The Creative Work of Women Composers in 20th-century Serbian Music in General Music Education

The Curriculum for Music Education in primary and high schools includes Serbian music in the 20th century, both modern and postmodern, as a teaching topic. The opus of the composers such as Ludmila Frajt, Ljubica Marić, and Isidora Žebeljan has left an indelible mark on Serbian music and has become part of the world’s musical heritage. However, their creative work is not adequately represented in the teaching practice of primary and secondary schools, nor in the Curriculum that prescribes and suggests the selection of compositions for singing and listening. A special emphasis is placed on their individual and unique music style, the preservation and interpretation of Serbian folklore heritage and spirituality in their creative work, as well as on the educational and pedagogical potential of their work within the framework of general music education. The representation of the work of these artists in teaching practice, teacher training for practical implementation of these teaching topics, teachers’ attitudes and motivation – all these elements are the subject of the qualitative research presented in this paper. The research was conducted by means of an online survey of seventeen music education teachers, i.e., members of the Association of Music Education Teachers of Serbia, using the digital tool Google Forms. The paper will provide a summative and descriptive presentation of the results of the survey consisting of a total of twenty-one questions. Considering the artistic, educational, and pedagogical significance of the composers’ work, the authors of the paper have articulated paradigmatic methodological guidelines for teaching this topic, within the framework of educational standards and the Curriculum for Music Education, with a focus on the development of competencies and targeted outcomes.