The Suisa company - like musicians and event organizers - has had to accept a slump. It has drastically affected the live sector, i.e. where musicians play in front of an audience. We have seen a drop in sales of over 50 percent in this area. Unfortunately, things don't look any better for 2021 either; the ongoing lockdown leaves us without any positive prospects in this sector at the moment. Fortunately, Suisa not only licenses the live sector, but also represents authors in broadcasting rights, recordings, blank media remuneration and online use. These areas are less affected by the crisis. And it is now becoming clear how important it is to invest in the future of the online licensing business - in our case in our subsidiary Suisa Digital Licensing and in the service company Mint Digital Services. Income for our members in the online sector has increased by almost 40 percent. However, they are not yet at the level of license income from the CD boom.

Internally in the company, there is enough to do despite the discontinuation of events and the corresponding reduction in license processing. On the one hand, large events in particular were canceled in 2020, but small events with low turnover still had to be billed with just as much or even more effort. On the other hand, the crisis offers the opportunity to rethink processes and procedures and focus even more on online self-services. The aim is to give both members and customers automated and online access to Suisa's most important services.

The personal situation is stressful because it is unfamiliar and uncertain for the future. Overall, the crisis also brings with it a turning point in which you become more aware of which things are really important and which you can do without. For example, it is definitely an advantage that certain conversations can also take place via video and that you don't have to be constantly on the road for meetings with correspondingly grueling travel times.

I am particularly impressed by artists who are breaking new ground with their own creativity. Especially through contact with their audience electronically or, quite blatantly, the Ghost Festival, which took place at the end of February - exactly one year after the first restrictive measures (max. 1000 visitors from February 28, 2020). Or rather, it couldn't take place: a large-scale solidarity campaign with Swiss music bands, but also the technicians and organizers in the background. An impressive CHF 1.2 million was raised in this way through ghost ticket sales and distributed to the industry in need.

Corona has shown that musicians - many of whom are freelancers or work in small businesses - need to make their living situation and their work better known. Fortunately, the Culture Taskforce has succeeded in making its voice heard in the federal government, parliament and administration so that the support measures for state-imposed shortfalls are also paid to cultural workers and cultural institutions. This strength and awareness of culture in society and politics must be further developed and consolidated. After the pandemic will not be like before the pandemic, which is precisely why this common voice of culture is particularly important. Many artists feel abandoned by politicians and not taken seriously. The Culture Taskforce and other artists' associations first had to raise awareness among many parliamentarians that making art is a profession - with real jobs and a value added of several billion francs. This awareness also needs to be raised further.

Corona is dangerous. But it is also dangerous for the inhabitants of this country to have to do without culture, without music and to no longer be allowed to meet up for shared cultural experiences. There must be more differentiated options than simply closing all events with an audience. Shared cultural and musical experiences are a basic human need. So don't just leave shopping centers open under protective measures, but also smaller and medium-sized cultural events. In October 2019, Federal Councillor Alain Berset said in an interview with the WoZ (https://www.woz.ch/-a10e) said that "culture is absolutely undisputed in our country, as an important identity-forming element". When I look at the current situation for cultural workers, I would like to ask him: "Mr. Berset, if culture is undisputed and an identity-forming element, why isn't the Federal Council making a special effort to make culture accessible again?"

When things are going "smoothly", they are forgotten: the music organizations whose work is not in the spotlight. In times of crisis, the indispensable lobbyists for music are more important and in demand than ever.

After one year of the coronavirus pandemic, managers from the partner organizations of the Swiss Music Magazine took stock of the situation by answering four questions:

How are you and your association doing?
What is particularly drastic for you about the Corona period?
How do you think the crisis is changing the music profession and/or your association?
What question would you like to ask the Federal Council or what would you like them to do to revive the music scene?

Wolfgang Böhler
President of the Swiss Society for Music Medicine SMM

Christine Bouvard
Présidente de l'Association Suisse des Ecoles de Musique ASEM

Annette Dannecker et Paola De Luca (texte)
Coprésidentes de la Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale SSPM

Michael Kaufmann
President of Sonart - Musicians Switzerland

Frank-Thomas Mitschke
Rector of the Kalaidos University of Music

Valérie Probst
Secrétaire générale du Concours Suisse de Musique pour la jeunesse CSMJ

Rosmarie Quadranti
President of the Swiss Music Council SMR

Johannes Reinhard
President of the Swiss Federal Orchestra Association EOV

Noémie L. Robidas
Présidente de la Conférence des Hautes coles de Musique Suisses CHEMS

