Georg Nussbaumer and hundreds of students will realise a walk-in symphony on the mdw Campus for Wien Modern

Over the past ten years, contemporary music has come to occupy an important position at the mdw.

To this day, the ways in which innovation in music is dealt with are complex. And for this reason, our Special section in this issue is devoted to contemporary music. Or as it is also known: new music, music of the present, avant-garde music, music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

mdw Rector Ulrike Sych and Harald Huber met with mdw Magazine to discuss educational shortcomings and solutions for the future.

The term "Bildung" is one of those German words that virtually defies translation, since its fundamental meaning can probably only be understood with reference to German intellectual history.

In no case should having the opportunity to take a playful approach to music be left to chance or depend on the musical interest of parents and teachers. And in this spirit, we’ve devoted the following pages to the significance of music education in its infinitely many facets.

Nestroy Award winner Felix Hafner, the author Marie Luise Lehner and Stefan Mendl, two-time Echo Klassik Award winner, talk about the significance of criticism for society.

Just where the term comes from etymologically, how artists deal with criticism, and why music criticism often devolves into mere music journalism.

May we permit ourselves to reject criticism? And would, absent criticism, the endeavours of art, music, and literature lose their social functions?