- Alexandra Kertz-Welzel, PhD, is Dean, professor and chair of music education at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (Germ... moreAlexandra Kertz-Welzel, PhD, is Dean, professor and chair of music education at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (Germany) and Professor II at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (Norway). She obtained a PhD in musicology and master's degrees in music education, German studies, philosophy, piano performance, and harpsichord performance. From 2002-2005, she was visiting scholar at the University of Washington in Seattle. With research interests in international music education, sociology and philosophy of music education, music education policy, community music, and children's musical cultures, she has regularly presented at national and international conferences. She is author and editor of several books and a frequent contributor to leading journals in music education. She serves as editorial board member of several international journals, was co-chair of the ISME Commission on Policy, and chair of the International Society for the Philosophy of Music Education.edit
In international philosophy of music education, there are some philosophers who are important points of reference. One of them is the German Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). While his philosophy is complex, an oversimplified understanding of... more
In international philosophy of music education, there are some philosophers who are important points of reference. One of them is the German Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). While his philosophy is complex, an oversimplified understanding of his ideas turned him into the "bad guy" of international music education philosophy, being in favor for instance of art for its own sake. His assumed ideas are thought to be the foundation of aesthetic education, in opposition to music education concepts promoting praxis and social change. The prominent role Kant plays leads to questions: Can an eighteenth-century philosopher be blamed for twentieth-century music education concepts and their supposed aberrations? And what did Kant really say? By addressing these and related questions, this paper offers fresh perspectives on Kant's original concept and the role his assumed ideas play in international music education philosophy, aiming at revising some discourses around them. Furthermore, Kant as a case in point, can lead to general considerations about the function of philosophy in music education philosophy.
Research Interests:
This chapter acknowledges community as “one of sociology’s essential concepts,” an anchor for the section of this book devoted to music education in community settings. The chapter begins by suggesting that the notion of community, which... more
This chapter acknowledges community as “one of sociology’s essential concepts,” an anchor for the section of this book devoted to music education in community settings. The chapter begins by suggesting that the notion of community, which dominates music education theory and practice, is rarely examined. Concepts and methods in our field are often based on the assumption that learning and musical activities take place in a community, but our notions of community are oversimplified. As “both a social construct and a metaphor,” community is “utilized by various groups to generate a sense of identity or solidarity.” By analyzing, from an interdisciplinary perspective, various interpretations of community in music education and community music, Kertz-Welzel contrasts taken-for-granted beliefs about the salvational and transformative power of community with the critical perspectives offered by sociology.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Music Education, Education, Globalization, Political Science, Culture, and 15 moreInternationalization, Aesthetic Education, Art Education, Philosophy of Music Education, Kultur, Digitalization, Musical Education, Musikpädagogik, DDC, Teaching Model, Globalisierung, Sociology of Music Education, Music Lessons, Musikunterricht, and Internationalisierung
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Globalization and internationalization are significant factors in today’s world and have an impact on music education. Since so far, no publication in music education has addressed this topic comprehensively, this book is the very first... more
Globalization and internationalization are significant factors in today’s world and have an impact on music education. Since so far, no publication in music education has addressed this topic comprehensively, this book is the very first one to do so. It offers a conceptual framework helping to understand, evaluate and shape internationalization and globalization with regard to music education in a culturally sensitive way. It presents a new vision for transforming music education internationally in terms of a united and inclusive, yet diverse global music education community. By acknowledging different music education and research cultures, this vision challenges the current state of international music education and higher education. It emphasizes the need for developing a pluralistic mode of thinking in music education, while at the same time underlining our shared foundations and goals. By using an interdisciplinary approach, utilizing concepts from related areas of research such as comparative education, policy studies, sociolinguistics or business studies, this book opens up new perspectives on how to address globalization and internationalization with regard to music education. The notion of educational transfer, research about differences in academic discourses worldwide or the concept of the global mindset can help facilitating much-needed transformations in music education globally. These different theories, when applied to music education, support the improvement of music education internationally. Internationalization is not something that happens automatically, but a development, which can be shaped by people, who are interested in engaging in it, no matter if in everyday school life, research, or on the music education policy level. This book presents a call for a more conscious internationalization of music education of which everybody can be a part.
