DTKV

Since the 30th of January 2015 Gabriele Paqué is the deputy chairman of the DTKV, Bezirk Bonn/Rhein-Sieg (German Musician Association, district Bonn/Rhine-Sieg). 

Who we are

The German Musicians Association (Deutscher Tonkünstler Verband – DTKV) as the oldest and largest professional association for musicians (founded 1847) is organized with about 8,100 members in 16 regional associations and is the professional organization for musical professions – artists, composers, music educators etc.

The membership of the German Musicians Association is a trade mark for musical professions. The professional training for musicians or music educators (for example, higher education) is a prerequisite for full membership.

The DTKV is the umbrella organization of Musicians Associations in Germany. Our members are the national associations of Musicians. The Musicians organize themselves in Germany regionally and individually. These are important features of the associations’ structure, because the duties and requirements of the musicians associations vary regionally and a close proximity to its members is required. The cultural sovereignty of the countries that mark out the framework for many conditions of cultural policy certainly plays a role. In many of the national associations, there are therefore regional and local groups, of which most work without an own corporation. This avoids resources being wasted when several individual organizations tackle the same tasks, which can be solved more effectively on the federal level.

Individual membership is accordingly at the national, regional and local association of primary residence.

History of the German Musicians Association

The need for a structured association of musicians and music teachers first expressed itself just at a time at which substantial political, social and artistic cuts occurred.

1844 not only was the year of the first Weber uprisings in Silesia, the appearance of Karl Marx’s “Paris Manuscripts” and Schopenhauer’s “The World as Will and Representation” and Kierkegaard’s “Concept of Dread” –  in other words the end of upper-class supremacy; the bourgeois musical culture boomed simultaneously in full swing:

Franz Liszt, Sigismund Thalberg and Clara Schumann made for sensational performances of virtuosic piano technique, which hordes of von Eleven attempted to emulate. No wonder that the “Chiroplast”, a device developed by the London piano teacher J.B. Logier for educating a better hand position and faster finger technique sold like hot cakes – Robert Schumann is only the most famous example of a handicapped musician through incorrect practicing with the advertised machinery.

During this time the musical tempo and excessive virtuosity, it was only a matter of time until the invention of the metronome and Erard’s repetition technique. When Paganini’s incredible violin technique even led Liszt self-doubt of his virtuosity, the culmination of faith in technology was probably fully achieved.

It was no surprise that such paragons, who animated crowds of studious, produced such a need for musicians and music teachers, which resulted in the rampant abuse of unknowing students.

Berlin was the first city in which the organization of a trade association for the protection of the qualified and well-founded music teachers has been effectively translated into action.

Since 1844, much has changed, even though the image of the frail, starving musician, music teacher and composer still isn’t fully out of our heads. Our goal is, as at all times of the Association, to line up the exercise these professions, such as musician, music teacher and all occupations in the area to make music and to shape their future.

Dr. Adelheid Krause-Pichler (translated by Johannes Paqué)

National association Nordrhein-Westfalen

DTKV NRW – Objectives

• Advocacy towards political, social and economic institutions and associations.
• Active design of German cultural policy.
• Improvement of the environment for musicians and music education in Germany.
• Participation in all aspects of musical life, especially in the redesign of music education in regard to the requirements of the present, through collaboration with agencies, other artistic and educational active bodies.
• Promotion of musical talent.
• Promoting the music of the 20th and 21 century.
• Training seminars.

Click here for DTKV Bonn / Rhein-Sieg.