«DrumPower Against Violence» – in Practice

It has always been a special matter of concern for the Freies Musikzentrum to offer music in its most varied facets as well as to promote creativity and, in turn, mental health for all age groups. At the Institute for Music Therapy we have been developing the corresponding concepts and imparting this knowledge to students, music therapists and others through training and further education. Increasingly, we are promoting preventative measures to avert psychological disorders as well as the development of personal capabilities.

With «DrumPower» we present an innovative project which has verifiable impacts. Even in its formative years, the project was able to support students who had hardly any previous contact with music making and the active playing of musical instruments. Our previous experience has shown us that this methodology is very well received by children and adolescents as well as their teachers. It has also demonstrated the effect of lowering the propensity to violence and victimisation as well as having a strengthening effect on integration and stability.

As former Managing Director of the Freies Musikzentrum and as ideational companion to «DrumPower», I am very pleased about the development of our project and give my deepest thanks to all participants, supporters and donors, in particular to the Barbara Weidinger Music Foundation, the Dr. Rudolf and Christa Castringius Children and Youth Foundation, the IKEA Foundation, the Sparkasse Bad Tölz- Wolfratshausen and the Bünemann Foundation. It is my hope that «DrumPower» will be implemented in as many schools as possible.

Dr. Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre
Former Director of the Freies Musikzentrum and
Vice President of the International Society for Music in Medicine ISMM