My research project,

Instrumental Pedagogy in the Context of Political Regime Change: A Systems View to Estonian Music Schools’ Curricular Adaptability,

investigates how the 85 Estonian public music schools, with more than 11,000 students, have adapted to a new political regime and changing societal expectations following the country’s re-independence from the Soviet occupation in 1991.

Estonian music schools are mostly publicly funded and, at least in principle, easily accessible to any child interested in learning music. However, they carry a complex historical background. The Estonian music school system dates back to the 1950s – the most repressive period of the Soviet times – when the primary purpose of instrumental education was to prepare children for their future careers as performers. Although Estonian general education has undergone several reforms and curricular changes since then, the curricula in music schools still largely rely on the contents of their Soviet predecessor. 

Through my research, I aim to address questions inspired by this situation: whether and how this system meets the needs of the democratic society that has justified expectations of accessible and democratic extracurricular education.