Research Interests:
This desire for intensive or even ecstatic experiences through music is not only an aspect of individual life, it is also an important issue in the history of music and aesthetics from ancient times. One origin of music and art can be... more
This desire for intensive or even ecstatic experiences through music is not only an aspect of individual life, it is also an important issue in the history of music and aesthetics from ancient times. One origin of music and art can be found in the relationship of music with religion and ritual, ...
Research Interests:
This chapter develops a notion of utopia and utopian thinking which is useful for reconsidering music education and social change. The first section analyzes what utopia is. It shows the ambivalence of this concept, as both literary genre... more
This chapter develops a notion of utopia and utopian thinking which is useful for reconsidering music education and social change. The first section analyzes what utopia is. It shows the ambivalence of this concept, as both literary genre and method. It emphasizes its relatedness to various fields of research such as sociology and thus opens possible links for music education. The second section is concerned with utopia and political thinking, critically discussing the significance of utopia for political theory and philosophy. Their connection is much deeper than thought, but also needs a differentiated and critical perspective. The third section approaches utopia and the arts, elaborating their significance for artists of various times and genres.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Music has long served as an emblem of national identity in educational systems throughout the world. Patriotic songs are commonly considered healthy and essential ingredients of the school curriculum, nurturing the respect, loyalty... more
Music has long served as an emblem of national identity in educational systems throughout the world. Patriotic songs are commonly considered healthy and essential ingredients of the school curriculum, nurturing the respect, loyalty and'good citizenship'of students. But to what extent have music educators critically examined the potential benefits and costs of nationalism? Globalization in the contemporary world has revolutionized the nature of international relationships, such that patriotism may merit rethinking as an objective for ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology and Bildung
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
69 Artikkelit Articles Musiikkikasvatus 2009/vsk. 12 nro 1 Alexandra Kertz-Welzel Paradigms and Paradigm Shifts in German Music Education Introduction t the core of comparative music education as a field of research are analyzing and... more
69 Artikkelit Articles Musiikkikasvatus 2009/vsk. 12 nro 1 Alexandra Kertz-Welzel Paradigms and Paradigm Shifts in German Music Education Introduction t the core of comparative music education as a field of research are analyzing and describing music education systems in ...
Research Interests: Psychology and German
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology and Feeling
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Philosophy and Art
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Sociology and Linguistics
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
To transform society and to assess the role music education could play, it is crucial to know how society works. When discussing music education and social change, the mechanism of society and the dynamics of transformation are rarely... more
To transform society and to assess the role music education could play, it is crucial to know how society works. When discussing music education and social change, the mechanism of society and the dynamics of transformation are rarely discussed. Thus, this chapter presents three perspectives on how society can be transformed, namely the sociology of social change, the politics of change, and the utopian power of education. The notion of utopia is present in these three viewpoints, connecting the various perspectives on society’s transformative processes. The last section explicitly raises the issue of the utopian power of education which has often been forgotten in education, even though it is of vital importance.
Research Interests:
This chapter analyzes the relation of the arts, and particularly music education, to social change. The first section discusses what social change is, presenting important research and ideas. It situates the notion of social change within... more
This chapter analyzes the relation of the arts, and particularly music education, to social change. The first section discusses what social change is, presenting important research and ideas. It situates the notion of social change within the framework of utopia and connects it with human flourishing as its ultimate goal. The second section is concerned with the social impact of the arts, discussing important notions such as their relation to cultivation and to moral intentions, and their political purpose. The third section is explicitly focused on music education’s relation to social change, presenting general considerations and examples such as El Sistema or developments in international music education policy.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Wenn Autoren wie Schopenhauer oder Richard Wagner von der Musik als höchster aller Künste sprechen, die das Wesen der Welt offenbare, greifen sie dabei auf Topoi des Sprechens über Musik zurück, die das ausgehende 18. Jahrhundert... more
Wenn Autoren wie Schopenhauer oder Richard Wagner von der Musik als höchster aller Künste sprechen, die das Wesen der Welt offenbare, greifen sie dabei auf Topoi des Sprechens über Musik zurück, die das ausgehende 18. Jahrhundert entwickelt. Frühromantische Denker träumen als erste wieder von einer den Kosmos umfassenden Musik, die das Unendliche erfahrbar werden läßt. Vor allem Wilhelm Heinrich Wackenroder und Ludwig Tieck gestalten in ihren Schriften die Musik zu einer Kunst, die die Transzendenz berührt. Sie stellt für sie eine intensive emotionale und sinnliche Erfahrung dar, die in ihren ekstatischen Momente das Individuum mystisch über sich selbst erhebt. Ihre Texte, die als Gründungsdokumente romantischer Musikästhetik gelten, werden aber häufig nicht vorurteilsfrei analysiert, sondern im Sinne der Idee von der absoluten Musik interpretiert, für die Musik vor allem ein geistiges Abstraktum ist, frei von allen Gefühlen, programmatischen Bezügen und sinnlichen Elementen.