Beat Santschi
Central Secretary of the Swiss Musicians' Association SMV

Cristina Urchueguía
President of the Swiss Music Research Society SMG

Andreas Wegelin
Director General of Suisa, Cooperative Society of Authors and Publishers of Music

Anmari Mëtsa Yabi Wili
President of the Forum for Music Diversity FMD

The vacuum in cultural life is naturally affecting institutions and private individuals. It would be acutely important to plan events to cultivate cohesion and attract new members. Perhaps it is precisely because of this shortage that other ways of participating in cultural life can be found, e.g. a new membership of a cultural association!

Me personally? I've never been so healthy in my entire life. Fortunately, I have multiple jobs. Events with an audience are usually spread loosely over the year, so I'm not suffering from an acute life change. In between, I write a lot, create new works and projects. My studio in the cargo hold of my culture freighter Lorin is mobile, which I'm making the most of right now, especially in these overwhelming times. Since November, I've been working on my next projects mainly in Germany and Holland. During the pandemic, shipping includes a form for business trips, which allows me and my crew to cross borders freely on foot and by car, plane or train.

It fills me with joy that I started one of my central projects years before Covid: the annual performance rides with Lorin, which also work perfectly with Corona: Only now do I realize the relationship to street art. The evenings on which we will be traveling from when to when are published. But no guests are taken on board, no tickets are needed, no seating. People move freely in the public space, whether we are there or not. We have found a subtle, delicate language that allows us to stick to our guns in a contemporary, experimental way. And yet even in the dark, i.e. at bedtime or bedtime for a large part of the population, we fit into the big broad society, on the Rhine in the middle of Basel's population. A model that we are currently transferring to other European cities on the water.

Last but not least: it's an exhausting time. Every idea needs 5 times more background work. Everyone involved needs 5 times more nerves, and we are already in a very nerve-wracking profession.

I find it appalling that all theaters, concert halls, cinemas, museums, rehearsal venues, youth clubs are closed, women's and other demonstrations are banned, while full planes, streetcars, Christmas crowds, football parties, standing cabins on cable cars that are two-thirds full, mountain restaurants and church services are promoted. This means accepting the loss of high levels of culture and education.

I am very surprised that the general public, with a globally aligned narrative, is moving in one direction and then the other, as if in a kind of shock paralysis. That it is not my doctor but the Federal Councillor who says what is healthy for us, that I should hug my grandchild but not look after him. I was also shocked that the Federal Council made us believe that we had the "medical and financial means" for a lockdown. After all, large amounts of money are regularly lacking in all cultural sectors and there are eternal serious problems in the world such as refugee flows and famines.

Far too little attention is paid to the psychological effects, although the primary aim is to overcome a holistic health problem. It is as if we have been thrown back decades, when homeopathy or acupuncture were foreign words, gender and LGBT etc. were foreign words. were foreign words. The various needs of society had just begun to receive attention, feelers had just been put out for development opportunities, progressive projects had just begun - all of which are now more or less lying fallow again.

I would love to strike a positive note, and unfortunately I can't with this question, which is probably the worst thing about the whole thing!

It is a time for self-reflection: the self-employed are looking for new formats, employees are worried about their future. People are looking for new connections. Some audiences are finding new, interesting ways to engage with culture. What is threatening is that not only our audiences but also our active circles are trying to replace live culture with the internet. Losses in quality and education are tolerated in a general passive kind of depression or hopelessness. In the end, however, I trust in the strength and intellect of people: After slumbering for long enough, experience shows that an unstoppable energy spreads to overcome the crisis and tackle life with a strengthened sense of self-direction. I think street art can develop into an important branch of culture.

My request to the Federal Council is: Our free choice of doctor gives a colorful picture of our diverse and actually free society compared to other cultures. Please leave behavioral decisions to medical professionals. As a rule, measures prescribed by doctors are simply understood and followed. After all, it is the doctors who accompany us through health crises, who can use their records to warn and protect people at risk in good time so that the more robust people can continue to enjoy their freedom throughout all generations. I am also convinced that medical and therapeutic professionals want to promote cultural and social activities as an important part of life in terms of health. We urgently need these voices!

Please create new, easy-to-understand support formats specifically for culture and education that can be implemented within a reasonable period of time.

When you listen to music, a book or a movie, please keep in mind that these "products" are the result of professional development that often begins at a young age or at important youthful meetings. Please make this possible.

