The Role of Cultural Heritage in 21st-Century Music Education

Cul­tural her­it­age is an in­teg­ral part of Hun­garian music edu­ca­tion. Folk tra­di­tions and folk songs are taught in every school, from the cap­ital city to the smal­lest vil­lages. Thou­sands of songs were col­lec­ted by Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, who ad­op­ted them in their clas­sical com­pos­i­tions. With this they earned fame for Hun­garian folk music and tra­di­tions. Zoltán Kodály also com­posed a series of music read­ing ma­ter­i­als, mainly based on folk songs, which is cur­rently used on all levels of Hun­garian music edu­ca­tion. Not only the Kodály concept, but the Táncház-method was also se­lec­ted in the Re­gister of Good Safe­guard­ing Prac­tices of UN­ESCO Cul­tural Her­it­age. In our di­gital age, the net-gen­er­a­tion, un­like the pre­vi­ous stu­dent pop­u­la­tions, can have dif­fer­ent habits, which is the reason why stu­dents’ music skills were tested with tech­no­logy-based meth­ods and tools. They are sur­roun­ded by pop­u­lar media; however, the value that folk tra­di­tion of­fers should be in­ev­it­able in their edu­ca­tion. The find­ings of our re­search provides input for the edu­ca­tional sys­tem about Hun­garian stu­dents’s music lit­er­acy, and their fa­mili­ar­ity with its vari­ous ele­ments, es­pe­cially with cer­tain com­pon­ents of their cul­tural her­it­age

The Role of Cultural Heritage in 21st-Century Music Education

Cultural heritage is an integral part of Hungarian music education. Folk traditions and folk songs are taught in every school, from the capital city to the smallest villages. Thousands of songs were collected by Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, who adopted them in their classical compositions. With this they earned fame for Hungarian folk music and traditions. Zoltán Kodály also composed a series of music reading materials, mainly based on folk songs, which is currently used on all levels of Hungarian music education. Not only the Kodály concept, but the Táncház-method was also selected in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of UNESCO Cultural Heritage. In our digital age, the net-generation, unlike the previous student populations, can have different habits, which is the reason why students’ music skills were tested with technology-based methods and tools. They are surrounded by popular media; however, the value that folk tradition offers should be inevitable in their education. The findings of our research provides input for the educational system about Hungarian students’s music literacy, and their familiarity with its various elements, especially with certain components of their cultural heritage

Music and Social Health

Former German minister of the interior Otto Schily highlighted: “Anyone who closes music schools jeopardizes inner security.” In his large study at primary schools in Berlin at the end of the 1990th, Hans Günter Bastian found out that common music practice and extended music education can lead to more social competence. In my lecture, I will give three examples of how music making cannot only avoid violence and criminality, but can also contribute to well-being among like-minded people. 1) The movie The Choir (les choristes) is a perfect demonstration, how common singing is able to weld together an initial heterogenous group of difficult educable children living in institutions of care 2) El Sistema is a famous programme for children in Venezuela financed by the state with the main objective that “music has to be recognised as an agent of social development” as José Antonio Abreu, its initiator highlights. 3) In my last year’s lecture, I presented my mail choir with an age average beyond 70 years. Recently I published a study on interviews conducted with the choristers to find out their views of social well-being.

The entwining traditions of music and music education are immense resources

Interview with educational researcher, Damien Sagrillo Linked to the Academy’s research program, and organised by the MTA-ELTE Visual Culture Research Group, a scientific conference with an evaluation system and an English-language series of workshops were held between 22-24 June 2017 for the educators, researchers and teacher training specialists of the four arts disciplines (drama, dance, visual arts and music) and of children’s and youth culture. One of the lecturers of the conference was Professor Damien Sagrillo of the Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education at the University of Luxembourg

Wind Music and Terminology. A Critical Review of an Immanent Phenomenon

During the last decades of wind music research, a few publications focussed on terminology. Elmar Walter wrote a dissertation about Blas- und Bläsermusik. In his talk at Oberwölz, Raoul Camus stated: “A band is a Band is Band”. However, he seemed to hesitate because he referred to Joseph Manfredo who, in his awarded dissertation, asked: “What is a Band?” In my lecture, I will bring this topic to the fore again and deal with the terminology used to designate a group of wind instruments, and I will come up with some suggestions for definitions. I will try to find an answer to questions such as: When is a band a symphonic band, or even a symphonic wind ensemble or “only” a community band? When I say: “I will try to find an answer”, I must admit that I cannot guarantee to find an acceptable one: Are these terms filled with a substance – what makes the difference? – or are they simply a grandiloquent absurdity? Do pretentious terms refer to “better” musicians or music? I will present my paper in English, but I will also deal with band designations in German, in French and my native language – Luxembourgish

Musikalische Bildung - (drei) europäische Taditionen im Überblick

I will present the two personalities of Leo Kestenberg and Marcel Landowski; I will describe their life-work and relate it to Zoltán Kodály, the eminent Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist and music pedagogue. However, the study will be based on Marcel Landowski, because, until now, no German documents are dealing with his life and achievements. Although acknowledged in their countries as musicians and of music organisers, Kestenberg and Landowski are not known in the respective other country. On the other hand, Zoltán Kodály is recognised worldwide. It is for this reason that a comparative study is necessary. Nevertheless, this paper cannot be complete but should be a motivation for further research about the organisation of music education, the organisation of music including the political background in the countries presented in this document or the larger context of European nations