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Turning Social. The Social-Transformative Potential of Music Mediation

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book cover, drawn hands in different colors, coming together in the center

Turning Social

The Social-Transformative Potential of Music Mediation

Axel Petri-Preis, Annette Ziegenmeyer (eds.)

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How can diverse musical interactions be productively used to promote inter- and transcultural communication, support human thriving and flourishing, empower marginalised social groups, or make society as a whole more sustainable, just and inclusive? Bringing together perspectives from research and practice, this edited volume explores how music mediation as a distinct artistic-educational practice can foster social cohesion, enable dialogue, and create new forms of engagement. The contributions critically reflect on the conditions, limitations, and potentials of music mediation in various contexts, providing insights for scholars, musicians, and practitioners working at the intersection of music and society.

Endorsements

A major contribution to current debates about music and social change, Turning Social fulfils two valuable roles. It explains and illustrates the concept of music mediation to an international readership, examining it from multiple perspectives and revealing its similarities and differences with domains such as community music, the social impact of making music, and social action through music. It also enshrines critical reflection at the heart of this field, making clear that music mediation is not a simple solution to contemporary social problems but rather a complex work in progress, with pitfalls to be avoided, challenges to be confronted, and skills to be deepened. Furthermore, in exploring the kinds of learning required for successful music mediation, it proposes the unlearning of certain hegemonic ideas and practices and further efforts to reform higher music education.
—Emeritus Prof. Dr. Geoffrey Baker, Agrigento

This book makes a significant contribution to the field of Music Mediation research. While the first decades of reflection in this area largely focused on cultural democratization through access to “high culture”, this volume marks a clear shift toward cultural democracy. With a rich variety of international perspectives, it captures a timely and much-needed transformation in the discourse. Both researchers and practitioners will find it highly relevant and inspiring.
—Prof. Dr. Constanze Wimmer, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz

This excellent and timely project provides new perspectives on Music Mediation and socially engaged practice. It consolidates the current landscape and catalyzes contextual thinking about where this work is now — and where it might go next. Original, inspiring, and highly relevant, it raises key questions around inclusion, institutional responsibility, and the future role of musicians as lifelong learners in a world in constant flux.
—Prof. Sean Gregory, Guildhall School of Music and Drama London

Turning Social reveals what lies at the heart of music mediation: a passion for both the social and the artistic-aesthetic dimensions of music. It is not a matter of either-or. This gives this book a unique position in conceptualizing music mediation for an international audience. —Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kertz-Welzel, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

Metadata

Publication:September 2025
Print Length:303 pages
License:
Open Access

DOI:10.14361/9783839425015
Print-ISBN:978-3-8376-7877-2
PDF-ISBN:978-3-8394-2501-5
EPUB-ISBN:978-3- 7328-0011-7

About the Editors

Axel Petri-Preis is a professor of music mediation and community music at mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. His focus in teaching and research lies on topics such as the aims and ethics of socially engaged music making, the development of new concert formats, and curricular development. He is deputy head of the Department of Music Education Research and Practice, coordinator of the Music in Dialogue subdivision, and chair of the curriculum committee for the master’s programme in Contemporary Arts Practice. He is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Music Mediation (IJMM). Most recently, he co-edited the Handbuch Musikvermittlung [Handbook of Music Mediation] with Johannes Voit.

Annette Ziegenmeyer is Professor of Music Education at the University of Music Luebeck where she also directs the Center for Teacher Education. Her main areas of work and research include composition pedagogy (international perspective), community music and music in prisons. Beyond her active participation in music teacher education networks (for example Allianz für Lehrkräftebildung, Schleswig-Holstein; Kompetenzzentrum für musikalische Bildung, Schleswig-Holstein; Bundesverband Musikunterricht e.V., Schleswig-Holstein) she also co-edits the journal Diskussion Musikpädagogik.