The MUS-E initiative was created by Yehudi Menuhin in 1993. It is based on a concept of music education developed by the Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist and teacher Zoltán Kodály who believed that music should be part and parcel of daily education and accessible to all. Yehudi Menuhin broadened this concept to incorporate all creative arts spanning all cultures. Since 1993, MUS-E associations in various countries have built up a wealth of experience in implementing the use of creative arts in traditional primary school curricula, working particularly with children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In its present form, MUS-E is targeted at primary schools, mainly in Europe, which are facing the challenge of educating a growing multicultural group of children, many of whom come from migrant or disadvantaged families and are at risk of social exclusion or other societal problems. In the presence of classroom teachers, professional artists actively engaged in MUS-E introduce and share various forms of art (singing, dance, music, movement, drama, visual and multimedia arts, etc.). Thanks to this collective work, the MUS-E programme encourages dialogue and togetherness, while awakening children’s sense of creativity, empathy and resilience.

3 fields of activities are interconnected in the MUS-E Program: artistic, pedagogical and social.

The International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation is responsible for the international coordination of MUS-E. This includes promoting and sharing best practices and common tools, plus facilitating international exchange between participating schools and artists.

The network

These are the  MUS-E countries currently active. Other countries are expected to join the network.