Andreas Bernhofer is a professor of music education at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, with over a decade of experience teaching in Austrian and German secondary schools. Shaped by Austria’s strong choral tradition and a university professor who opened the worlds of early music, his approach blends historical curiosity with communal joy. What drives him most as an educator is the creativity young people bring to music — and the transformative power of helping them find their own voice.
Can you introduce yourself and describe one defining characteristic of music education in your country today?
I am Andreas Bernhofer, professor of music education at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and I was a music and mathematics teacher in secondary school for more than ten years in schools in Austria and Germany. Austria is overall a musical country and music is highly valued as a cultural treasure. We have a strong singing focus in school. School choirs and community music choirs are very common in rural and urban areas in Austria.
Which artist, composer, or musical tradition has most shaped your musical thinking, and why?
The person who has most shaped my musical thinking is my guitar professor at university. Through his extensive knowledge of early music, he opened up entirely new artistic worlds for me and broadened my understanding of musical expression across historical contexts. In many lessons, he also demonstrated an exceptional sensitivity for music pedagogy, showing how deep musical knowledge can be combined with thoughtful and inspiring teaching. I continue to benefit from this pedagogical insight today, as it strongly influences how I approach both music-making and teaching.
"Witnessing these processes of discovery and personal growth reminds me why music education matters: it empowers people to find their own voice, connect with others, and shape the world around them in imaginative ways"
If you could bring five musical works to a desert island, what would they be, and what does this choice reveal about you as a music educator?
A real book with a big variety of songs of different genres, some guitar works by John Dowland to satisfy my passion for early music, some great choir arrangements, and instead of more musical works, I would bring some friends for an acapella ensemble.
What aspect of teaching music continues to motivate you most, even after challenging days?
What continues to motivate me most, even after challenging days, is the remarkable creativity and passion that young people bring to music. Time and again, I am inspired by how music opens up meaningful opportunities for individuals to express themselves and transform their own ideas into something tangible. Witnessing these processes of discovery and personal growth reminds me why music education matters: it empowers people to find their own voice, connect with others, and shape the world around them in imaginative ways.