How does one set about helping children and teenagers to understand the different musical styles and genres, the historical context pertaining to works of music and composers, or the historical aesthetic appreciation of the musical repertoire? Are these aims achievable and simple to attain with students? This article intends to focus on this very aspect, deemed important and included in all the national curricula throughout Europe. It will show that the teacher’s familiarity with the specialist musical code could lead him/her to take for granted technical knowledge that the student does not actually possess and that the problems of temporal conceptualization should represent an object of careful reflection for all teachers.