"A very enriching task"

Philippe, how have you experienced the last two years?

First of all, I find my role as VMS President very enriching and broadens my horizons. In recent months, I have visited numerous music schools - I have listened to concerts and attended anniversaries. Each time, I am deeply impressed by the dedication and enormous creativity of music teachers and head teachers. The cantonal associations are also very active and initiate things, which I notice again and again at the delegates' meetings, among other things. The network of music education in Switzerland must continue to be cherished and nurtured - it is so valuable!

Were there any special moments at a political level that were and are important to you?

We were able to achieve a lot of great things, for example with the federal "Young Talents in Music" program. When I joined the VMS, my colleagues on the board and I were able to get straight to work on the implementation - now, after many years of intensive work by my predecessor Christine Bouvard and others, it has become a reality. The "Youth+Music" program is also constantly evolving. This will take into account the promotion of the general public and talent, but a major issue remains paragraph 2 of Article 67a of the Federal Constitution on basic promotion, or music education in elementary school. We will continue to work on this together with other associations. 

Basically, we can see that a lot is in motion politically. Music school laws are being developed in several cantons. This is very pleasing and shows that the will is there to give music schools a stable foundation in order to continue to improve equal opportunities. This remains a high priority for me.

Your everyday life is characterized by projects - for example, the publication of the new "Musikpädagog:in" job description or the digitalization concept.

Exactly. The work on the professional profile, in partnership with several associations, was very inspiring. The professional profile also aroused interest in Germany, France and Austria. I believe that this document allows us to show how versatile, creative and challenging the profession of music teacher is. At the same time, it gives an indication of how the pedagogical self-image has changed and how music schools are keeping pace with developments in society. The professional profile takes on additional importance in connection with the shortage of specialists at music schools, which continues to worsen - a development that we are keeping an eye on. We are in discussion with the Conference of Swiss Music Universities (KMHS) in this regard.

Work continues on the digitization concept, which will support music schools in developing their own digitization strategy. We are looking forward to the first digital publication. This is also a very interesting project, characterized by the rapid pace of technical developments, most recently in connection with artificial intelligence.

What will be the highlights for you in the next few years?

I am particularly looking forward to the association's 50th anniversary next year. With the Radiobus project, music schools and students from numerous cantons will be able to present themselves and show how dynamic, colorful and diverse music learning is in Switzerland.

Do you still have time to play your instruments - the tuba and the serpent?

Yes, I am very grateful for that. I hold one of my instruments in my hands every morning, which provides balance and strengthens my inner equilibrium. I also conduct orchestras and choirs, also in the context of my music school. Practicing music and teaching it are and remain very important to me.