Events in all forms must be possible again very quickly with the best confidence in the people. I would like to address this in particular to my predecessor, Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga, former pianist and former President of FMD, ForumMusikDiversität Schweiz.

All articles marked in blue can be read directly on the website by clicking on them. All other content can only be found in the printed edition or in the e-Paper.

Herculean task
An interim assessment by those responsible at the SMZ partner organizations
after one year of Corona
All interviews onlinee

Pragmatically through the crisis
Darren Hayman and his survival strategies

Emergency braking
Artists' agencies have had a difficult year

Interpreter of complex forms of employment
Lawyer Nina Rindlisbacher, who has been involved in the Culture Taskforce since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, talks about her commitment to the cultural sector.

La RMS parle du sujet de ce numéro à la radio :
Espace 2, Pavillon Suisse, mardi 30 mars 2021, de 20h à 22h30
from approx. 1:55:00
 

CRITIQUES

New releases recordings, books, sheet music
 

RESONANCE

Expand listening experience - the conductor Titus Engel

Outrageous things from women - first part of the festival "frauenkomponiert"

Radio Francesco - maintenant / now

Chatting about ...  Music promotion: Michael Kaufmann and Urs Schnell

"La prise de risque est totale " - Powder her Face à Fribourg

Carte blanche per Zeno Gabaglio

CAMPUS

Virtual music rooms - Playing, listening and teaching online
 

BASIS

Articles and news from the music associations

Swiss Federal Orchestra Association (EOV) / Société Fédérale des Orchestres (SFO)

ForumMusicalDiversity (FMD) / ForumDiversitéMusicale (FMD)

Konferenz Musikhochschulen Schweiz (KMHS) / Conférence des Hautes Ecoles de Musique Suisse (CHEMS)

Kalaidos University of Music / Kalaidos Haute École de Musique

Swiss Music Council (SMR) / Conseil Suisse de la Musique (CSM) and CHorama

Swiss Society for Music Medicine (SMM) / Association suisse de Médecine de la Musique (SMM)

Swiss Musicological Society (SMG) / Société Suisse de Musicologie (SSM)

Swiss Musicians' Association (SMV) / Union Suisse des Artistes Musiciens (USDAM)

Schweizerischer Musikpädagogischer Verband (SMPV) / Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale (SSPM)

SONART - Musicians Switzerland

Swiss Youth Music Competition Foundation (SJMW) and Arosa Culture

SUISA - Cooperative Society of Authors and Publishers of Music

Swiss Association of Music Schools (VMS) / Association Suisse des Écoles de Musique (ASEM)

FINAL

Riddle - Chris Walton is looking for

Since January 2017, Michael Kube has always sat down for us on the 9th of the month in row 9 - with serious, thoughtful, but also amusing comments on current developments and the everyday music business.

Link to series 9

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From a personal point of view, and I imagine like the entire population, I sense a general lack of confidence in this situation, which keeps us permanently in an atmosphere of uncertainty, as well as the lack of prospects, which makes it difficult to project a better future. Nonetheless, I'm still impatient to make new concrete projects and for music to regain its place in our society.

From a professional point of view within the SSPM, this crisis has brought a great deal of meaning and value to our work in defending the interests of music teachers and professors. This course is full of difficulties and sometimes gives us the impression that we are Don Quixotes fighting against the wind, but that doesn't deter me - the fight goes on!

And, as my colleague Annette rightly said, meeting other people and institutions involved in the same fight gives courage and reduces fatigue along the way.

The many positive responses from our members with regard to the information and support they receive give me courage to continue.

My most striking memories of this year of pandemic are those related to the beginning of the crisis.

I have several professional jobs, one of which is in Ticino. Exactly one year ago, at the beginning of March 2020, I found myself on the completely deserted quay at Bellinzone station, just as the quay is still black as a sheet at the time of the train to Zurich.

This event, which could have seemed anodic, was in fact a sign of the gravity of the situation in Ticino at the time, and was in stark contrast to what was happening in the rest of the country. The coronavirus first affected the south of the Alps, and I realized with my own eyes that the first death caused a very strong reaction among the Ticino population, which adopted immediate behavioural changes well before the others. All this took place around a week before a collective assessment of the situation was made at the press conference of the Federal Council on 13 March 2020.

This press conference was like a second "electrochoc" for me. In fact, the announcement of the closure of the schools was a signal that we were all going to put our lives on hold, and this has completely disrupted our habits (at the time, we could not imagine the sequence of events and the extent of the crisis).

