Professor Robert Wagner (born in Fürth in 1959) has been a lecturer on the Master’s programme in ‘Inclusive Music Education’ at the Würzburg University of Music since 2024. Since 2000, he has been leading the part-time professional development course ‘Instrumental Music-Making with People with Disabilities’, organised by the Association of German Music Schools, at the Academy of Cultural Education in Remscheid. In addition, since 2012 he has been a lecturer on the VdM’s part-time course ‘Management and Leadership of a Music School’ at the Federal Academy in Trossingen. His freelance lecturing work focuses on mixed-ability music-making, group tuition and instrumental performance with people with disabilities. He has held workshops and given lectures at the invitation of, amongst others, the International Society for Music Education (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Salzburg), the universities and colleges in Vienna (Erasmus project Aliisa), Innsbruck, Linz, Weimar, Koblenz and Lucerne, as well as by the Association of German Music Schools, the Conference of Austrian Music Schools and various state music academies and conservatoires in Germany and Austria.

At the Fürth Music School, Robert Wagner devised the ‘Berufung Musiker*in’ project – the only one of its kind in Germany – which enables people with disabilities to follow their calling, learn to make music and actively participate in concert life, whilst also empowering them to perform alongside professional musicians (Quadro Nuevo, Thilo Wolf Big Band, Feveran Quartet). In Fürth, he initiated the concert format of inclusive sound festivals, which has been replicated nationwide.

For his outstanding services in the field of inclusive music education and his contributions to the development of inclusive music schools, Robert Wagner has received, amongst other honours, the Carl Orff Medal from the Association of Bavarian Singingand Music Schools, the Golden Tuning Fork from the Association of German Music Schools, and the Constitutional Medal from the Bavarian State Parliament.

From 1986 to 2026, Robert Wagner was head of the Musikschule Fürth e.V. From 2011 to 2026, he also chaired the Federal Expert Committee on ‘Inclusion’ within the Association of German Music Schools. He worked as a lecturer in pedagogy at the Nuremberg Conservatoire / University of Music from 1993 to 2003.

Robert Wagner has also made a name for himself as the author of numerous publications on music education and, in particular, on inclusive music school practice. His publications include *Music with People with Disabilities at Music Schools* (Fundamentals and Practical Guides, Reports from Practice, Information and Addresses, Nuremberg 1999, 2nd edition 2002), *In Search of a Music School for All* (ed. Fürth Music School, 2011) and “The Development of Inclusive Music Schools in Bavaria” (Guiding Principles and Recommendations for Action, ed. Association of Bavarian Singing and Music Schools, 2015).

In 2016, ConBrio published ‘Max Einfach – Making Music Together Right from the Start’ with a teacher’s guide, instructional film and Activity Book 1; Activity Book 2 followed in 2024. In addition, Wagner has published articles in the specialist journals “Üben und Musizieren”, “nmz”, “Praxis Förderschule”, “B-Kids” and “Windkanal”, as well as on the “Music Curriculum for the Early Primary Stage”. His other publications include *Spektrum Inklusion* (ed. Association of German Music Schools, 2017), the *Guide to the

Developing Inclusive Music Schools’ (published by VdM, 2024) and ‘Milestones in the Development of an Inclusive Music School’ (published by Fürth Music School, 2026).