Natalia Avella-Ramirez launches next phase of her interdisciplinary research project

The summer semester is coming to an end, the phase of interviews with university teachers from Colombia and Germany has been completed - now it's time for the evaluation in the coming weeks and months ... and then?

We are talking about the doctoral thesis of Natalia Avella-Ramirez on the topic: "Instrumental Education in Colombia. Approaches in music pedagogical research in Colombia and Germany for the redesign of instrumental subjects in music studies". A topic on which there is no previous work.

The aim of the work is to contribute to the further development of the subject with scientifically proven proposals and possible educational policy consequences - and thus to contribute to the improvement of music education in Colombia and to enable more stable perspectives for music education in Colombia. The work is located in an area of music education that is still poorly profiled as a research field overall, but is becoming increasingly relevant as an interdisciplinary research field in the wake of globalization. Last but not least, the work can make a significant contribution to the improvement of music-aesthetic education in an international framework.

Natalia Avella-Ramirez has, after a first artistic degree in Colombia (Diplom-Pianist), very successfully completed a scientific study in Augsburg (Magister Music Education). Since 2020, she has been pursuing a PhD in music education with Prof. Dr. Katharina Schilling-Sandvoß at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (HfMDK).

Since 2012, she has also held a teaching professorship in piano at the Universidad Industrial de Santander in Bucaramanga, Colombia and can be heard regularly as a pianist in regional concerts. Natalia Avella-Ramirez's dissertation project grew out of her own experience as a teacher at the Universidad Industrial de Santander and her desire to realize cultural participation, as well as her awareness of a great social responsibility.

Natalia Avella-Ramirez received the DAAD Prize 2022 for her special artistic and scientific abilities and her great social commitment. Among other things, Natalia Avella-Ramirez is a member of Red Colombia Rhein-Main, a group that actively supports the implementation of peace processes in Colombia through public events.