New focus on music education

The president of the association Musikvermittlung Schweiz+, Barbara Balba Weber, gave the following information at the request of the Swiss Music Newspaper Insight into the origins and work of the association:

On the initiative of Cultural mediation Switzerland and the Network Young Ears (NJO) the project "Competence Network Music Education Switzerland +" was launched in 2014 (the SMZ has reported). This not only formed the basis for the development and publication of an analog and digital guide Compass Music Educationbut also led to the founding of the professional association "Musikvermittlung CH+". The central aim was to initiate a functioning network of leading professionals in the field of music education in Switzerland, which would act as a catalyst for the scene and the topic of music education in the cultural-political arena and promote the visibility of Swiss music education at home and abroad.

Within the framework of this network, a guide to music education was also to be developed, which would provide useful tools and recommendations for action for the professional world and thus contribute to the professionalization of music education practice. The results of the international working group were discussed and further developed in a model participatory process with many music education professionals in Switzerland and were continuously incorporated into the development of the practical guide. This was published in a first, analogous form under the title Compass Music Education in the fall of 2015 as part of a series of events in the cultural and educational landscape throughout Switzerland (Report in the SMZ 6/2015, P. 23, PDF). The guide supports professionals in designing, describing and positioning their projects and reflecting on their own actions. Music education is understood as a practice that affects a wide variety of target groups and all music genres.

From the process surrounding the Compass Music Education the foundation of the Association for Music Education Switzerland+ which held a working meeting three times a year until 2022 and a Swiss working group once a year with the cooperation partner NJO.
In May 2022, the association Musikvermittlung Schweiz+ decided to disband at the end of the year because the structure of an association is not necessarily required to maintain these working meetings. The NJO will coordinate the working group meetings in Switzerland in close cooperation with stakeholders in Switzerland in order to maintain this forum. Initially, two meetings per year (in person or online) are planned.