Organ Education Practices

The organ is an important component of church music practice, both in the Evangelical Lutheran and Catholic church traditions, but is also part of non-denominational contexts. For example, it is not uncommon for concert halls to be equipped with an organ or for organ concerts without any specific religious affiliation to take place in churches. The organ can thus be said to be part of both denominational and non-denominational musical practices.

In Swedish educational contexts, organ education is mostly conducted as part of church music education. The purpose of the study is to develop knowledge about how organ performance is described and defined, what is considered as relevant knowledge and skills in organ performance, and how teaching is organised, in present organ education.

The study also aims to examine how formal organ education has developed and changed in Sweden. One area of interest is how Church of Sweden has engaged and handled educational issues since they were separated from the state. Another aspect that has had an impact on all higher education in Sweden is the Bologna Process. Examples of such processes of change are the implementation of the three-part educational ladder in higher education (bachelor's, master's and doctoral education) and Church of Sweden's establishment of its own degree system, Church of Sweden's Church Music Degree (Svenska kyrkans kyrkomusikerexamen).

Data will be produced through focus groups with organ teachers and programme coordinators for organ education in Sweden, and the request will go out to all educational institutions that have some kind of organ education. Directors for the Church Music Program at SKUI (Church of Sweden’s Educational Institute) are also asked, to get an employer’s perspective. In addition to focus groups, data in form of curricula as well as other relevant documents, such as reports on organ and church music education will be collected.

The research project is carried out in the field of music education.