Amateur music-making in Germany

How has amateur music-making changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? This question was at the heart of the second amateur music-making study conducted by the German Music Information Centre (miz). For the first time, reliable data is now available on how musical activity has developed since then – and what role it plays in people’s everyday lives today.
The representative study, carried out by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research (IfD) on behalf of miz, provides well-founded insights into musical leisure activities. It explores, among other things, where and how often people make music, how they become involved in music, and what motivates them to keep going. For the first time, data was also collected on topics such as music education, the frequency of public performances, financial expenditure related to making music, challenges faced, and the social engagement of amateur musicians.
The results show: whether in a private setting or as part of a choir, orchestra or band – music creates a sense of community, fosters creativity, and contributes to social cohesion. A total of 1,190 people aged 16 and over were surveyed, including 325 parents who also provided information about their children's musical activities.
The study was funded by the Amateur Music Fund as well as the Ministry for Family, Women, Culture, and Integration of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Amateur Music Fund is a funding programme of the Federal Music Association for Choirs & Orchestras (BMCO) and is financed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.