Instrumental Pedagogy in the Context of Political Regime Change: A Systems View to Estonian Music Schools’ Curricular Adaptability

Application summary

Respecting and promoting children’s right to participate fully in cultural and artistic life while encouraging the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity is stated in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. Indeed, Estonia’s current legislation concerning hobby education––including music education––is seemingly in line with that, prioritising learners’ development as independent and creative individuals while granting them experiences of joy and success in the process. However, according to my initial findings, the country’s publicly funded music schools still largely rely on the contents of the Soviet curriculum, placing most value on polishing students’ technical skills on their instrument while dismissing children who fail to meet the high standards. While one third of Estonia’s population is of foreign (mostly Russian) origin, hobby schools’ unused potential concerning integration and social cohesion has been noted in previous studies. Despite that, no support for music schools for renewing their practices to meet the changing needs of the society has followed. Instead, the leading organisation of Estonian music schools mainly focuses on organising yearly competitions for music school students under the title “The best young instrumentalist”, highlighting the narrow technical principle according to which music education is necessary for preparing future musicians but not for its inherent value on human life. This bold research project is an attempt to advocate for academic freedom by pursuing an innovative line of research in the Estonian context, and addressing a sensitive topic concerning the status quo of music schools. Using qualitative methods and systems thinking, I will investigate how the long-established music school system adapts to Estonia’s changing society from the perspectives of principals and teachers during the continuously turbulent times in (Eastern) Europe.