First European Music School Research Symposium
Future of Music Schools – today’s challenges and tomorrow’s solutions
Fr 6th – Sa 7th October, 2017 | mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna
The future missions of music schools in our changing societies and the measures and strategies to meet these challenges were the focal points of the First European Music School Symposium in Vienna. It took part from 6th to 7th October at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and was organized through the mdw Department of Cultural Management and Gender Studies (IKM) in cooperation with the European Music School Union (EMU) and the Conference of Austrian Music School Associations (KOMU).
Around 150 researchers, experts and practitioners from 25 countries have participated in this event, which was also the beginning of this future research field. As keynote speakers the department invited Anne Bamford (England), Heidi Westerlund and Lauri Väkevä (Finland) and Susanne Keuchel (Germany). Researchers from 20 European countries presented research findings and case studies about issues as equal access, social impact, diversity and specialization, collaborations with schools and professional profile for teachers. A final panel about future aims of music school research started with a presentation from Herbert Altrichter (Vienna). Therese Kaufman hosted the Panel with Helena Maffli and Timo Klemettinen (EMU), Lauri Väkevä (Sibelius Academy Helsinki), Franz-Otto Hofecker (IKM Vienna) and Michaela Hahn (IKM and KOMU).
The dialogue between researchers and practitioners as one central aim of the Symposium was supported through different formats during the event. The contributions of EMU were posters from several European countries about their music school systems and about the EMU Statistics, which was published recently. The Austrian Music School Association organized a concert on the first evening which gave an overview about the work of Austrian Music Schools.
