The chapter highlights a nearly forgotten dimension of critical Bildung – known as existential Bildung – by revisiting different older and newer theoretical concepts. These are Bollnow’s pedagogy of ‘the encounter,’ Biesta’s concept of ‘existential education,’ Adorno’s ideas about the social-critical function of art through encounters with ‘the completely Other’ in art, and Rosa’s theory of ‘resonance.’ The juxtaposition and rethinking of these different and partly contradictory sources into a concept of critical Bildung as existential Bildung constitutes the original approach of the chapter. With ideas from curriculum texts and the Bildung Committee’s (‘Dannelsesutvalgets’) final report as a point of departure, the article explores the idea that transformative aesthetic experiences through encounters with artistic expressions can contribute to students’ and pupils’ critical Bildung by challenging and expanding their self-understanding. Such experiences can lead to deeper self-reflection and, in turn, to social criticism. Together, these perspectives illuminate how the concept of existential Bildung, deeply rooted in music and other art forms, serves as an essential source for the development of reflective and well-considered individuals. Existential Bildung is a process where education is not only about cultivation, but also about encouraging individual self-realization and responsibility by responding to the call to become oneself.