The music of the peoples who inhabit either Central Asia or the Volga-Ural region of Asia is explored in this document, which provides information that can be incorporated into secondary or higher education courses. The Central Asian music cultures of the Kirghiz, Kazakhs, Turkmens, Karakalpaks, Uighurs, Tajiks, and Uzbeks are described and compared through examinations of: (1) physical environmental factors; (2) cultural patterns; (3) history; (4) music development; and (5) musical instruments. The music of the Volga-Ural peoples, who comprise the USSR nationalities of the Mari (Cheremis), Chuvash, Udmurts (Votyaks), Mordvins, Bashkirs, Tatars, and Kalmucks, is examined, with an emphasis on differences in musical instruments. A 13-item bibliography of Central Asian music and a 17-item Volga-Ural music bibliography are included. An appendix contains examples of musical scores from these regions. (JHP)