The thing that marked me the most in the first confinement was the silence, which from some points of view was pleasant in a city like Geneva, but from others had a side that was a little sad, like not hearing the children's cries outside (I live next to a school).

As I said in the previous question, I am part of those who have different professional activities and I am therefore in a position to understand the problems caused by pandemic.

The crisis has had the greatest impact on independent and self-employed workers, which has affected a large number of them, to the extent that many are considering changing professions.

I believe that it will take time for the cultural sector to recover from this crisis, and I fear that certain aspects of the lives of musicians will not be changed in any significant way.

What represented a radical change for music teachers and lecturers was the "digitalization" of online lessons. These new digital tools have proved to be an exciting experience and full of new perspectives for some, but unfortunately a certain lack of knowledge about how to use them has been perceived as a handicap by others, who have had much more trouble adapting to these new developments. We have also produced a practical guide to help all those who need it, which has allowed us to test the various proposals in order to be able to advise our members based on our experience.

However, we must not lose sight of the fact that these new parameters, which depend on distance learning, must be regulated and monitored, and this must be supervised by professional associations.

The work within my association has been much more focused on the syndical and political aspect, but the relational and human aspect with the members has also played an important role. In fact, spending time on the phone to answer questions, but also, and above all, to listen to members' concerns and concerns, has been an important aspect of this period of crisis (which, unfortunately, has not yet ended).

I would like all those who have suffered losses as a result of the ban on work (particularly in the cultural sector, which has had to cut its activities for a whole year) to receive compensation of 80% of their income or a basic income. What is happening at this level in the canton of Zurich and is under development in certain other cantons should be generalized at national level.

I would also like to see independent professors and lecturers included in the categories of those entitled to financial compensation.

It will certainly take a lot of time for the cultural scene to recover (if that is possible) from the trauma that this Covid crisis represents, but there must also be a real general awareness of the importance of artists (and art teachers) in our society. And this must also be manifested through concrete and respectful financial support for all those who are prohibited from working to protect society.

My personal opinion echoes the text of the position paper of the Culture Task Force, which perfectly sums up all my proposals

The SMV is doing well under the circumstances. The members less so. I'm slowly becoming a Zoombie. The problem is that the crisis isn't over yet. It's already very draining. From today's perspective, the association's work in earlier years seems almost paradisiacally comfortable to me.

While the live performance sector has been suffering from a de facto or de facto professional ban for a year now and those affected are only making ends meet thanks to a constant battle with the authorities, the recording industry is making record profits in the streaming business, which are still largely reserved for musicians.

Cooperation with other associations, including event organizers, in the Culture Taskforce and with the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions for the benefit of the entire cultural sector has been very positive. International solidarity within the Fédération Internationale des Musiciens has also been further strengthened by the crisis, despite unprecedented difficulties in many countries.

The longer the crisis lasts, the more freelance musicians will (have to) change their career direction. A survey by our English sister union revealed that 40 percent of its members are thinking of giving up the music profession. A survey by the Taskforce Culture Romande came to a similar conclusion for French-speaking Switzerland. Compensating for the resulting loss of cultural diversity will be a Herculean task.

Fortunately, the SMV has not suffered a loss of members so far - on the contrary. However, the long-term effects of the crisis cannot yet be estimated. Of course, we hope that the expected drop in tax revenue for the cantons and municipalities will not be compensated for on the back of culture and cause problems for our orchestras in the long term.

Whether he has plans to revise the social security system after its gaps for cultural workers became glaringly apparent during the crisis. I have already asked BR Berset this question. The answer was disappointing. The reopening of cultural institutions that is expected one day should not be linked to rigid figures, but - as shown in the "Basel model" - should be flexibly geared to local circumstances and existing protection concepts.

At the Swiss Society for Music Medicine, a change of presidency and the pandemic came together. We had to cancel our annual symposium and were confronted with an increased number of inquiries due to uncertainty, fears about the future and depression. After the pandemic, we will have to revitalize the society's networks because all smaller and larger meetings have been canceled.

Personally, I'm doing well. I'm used to organizing myself in my home office and thanks to diversified sources of income, I can always get through material crises to a certain extent.

For me personally, the situation in Manaus was very stressful. I have family there and am setting up a cultural workshop as a reconciliation project. The Brazilian jungle metropolis is a global hotspot for the pandemic. We are mourning a number of deaths among friends and family. Most of the musicians are desperate or in a life-threatening material situation.

