This article concerns students of music education in Sweden. It investigates the student teachers' perceptions of their ongoing music teacher education, with a particular focus on the task of teaching music today. It considers whether they believe their teacher education prepares them for this undertaking, and in that case, how. Their various experiences from their school-based in-service education are considered, and the findings lead to a discussion of ideological issues with a bearing on democracy, the value of music and the function of music as a curriculum subject.