Music schools in Valais
Valais is characterized by tourism - the Matterhorn, Leukerbad and the Aletsch Glacier are known far beyond the country's borders. Once conquered by the Romans, Valais joined the Swiss Confederation in 1815. Culturally, the canton has much to offer, from tradition and customs, classical music and jazz festivals to the Gampel Openair.
Musical education is correspondingly broad. There are three cantonally recognized music schools: the Conservatoire Cantonal in Sion, the Ecole de jazz et de musique actuelle du Valais (EJMA-Valais) and the Allgemeine Musikschule Oberwallis (amo). They have a total of over 80 locations and around 4500 students enrolled. The fact that the canton is bilingual - French is spoken in Lower Valais and German in Upper Valais - does not pose any fundamental obstacles to cooperation between the music schools, as Amadé Schnyder reports. He has been head of amo since 2014 and is also a delegate for the VMS. "The language is a challenge, but our cooperation at association level is excellent," he reports. The founding of the Valais Music Schools Association was originally initiated by the Department of Education, Culture and Sport - with the aim of standardizing subsidies. In 2013, the three schools with very different orientations joined forces and jointly developed a "harmonized framework curriculum" ("Plan d'études cadre harmonisé PECH"), which defines how music education should be structured in terms of cycles and level tests in the canton. "This harmonization at cantonal level was a gain," says Schnyder. "Now the process continues - it remains exciting."
The canton covers 40% of the costs for music lessons. The municipalities' participation is voluntary and takes place in many places, and they have also provided the music schools with premises free of charge since the adoption of the 2016 Culture Act. Parental contributions amount to an average of 48 - 50%.
Amadé Schnyder finds the exchange facilitated by VMS delegates' meetings and other events very helpful - especially with the canton of Bern, which is also bilingual. Cooperation with the wind music associations and choirs, which are very important and widespread in Valais, is also going very well. In Upper Valais, the amo offers integrated training for children and young people who belong to a wind music association.
There are various competitions in the canton - as a rule, the amo in Upper Valais organizes an ensemble competition every three years. And the Conservatoire Cantonal in Sion organizes the "Concours Bach" and "Concours Musique contemporaine" music competitions every two years.
Amadé Schnyder, VMS delegate for the canton of Valais
