creating music – creating cultures Erasmus Project

Project Title

creating music – creating cultures

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

“creating music – creating cultures” – a great intention, an exceptional project and a unique concept that encouraged creative students and versatile teachers. It built bridges between tradition and the modern world, analogue and digital channels, processes of school development as well as public representation and mainly builds up a link between European cultures, people and educational institutions.

Based on the anchored friendship and cooperation between the schools “Grund- und Gemeinschaftsschule Pönitz” and “ESPAMOL” in Lagoa/Portugal this project was pursuing diverse targets: First, teachers received the possibility for upskilling in order to discover new ways of intercultural and musical transfer. Second, students did boost their musical skills by arranging music to new music together with their exchange partners of the partner school during the mutual visits. Third, new methodologies as working with digital media were introduced. Fourth, both, students and teachers strengthened their intercultural competences and opened their horizon.

Music is central in this project and served as a gate opener. It connected the students likewise a mutual ribbon that removed barriers and conveys solidarity from the start.

The 24 students (class grades 8 – 10) and four teachers were looking forward to product-oriented learning, artistic co-work on interesting topics.

Within a creative process the influence of both (music) cultures was joined. The students learned about the language and lyrics, typical instruments and specific melodies of both countries. At the same time, the project considered for the latest development in the musical area and songs students are currently listening to in their leisure time. The outcome was going to be new arranged songs created by the students themselves along the entire production process: music theory, melody, instruments, lyrics, recordings and presentation on public concerts.

The project was supported by digital media expertise and the existing infrastructure in the partner school “Grund- und Gemeinschaftsschule Pönitz”. Its competence regarding digital education and production was rewarded several times by the federal education institute and stated a national example. This leaded to future-oriented, border-crossing synergies: WebJam-Sessions, live-streams and the professional production of music in a high-standard recording studio and media lab in Pönitz. Finally, the target is to preserve the results for the future by playing the arranged songs beyond the current project. This is realized by being flexible in terms of time and location-independency extending the actually scheduled duration of the project.

The Portuguese partner school benefited from the experience in the area of creative and interactive working with digital media. In the future, “ESPAMOL” is planning to increase their development in this area.

Considering the broad variety of demand in musical activities in “ESPAMOL” apart the regular lessons, the German school was interested in learning about possibilities to implement a cooperation with the local music school. This leads now into the new KA2 project.

The third party, the students, benefited in many ways: First, we intensified the European idea in both rural located schools. Second, they received the unique possibility to intensively learn about differences and commonalities regarding music and the society of both cultures. Third, tolerance and openness were experienced in the real live without the barriers of prejudice in terms of social equality, income and education levels. Beyond, the students did make friends for the rest of their lives.

Both schools not only intensified their established relationship, which so far was restricted to mutual visits. This enhanced project initiative considered opportunities of innovation with the help of modern digital media. Moreover, the project encouraged the planned interconnection between both cities on a municipal level (sister-city arrangements).

Our long-term goal was our passion: Music is a global language that builds bridges, music is culture and creates cultures at the same time, music is language and communication at all levels: creating music – creating cultures.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 52390 Eur

Project Coordinator

Grund- und Gemeinschaftsschule Pönitz & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Agrupamento de Escolas Pdr. Ant. Martins de Oliveira