The economic engine is sputtering everywhere, and public budgets are shrinking. In times of social polarization, this quickly leads to classical educational content—and with it classical music—being dismissed as elitist, inaccessible to most people, and, ultimately, of no interest at all. And so, slowly but surely, we are throwing away a cultural legacy we once took pride in—one that has also shaped Europe’s reputation around the world. Of course, no one can spend money that simply isn’t there. Yet before entire institutions are shut down—and spending is cut where it is easiest and where the least political resistance is to be expected—it would be desirable to look for substantive evaluations, structural adjustments, or cooperative solutions.
With this earnest appeal to all decision-makers, we wish you a happy New Year and all the best for 2026—hopefully a year in which things will look up again.