Rethinking Music Education: Why Techno Culture Is Part of the Solution
Rave The Planet at the German Music Council Congress
On March 25 and 26, 2026, the congress “Music Education in the Ecosystem of Music” (ger.: Musikalische Bildung im Ökosystem Musik), hosted by the German Music Council (Deutscher Musikrat), took place at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin). Over the course of two days, one thing became clear: music education is under pressure — and at the same time, ready for a necessary shift.
Rave The Planet was part of this conversation. Represented by our volunteer CEO Dr. Motte, we set a strong tone right from the opening: Techno Culture belongs in the conversation about music education.
A Congress Between Challenge and Renewal
The event was fully booked. Experts from music education, cultural policy, and institutions came together to explore a key question:
How can music education today be shaped in a way that is fair, accessible, and future-ready?
The situation is clear. Studies such as MiKADO and MULEM highlight a significant shortage of qualified professionals in music education. At the same time, access to music education is declining in many places.
And yet, its value for society is beyond question. Music strengthens participation, builds social connection, and plays a vital role in a thriving democratic culture.
+++ UPDATE: Full panel now on YouTube! +++
Note: The panel is in German, but English subtitles are available on YouTube.
Panel: “The State of Music Education”
The opening panel brought together perspectives from research, education policy, and hands-on practice.
Participants included:
- Prof. Dr. Michael Dartsch
Vorsitzender Föderation musikpädagogischer Verbände - Prof. Dr. Rebekka Hüttmann
Vizepräsidentin Universität der Künste Berlin - Marcus Kauer
KMK Bildungskonferenz / Leitung Fachreferat und Büro Kulturelle Bildung Hessisches Ministerium für Kultus, Bildung und Chancen - Dr. Motte
DJ & Musiker / ehrenamtlicher Geschäftsführer rave the planet gGmbH - Prof. Dr. Anne Niessen
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln - Prof. Dr. Jürgen Oberschmidt
Präsident Bundesverband Musikunterricht
Critical Friend:
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Busch
(A role designed to bring in outside reflection, challenge blind spots, and deepen the discussion.)
Techno Culture in the Conversation: A Shift in Perspective
There was strong agreement throughout the discussion: music education needs to expand its scope. That’s exactly where we came in.
Dr. Motte introduced a perspective that’s often missing in traditional music education spaces: urban music genres – including Techno Culture – as independent, relevant, and socially impactful forms of musical practice.
Because the reality is clear. For many young people, their first experiences with music don’t come from learning violin or piano – they come from apps, software, controllers, and digital production tools.
Electronic music production – especially through Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) – has become one of the most important entry points into music today. And education systems need to reflect that reality.
Access Over Barriers: Why Diversity Matters
One key issue came up again and again: music education is no longer reaching many young people. The reasons are complex:
- structural barriers
- lack of resources
- limited connection to lived realities
Opening up to urban cultural forms isn’t optional – it’s essential for staying relevant. And this is exactly where techno culture offers real potential:
- low-threshold access
- digital tools instead of expensive instruments
- collective, inclusive ways of creating
Put simply: If we want to strengthen music education, we need to acknowledge how music is actually made today.
Researching Techno as Cultural Heritage: The Next Step
One of the key impulses from our contribution goes beyond the panel itself:
Rave The Planet is currently working with Prof. Dr. Matthias Pasdzierny (UdK Berlin) and Prof. Dr. Christiane Wiesenfeldt (Heidelberg University) to establish a research center for techno as cultural heritage at UdK Berlin.
The goal is to explore techno culture in a structured and academic way:
- the historical development of electronic music
- its social and political contexts
- its cultural and societal impact
This opens up a field that has often been overlooked, even though it shapes the lives of millions.
We’ll be sharing more details about this soon here on our website.
Documentation and Transparency
The full panel discussion was recorded by our volunteer content creators Nora-Sophie Lübchen and Sebastian Petrungaro.
The complete session will be published soon on our YouTube Channel.
For us, this is about more than documentation. It’s part of our mission to make cultural processes visible and accessible to everyone.
Our Work Needs Support
Music education, cultural participation, and the future of our cultural heritage don’t happen by themselves. They grow through continuous effort — and through the people who make that effort possible.
Thanks to our initiative, Techno Culture in Berlin has been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Germany since 2024 – a milestone we achieved together with many voices from the scene.
But recognition isn’t the finish line.
It’s a responsibility.
As a supporting organization, we are committed to actively developing this cultural heritage — through education and knowledge sharing, through research into the history and societal impact of techno culture, and through public formats, cultural projects, and advocacy.
✔︎ Keeping this knowledge alive and accessible.
✔︎ Making sure Techno Culture stays visible.
✔︎ Securing its place in education, research, and society for the long term.
This work depends on strong, reliable structures, from concept and communication to real-world project implementation.
Rave The Planet is a non-profit organization. That means our work is made possible through support.
With your donation, you help us not only preserve techno culture, but also share knowledge, drive research, and bring meaningful projects to life.
