History

In 2001-2004 teachers of six European music institutes worked under a Socrates Program Project: Chamber Music Curriculum Profile. The original Partner Institutes were Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, Debrecen University, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences/ Music Department, Estonian Music Academy, Hochschule für Musik, “Franz Liszt”, Weimar and Universität für Music und Darstellende Kunst, Wien.

During the project it proved impossible to create a common curriculum of chamber music, because the institutes are so different. The focus was put more into the importance of well organized chamber music studies within the curriculum of each institute. More can be accomplished in educating a musician, if instrument studies include ensemble practice. Instrumental, pedagogical and social skills improve through coporation with other instrumentalists. Playing in an ensemble is practice for work life with all its possibilities.

The advantages of Chamber Music have not been fully utilised yet, because in many cases its education has not been properly organized. Focusing on Chamber Music in the Curriculum can make the most of the existing sources, and the whole education can become pedagogicly, artisticly and financially more effective.

Chamber Music and teaching it are excellent tools for the transmission of western art music tradition to new generations. Well organized chamber music would have a direct impact on cultural life. It can be one of the most effective and useful tools for example in a small community´s musical life.

Pedagogic Chamber Music Conference May 4-6th 2007, Finnish Music Campus, Jyväskylä, Finland
Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences/ Music Department and its partner schools organized a Pedagogic Chamber Music Conference in co-operation with the AEC and its ERASMUS Thematic Network for Music Polifonia May 4-6th. The Conference called the attention of chamber music teachers and chamber musicians from all over Europe. There were practical workshops lead by professors from several European Music Academies, Pedagogic Chamber Music Material was presented and important issues on Chamber Music education were touched in several panel discussions.

The main event of the Conference was the forming of the ECMTA European Chamber Music Teachers´Association. The Association already has both institutional and private members from all over Europe. It has a big task in making more and more music educators and instrumentalists see the importance of chamber music in educating a musician.
Do join us. The ECMTA is a big forum for information, exchanging views, keeping contact, keeping chamber music alive.