SMS – Strengthening Music in Society

Higher Music Education Institutions (HMEIs) play a crucial role to safeguard, develop and promote European cultural heritage and diversity, to facilitate access to cultural offerings and cultural education for all, and to contribute to economic growth through the creation of new jobs and new business models in the creative sector. With support from the European Commission through the scheme “European Networks” of the Creative Europe programme, the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) supports and encourages Music HEIs to adapt to change, embrace innovation and open up new fields of activities through the project Strengthening Music in Society (AEC-SMS).

The EMU is a partner in the SMS project in charge of coordinating two of the working groups which are both relevant to music schools as well as higher music education:

Strand 6: Digitisation (Teacher Education in the Digital Age)

The specific objective of this strand is to encourage the use of digital media and digital-based learning tools in music teaching and encourage higher music education institutions to open their educational offer so as to answer the needs and requirements of diversity and promote inclusiveness throughout their activities.

This strand entirely coordinated by the European Music Schools Union (EMU) and it will be carried out by a working group (WG), composed of representatives of AEC, EAS, EMU and a student representative from an AEC member institution.

Activities and tasks of the working group include:
  • COLLECTING AND MAPPING PRACTICES AND EXAMPLES
    • Collect practices on the use and the needs of digital learning material, distance learning and musical interaction tools
    • Collect practices on the use and the needs of digital learning material, distance learning and musical interaction tools and finalise the publication
    • Create a database providing access to digital learning tools
  • DEVELOPING A PUBLICATION
    • on the use and needs of digital learning material, distance learning and musical interaction tools together with a a database providing access to digital learning tools
  • CONTRIBUTING TO AEC EVENTS PROGRAMME AND DELIVERY
    • Contribute to the EMUs annual congresses and the AEC Congress 2019 on Entrepreneurship and Digitisation (together with WG3)
    • Contributing to preparing the AEC Congress 2020 on Societal impact and audience engagement together with other SMS working groups, and the AEC Congress 2021 (showcasing the outcomes of the SMS project)
  • COOPERATING WITH OTHER WGs AND WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS
    • Giving input to other SMS working groups (including to the WG on Entrepreneurship and on Music’s and higher music education institutions’ role in society)

Working Group Members

  • Luc Nijs – University Gent / Lemmen Inst. Leuven (Chair)
  • André Stärk – Hochschule für Musik Detmold
  • Enric Gaus Termens – ESMUC Barcelona
  • Sandrine Desmurs – CEFEDEM Lyon
  • Marina Gall – University of Bristol (EAS)
  • Matti Ruippo – University Tampere – (EMU)
  • Miranda Harmer – Leeds College of Music (Student Representative)
  • Till Skoruppa – EMU (Working Group Coordinator)

Early Childhood Music Education Working Group

The special objective of this Working Group is to increase the quality of Early Childhood Music Education, and thus extend the audience of tomorrow. The EMU working group has the aim to develop a “tool kit” to start high quality Early Childhood Music Education in all European countries. Early Childhood Music Education has a positive impact for integration and inclusion, children’s personal development and learning abilities, social and communication skills and it enhances the families’ quality of life.

Activities and tasks of the group will include:

  • COLLECTING AND MAPPING PRACTICES AND EXAMPLES
    • Pilot project to test in a music school the new teaching / pedagogical material for 4-6 year old children
  • DEVELOPING A PUBLICATION 
    • Preparing an early childhood music education handbook for 0-6 year old children
  • CONTRIBUTING TO AEC EVENTS PROGRAMME
    • Presenting the results  of the WG at AEC events
    • Contributing to preparing the AEC Congress 2020 on Societal impact and audience engagement together with other SMS working groups, and the AEC Congress 2021 (showcasing the outcomes of the SMS project)
  • COOPERATING WITH OTHER WG AND WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS
    • Giving input to other SMS working groups (including to the WG on Music’s and higher music education institutions’ role in society)

Working group members

Natassa Economidou – University of Nicosia
Ulla Piispanen – Author, lecturer & teacher
Michael Dartsch – Hochschule für Musik Saarbrücken
Till Skoruppa – EMU, Working group coordinator