Funds for the Winterthur Conservatory
In 2016, the Canton of Zurich withdrew from funding the Winterthur Conservatory's music lessons in addition to the subsidized music lessons. Now the city council is stepping in temporarily.
In the 2019/20 school year, the funding requirement for the conservatory's supplementary services amounts to CHF 500,000. The City Council has decided to make CHF 200,000 available for the 2019/20 school year to bridge the gap. This amount corresponds to the proportion of Winterthur residents who use such services. The remaining shortfall of CHF 300,000 will continue to be covered by private individuals. From the 2020/21 school year, funding will be provided on the basis of the new law.
The conservatory received additional cantonal support until 2016 for its supplementary pre-school programs as well as for particularly talented young musicians. These offerings - such as the well-known Winterthur Youth Symphony Orchestra (WJSO), the national and international award-winning choirs, ensembles and bands, as well as the support program and the preparatory course for music studies - have become an integral part of Winterthur's cultural life and the local educational landscape.
In 2016, the canton withdrew from the funding, although this was intended as bridging funding until a new, valid music school law was passed. The Cantonal Council did not agree to an initial version in 2016, and the government decided on the "LÜ16" savings program at the same time. As a result, the canton stopped making payments and the resulting deficits have since been borne by the Musikkollegium Winterthur.
