The poster should present the theoretical framework, the research issue and methodological aspects regarding a project in the field of musical education named “KiMu – Kinder als Musiker” (children as musicians). This whole class string project is implemented at a primary school in South Tyrol. Corresponding to the project concept the fundamental aim of the project is to promote vivid (Röbke, 2000) and expressive music making by playing a string instrument, singing, moving and drawing.

The focus of the research issue is on the relation between an instrumental oriented acquisition of musical knowledge, abilities and competencies and a lively and active dedication with music. Accordingly, a distinction is made between the technical approach of learning, which means a controlling mastery of a subject and the intrinsic and aesthetic exploration of music. Musical education is examined as a dynamical process between these modes, referring to the theory of resonant and alienated world relation by Hartmut Rosa (2016). The fundamental thesis is that the perception and reaction of world experiences can be described by means of three different categories: resonance, indifference and repulsion. Resonance represents a successful type of world experience, with an intrinsic type of world contact. On the contrary the relation to the world of the modes indifference and repulsion can be understood as alienation, because the contact between world and self is disturbed (Rosa, 2016). 

The main research questions, which guide the research are:

• What characterizes the musical project and what are its pedagogical aims? What kind of contribution does this musical education want to make to the children’s education?
• How do the children experience the engagement with music, and how do they describe the making music during the music lessons?
• Which dimensions of attribution of significance can be described as subjectively experienced by the children and the teacher on a factual and social level?

The sample of the current study is composed of 42 pupils (m=26, f=16), of a first-grade primary school, whereby 17 children are attending an Italian Primary school and 25 children a German Primary school in Brixen. The access to the field and the role of the researcher are influenced by an ethnographical approach. The research design applies the participant observation, field notes, individual and group interviews, questionnaires, and focus group discussions as qualitative-oriented methods (Atteslander, 2010).

In conclusion, the aim is to determine on which dimensions musical activity is oriented in the concrete context of musical lessons. Therefore, an education-theoretical classification of the pedagogy of Resonance is made between 'acquisition of competencies' and 'aesthetic experience'. In the course of this research it is planned to explore on one hand the teacher’s education objectives and on the other hand the children’s experiences and attribution of significance in respect of their musical learning.

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