On the 5th and 6th of December, the 39th EMU General Assembly and Management Capacity Building Seminar for National Associations of Music and Culture Schools, ‘EU Projects and Collaboration’, took place in Berlin in the premises of the Berlin University of Arts. It was a very rewarding meeting with participants from 19 EMU member countries. Besides long-year delegates, many countries had sent new participants, which gave a particularly positive dynamism to the meeting. After a smooth-running GA, the new EMU office was happily inaugurated together with the members at Mohrenstrasse 63, 10117 Berlin-Mitte, in a landmarked building from 1916 called 'Glinka-Haus' (see below). The program of the next day contained a very appreciated presentation of Jeremy Cox, CEO of AEC, intensive discussions in open space working groups on the topic 'Strategic Partnerships' and a very substantial seminar package given by Timo Klemettinen on EU Projects and Collaboration.

EMU Capacity Building seminar  ‘Many Learners, Many Pedagogies’ was reproduced in Nyon, Switzerland,  from 31.10 to 02.11.2014. The first edition in October 2013 in Vaasa, Finland, was highly appreciated and evaluated by the participants, directors of music schools from 9 European countries.

One of the participants, Mr. Anastase Demetriades, director of the Conservatoire de l’Ouest-Vaudois (COV) in the French-speaking Switzerland, offered to organize and host the same EMU seminar in the English language, for teachers and directors of all Swiss music schools. This second seminar took place from 31 October to 2 November 2014 in one of the sites of the COV, the beautiful Villa Thomas, directly at the Lake of Geneva. (http://www.covaud.ch/)

32 persons, international speakers and music school directors and teachers from the cantons of Vaud, Geneva, Bern and Lucerne, met and exchanged on the areas of group pedagogy, net pedagogy, early childhood music education, music education for children with special needs, for exceptionally talented children and for elderly people.

The aim of the seminar was fully achieved : to enhance dialogue on the development of music schools and to reinforce exchange of knowledge and synergies between local, regional, national and and international levels of music education.The European overview was a very appreciated added value to the Swiss context, thanks to the speakers, all renowned international specialists with hands-on experience in their fields.

A festive and friendly reception was offered by the municipal council in the Castle of Nyon, in presence of local politicians and presidents of the cantonal and the Swiss associations of music schools. The speeches highlighted the position of music schools as competence centres and cultural actors and the vital importance of public support to music education.

The hospitality of COV and Nyon, the idyllic setting of the seminar and the inspiring atmosphere of the seminar are depicted by the pictures.

Invitation - October 2014

39th EMU General Assembly and Management Capacity Building Seminar for National Associations of Music and Culture Schools : ‘EU Projects and Collaboration’

                                                                 Berlin, Germany 5 – 6 December 2014

 
To the honorary members, members and observer of the European Musicschool Union

Dear honorary members, dear EMU members and observer,

The Presidium of the European Musicschool Union (EMU) has the pleasure to invite you to the 39th General Assembly and Capacity Building Seminar ‘EU Projects and Collaboration’ from 5 to 6 December 2014 in Berlin, Germany. 

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the German Association of Music Schools (VdM) for their organizational help and valuable co-operation. 

As the British organization Music Mark had to withdraw its offer to host the GA in May, 2014, the Presidium decided to organize the meeting in Berlin with own but limited EMU funding. Therefore, EMU will be able to cover the costs for the GA, Capacity-Building Seminar and Friday evening dinner for all participants, whereas the participants will cover their travel and accommodation cost and the Saturday lunch. In the registration form you will find an advantageous proposal for hotel reservation, but you are also  free to organize your own accommodation in Berlin. 

For budget reasons, EMU cannot provide a translation and the GA will be held only in English, thank  you very much  for your understanding.

The deadline for registration for GA and Seminar : 1 November 2014 (hotel offer before 20 October 2014). Additional proposals for the programme of the General Assembly : 5 November 2014.

Here you can find the programme outline. The venues where the activities will be held are:
Friday, 5th of December, Stufensaal (Hörsaal) Fa 322, im Gebäude Fasanenstraße, Fasanenstraße 1b, 10623 Berlin
Saturday, 6th of December, Carl-Flesch-Saal, im Gebäude Bundesallee, Bundesallee 1-12, 10719 Berlin
These are both venues / Gebäude of  "Universität der Künste Berlin.

The detailed programme and discussion material for the meeting will follow in the course of November.

We look forward to seeing you in Berlin !

Best regards,

Helena Maffli
EMU President

On the 3rd and 4th of October 2014 a meeting with the EMU board was held in Belgrade - Serbia. For all members of the board it was their first time in Belgrade and thanks to the wonderful organisation of the Association of Music and Ballet schools in Serbia, all members got a great oppertunity to get to know the capital city of Serbia and its culture. 

Even though the EMU meeting had a tight schedule, the members were able to meet a lot of colleagues. It was very fruitful, a versatile and abundant music programme, culinary discoveries, a city tour and a lot of friendly professional contacts and discussions.

The Belgrade meeting will remain an important milestone on EMU's way to the future. The board is convinced that more co-operation in the Balkan area could lead to more intense versatile and efficient coöperation inside the EMU. Everyone hopes the that future contacts and projects will enable more EMU members to get acquainted with Serbia's pedagogical tradition and its results. As Serbia can be proud of the music education, the teachers and students.

Helena Maffli