I suspect that many young people will aspire to a career in music less naturally than before. In addition, there is likely to be a growing awareness of the psychological strain that the music profession entails. It may lead to a better appreciation of the importance of our therapists for the mental and physical well-being of musicians in their day-to-day work.

I would have hoped that the Federal Council would have better explained the nature of large-scale measures. Global measures can seem pointless or contradictory in the details. Criticism of the Federal Council has always been sparked by concrete, small-scale, seemingly absurd consequences. It is a sign of political maturity to accept measures in the interests of the big picture, even if they seem pointless in detail. In my opinion, cultural professionals are far more cooperative and insightful than other economic stakeholders. It would be nice if this were recognized.

The pandemic year was a catastrophe for all those working in the cultural sector, and it took a heavy psychological toll on us all. Above all - and I was personally affected by this - because artistic activity was also largely halted, which to some extent blocked creativity. This is fatal for creative artists and perhaps even worse than the already difficult economic situation. In other words, a mix of social hardship and artistic blockage.

In my view, there are two main issues: One is social security, which is particularly precarious for musicians with a high proportion of freelance work. This was already the case before the crisis, the crisis has only exacerbated what many people don't know: Musicians generally live very, very modestly and have few reserves. A colleague did the math: With today's fees in independent contemporary music projects, the hourly wage amounts to a total of 16 francs. Culture outside of subsidized institutions should not cost anything. It is not worth much to society. The second is the resumption of concert operations: it is now crucial that we resume live acts and reach the audience directly again. Because everyone is fed up with pure streaming culture.

The music profession is constantly changing. The crisis of the past year has made this even clearer. More and more musicians are now involved in various artistic activities: on stage, in the education system, in cultural management, in multimedia projects, in education, etc. In other words, there is a great variety of activities, but also many uncertainties and economic uncertainties. This has long been clear to our association, and we are working intensively on corresponding concepts: on the one hand, it is the fight for social security, and on the other, we want to offer even more further training and services to make our members fit. For Sonart, however, this means taking a tougher stance in politics and publicly defending one of the most useful professions in our society.

Quite simply: we want to get back on stage! And we want even better framework conditions for culture as a result of the crisis. Social, infrastructural and cultural policy. Sustainable investment in culture is worthwhile for society. - If politicians are prepared to do so, we can and want to make a great new start. With or without a mask ...

Well, the question about how I feel personally is quickly answered: I'm glad I haven't fallen ill, and the longer the pandemic lasts, the more impatient I become. I can hardly wait for the vaccinations to take effect and for life to return to normal: simply drinking a beer in a pub, listening to live music, visiting a theater, going to the zoo, enjoying a museum ...

The Music Council as an umbrella organization was under a lot of pressure: the board members in their associations and institutions, Nina Rindlisbacher and myself as members of the Culture Taskforce. And yet I still have the feeling that we are quite powerless.

The fact that we are still far too little involved is a crucial factor. Although the federal government (Federal Council and BAK) and the cantons are now talking to us (thanks to the Culture Taskforce), we are still not actually involved. The most drastic experience was probably the fact that there are no suitable structures for the cultural sector to be involved in decisions and measures during crises. However, I was delighted by the creativity and willpower of the music world in particular, which refuses to give in and fights back.

The Swiss Music Council has gained in strength. It was recognized. It became clear that individuals cannot achieve much in crises, so the SMR, for example, is needed.

However, the extent of the damage that this pandemic has caused to individual musicians, event organizers, institutions and amateurs will probably only become apparent much later.

As a member of the Culture Taskforce, we have asked and continue to ask the Federal Council questions. In the midst of the crisis, regular discussions were established with Federal Councillor Alain Berset. That was important. So I don't want to ask the Federal Council a question, but rather repeat a demand: "The resurgence of the music scene will succeed in the best possible way if it is actually heavily involved in the development and implementation of a revitalization strategy." And a big request to the Federal Council is also that new forms of cooperation are defined. Because, unfortunately, it cannot be ruled out that the next crisis will come.

It has been a very intense year for the Swiss Federal Orchestra Association, which has been very challenging. The physical delegates' meeting, which would have been a major event with great music workshops, had to be postponed and ultimately canceled. A replacement solution for the statutory business had to be found within a short space of time. The EOV also played a key role in the very rapid development of federal aid for amateur associations. Then there were significantly more inquiries from member orchestras to answer than usual. It was noticeable that the cogs on the EOV Board were meshing and that the association was functioning as a whole. This was mainly thanks to my very committed and flexible Board members, who did a great job!

