Welcome to the music department of the Staatliche Europa-Schule at the Schiller-Gymnasium (SESB). The SESB music department has consisted of the following teachers in recent years: Mr. Pommerening, Ms. Großardt and Ms. Sienkiewicz. We use two large, modern equipped music rooms and a smaller preparation room that is also a good resource for project work.

Lessons are based on the newly developed Berliner Rahmenlehrplan. The four main skills students have to develop and refine in music are listening and appraising, composing and performing. These are taught through a variety of modern teaching methods including self dependent learning and interdisciplinary learning. The topics covered in class deal with music from around the world, classical music as well as jazz, rock and pop. The SESB department has the privilege to teach about thirty per cent of the lessons with special focus on topics relevant to the idea of the Staatliche Europa-Schule. Here we select topics of the Anglo-Saxon music world and also aim at incorporating concepts of the National Curriculum.

SESB students have the opportunity to take Music classes up to the Abitur. In addition to the classes that are taught in English, they can opt for Wahlpflichtfach Musik in year 9 and in year 10. This gives them the chance to also make themselves familiar with the German music terminology.
In the eleventh or twelfth grade it is also possible to take part in an extra-credit music subject, the Ensemble course (Musik-Zusatzkurs). The pre-requisite for this course is membership in one of the music clubs (AGs). This course is especially interesting and helpful for those students who are considering to study music in their college program.

The music department has a great collection of music instruments which are used frequently in the music lessons such as keyboards, guitars, monochords, mallets, band and percussion instruments. In addition, orchestra instruments can be borrowed for a longer period of time by students who take private instrumental lessons.

In order to give the students an idea of the richness of musical life in Berlin the music department works in close collaboration with a number of renowned music organisations and concert venues such as the opera houses, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of the Arts.

Students who like to extend their musical knowledge and experience in greater depth can participate in a number of different extracurricular activities which are designed for both experienced musicians and beginners: band, choir, jazz ensemble, orchestra and a workshop that organizes the music recitals.

The topic oriented music recitals are a special highlight of the music department. The different extracurricular groups rehearse intensively throughout the year, and especially during the yearly music trips to  Schloss Colditz and the Landesmusikakademie. Here they do a large part of their preparation for the Christmas concerts and the big Music Evenings in the spring.