Die Bedeutung der emotionalen und sinnlichen Elemente für die Musikauffassung Wacken-roders und Tiecks steht im Mittelpunkt dieser Untersuchung. Sie widerlegt die Gültigkeit des Dogmas von der absoluten Musik für die Texte Wackenroders und Tiecks und zeigt zugleich die sie eigentlich prägenden Spannungen zwischen Musik als subjektivem und objektivem Medium, als intimem Gefühl und kosmischer Offenbarung auf. Darin liegt auch die Faszination dieser Texte für nachfolgende Denker begründet, vor allem für Schopenhauer. So untersucht diese Arbeit erstmals die Verbindungen zwischen Wackenroder und Schopenhauer, dessen Philosophie ohne seine frühe Wackenroder-Lektüre wohl eine andere Form erhalten hätte. Er entwickelt die bei Wackenroder vorgebildete energetische Auffassung von Musik weiter, die schließlich die Gefühlsästhetik ersetzt.
Die Bedeutung der emotionalen und sinnlichen Elemente für die Musikauffassung Wacken-roders und Tiecks steht im Mittelpunkt dieser Untersuchung. Sie widerlegt die Gültigkeit des Dogmas von der absoluten Musik für die Texte Wackenroders und Tiecks und zeigt zugleich die sie eigentlich prägenden Spannungen zwischen Musik als subjektivem und objektivem Medium, als intimem Gefühl und kosmischer Offenbarung auf. Darin liegt auch die Faszination dieser Texte für nachfolgende Denker begründet, vor allem für Schopenhauer. So untersucht diese Arbeit erstmals die Verbindungen zwischen Wackenroder und Schopenhauer, dessen Philosophie ohne seine frühe Wackenroder-Lektüre wohl eine andere Form erhalten hätte. Er entwickelt die bei Wackenroder vorgebildete energetische Auffassung von Musik weiter, die schließlich die Gefühlsästhetik ersetzt.
Research Interests:
Obwohl die Globalisierung von Wirtschaft, Politik und Kultur die einzelnen Staaten immer mehr miteinander verbindet, ist diese Internationalisierung doch zugleich eine Illusion. Sie hat nicht wirklich zu einem umfassenderen Wissen über... more
Obwohl die Globalisierung von Wirtschaft, Politik und Kultur die einzelnen
Staaten immer mehr miteinander verbindet, ist diese Internationalisierung doch zugleich eine Illusion. Sie hat nicht wirklich zu einem umfassenderen Wissen über andere Länder und Kulturen geführt, auch wenn sie vertraut scheinen. Dieses Informationsdefizit in der „globalen Welt“ bezieht sich auf viele Bereiche, insbesondere auf Schulsysteme und pädagogische Probleme, auch wenn sich seit dem PISA-Test einiges verändert hat. Vor allem über den
Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern ist immer noch zu wenig bekannt,
trotz der mehr als 50 Jahre, seit denen sich die International Society of Music
Education (ISME) um einen Austausch bemüht. Die Aktivitäten von ISME
scheinen nur einen kleinen, elitären Expertenkreis zu erreichen, der sich für
Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern interessiert. Die meisten Musikpädagogen werden durch diese komparative Forschung nicht erreicht.
Da es in verschiedenen Ländern ähnliche musikpädagogische Probleme (z. B.Standards, Umgang mit Unterrichtsstörungen, multikultureller Musikunterricht) gibt, ist es sinnvoll, voneinander zu lernen. Im internationalen Dialog lassen sich Informationen und Erfahrungen austauschen, die zu einer Optimierung von Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern beitragen können.Eine Verbesserung des Musikunterrichtes kann im 21. Jahrhundert nur durch den internationalen Austausch gelingen. Deshalb muss die Komparative Musikpädagogik, die als Wissenschaft schon lange existiert, methodisch und inhaltlichausgebaut werden.
