Andrea Rittersberger

Andrea Rittersberger is a Professor at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK), serving since 2005 with current roles as Deputy Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts Education (MAE) program (since 2015) and former leadership positions including Program Director of Elementary Music Education (2013-2015) and interim Deputy Program Director for Keyboard Instruments and Music Direction (2019-2021).

Her educational background spans instrumental pedagogy with piano specialization, studying under Heinz Zarbock in Dortmund, Peter Feuchtwanger in London, Bernhard Kontarsky in Stuttgart, and Grigory Gruzman at Darmstadt's Academy of Music.

Rittersberger's research centers on holistic human development through music, exploring interdisciplinary education models integrating brain research, developmental psychology, and natural sciences. She pioneers creative teaching frameworks for all ages—from kindergartens to corporate settings—emphasizing elementary music theater and cross-arts collaboration to expand music's societal educational impact.

Author of the seminal work "Every child wants to make music" (2001), she founded Hamburg's musikKUNSTschule (2001) and Vorschule der Künste (2003), and develops music theater seminars for companies via GS-Consult since 2004. Her extensive partnerships include Microsoft's global Education Platform, ORF, Wiener Musikschule's ELEMU pilot project, and European researchers in Estonia, Belgium, and Croatia.