The main purpose of the author's research is to investigate the similarities and differences of the music curriculum in Hong Kong and Xiamen (city in Fujian Province, China). The main foci is on the proportion of Western and Chinese music in the curriculum, the extent that teachers follow the curriculum, and the difference in teaching method in conducting the curriculum.

The authors point out that music education in Hong Kong and Korea seems to face similar problems. One of these is that while both societies try to preserve their cultural heritage through the promotion of their ethnic music, their music education systems are still largely affected by the Western culture. The authors summarize the music teacher education systems in Hong Kong and Korea in three levels: kindergarten, primary, and secondary levels. The contents of music curricula and music teaching, as well as admission and graduation requirements in the teacher education institutions in both regions, are examined.