In last decades, many people from other countries have arrived to Spain. This new situation has caused a progressive social and cultural transformation in our society. In the educational field, students from other countries have arrived to schools as well. Thus, it has appeared new challenges in schools in order to address the educational needs and individual differences of every student. In this context, it is necessary to be aware of different cultures living within school, providing effective answers both organizational and educational curriculum to enable a quality and intercultural education (LOE, 2006).
According to Willems (1979), music is considered an essential cultural element because it enriches the human being through sound, rhythm, melody and harmony. Within core curriculum, music education is an excellent vehicle in order to transmit positive values for the meeting between cultures, such as empathy, understanding and solidarity (Gallego and Gallego, 2003). Music education provides a universal language that everyone can understand, promoting communication, interaction and participation among students regardless of their cultural background, as well as enhancing the development of dialogue and equality (Hernández, Hernández and Milán, 2006). Music education has a high impact in students’ socialization by means of artistic expression, which allows to be understood and to be shared by students (Bravo and De Moya, 2006). In the compulsory education, music helps to increase cultural and arts competence, encouraging the development of skills that everyone possess to a greater or lesser degree (Bernal and Calvo, 2004).
Music around the world is a main reference in students with different cultural backgrounds, and for this reason, music education must start from an intercultural perspective, which integrates and accept the cultural and musical plurality, including ethnic minorities (Giráldez, 1997). Through using music belongs to different countries, students can appreciate and enjoy arts and other cultural events, as well as they can develop skills and attitudes that allow access to their expressions of thought, perceptual, communication, and sensitivity and aesthetic sense. Besides, students can use various resources to make their own creations and performing arts experiences shared, applying divergent thinking skills and collaborative work; they can contribute to the conservation of cultural and artistic heritage of the community and other people, participating in the cultural life of the community. In summary, music from other countries helps to student to develop the freedom of expression, the right to cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, as well as the initiative, imagination and creativity to express themselves through artistic and cultural codes. In this research, it was worked musical expression of our European tradition, linking with the 5 continents: Africa (Rhythm, life, group cohesion, unity, body percussion); America (instrumental expression); Asia (Body language and dance); Oceania (Aural and vocal expression through onomatopoeia and imitations of natural sounds, improvisation).
The objectives of this research were: (1) To know some cultural events through music around the world; and (2) To assess the contributions of music activities for students’ development about their cultural and arts competence.

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