Music education in Africa

1 Feb 2020 - 10:06

If there is a place in the world where music education should be prioritised, it is Africa. This is because the continent is arguably the most diverse in terms of musical cultures, which should be preserved and passed onto future generations as a matter of priority. After all, many of Africa’s musical traditions, especially in West Africa, are the progenitors of modern music around the world and can be seen as the living historical and cultural treasures that created the foundations of popular music as we know it.

Facilitators, producers and artists pose for a photograph during a production workshop that was part of the 2019 Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases in Accra, Ghana. Photo: Paul Addo

Many African musical traditions face the risk of disappearing in the absence of efficient formal or even informal educational structures. There are a number of organisations doing great educational work across the continent, but there also exist numerous challenges and new opportunities in every country.

As much as education is important in continuing the heritage of forgotten or disappearing traditions, it is also crucial for the creation of sustainable music careers, especially in an industry where competitiveness pits artists against each other for a shot at success and where technological advancements change the rules of the game faster than we realise.

But education in music need not only be possible through traditional models and institutions like universities and colleges. Nowadays, collaborations, artist residencies and workshops can also go a long way in educating music professionals to become leaders in the global music industry.

This is why Music In Africa publishes a great deal of opportunity articles through which musicians can apply to be part of workshops, residencies, music competitions and training seminars where they can improve their skills and become more worldly and competitive in the process.

We also have a number of overview texts about the music education sectors in various African countries and tutorial videos on instrument building and music theory lessons, as well as music business tips and links to our directory where you can find information about musical institutions, private tutors and online educators, among others, all below:

Overview texts