to perceive Yamaha’s strong passion to go beyond the boundaries of the company in order to contribute to the development of music culture around the world, and I empathize to this strongly as a collaborator. I would like to support Vietnam’s music education through the introduction of instrumental music education, by steadily integrating it with the local music culture without imposing our own culture during the process.

Point1 Development of Music Education

Improving the Quality of Music Education through Collaboration of Industry, Government and Academia

Recently, Japanese education, which cultivates both basic study knowledge and lifestyle habits, has drawn considerable positive attention from abroad. However, the provision of educational contents to foreign countries have been mostly carried out only by individual efforts of companies and organizations. Under these circumstances, MEXT began the Public-Private Initiative to Disseminate Japanese-Style Education Overseas (EDU-Port Japan) through a framework involving the collaboration of all-Japan public private sectors. Through this project, MEXT aims to revitalize the Japanese education industry through overseas expansion, and strengthen its relationships of trust and cooperation between foreign countries through education.
This project proposed by Yamaha was evaluated based on our long-standing performance in Japan, and correspondence with the domestic needs of our counterparts, and received certification as an official project. From now on, Yamaha, along with MEXT support, will conduct negotiations and make arrangements with the Vietnam government and local educational associations, and will continue to support the introduction and establishment of instrumental music education in Vietnam.

Interview

Q. Please explain the purpose of “EDU-Port Japan.”

Expanding Japanese-style education out to a foreign country does not only act as global contribution, but also allows us to find issues in Japanese education itself. We believe our purpose of carrying out EDU-Port Japan as MEXT is to provide our own country with feedback concerning those issues to further improve education in Japan.

Q. Please tell us about Yamaha businesses that support the introduction of instrumental music education.

This is a sustainable business model that the local businesses in the supported countries can maintain by themselves after implementation, and we expect it to lead to an instrument export business in the future. This is precisely the development model that EDU-Port Japan strives for. Some countries in the world attempt to learn Japanese discipline through Japanese moral education. We believe that in a similar way, music education can guide people in fundamental human education in the form of emotional education. We expect this business to expand all over Vietnam, and hope Yamaha will continue to carry on what they have worked on up until now.

• interviewed on March 2017

Point2 Supporting the Growth of Children

Nurturing Youth Enriched with Sensitivity and Cooperativeness

By playing musical instruments, children are provided the opportunity to express wider ranges of emotions, and gain options for self-fulfillment. Also, through playing in ensemble, children are given opportunities to learn about responsibility and cooperation. The foundation of Yamaha’s music education business is the Yamaha Music School which has a history of more than 60 years.
Yamaha utilizes this experience and know-how acquired in more than 40 countries and regions, in order to support the implementation of instrumental music education.
From here on, Yamaha will also promote the introduction and establishment of a recorder education program in Vietnam. The recorder can be easily played by anyone, and instruction is also relatively easy, making it a suitable starting point for students who are beginners of musical instruments. Along with this process, we plan to introduce other instruments, in order to contribute to the growth of children and the creation of a musical culture.

Achievements

Comments

Enhancing Children’s Talents for Future National Culture Development

In Vietnam, the quality of equipment and instructors greatly differ depending on the region or school, and I was aware of the problem that musical instrument classes were not included in the “Course of Study.”
Instrumental music education not only improves children’s abilities, but also gives them a chance to learn from different cultures. I have positive expectations for the improvement of music education in Vietnam and the further development of our national culture.

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