A SYSTEMATIC PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH TO MAQOM ENCULTURATION IN UNDERGRADUATE VOCAL STUDIES

Abstract

This article proposes a systematic pedagogical model for moving beyond the superficial performance of world music and toward the deep enculturation of students into non-Western vocal traditions. Using the Uzbek Maqom as a case study, the paper outlines a structured four-phase approach for undergraduate vocal studies. The model begins with Aural Immersion, dedicated to normalizing the tradition’s unique sound-world through analytical listening. This is followed by a phase of Technical Disruption, where students construct a parallel vocal technique to address the demands of microtonal inflection and specialized timbre. The third phase, Contextual Internalization, integrates the study of classical Sufi poetry and modal theory to imbue technical skills with semantic and structural meaning. The process culminates in Synthesized Interpretation, where students demonstrate mastery through collaborative performance and contextualized lecture-recitals. This systematic framework argues that true integration requires a holistic transformation of the student’s musical cognition, fostering not only performative competence but also the cultural literacy and empathetic understanding necessary for responsible artistic engagement in a globalized world.