Dave Lampson wrote:

>... If
the concept of "music appreciation" is such an insidious thing, that
perhaps it's best to avoid music education entirely to avoid psychic
injury in children.



A different perspective:
I was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and went to primary and 'middle school'
there.  From the first year at school on, we had music classes twice a
week, and as I recall, in the first year of middle school we were asked
to compose a piece of music just for the first line of a poem.   (I came
second!) By the way, we discussed and listened to classical music.  Both
schools were state schools.  I remember those classes with deep affection.
(So much for what we know about other cultures.) 

Peter Harzem, B.Sc.(Lond.), Ph.D.(Wales)
Hudson Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology
Auburn University