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Germany's states differ in the number of weekly hours they allot to music lessons. Music can be a mandatory or compulsory elective subject under its own name, or a component of larger learning areas.

Music is anchored in the curricula of Germany's states in almost all grades 5 to 10. However, there are differences in the quantity of music lessons to be taught.

Public music schools had approximately 1.4 million pupils in the calendar year 2021. Particularly in the younger age groups, pupil numbers declined in the pandemic years.

Public music schools offer a variety of instrumental and vocal subjects. Piano, guitar, violin, recorder, percussion and flute have the highest numbers of pupils.

With almost 6,200 schools and 5,100 kindergartens, most of the cooperation partners of public music schools are educational institutions. Many music clubs are also partners.

The 2020-21 season data document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orchestra operations. Concert and attendance figures declined significantly.

With only 3,205 opera, operetta, musical and dance performances and 685,000 visits to these events, the consequences of the pandemic on theatre operations in the 2020-21 season are profound.

At German theatres, non-permanent artistic staff was strongly affected by the pandemic. Figures of other staff groups only slightely decreased.

The total expenses of publicly financed theatres in Germany amounted to approximately 3.2 billion euros in 2020. 68.5 % of the expenditure was for staff.

Making music holds a lot of potential for the individual development of people in prison. U.S. music pedagogue Mary Cohen has been conducting research on this topic for more than 15 years.

All income sources totalled, the average monthly net income of professional musicians is 2,660 euros. 70% are not exclusively working as artists. Freelancers and women earn below-average.

Against the background of the war in Ukraine, Michael Custodis reflects on the political content and politicisation of music.

Holger Noltze discusses how the availability of musical art on the internet is changing the modes of aesthetic perception and argues for a curation of digital offerings.

IAMIC, an international network of music information centres, has existed since 1986. John Davis, former IAMIC Vice President, gives an overview of the development and goals of the organisation.

What challenges does IAMIC face today? And what are the expectations for the conference in Bonn? IAMIC president Diana Marsh and Stephan Schulmeistrat in an interview with ‘neue musikzeitung’.