Staaten immer mehr miteinander verbindet, ist diese Internationalisierung doch zugleich eine Illusion. Sie hat nicht wirklich zu einem umfassenderen Wissen über andere Länder und Kulturen geführt, auch wenn sie vertraut scheinen. Dieses Informationsdefizit in der „globalen Welt“ bezieht sich auf viele Bereiche, insbesondere auf Schulsysteme und pädagogische Probleme, auch wenn sich seit dem PISA-Test einiges verändert hat. Vor allem über den
Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern ist immer noch zu wenig bekannt,
trotz der mehr als 50 Jahre, seit denen sich die International Society of Music
Education (ISME) um einen Austausch bemüht. Die Aktivitäten von ISME
scheinen nur einen kleinen, elitären Expertenkreis zu erreichen, der sich für
Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern interessiert. Die meisten Musikpädagogen werden durch diese komparative Forschung nicht erreicht.
Da es in verschiedenen Ländern ähnliche musikpädagogische Probleme (z. B.Standards, Umgang mit Unterrichtsstörungen, multikultureller Musikunterricht) gibt, ist es sinnvoll, voneinander zu lernen. Im internationalen Dialog lassen sich Informationen und Erfahrungen austauschen, die zu einer Optimierung von Musikunterricht in verschiedenen Ländern beitragen können.Eine Verbesserung des Musikunterrichtes kann im 21. Jahrhundert nur durch den internationalen Austausch gelingen. Deshalb muss die Komparative Musikpädagogik, die als Wissenschaft schon lange existiert, methodisch und inhaltlichausgebaut werden.
Research Interests:
Globalization and internationalization are significant factors in today’s world and have an impact on music education. Since so far, no publication in music education has addressed this topic comprehensively, this book is the very first... more
Globalization and internationalization are significant factors in today’s world and have an impact on music education. Since so far, no publication in music education has addressed this topic comprehensively, this book is the very first one to do so. It offers a conceptual framework helping to understand, evaluate and shape internationalization and globalization with regard to music education in a culturally sensitive way. It presents a new vision for transforming music education internationally in terms of a united and inclusive, yet diverse global music education community. By acknowledging different music education and research cultures, this vision challenges the current state of international music education and higher education. It emphasizes the need for developing a pluralistic mode of thinking in music education, while at the same time underlining our shared foundations and goals. By using an interdisciplinary approach, utilizing concepts from related areas of research such as comparative education, policy studies, sociolinguistics or business studies, this book opens up new perspectives on how to address globalization and internationalization with regard to music education. The notion of educational transfer, research about differences in academic discourses worldwide or the concept of the global mindset can help facilitating much-needed transformations in music education globally. These different theories, when applied to music education, support the improvement of music education internationally. Internationalization is not something that happens automatically, but a development, which can be shaped by people, who are interested in engaging in it, no matter if in everyday school life, research, or on the music education policy level. This book presents a call for a more conscious internationalization of music education of which everybody can be a part.
Research Interests:
The arts and particularly music are well-known agents for social change. They can empower, transform, or question. They can be a mirror of society’s current state and a means of transformation. They are often the last refuge when all... more
The arts and particularly music are well-known agents for social change. They can empower, transform, or question. They can be a mirror of society’s current state and a means of transformation. They are often the last refuge when all attempts at social change have failed. But are the arts able to live up to these expectations? Can music education cause social change? This book offers timely answers to these questions. It presents an imaginative, yet critical approach. It is optimistic and realistic. It rethinks music education’s relation to social change and offers a new vision in terms of music education as utopian theory and practice. This allows to unearth the utopian energy of the music education profession and to openly imagine how the world could be otherwise – while at the same time critically scrutinizing respective conceptions. Since it has been an important topic in sociology and political science, utopia offers a new tradition of thinking and a scholarly foundation for music education’s relation to social change. However, music education is not only a means for social transformation. It also has artistic and aesthetic dimensions. Thus, connecting music education with utopia leads to two approaches in terms of politically or socially responsive music education and esthetic music education. Rethinking music education and social change within the framework of utopia offers much-needed opportunities for reconceptualizing music education in the 2020s.