Until recently there has been a lack of research on the experiences of Black & Brown people both in music education (Bull et al., 2022) and the music industry (BLiM, 2021) in the UK. Why a lack of engagement and progression exists and how historic and current music education structures may or may not be affecting the identities, education & career choices of Global Majority citizens in the UK has not been explored. This research sought to understand the experiences of members of the Global Majority (preferred term to BAME) in the UK, which research has reported to be Eurocentric and "overwhelmingly White".

This exploratory study followed the journeys of eleven Global Majority1 teachers and musicians2 from their early experiences within the UK music education system up to their present professional careers in music. A qualitative approach was taken utilising focus groups with eleven adults. Additional focus groups with ten students presently engaged in music education offered a current perspective and comparison with adults’ experiences, allowing for reflection on possible trajectories.

The research question asked whether a predominantly White, middle-class music curriculum has an effect on the musical behaviours and identity of members of the Global Majority in the United Kingdom. Findings showed that musicians and music teachers had experienced considerable barriers in music education and musical careers, which had an adverse psychological effect, typically recognized later in life due to the subtle mechanisms of racial discrimination at work via music education. An understanding of racialised peoples experiences is paramount to implementing effective strategies to increase engagement and progression in music education and importantly to reduce harm. This research gives evidential support to those who wish to press the importance of addressing racial inequity in music education and industry. An anti-racist stance in music education is recommended.

This presentation explores the preliminary findings of the TEAM (Teacher Education Academy in Music) project, which aggregates data from 20 national reports across Europe to map the landscape of Music Teacher Education. Our research, guided by the project's structured framework, examines the common challenges and innovative practices in music teacher education across these countries. Data was collected through contributions from 20 national coordinators of the European Association for Music in School and was analysed through thematic analysis.

Findings identified several common challenges in music teacher education in Europe. These include the limited frequency of music lessons and the assignment of music teaching responsibilities to generalist teachers without specialised training. Music is frequently perceived as a marginal subject, leading to a shortage of qualified music teachers and a decline in enrollment in teacher training programs. Additional issues encompass the quality of music education, scarcity of didactic resources, underutilization of technology in music lessons, and an imbalance between musical and pedagogical skills in teacher training.

In response to these challenges and in an attempt to adapt to changing educational landscapes in music teacher education, several innovative practices have emerged. Continuous professional development initiatives are implemented to keep teachers abreast of the latest methodologies and technologies with emphasis on practical teaching skills, integrating theoretical knowledge with real-world classroom scenarios, and incorporating new technologies in music teaching and learning. Furthermore, music teacher education programs are being restructured to offer a broad spectrum of artistic, practical, theoretical, scientific, didactic, and pedagogical skills, enabling teachers to conduct diverse musical activities effectively.

The findings underscore the necessity for a comprehensive and adaptable approach to music teacher education, addressing existing challenges while embracing innovative practices to enhance the quality and effectiveness of music education across Europe.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the Music Curriculum development processes in Germany, Ireland and Lithuania, and is being carried out within the context of the Erasmus+ TEAM project.

Music curriculum development is a dynamic and multifaceted process that reflects the cultural, social and educational contexts in which it occurs. Curriculum impacts on various stakeholders within the learning and teaching process: students, teachers, school authorities, parents and the wider society. The development of an official curriculum and accompanying documents is often the responsibility of a curriculum developer consulting with an expert group (Bens et al. 2021). Who participates in this ‘expert group’ varies widely, which has led us to pose the following questions:

• What stakeholder voices’ contribute to the decision-making process within curriculum development?
• How to they contribute and to what extent?

We explore these questions through documentary analysis which involves reviewing, evaluating and synthesizing the information (data) gleaned from official documents (Kutsyuruba 2023). Our starting point was a systematic analysis of the relevant documents, including national education policies, curriculum guides and supporting publications as well as relevant information on government websites. From this process we established the criteria which best facilitated us in conducting a comparative analysis (Ragin, 2008; Milošević & Maksimović 2020) of the data across three countries. These include: policy framework (for curriculum development), stakeholder involvement, curriculum content and perceived challenges.

Early results reveal that much of the decision-making process is the responsibility of ‘expert groups’ with varying levels of consultation with music education scholars, teachers, teachers’ organisations and students.

Through this research we aim to provide valuable insights for educators, policymakers and researchers in adapting to changing educational landscapes. Ultimately, it advocates for a collaborative framework that not only empowers underrepresented voices but also fosters a more equitable and relevant music curriculum for all learners.