Stefan Gies:

The importance of Leo Kestenberg for the German General Music Education

This paper focuses on Leo Kestenberg (1882-1961), pianist and member of the German Social Democratic Party, chairman of the Prussian Central Institute for Education and Teaching from 1922 to 1933, who had a decisive role for the basic reformation and reorganization of the music education system in Germany. On Kestenberg's suggestion, public music schools were founded in order to make instrumental instruction available al so to children of less advantaged backgrounds. But first and foremost, his name is connected with the reformation of music education in the classroom, of which the main principle was to broaden the subject matter of traditional singing lessons at school in the direction of lessons in music and about music.

The measures taken by the so-called Kestenberg Reform essentially concerned three subjects: 1 . A reconstitution of the curriculum. 2. A complete reformation of music teacher training. 3. Bringing the status of the music teacher into line with that of other teachers.

Kestenberg initiated the music teachers training to be settled at music conservatories with the aim to provide them with a double profile as an academic as well as an artist. As a Jew, he was forced to emigrate in 1933 and did not return to Germany after the end of National Socialism. The reform package devised and instigated by Kestenberg did not start to be really effective before 1945, but it determines classroom music education as well as music teacher training even today.

After 1970, a great number of different conceptual models for music lessons in the class-room were put forward in West Germany (i.e. introduction into music listening, Hermeneutic-didactic interpretation of music, classroom projects in creative music, critical didactics), which became the subject of heated debate. Despite all differences they all shared the essential basics of the Kestenberg Reform. They all focused on developing the ability to reflect on music and teaching children to form an appreciation of art.

Conceptions based on academic thinking about music are still predominant in classroom music education in Germany, but recent research in the fields of music psychology research and music learning theories has exposed flaws in Kestenberg's system. The need to relate the subject matter to pupils' active experiences seems inevitable and suggests the necessity of mothballing Kestenberg's masterplan at least partially.