Abstract
Whilst the German philosopher Theodor W. Adorno (1903-1969) is widely known for his innovative ideas on music, aesthetics and sociology, he was also one of the most prominent critics of German music education before and after World War II. He argued against humanistic and idealistic philosophies of music education, which pursued a transformation of human beings through making music. For Adorno, music education should be focused on the music itself and the education of musically critical and self-determined students.
The main intent of this article is an examination of Adorno's critique of music education, specifically in terms of the misuse of music education for ideological purposes. This article draws on examples of Adorno's work not yet translated into English, to question and challenge current practices of music education.
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