What Would Lowell Mason Think of Music Education Today?
Every once in a while, I ask myself “What If?” questions. For me, this question spurs most of my creative thinking. Sometimes I come up with a decent idea or two, and sometimes it leads nowhere - but it’s the exercise that I enjoy. I recently asked myself “What if Lowell Mason, often called the “Father of Music Education” in the United States, was miraculously revived and took a look at music education in the United States today? What would he think? Would he be proud? Happy? Horrified? Mesmerized?”. I know I’m a bit of a nerd, but this question really got me thinking. And here’s what I ultimately came up with: If Lowell Mason could walk into one of today’s music classrooms, I think he’d be amazed. When Mason fought to bring music into public schools in the early 1800s, all he had were hymnals, a chalkboard, and maybe a pitch pipe. Fast forward two centuries and he’d find students with laptops and tablets, writing music that plays back instantly, getting immediate feedback on their performance, and exploring a world of music that stretches far beyond the European canon he so admired.
I’m sure he would smile at the many innovations, methodologies and products utilized by music educators today. He would also be happy to see that much of music education is the same as when he was alive. It’s no secret that our profession is one that has been slow to change. That said, I can picture him thumbing through the JW Pepper catalog and be astonished at the vast amount of music available for performance. I think he would be thrilled to see young students playing ukulele’s, boomwhackers, Orff instruments, and recorders. He’d be impressed by the comprehensiveness of the available curricula, like MusicFirst Elementary. He would be absolutely blown away by what high school marching band programs have evolved into since the days of John Philip Sousa. I’m not quite sure what he would think about modern band programs (even though I personally love them), but things have changed quite a bit since Lowell Mason died in 1872.
I don’t think that Mason was afraid of change in his own time. He looked to the best teaching methods from Europe and adapted them for American classrooms. He believed music should be taught step by step, and that every child deserved the chance to learn how to read and make music. That idea—music for all—was radical back then. Today, technology has pushed that vision even further. Programs like PracticeFirst and Sight Reading Factory give students real-time feedback Mason could have only dreamed of. Notation programs like Flat or Soundtrap let kids compose and hear their music immediately, something that in Mason’s day was reserved for a small, privileged group.
A tune from Mason's Handbook for the Boston Academy
Of course, like with many historical figures, Mason’s story also has some controversy. While he believed in access for all, he limited what “all” meant. He put European music at the center and dismissed spirituals, folk songs, and Indigenous traditions as unworthy of study. He was accused of religious favoritism (which ultimately led to him being dismissed from the Boston Public Schools). He saw music as a way to build moral character, but often at the expense of creativity and self-expression. If he were here today, I think he’d be both impressed and challenged by what technology can do. He’d love the order and structure that digital tools provide, but he might be surprised by how they also open the door to music he once ignored. That’s one of the big questions we face now: what music are we teaching, and why? Technology can reinforce the old traditions—it can make it easier to read, play, and practice the canon—but it can also broaden our classrooms. With the internet, students can learn about hip-hop, jazz, mariachi, Bollywood, Afrobeats—you name it. They can record, remix, and share their own creations instantly. That kind of creativity wasn’t something Mason emphasized, but I think he’d respect the way technology can connect music to students’ lives in new and powerful ways.
Lowell would also notice that the equity issue he fought for is still here, just in a different form. He wanted music for every child, not just those in private schools or wealthy families. Technology helps us get closer to that goal, but only if students have access to devices, reliable internet, and high-quality software. Too many schools still face barriers there. I think he’d see this as the new frontier—making sure that music technology really does reach everyone, not just those in well-funded districts.
Of course, Mason would probably remind us that music isn’t just about individual practice or private listening. He cared deeply about choirs and singing schools because they built community. I’m quite sure he would be very impressed with the quality of performance groups in our schools. I can imagine him being both impressed and cautious about a classroom full of students working on earbuds or playing with virtual ensembles. Technology can prepare us, give us feedback, and let us explore, but Mason would say the true magic happens when people make music together in the same space.
So what would Lowell Mason really think of music education today? I think he’d be proud. Proud that his belief in music for every child has become a reality in so many schools. Proud that technology now makes it easier for students to learn and create. But I also think he’d push us to do better. He’d challenge us to make sure technology doesn’t just digitize the old ways, but helps us expand, diversify, and deepen what we teach. He’d remind us that access is still an issue, and that community music-making should always be at the center. And while Lowell Mason may not have pictured a world where kids compose symphonies on laptops or get scored by AI in real time, he knew education was always evolving. If he were here today, I’m certain he’d see technology not as a threat, but as a powerful new tool to continue his mission: bringing music into the lives of every student.
What do you think? If I were still teaching undergraduate or graduate music education courses today, I would ask my students the same question.