At its meeting today, Chemnitz City Council resolved that the Chemnitz Municipal Music School is to be further developed up to the year 2032 on the basis of a development plan. The aim is to safeguard the high quality of the music education provision in the long term, whilst at the same time responding to changing social and financial conditions.
The approved development plan sets out how the music school is to evolve academically and organisationally in the coming years. The focus is on high-quality teaching, a diverse range of ensemble opportunities, regional and international partnerships, and the gradual expansion of digital provision.
Promoting musical education for children and young people is a key priority. To this end, an incentive scheme linked to tuition fees is being established, which will serve the purposes of strategic management and quality assurance. The so-called ‘active tariff’ is intended to encourage pupils to take part in ensemble work and competitions, thereby enhancing the public image of the Chemnitz Municipal Music School. Furthermore, the music school will expand its collaboration with nursery schools and schools. Initially, a pilot project is planned with a nursery and a primary school. Furthermore, all-day programmes and the ‘An Instrument for Every Child’ project are to be made permanent.
The existing partnerships with Oulu and Dublin are to be utilised even more intensively in future for pupil exchanges and joint musical projects.
Other key priorities include the expansion of digital working and teaching methods, modern technical equipment, and a strong public presence for the music school. This also includes additional collaborations with educational and cultural institutions.
The plan also takes into account the forthcoming change in leadership at the institution. Nancy Gibson, the music school’s long-serving director, is due to retire on 1 October 2026. The new director will be provided with a strategic framework, whilst also being given the opportunity to review existing approaches and set their own professional priorities. Following the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 academic years, the music school will evaluate the objectives set. The results are to be presented to the Culture Committee in 2029.