The European educational landscape is characterised by diverse national systems, each shaped by distinct cultural, political, and historical contexts. Within this, music education reflects both shared democratic values and unique local traditions, making comparative perspectives essential for understanding how education responds to societal needs (Laes, Biesta & Westerlund, 2025).

This Roundtable, presented within the Erasmus+ project TEAM–Teacher Education Academy for Music, and organised collaboratively with the EAS National Coordinators, focuses on findings of one of the project’s aims, namely to map school music education across Europe.

Data were gathered from 31 European countries through questionnaires completed by National Coordinators and leading music education scholars. This questionnaire was structured around six thematic areas: political framework, school structure, music in schools, music curriculum, current trends, and future development. This design facilitates cross-national comparison while respecting national particularities.

Key findings from the TEAM data, supported by relevant examples illustrating the growing awareness of how school music can create spaces for inclusion, diversity and cultural understanding, will be presented. These provide the framework for this roundtable’s central aim: to engage participants in critical reflection and dialogue around advancing democractic principles through music education. We invite all those committed to promoting democratic values to debate and discuss:

• How can school music education more effectively advance democracy, participation, and student agency?
• How can music curricula celebrate and preserve national music traditions while embracing cultural diversity and preparing students for life in pluralist, globalised societies?
• What strategies would enhance accessibility to music education and better integrate it with formal schooling?

The session seeks to deepen understanding of music education as a space where democratic values and cultural diversity intersect, thus opening possibilities for advancing music education, positioning it simultaneously as a reflection of Europe’s pluralism and as a vital resource for sustaining inclusive and democratic societies.