New Year's letter from the Co-Presidents
Dear music teachers in Switzerland
Dear colleagues
Being a music teacher in this day and age is a challenging endeavor! Pupils have less and less time, so it's tempting for them to simply take some virtual lessons at an online music school. Maximum flexibility is promised here, and fun is apparently guaranteed. You can even buy a 10-session subscription without any obligation and don't have to commit to anything. The setting corresponds exactly to our zeitgeist: achieving the fastest possible result with a small investment of time and personal commitment - fun factor included. Qualified music teachers are well aware that serious music lessons are hardly possible in this way.
Many laypeople do not realize that this is precisely the invaluable benefit of music lessons, that students have to commit to lessons over a longer period of time, that they have to practice for hundreds of hours to be able to play a relatively simple piece beautifully and musically, but that this genuine ability then leads to deep enjoyment and improved self-confidence. Nor can they imagine that it takes years of intensive study of the instrument to become a professional musician. So much effort is considered totally unfashionable in this day and age.
Music lessons create a counterbalance to the hectic pace of these fast-moving times, in which everyone demands quick results and the number of mental illnesses is growing exponentially because there is no time for other people. Music lessons are not just about learning a craft, they are balm for the soul because people are allowed to pause and engage with this project. The pupils travel to the teacher, because in-depth learning is only possible in real-life confrontation with a qualified specialist; we have known this since the coronavirus pandemic at the latest. And although terms such as "pause", "come to yourself" and "be in the moment" are often used in the context of music lessons, it is not a therapy in which you can simply let your mind wander. Learning to play an instrument is a complex process that requires full attention, in which all the senses must be involved and the mind focused on the activity. It challenges the person in their entirety with all their thoughts, feelings and body. This is the only way learning can take place. And it makes no difference whether we are preparing students for a diploma or working with a mentally handicapped child.
And precisely because music lessons are so anti-cyclical, their value is often not recognized. Music teachers, unlike musicians, are very often not perceived as important. Music lessons become a non-committal hobby, and it is forgotten that even the big stars once enjoyed such music lessons, but that at some point they said yes and fully committed to their instrument with their teacher.
Be proud of your profession! No matter how difficult it sometimes seems in these hectic times, when everything has to be achieved immediately, but at no cost. Physical music lessons will always exist, they are irreplaceable! We are a counterweight that helps to keep humanity in balance, to keep it healthy. In music lessons, the moment is still a valuable commodity, "commitment" and "being able to get involved" are necessary qualities, and qualified teachers are particularly important. In this way, we make an important contribution to our society!
With this in mind, we wish you a successful new year - don't be discouraged! Move forward with confidence! The SMPV will continue to stand by your side this year and do everything in its power to ensure that music education at all levels is given the status it deserves!
Annette Dannecker and Paola De Luca
Co-Presidents SMPV
