“No school would eliminate the study of language, mathematics, or history from its curriculum, yet the study of music, which encompasses so many aspects of these fields and can even contribute to a better understanding of them, is often entirely ignored”
Daniel Barenboim
Yesterday, the Maria-Leo-Grundschule in Berlin won the German school award “Deutscher Schulpreis 2025”, presented by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at yesterday’s award ceremony in Berlin. The Daniel Barenboim Foundation warmly congratulates the Maria-Leo-Grundschule on this outstanding achievement!
We are particularly delighted that our joint project, the “Musical School”, was acknowledged as an integral part of the school's identity, as well as a meaningful part of what earned the school this recognition. The special educational approach of the Maria-Leo-Grundschule allows instrumental lessons to be integrated into the daily school routine, forming a core pillar of our “Musical School” programme. The idea that music should play an essential role in children's personal and social development — a principle that Maestro Daniel Barenboim has long advocated — has been embraced and implemented at Maria-Leo-Grundschule with great dedication since 2021.
Our heartfelt congratulations go to the school leadership, the entire teaching staff, especially the instrumental teachers, and the children, whose exceptional dedication has been vital in the success of the “Musical School” project and the school. We would like to thank the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family for their valuable support in ensuring the sustainability of the project, as well as Bechstein for their generous support in selecting and procuring the necessary pianos.
This award strengthens our belief that music is an indispensable part of education. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Maria-Leo-Grundschule and to many more inspiring musical moments.
Daniel Barenboim Stiftung