MiKADO

Key findings of the study are alarming: By 2035, approximately 14,700 music school teachers will retire – compared to only about 4,000 graduates in instrumental and vocal pedagogy (IGP) and elementary music pedagogy (EMP). Projections indicate that in ten years, roughly three-quarters of open positions could not be filled with appropriately qualified teachers.

The reasons for this dramatic shortage of new talent are multifaceted and mutually reinforcing: inadequate pay, demanding working hours, a negative public perception of the profession, and personal factors such as professional identification, visibility, and the need for autonomy.

The study, initiated by the "Association of Leading Pedagogical Study Programs" (ALMS) and the "Committee for Artistic-Pedagogical Study Programs" (KPS) of the Rectors' Conference of Music Academies (RKM), was conducted as a large-scale crowd-research project involving over 50 research groups. Numerous universities and educational institutions, as well as the Association of German Music Schools (VdM), contributed to this effort.

The results provide concrete demands for music policy: These include promoting internship and mentoring programs, expanding practice-oriented study opportunities, improving working conditions at music schools, broadening the range of instruments and ensembles offered, and fostering regional collaborations between universities and music schools. These measures are to be implemented by a joint federal-state working group dedicated to safeguarding extracurricular music education.