Estonian music textbook wins gold at Frankfurt book fair

An Estonian ninth-grade music textbook has won gold in its age category at the European Best Learning Materials Awards, held at the Frankfurt Book Fair, ERR reported.

The textbook, On the Paths of Musicland, was published by Koolibri. The European Association of Educational Publishers has organised the international competition with the Frankfurt Book Fair since 2009. European textbook publishers can enter, and an independent expert jury assesses the materials.

The textbook’s authors are Maia Muldma, a longtime music teacher and former lecturer in music education at Tallinn University and the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre; Kadi Härma, a lecturer at the academy and music teacher at Keila Gymnasium; and Koidu Ilmjärv, a longtime music teacher at Tallinn Järveotsa Gymnasium.

The jury praised the book’s coverage of music theory and styles, links with other subjects, and range of classroom activities, including singing, playing music, listening and discussion. It also highlighted the visual design and the book’s focus on developing students’ critical thinking, creativity, and social and emotional skills.

The textbook covers film music and the history of jazz and rock, and includes works by women composers for the first time. Instrumental accompaniments for guitar, ukulele, kannel and percussion instruments are intended to encourage students to make music.