The latest edition of the EMU seminar on Early Childhood Music Education took place at the Centre Culturel ‘Machera’ in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, on October 23-24, 2024.
The seminar was not only organised by the European Music School Union but also received support from several other institutions, including the Association des écoles de Musique du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, the Regional Maacher Musekschoul, the Ville de Grevenmacher – Muselmetropol, and Le Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg – Ministère de l’Éducation nationale de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse.
The event was opened by Michaela Hahn, President of the European Music School Union, Gilles Lacour, Commissaire du Gouvernement à l’enseignement musical, and Romain Asselborn, Président de l’Association des Écoles de Musique du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg.
The seminar’s topic attracted many visitors, not only from Luxembourg but also from several EMU member countries. Participants had the opportunity to listen to thought-provoking presentations on new and useful approaches and were shown best practices, with parents and their children, aged 5-18 months and 4-5 years, in attendance. In addition to presentations and observing live-streamed music lessons from another classroom, participants experienced various music education tasks through interactive workshops.
The sessions were rich with reflections and discussions, and even coffee breaks were filled with professional content.
The seminar featured distinguished presenters, including Micky Thein, President of the “éveil musical” working group of MENJE, Luxembourg; Luc Nijs, Associate Professor for Early Childhood Education, University of Luxembourg; Natassa Economidou-Stavrou, Associate Professor for Music Education, University of Nicosia, Cyprus; Michael Dartsch, Professor for Music Education, Saarbrücken University, Germany; and Satu Sopanen, author and teacher of early childhood music education, Finland.
The seminar concluded with the first in-person meeting of the newly elected EMU presidium. Our musician colleagues likely returned home motivated and equipped with practical information to apply in their everyday work. The EMU presidium hopes for more opportunities to continue along this path.
Csilla Gál
EMU presidium member