TAoME 2026
“Out of control – (shared) responsibility”
The Art of Music Education (TAOME) is celebrating its anniversary! For the 10th time (4–6 March 2026), we will be examining the role of concert institutions in 21st-century societies.
Under the title “Out of Control – (Joint) Responsibility”, we want to discuss the working methods, approaches and visions of major cultural venues. And we want to do so against the backdrop of growing dynamism, complexity and uncontrollability in many areas of life.
Social developments, political disruptions and polarisation, the ‘decline of the West’ predicted by many, and the polycrises form the background noise against which institutions ask themselves: What promise do we make – which ones can we fulfil? For whom? What is our future role – as a concert hall or opera house, as an orchestra or music festival? Which social crises can we alleviate (e.g. loneliness), which can we contrast (e.g. live experiences instead of screens), and where can we exemplify new social interactions (e.g. participation and relinquishing interpretive authority)?
Three interwoven themes form the framework of TAOME X.:
- ‘Music Education 2026 – Taking Stock and Reinforcing’
This part uses inputs and panels to shed light on the state of music education: its position in the concert industry, its resources, its effectiveness. Not representative, but in individual case studies. It will also be interesting to see what has changed in the discourse and in the scene since the first edition.
- ‘Out of Control’ – (Joint) Responsibility
‘Responsibility can be shared – participation is joint responsibility’. This part picks up on a social trend towards participatory cultural work. What does it mean to share responsibility and authorship more – and to demand and allow more shared responsibility? How do we prepare ourselves for this? How do we deal with uncontrollability and loss of control? Where does VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) also offer an opportunity – especially in the arts? The theme also determines the working method: a call for participation offers participants the chance to submit their own topics and create an impulse.
- ‘The sphere of influence of music education’
We want to ask ourselves: What social, technological, economic and political factors will influence music education and concert experiences in the future? Which of these factors do we want to pay more attention to in the future? How can we strengthen ourselves? What image of (art) music do we want to develop further and thus overcome archetypes of artistic work from the 19th century?
Save the date: Registration for the symposium will open in mid-November – places are limited.
