In the field of intercultural music education and in the teaching of non-European music, learning by observation is only possible to a limited extent. This means that teaching is especially dependent on notation, which constitutes a central aspect of my PhD project on translocal music education in Salvador da Bahia.

The research presented compares notations in popular teaching materials, online courses and board illustrations found during my fieldwork in pandeiro lessons. This comparison aims to identify general principles, requirements, and limitations of pandeiro notation by way of example. My research is thus embedded in the discourse on the notation of non-Western music (Hood, Seeger).

The project is conceptualized as collaborative ethnographic research (Lassiter) in cooperation with the pandeiro musician and textbook author João Araújo. It brings together Araújo's emic and my etic perspectives (Harris, Goodenough) in all research steps and thus reflects on notation systems from both points of view.

The research has shown that notation systems are always linked to the experience of those who decode them. This can include learners outside Brazil or orchestral musicians without pandeiro training. However, notation systems always reflect the relevancies of their developers in their representations and omissions. Considering these relevancies is of fundamental importance to an appropriate representation of cultural diversity in teaching materials. Discussions about the appropriate notation of global music culture reveal the Eurocentrism inherent in the employment of staff notation: Written representation is always deficient and using elements of staff notation merely reflects a Western perspective on the actual music. This makes it necessary to constantly reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of the notation systems used in teaching materials in order to meet the demands of culturally sensitive and decolonial music education.

JeKits is a federal-funded music education program currently reaching over 100,000 children in North Rhine-Westphalia. It aims to foster children’s cultural participation and enrich the regional educational landscape through collaborations among elementary schools, music and dance schools, and other partners. Over its 15+ year history, JeKits has become an established and influential player in the region, with a presumably strong impact on the cultural and educational lives of participating children, the professional lives of its teachers, and the institutions involved.

The research project AnmuT examines the perspectives of JeKits students and teachers regarding the program’s role in their paths of cultural participation and/or professional development. Key questions include: How do teachers and students experience JeKits within the context of their own cultural and educational practices? What challenges and crossroads do they encounter, and how do they navigate them? What forms of support are available to them, and how do these shape their participation and/or professionalization paths?

The study employs Grounded Theory Methodology (Strauss) and Situational Analysis (Clarke), analyzing data from individual and group interviews with children and teachers. This paper focuses on methodological aspects of the project, particularly the challenges of capturing young children’s perspectives on cultural participation processes and widening the analytical lens to include non-human actants – such as institutions, media, teaching materials, and societal discourses – that shape the JeKits environment.

Preliminary findings reveal, for example, the interplay between children’s musical activities in the “public space” of school and in more private “protected spaces”. They also highlight the multifaceted influence of societal and institutional norms on children’s musical preferences and initiatives. These findings suggest the need for music education programs to create more inclusive spaces that balance structured learning with opportunities for self-expression and provide targeted support that acknowledges children’s dynamic and evolving musical identities.

Research is increasingly exploring how the use of the body and movement impacts musical understanding and learning (Lukács et al., 2022; Juntunen & Hyvönen, 2004). Embodiment in musical learning cannot be understated as movement and kinesthetic awareness are key components of children's physical and cognitive development (Nijs & Bremmer, 2019). However, integrating movement from the beginning of instrumental study has not been thoroughly researched in the early years. This gap represents an opportunity to unlock young learners' musical potential through movement, shaping future directions in instrumental music education.

This study builds on the kinemusical approach to instrumental music learning (Nijs, 2019) and further advances this approach. We conducted a collaborative action research study where children learned how to play the flute through movement-based instrumental learning activities. In the Planning phase, activities were developed using Dalcroze and Suzuki Education methodologies, as well as Laban-Bartenieff Movement Analysis. During the Action stage, 45-minute weekly classes were held over two consecutive 6-week cycles with discrete groups of children aged 5-8, who had no prior instrumental experience. Three expert "Critical Friends," from the fields of Dalcroze, Suzuki, and Laban-Bartienieff, provided video-stimulated written feedback at the conclusion of each cycle of the study (Conway & Borst, 2001; Mat Noor & Shafee, 2021). This feedback, combined with the researcher-practitioner’s weekly reflections, shaped the development of activities in the second cycle, and will inform interventions in a follow-up study.

Data was collected via video recordings, a weekly reflective teaching journal, and parent surveys to probe the children’s home environment and practice habits. Qualitative data will be analyzed thematically and quantitative data from surveys will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Analysis is ongoing and will be finalized for the conference. Data triangulation will help gain understanding about the potential impact of moving while playing in early instrumental learning.