The aim of this Bachelor’s thesis was to explore the challenges met by a pop/jazz-singing teacher while working in a Chinese music school where the African-American music culture is poorly known. It is examined how to teach pop/jazz singing to Chinese students whose command of English is inadequate. It is also contemplated how the Beijing Midi School of Music should develop its curriculum so that the singers would be able to meet the pedagogical goals in the curriculum despite the language-related problems.

The data is based on my ten month period of working at the Beijing Midi School of Music as well as to related studies, such as Kristiina Vuorela’s Master’s thesis on teaching music to immigrants in Finland. It is also compared the Finnish and Chinese practices of music education as well as the utilization of the interviews of my Chinese students.

This thesis show that the Beijing Midi School of Music should develop its curriculum to include a compulsory English course for the singers to enhance their pronunciation skills. They should have annual placement tests to monitor the students’ progress. The students should also be offered both compulsory and optional courses in the curriculum to ensure individual education.