Music can play an important part in personality development. Music education for children encourages the capacity for creativity, improvisation, and understanding the beautiful and the good. This book traces the history of the music syllabus among teachers in the Soviet Union and discusses creative freedom and the instructor. It also presents a framework to talk to children about music. The syllabus defines the task of the music instructor, the purpose of music in the school, and the content of music teaching. Using an anecdotal style in relating experiences in the classroom, and during performances, the document includes conversations with and stories about pre-eminent figures in the field of music and Russian history. (NL)