Between Tradition and Technology: Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Human-Centered Pedagogies in Music Education

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing contemporary educational environments, creating new opportunities and challenges for music education. This paper examines the integration of AI in music education from psychological, pedagogical, institutional, and cultural perspectives, with particular attention to its implications for teaching, learning, and educational decision-making. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature from educational psychology, music pedagogy, and AI in education, the study explores how AI-supported tools affect motivation, creativity, learner autonomy, and musical development. The analysis highlights both the opportunities and limitations of AI-based applications, emphasizing that their educational value extends beyond technical effectiveness and depends on meaningful pedagogical integration. Particular attention is given to the role of classical music pedagogies, including the Orff, Dalcroze, and Kodály approaches, as human-centered frameworks that preserve creativity, cultural awareness, embodied learning, and social interaction within increasingly technology-mediated environments. The paper further examines the evolving professional role of music teachers, the need for AI-related competencies and professional development, and the institutional responsibilities associated with governance, data privacy, cultural sustainability, and equitable access to educational technologies. The study argues that the future of music education depends not on choosing between technological innovation and pedagogical tradition, but on establishing productive relationships between them. By positioning AI as a complementary resource rather than a substitute for human expertise, music education can benefit from technological advancement while preserving the emotional, cultural, creative, and social dimensions that remain fundamental to meaningful musical learning. The paper further proposes an original conceptual framework that integrates psychological, pedagogical, professional, and institutional dimensions into a unified model of responsible AI implementation in music education.