70 years of the Chemnitz Municipal Music School
Festive event on 9 October, 6 p.m.
On Friday 9 October at 6 pm, the Municipal Music School will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Mayor Barbara Ludwig will give a welcome address, as will former theatre director Hartwig Albiro and Dorothee Lücke, pastor of St. Jakobi Kreuz parish. Pupils from the Chemnitz Municipal Music School will perform a festive programme with many musical works.
Representatives of the press are cordially invited to attend.
Due to the current space restrictions, we kindly ask you to register by Thursday, 8 October, 12 noon - on 0371 488 1531 or pressestelle(at)stadt-chemnitz.de
Anniversary programme - festive concerts in the concert hall
Saturday, 10 October, 3 p.m., singing
Saturday, 10 October, 6 p.m., rock/pop/jazz
Monday, 12 October, 6 pm, wind instruments
Tuesday, 13 October, 6 p.m., piano and accordion
Wednesday, 14 October, 6 p.m., string instruments
Thursday, 15 October, 6 p.m., youth symphony orchestra & plucked string orchestra
Admission: free. Please only with registration: musikschule(at)stadt-chemnitz.de
(Maximum of 50 guests possible)
History - 70 years of music school
On 1 October 1950, three folk music schools were ceremoniously opened in Chemnitz, which were affiliated with the Humboldt School, Comenius School and André School. The founders were Werner Hübschmann (composer), Herbert Kettwig (music teacher) and Paul Kurzbach (composer).
The folk music schools initially focussed on teaching the folk instruments accordion, string instruments, piano, recorder and zither as well as singing lessons. Later, the central authorities instructed them to train young talent for orchestras and theatres.
From the 1985/86 school year, the music school under the direction of Walter Schindler was finally able to take over its new and own domicile: the Stadthaus on Kaßberg, at Gerichtsstraße 1.
Since 1993, the music school has been called the "Chemnitz Municipal Music School". Nancy Gibson has headed the music school since 2009.
The extension with the large concert hall, the band rehearsal room and several classrooms was completed in 2015. The second floor of the building is currently being renovated and some of the staff are teaching in the alternative premises in Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.
Today, the work of the Municipal Music School is organised into several departments: String instruments, keyboard instruments, plucked instruments, singing, elementary music education with early music education, dance and senior citizen lessons, rock-pop-jazz and wind instruments. Some of the early education lessons are given directly in schools and kindergartens. Around 100 teachers currently teach around 2500 pupils at the music school.
The pupils and teachers enrich the cultural life of the city with project work, e.g. with
- projects for talented pupils: masterclasses, competitions or performances with the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra.
- integrative work, such as the band "Motus" or the Dream Concert, in which various ensembles of people with and without disabilities make music together.
- Educational work, such as seminars and workshops.
- Participation in events such as the Museum Night, Peace Day, town festivals and many more.
In recent years, partnerships have been intensified, such as the "Musikcafé im Kraftwerk", the annual "Amadé in Spe" concert at Villa Esche and the "Viva La Musica" concert with the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra.