Sex sounds sour note in music teaching

Link : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/041022/80/f534n.html

LONDON (Reuters) - Even in the 21st century, sexual stereotyping pervades music teaching according to a report.


Not only do one and a half as many girls as boys study music in school, but their preferred instruments betray a sexual bias stretching back into the mists of time, education watchdog OFSTED said in its latest study of English schools published on Friday.


Violin, flute, clarinet and cello were the instruments most favoured by girls, while guitar, trumpet and drum were the choice of boys.


Nine times as many girls as boys chose to play the flute, and three times more girls than boys selected the violin.


By contrast, three times as many boys as girls picked the guitar and drum and twice as many the trumpet.


The report said schools had to get more boys into music and tackle the gender imbalance in instrument take-up.


"It is quite likely that the next Jamie Cullum or Vanessa Mae may be waiting, right now, to be discovered in an English school," said chief schools inspector David Bell.