The production of enduring musical culture and the system of music schools in Trentino

This research analyses the system of creating musical culture in Trentino. The study emphasizes that the music education project that persists over time arises from an important vital momentum that transcends the existing modes of production and coordination of resources, when a new way of producing a meritorious good is formed through close publicprivate cooperation and an important allocation of resources by the autonomous province located in the north-east of Italy. This paper explores, empirically, whether it is sufficient to allocate resources and define shared rules to maintain a vital system. I have studied this topic during a three-year project, which involved triangulating data from public administration, school, and music teacher sources. The findings highlight that the persistence of the system is tied to its rules which were inclusive at the start but may be exclusive towards other stakeholders now. Motivational persistence of teachers’ is significantly tied to their conformity to the institutional settings and the ability of the system to protect teachers from external changes. A cooperative approach oriented towards the development of creativity and personal growth supports motivational persistence. The challenge for the system is to build on these predictors and promote innovation and openness to such change without jeopardising motivation or the production of overall value for the community and other stakeholders (e.g. other schools, their students and teachers). This information can guide policymakers and school administrators in developing strategies to enhance teacher satisfaction and foster a vibrant and thriving music education environment in the province.