Twenty-five years is a significant milestone in the life of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME). During this time, the relationship between educational research and the practice of teaching music has changed significantly. There has been increasing pressure on researchers to ensure that much more of their work is useful to teachers and to other practitioners. Ironically, the imperative on teachers has not been to draw upon this research to inform their practice, but rather to meet the demands of an increasing array of statutory and quasi-statutory edicts which urge compliance rather than exploration and reflection. In such a context it is the job of a journal such as the BJME to disseminate the latest research and thinking in music education which can be transformed into the knowledge that is needed by teachers and learners. Over the past 25 years, BJME has offered its readership an exploration of themes and imperatives that face researchers, teachers and policy makers.

A brief review of the state of music education in the UK at the time of the creation of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) leads to a consideration of the range and focus of topics since the initiation of the Journal. In particular, the initial requirement of careful and critical enquiry is amplified, drawing out the inevitability of theorising, an activity which is considered to be essential for reflective practice. The relationship of theory and data is examined, in particular differentiating between the sciences and the arts. A ‘case study’ of theorising is presented and examined in some detail and possible strands of future development are identified.

During the 1980s, the International Journal of Music Education (IJME) ran a series of articles under the general heading ‘Personalities in World Music Education’. Each article was written by an author who was well acquainted with the distinguished personality upon whom the editors, Jack Dobbs and Anthony Kemp, wished to focus. I was privileged to be asked to interview John Paynter whose influence upon musical education in the UK and in many other countries was profound. Among his many positions he was co-editor of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) at that time. The article about him was published in the IJME number 12 (pp. 28–32) in 1988.

This article raises questions about three features of musical education that have been explored in the pages of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) over the last 25 years: the assessment of creative work; the nurturing of an elite among young musicians; the uses of electronics in music classrooms. The article suggests that teacher-based assessments of pupils' compositional work rarely promote deeper understanding because pupils learn better by considering the extent to which they have fulfilled their own musical intentions. The dilemma of serving the needs of all pupils while attending to the musical needs of the most gifted musically is explored, and it is suggested that, inter alia, pupils aged 12 should have a strong voice in their choices within arts education. Electronic keyboards have become sufficiently embedded in schools for broad judgements to be made. There are few signs that basic electronic keyboards offer expressive opportunities of value whereas the use of computers in support of composition have led to results of quality that merit close attention.

Piers Spencer and William Salaman edited the BJME between 1998 and 2002. During this period, a number of articles they published gave positive accounts of developments in instrumental teaching and learning, composing and creative music-making, and the increasing role of technology. Less happy findings emerged from investigations into singing and vocal work, into culture and the promotion of equal opportunities, and into the way the ‘official’ curriculum seemed to be increasingly at odds with students' experience of music outside schools. During his period as editor, Piers Spencer worked in a variety of institutions and his personal experience told him that, despite the highly critical tone of some contributions, there remains cause for optimism about the future of musical education, both in the UK and internationally.

The invitation to provide a review of the articles published in our five year editorship prompts us to evaluate the aims and purposes of music education research, and to consider the function of journals such as BJME in bridging the artificial divide between academics and professionals. We identify four themes that were prominent in the volumes we edited: the roles and identities of music teachers; pupil perspectives; blurring of boundaries between home, school and community; and music in higher education. Surveying articles related to these themes, we consider the questions they raise for future research, addressing the day-to-day realities of teaching alongside the exploration of new ideas which extend music education as a significant field of study.

School music has a comparatively low take-up rate as a qualification among English secondary school pupils. Existing research on the issue has proffered possible reasons for this phenomenon but has generally been piecemeal and undertheorised. This paper sets out a fresh theoretical perspective capable of providing a basis for systematic empirical research, and discusses the results of two exploratory studies. Drawing on legitimation code theory, a new approach in the sociology of education that focuses on the basis of achievement within educational contexts, the paper analyses National Curriculum, GCSE syllabi and pupils' attitudes towards a range of school subjects, including music. The documentary analysis highlights that earlier stages of the music curriculum emphasise either musical knowledge or musical dispositions of knowers, but music at GCSE level represents an ‘elite code’ where achievement depends upon both possessing specialist knowledge and being the right kind of knower. The study of pupils' attitudes suggests this code shift is recognised by pupils and may play a role in the low uptake of music for GCSE study. This new framework offers a firmer foundation for future empirical research into attitudes towards school subjects and subject choices.

This review article discusses the use of action research in music education and its potential for producing knowledge and improving practice. The discussion is situated in an analysis of action research studies in music education. The review demonstrates that action research in music education focuses on a wide variety of subject matter, integrates research and action, is collaborative, grounded in a body of existing knowledge, and leads to powerful learning for the participants. However, few action research projects are cyclical, deal with aspects of social transformation, or broad historical, political or ideological contexts, and there is little focus on reflexivity. The review suggests that, in order to undertake high-quality action research, researchers need a good understanding of action research, a focused use of research literature and a defensible position with regard to data analysis and the generation of trustworthy findings.

This article addresses the question of whether higher education music courses adequately prepare young musicians for the critical transition from music undergraduate to professional. Thematic analyses of interviews with 27 undergraduate and portfolio career musicians representing four musical genres were compared. The evidence suggests that the process of transition into professional life for musicians across the four focus genres may be facilitated when higher education experiences include mentoring that continues after graduation, the development of strong multi-genre peer networks, the provision of many and varied performance opportunities and support for developing self-discipline and autonomy in relation to the acquisition of musical expertise. Implications for higher education curricula are discussed.