22 April 2026, by Newsroom editorial office

Photo: Johann Riesenkönig

For some, music lessons in school mark the beginning of a lifelong passion; for others, they feel more like a tedious chore. Dr. Benjamin Eibach, a professor of educational science with an area of concentration in music pedagogy at the University of Hamburg, is researching how the subject has evolved historically and what its history can mean for today’s music education.

From an educational perspective, what is the goal of music education?

Ideas about the goals and quality of music education have evolved over time, just as the musical landscape outside of school—to which music education always relates—has changed: How and where can I listen to and experience music? What styles, genres, and ways of engaging with music exist? All of this is constantly changing. For me personally, one of the most important tasks of music education is to offer students orientation in this diverse musical landscape and to enable them to participate in it independently and thoughtfully.

This means, for example, exposing students to the widest possible range of music—including forms of musical expression and practices they would not encounter in their private lives. Music education in schools should offer the opportunity to become familiar with different forms of music and acquire basic skills, so that students can later make an informed decision about which music they would like to engage with further—whether through listening, dancing, playing music themselves, or in some other way.

You are researching the historical development of the subject. Where should one begin chronologically, and what did the first music lessons look like?

There are archaeological finds of bone flutes that suggest people were already making music as far back as the Stone Age. Presumably, even back then there were situations in which one person taught another how to play such an instrument. Throughout the course of history, learning music has always been significant—whether in ancient Greece or in medieval monasteries. Eventually, it found its place in public schools as well.

I have focused primarily on the development of music education in schools from the early 19th century to the early 20th century. As part of the so-called ‘Humboldt reforms,’ music became an official subject in Prussia—even though it was generally referred to as ‘singing’ or ‘vocal music.’ This already indicates the area of concentration placed on it at the time. One goal of the instruction was to improve church singing. Later, during the Imperial era, singing folk or patriotic songs was considered important for fostering a patriotic attitude. Thus, lessons at that time were often not solely about music itself, but also sought to influence students through the singing of songs with appropriate lyrics in line with general educational goals.

So music education back then was far from diverse?

More extensive efforts to expand the goals and content of school music education began around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. This is evident, for example, when looking at conditions in Hamburg: there, ‘elementary school concerts’ had been introduced at the time, partly on the initiative of dedicated teachers. In this concert format, which was specifically aimed at children and young people, instrumental music was performed alongside vocal music. Some teachers also prepared their students for visits to these concerts as part of their lessons in order to give them access to so-called ‘art music.’

During the Weimar Republic, a reorientation of music education in schools and teacher training took place, which incorporated some of these developments. Significant in this context are the reforms in Prussia: The school subject was given the name ‘Music.’ This was accompanied by a shift toward incorporating instrumental music, as well as cultural studies and analytical approaches, more strongly into the curriculum alongside song and singing.

How can new media be used effectively in music education?

What sources are available to you for your research?

An important source base is the music education press of that time. It contains many articles in which teachers described and reflected on how certain aspects could be methodically transferred in music education. Syllabi and teaching guides for educational practice are also significant—such as so-called ‘singing manuals.’ These writings experienced a veritable boom in the 19th century. They contain recommendations for structuring music instruction in schools. Another source is the school annual reports, through which secondary schools fulfilled their accountability obligations to the authorities. These also provide information about music instruction and school music life.

In addition, archival materials play a role—for example, lesson logs or personal documents from music teachers as well as students. And of course, I also include songbooks and other sheet music used in schools.

When looking at History: What can be derived from it for the design of modern music education?

It would be problematic to try to derive direct insights for today’s music education practice from the results of historical research. The contexts of then and now are generally too different for that. However, historical music education research can help us gain a broader perspective on the current situation. It can provide impetus to reflect on the present and, in light of similar challenges, explore possibilities for contemporary action.

I am currently exploring the media history of music education—specifically, how new media have been utilized in music instruction. When radio emerged during the Weimar Republic, opening up entirely new ways of listening to music, this posed a major challenge for teachers. How could this new medium be effectively integrated into music lessons? What new forms of instruction could be implemented with its help? Such questions are highly relevant today, because with the rise of digital media, music consumption patterns and the way we engage with music are changing drastically—which in turn has implications for music education.

Looking back can also help when considering the objectives of music education. For instance, if one understands how school singing was ideologically co-opted in the past and the devastating consequences this had—such as during the Wilhelminian era or the Nazi period—one can certainly draw conclusions for designing music education that is committed to the standards of general education in a democratic state: Today, music education should be designed so that students recognize how music is used for manipulation, in order to be prepared to counter it. There are, after all, many current phenomena where music is linked to political messages, such as right-wing rock. In my view, imparting background knowledge and highlighting these connections is an important part of the reflective participation in musical life mentioned earlier.

(This content has been translated automatically.)