Music school programme "Kita und Musikschule" successfully launched

Since January, three day-care centres in Bocholt, the Bekendorfsweide day-care centre, the St. Theresia family centre and the Rosengarten day-care centre, have been successfully participating in the "Day-care and Music School" programme. During a music lesson in one of the three participating day-care centres, Kai Enck and Kerstin Erkens from the "Stiftung der Stadtsparkasse Bocholt zur Förderung von Wissenschaft, Kultur und Umweltschutz" (Foundation of the Stadtsparkasse Bocholt for the Promotion of Science, Culture and Environmental Protection) presented a cheque for 5000 euros.

In addition to the first city councillor Thomas Waschki, representatives of the three participating institutions, the Department of Youth, Family, School and Sport, Lotta Donner from the State Association of German Music Schools also accepted the music school's invitation to the music lesson.

"Who is going to school soon?", music school teacher Luanda Schillings asked the participating children. "I'm giving you something you can take with you everywhere, including to school. And that's a song," says Schillings and sings her song "Eine Melodie voll Glück" by Lucia Ruf. One by one, the children join in, sing and clap, others add the rhythm on timbrels, and still others dance in a circle with colourful scarves.

"The "Kita und Musikschule" programme is not only about working with the children, but also about anchoring music in the institutions in the long term," explains Thomas Waschki, Bocholt's first city councillor. The programme benefits all children in the facilities, regardless of the personal and financial background of the families and across all ages from U3 to school age, says Waschki.

It is particularly pleasing that the cooperation, which only began in January 2023, is already bearing fruit, says Waschki. Regina van Laak, director of the Bekendorfsweide daycare centre, also confirms this. The first meeting of the music school teacher with the daycare team and the children went extremely well, says van Laak. "The programme enriches the whole day-care centre and is a great benefit for the children," van Laak is pleased about the cooperation.

Active involvement of all children

The programme, developed by the Landesverband der Musikschulen in NRW e.V., enables the integration of musical education into the everyday life of the day-care centre, the active involvement of all children and their families and a sustainable mutual qualification of the staff involved.

In doing so, not only those children are reached whose parents consider targeted musical support important from their own experience. "We are very pleased that three institutions in Bocholt have joined the programme," says Lotta Donner from the State Association of German Music Schools. "As an association, we accompany all the players, among other things, through joint practice days and are on hand to offer advice," says Donner.

The practical implementation of the programme is oriented towards the different profiles of the day-care centres. For parents, this cooperation is free of charge, which is intended to ensure equal opportunities in musical education from the earliest age, Donner continues.

Stadtsparkasse and Förderkreis support the campaign

A financial contribution from the participating kindergartens is required. In addition, the offer will be supported with 5,000 euros from the Stadtsparkasse Bocholt foundation for the promotion of science, culture and environmental protection, as well as 1,400 euros from the Bocholt Music School's parents' and supporters' association.

Claudia Borgers, the head of the music school, is pleased to report that the funding for the first year has been secured and thanks Kai Enck and Kerstin Erkens from the Sparkasse Foundation and Anette Oehmen from the Parents' and Supporters' Association of the music school for their support.

However, the "Kita und Musikschule" programme is designed for the long term in order to achieve a correspondingly sustainable effect, explains Borgers. Thus, the aim is also to develop long-term financing models beyond the current model phase, says Borgers.

Finally, the children go back to their groups with their new song in their luggage and are already looking forward to the next musical session.