© TRIMUM/ Katharina Meier
Music and Religions
Timeless Cultural Heritage: Music in a Religious Context
Religious music is a key cultural resource in our country and can be found in a variety of forms across all religions. It shapes both the professional music scene and amateur music, and conveys spiritual messages, beliefs, and cultural traditions. At the same time, it is available to everyone as an open and valuable cultural asset.
In all its diversity, religious music from Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Alevi, Islamic, and Hindu contexts—as well as numerous other religious traditions—makes a significant contribution to intercultural and interreligious dialogue and creates spaces for encounter, understanding, and shared experiences. Especially in rural areas, religious music communities often serve as important centers of cultural life and strengthen social cohesion.
We are committed to:
the promotion of interfaith dialogue and the further development of church music as a venue for cultural encounter and musical exchange
the promotion of amateur music programs offered by church-affiliated and independent organizations, particularly in youth work
raising awareness of and appreciating musical forms of expression in various religions, as well as promoting cultural diversity through music
the preservation and expansion of church music structures, as well as sustainable funding and a stronger media presence
strengthening music education in schools and extracurricular settings as a central component of church music ministry
the preservation and expansion of positions for church musicians, as well as their ongoing professional development and the strengthening of church music associations and networks
Further Informations
The position paper calls for the long-term preservation and strengthening of church music as an important contribution to culture, education, and social cohesion.
The position paper emphasizes the importance of religious musical cultures for social cohesion and calls for greater visibility, recognition, and support in the fields of culture, education, and politics.
The resolution, drafted during the 2022 symposium, emphasizes the role of church music as a unifying force that preserves cultural heritage, promotes education, and strengthens social cohesion in Germany.
Organ Music and Organ Building as Intangible Cultural Heritage
© Deutscher Musikrat
Since the 2018 UNESCO Convention, organ building and organ music have been protected as intangible cultural heritage.
The goal is to preserve the tradition of organ building, promote the musical practice of the organ, and safeguard its cultural, social, and artistic heritage for future generations.
Key Figures: Christian Music in Germany
Recent data from the Deutschen Musikinformationszentrums show that about one-quarter of amateur musicians in Germany are active in church music. This commitment is supported by approximately 3,300 full-time church musicians, who play a key role in shaping cultural life in the congregations.
Church Music Congress (2022)
© Deutscher Musikrat
In 2022, the German Music Council, the German Bishops’ Conference, and the Evangelical Church in Germany hosted a conference in Berlin titled „Kirchenmusik als Chance für Gesellschaft, Kultur und Kirche“, at which approximately 150 experts from the fields of music, academia, the churches, the media, and politics discussed the social significance of church music. During the concluding plenary discussion, the results of the conference were incorporated into the resolution Resolution „Kirchenmusik als Chance für Gesellschaft, Kultur und Kirche" - which serves as the foundation for the German Music Council and the churches’ commitment to music and social policy in support of a vibrant musical life.
The conference was streamed live and is available online.
Orgelmusik in Zeiten von Corona (2021)
© Deutscher Musikrat
The German Music Council, in collaboration with the German Bishops’ Conference and the Evangelical Church in Germany, carried out the project „Orgelmusik in Zeiten von Corona“ as part of the „Year of the Organ 2021“. Seventeen new compositions were commissioned to reflect artistically on the pandemic. The works, which combine experimental approaches with the tradition of church music, were professionally recorded for YouTube and also performed nationwide in church services, concerts, and online. The project concluded with a gala concert in Augsburg.
Our Committees to this Topic
Contact
Nina Seidel-Polter
Speaker
Email: generalsekretariat@musikrat.de