Popular music education in the Czech Republic: The omitted giant

Despite popular music having been the leading genre in the Czech Republic for many decades, it is largely omitted from the formal educational system. This ‘Practice and Perspectives’ essay aims to illustrate the almost exclusively classical-focused nature of formal music education in the country and the omission of popular music from government-issued educational frameworks. The position of popular music in official curricula from primary schools to universities is examined, as well as the small amount of popular music that is included in some state-provided and private formal music education institutions outside of compulsory schooling. The essay further contextualizes the history of the country’s attitude towards popular music, especially whilst under communist powers and suggests that this history continues to affect current governmental policy, despite the ‘Velvet Revolution’ which freed the country in 1989. A plea is made for more research into popular music education in the Czech Republic, as well as changes in governmental music education policy and teacher education, to more closely reflect the importance of popular music in the country.