Comprehensive Musicianship

The Comprehensive Musicianship (CM) movement was born out of the Northwestern Seminar in 1965, which was part of the Contemporary Music Project (CMP).  CM addressed a broad range of reforms within music education.  CM called for a revision of college music curriculum to become more interconnected and less specialized with deeper connections between academic and professional music.  Additionally, it recognized the role that most musicians play in being teachers of some sort and advocated for the inclusion of pedagogy within all music study.  Finally, it recognized the need for specific teacher development in the teaching of creativity, not only at the collegiate level but in K-12 education as well.

CM went on to impact the curricula of music coursework in higher education through the Institutes of Music in Contemporary Education.  Additionally, extensive workshops and symposia were held to develop and train music teachers at all levels in using CM.  When funding for the program ended in 1973, CM had been implemented in dozens of schools and had made a national impact on the face of music education that continues through today.