I personally am doing well. As a geologist, I spend a lot of time outside on construction sites, so I was less affected by the restrictions imposed (e.g. the obligation to work from home) and was at least able to continue working as usual.

Like all musicians, I was naturally very saddened to have to give up making music in groups from one day to the next. And all visits to concerts by our member orchestras were also canceled. I can still clearly remember attending an orchestral concert in the Tonhalle Maag on March 3. An amateur orchestra played Strauss' Heroic life. The programming would have had the potential for a full hall. However, the large wooden hall was only filled to just over a third of its capacity and was greeted with a certain amount of skepticism after the first coronavirus cases became known in Switzerland.

And then came a long break. No more concerts, simply nothing. When I went to a concert again for the first time in 192 (!) days in mid-September (the Thun City Orchestra played Mendelssohn's famous violin concerto and Beethoven's Pastoral), I was totally moved by the intensity of the live experience and tears of emotion ran down my cheeks at the end.

I can't yet say much about the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the music profession. However, the crisis has certainly made us even more aware of the economic vulnerability of professional musicians than before. There is a problematic precariousness among freelancers in particular. In many places, there is a lack of social security, and if the usual events and concerts cannot take place, these people are in danger of falling like artists from a tightrope without a safety net.

Our association was forced to make some drastic decisions last year. In my opinion, the EOV has grown as a result of the difficult situation and has become more agile than I was previously aware of. We have certainly not done everything right, but we have come to terms with the situation to the best of our knowledge and belief.

I fully support the measures imposed, even if they have completely paralyzed our amateur music-making at times. I think the Federal Council has done a very good job so far and has navigated us sensibly through the crisis. There is no point in forcing openings that result in an even more severe setback a short time later. However, whoever says A must also say B. This means that if the culture is no longer allowed to take place, social safety nets are needed for those affected. And although a lot has already been done in this area, there is still a lot to do. I hope that the Federal Council will secure the livelihoods of cultural workers in the long term. Because culture is just as important in our lives as the "economy"!

I am doing very well, as I have never come into direct contact with corona. As far as the university is concerned, there were some projects in 2020 that unfortunately couldn't take place because of coronavirus. We now hope that these are only postponed
and not canceled.

No, there was no negative experience that stood out so strongly among the others in this negative situation.

I am convinced that nothing will be exactly the same again once this pandemic is over. It doesn't help to moan about it and we should make the best of it. For me, the best means returning to music with a physical presence wherever possible, be it in concerts or in lessons. Where this is not possible, we should examine what is good and consciously use the tools we need. At the moment, I have the impression that everyone is experimenting with Skype, Whatsapp, Zoom, Appassimo and whatever else is out there. A study should be carried out that clearly describes the suitability for our purposes - i.e. the communication of music. I brought this idea to both the KMHS and the Kalaidos FH.

Help.

For my part, even though I am a little exhausted, I maintain the moral and courage for the HEMU as well as for CHEMS and for the future of our missions in society. The health crisis has not only revealed the forces at work in teaching and administrative staff and among students, but also the human need to have access to culture without an interposed screen... because life loses its soul and its meaning.

I have a clear memory of that famous Tuesday, 13 March, when we received the decision to close our schools at a record time. We don't think that one day later, the virus will still be in the country! I also remember the final of the Prix Crédit Suisse de la Musique, which I had the honor of presenting. I got very emotional listening to these young talents from the various HEMs live. This made me go crazy so much that I didn't expect a real concert for a long time!

This forces each management team of the different HEMs to question and rethink the content of the courses, the projects and to revise the orientations and formats, which we did not want to do beforehand in the same way. We have come to realize that technology helps to overcome the constraints of distance, but it cannot make up for the human relationships that are nourished by real encounters, whether between musicians, with the public or, in the case of CHEMS, between the directors of the HEM.

I think it's important to allow concerts to resume the advertising with protection plans adapted to the location (m2, aeration, etc.) and not just by setting arbitrary targets. Admittedly, this may be more complex to manage, but it would be an appropriate response. I believe it is important to recognize the work of independent musicians, without whom Swiss musical life could certainly not find its full richness in terms of offerings. Finally, for our young graduates, provide support in the form of mentoring or assistance with professional placement for the first two or three years after graduation.