Change takes a while. Which is why I can rarely give proof of the measurable effect of my work with businesses and organizations. I’m happy, therefore, that the Münster School of Music now received a prestigious first prize and two further awards for excellence in digitalization at the „Netzklang Awards“.

It’s been five years since I helped to initiate a major change process at the School of Music. Back then, it had the reputation of being the oldest (i.e. average age of staff) and one of the most backward organizations under the roof of the city of Münster. Not enough appropriate room for too many students, poor funding, many passionate people worn down by circumstances.

You need to give room for frustration! Before you can even think about opening the space to design the future. So we started with a general assembly of all staff, permanent staff and contractors. Populating the entire premises of the main school building, people spent an entire evening in an open space setting, taking stock and discussing change, overwhelm, values, hopes and fears. They were invited to share criticism on the Ugly Wall in the gallery, where it would be visible for everyone to comment on. This was the start.

A few weeks later, the staff were invited to a two day workshop, this time looking at the future. On day 1, they defined their identity: their unique qualities and a shared vision. On day 2, they translated the vision into seven concrete topics they wanted to work on - one being the ‚digital school of music‘. In a first step, they radically designed the ideal szenario with a magic wand, before drawing more realistic conclusions and designing the way towards their goal,in step two.

The first Covid lockdown came only ten days after the workshop. But people had lit a spark, strong enough to energetically drive the process even under difficult circumstances. In a reasonably short time, the School of Music had switched their very traditional way of teaching to offering engaging online classes. 

And today, a couple of years on, funding and rooms are still a huge problem. But they won the „Netzklang Awards“, awarded by the Music Council of the State of North Rhine Westfalia, a densely populated area with a highly competitive musical landscape. Congratulations! My respect to the School of Music team.