The German Music Council: A unique institution turns 70

When it comes to classical music, Germany is often the envy of other countries. Not only does it boast 130 publicly funded professional orchestras and 96 opera houses, but it also has an estimated 15 million residents who make music regularly, whether professionally or as enthusiastic amateurs. There are also more than 600 festivals of varying sizes and countless music publishers, competitions and educational institutions for musicians.

Music in Germany is flourishing despite political, economic and social crises and rumors of the supposed death of classical music. That the genre is, in fact, still alive is in part thanks to an institution that operates mainly in the background: the Deutscher Musikrat (DMR), or German Music Council, which describes itself as the "world's largest national governing body for musical culture."

Giving a voice to millions

From a lovely old building on the outskirts of downtown Bonn, the organization represents the interests of the millions of people who make music in Germany. Like a well-oiled machine, it runs quietly, dependably and economically. With some 70 employees, the German Music Council guides streams of money and information, structures processes, builds networks and fosters talent.

"There's nothing like the German Music Council elsewhere in the world," says Stefan Piendl, who has been head of the institution for the past five years. "Pretty much everything that has to do with music in Germany is consolidated within the German Music Council." More than 100 umbrella organizations for musical life are members of the council.

"For me, the DMR is a center for content-related music policy discussions on the one hand and the competence center for outstanding projects on the other," says Sönke Lentz, director of the National Youth Orchestra of Germany. "Here, cultural education, musical careers and inspiring encounters are enabled and attended to. Without this work, the musical landscape in Germany would be almost unimaginable."

But even those who work quietly deserve to celebrate: On October 19, the German Music Council is holding a birthday party at the Berlin Philharmonie. And, of course, there will be a concert featuring a program as diverse as the Council itself, with performances ranging from the National Youth Orchestra to a handbell choir from Gotha.

A think tank and a matter of the heart

Stefen Piendel is in his sparsely furnished Bonn office. On one wall, there is a plaque featuring the logos of some of the projects directed by the DMR: the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the German Choir Championship, the European Workshop for Contemporary Music, the German Music Information Center, the German Conducting Award, to name just a few.

All of the projects are near and dear to Piendl's heart, but he's especially proud of the latest ones, such as the launch of the national youth choir three years ago.

Or of the fact that the German Music Council was entrusted with distributing €74 million ($78 million) in public funds to thousands of pandemic-stricken musicians, composers and singers in Germany. The national initiative to revive the country's music scene after the shutdowns due to the coronavirus was called "Neustart Kultur." It allowed many artists to stick with music as a career.

Another of Piendl's pet projects is support for the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Germany's National Youth Orchestra was key in helping its Ukrainian equivalent get started in 2017, and in the ensuing years, a close partnership and even friendship has developed. Whether through collected donations or help in finding university spots, the support from Germany was immensely important for many Ukrainian musicians following the outbreak of war.

'Music strengthens the good in people'

The German Music Council was founded in 1953 as the world was still recovering from World War II. No one was under any illusion that music would have been able to stop the brutal war. "Still, we believe that making music together and being able to listen to each other has a positive effect on both every individual, as well as on society in general," says Stefan Piendel. "You can't create a good and functioning society with music alone. But it contributes to it."

Piendl says music strengthens the good in people. And that's a reason to celebrate, as well as an obligation to continue the council's work.

This article was originally published in German.