Radical cutback plans

The content on this page was translated automatically.

The German music academies are appalled by the announced radical cuts to the internationally renowned ARD music competition. "In our view, the plans of the ARD directors to cut the funding of this outstanding music competition by up to 50% contradicts the cultural mandate of the public broadcasters to the highest degree," says Prof. Christian Fischer, Chairman of the Rectors' Conference of German Music Universities (RKM). "The ARD music competition is as important for the international classical music scene as the Berlinale is for film or the Wimbledon tournament is for the tennis world," says Fischer.

At their winter conference in Berlin at the end of January, the university rectors discussed the drastic cutback plans, which are set to lead to the loss of a competition subject as early as 2025, with great dismay. The RKM calls on ARD to refrain from doing so, to secure the funding of this flagship of public cultural funding in Germany sustainably and at the current level - and to continue to develop the competition on this basis.

For many highly renowned artists, the competition is considered one of the most important milestones in their international concert career. Prizewinners have included the American soprano Jessye Norman, the pianist and conductor Christoph Eschenbach, the oboist Heinz Holliger and the singer Thomas Quasthoff. The ARD Music Competition, established by the ARD broadcasters in 1952, is recognized worldwide as a benchmark for artistic excellence in the field of classical music and has an inestimable ideal value for the entire classical music culture. Despite extremely tight funding in recent years, it has been able to maintain its high status to date.

The 24 state-run German music academies are organized in the RKM, at which a total of around 19,000 students are enrolled.