Research-to-Resource: AI in Music Education Through Heidegger’s Lens: Releasement and Openness to Mystery

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from a distant prospect to an immediate reality in education, bringing opportunities and challenges. In music education, recent studies emphasize AI’s potential to broaden access, personalize instruction, and foster creativity, while also warning of reduced expressivity, overreliance on automation, and the erosion of human judgment. This duality highlights the need for pedagogical frameworks that balance innovation with critical reflection. Drawing on Heidegger’s insights on technology, this Research-to-Resource article applies the concepts of Releasement (Gelassenheit) and Openness to Mystery (Offenheit für das Geheimnis) to music education. These concepts invite teachers and students to engage with AI thoughtfully and receptively, viewing its outputs not as finished products but as invitations for interpretation and imaginative exploration. Practical classroom activities illustrate how AI can serve as a reflective and collaborative partner, enriching musical learning while sustaining agency, creativity, and critical judgment.