Music education at the CEIS. Methods and practices from a survey in Margherita Zoebeli Archive

This chapter will present an overview of the documents consulted in the Margherita Zoebeli Archive (AMZ) concerning the musical activities carried out at the Centro Educativo Italo-Svizzero (Italian-Swiss Educational Centre, CEIS) since its foundation (1946) until 1995, one year before the death of Margherita Zoebeli. Then it will focus on the writings of Margherita Zoebeli regarding music and music education, and a particular attention will be de- voted to the manuscript Riflessioni sull’educazione musicale nella scuola elementare (Reflections on music education in primary school), which is shown in Figures 4-7 and translated in English in Appendix 2. The documentation consulted in the AMZ made it possible to open a new window on an extraordinarily rich world of ideas, experiences, research and practices realised by Margherita Zoebeli at the CEIS which were still little known and which merit additional study in the future. A systematic presen- tation of the documentation consulted, and some important keys to interpre- tation and research were given herein which brought to light some original features of Margherita Zoebeli’s approach to music, to the music education of children, and to teacher’s education. In light of the documentation consulted in the AMZ, I can conclude that one of the main pillars of the project and of the social approach to education which Margherita Zoebeli pursued and implemented at the CEIS in Rimini was represented by music and music education and that their consideration will be essential to understand the vision and the legacy of Margherita Zoebeli.