Society needs cohesion.Cohesion needs commitment.Commitment needs every individual.
The challenges of our time demand a lot from people. Social cohesion is at risk of falling apart. Strategies must be found to strengthen future generations to cope with future crises and to raise awareness of what unites us: we are social beings with the ability to treat each other with respect, tolerance, empathy and compassion.
The media are full of reports of violence and destruction. Frightening images of advancing climate change, escalating wars, rising inflation and political extremism are ingrained in our minds. The result is uncertainty and overwhelm. The reaction is resignation or provocation. Society is polarising, cohesion is crumbling. And a respectful culture of debate and tolerant coexistence are increasingly falling victim to a general hostility among loudmouths. Fuelled by ‘fake news’, inhibitions are plummeting in the comment sections of the World Wide Web. A ‘coarsening of language’ is taking hold in our country. But also: a coarsening of behaviour seems to be spreading. What is unknown is rejected and devalued. And where there is no contact with the unknown, with the ‘other’, there can be no understanding for the other side. Exclusion instead of participation is spreading.
Everyone is called upon to get involved. You have the opportunity to help shape the future and become part of a project that aims to strengthen social cohesion. Become part of the COMMUNITY.
During the pandemic, it seemed that the possibilities offered by the internet could be a source of a new kind of togetherness – or cohesion? In times of isolation, digital achievements built bridges between living rooms and people. The digitalisation of everyday life was – and still is – a blessing for many. Today, people hardly need to leave their own four walls to (seemingly) participate in life. But despite digital opportunities for encounter, individual satisfaction has not been increasing in recent years; on the contrary, loneliness has been on the rise. A recent study by the Bertelsmann Foundation from June 2024 shows that emotional loneliness is not only a phenomenon of the older generation, but a problem affecting society as a whole.
Opportunities must be created that bring people together physically and encourage interaction and exchange. Incentives are needed to enable people to have diverse sensory experiences. Solutions are needed that facilitate encounters between people and satisfy their need for belonging and community.
It is no secret that the German education system is in crisis. The latest PISA results show what has been missed in recent decades. One consequence of this development is calls for a reduction in the number of hours devoted to art and music in favour of core subjects.
But the opposite should be the case. Cultural education is more than just childish entertainment in a school setting. Cultural education is a great source of hope for social cohesion in our society. Susanne Keuchel, Director of the Academy of Cultural Education of the Federal Government and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, finds the right words to describe this: There are "many good reasons for the labour market (...) to promote cultural education, as it also has a positive influence on so-called key competencies such as emotional intelligence, perseverance, concentration and social skills. (...) In view of an increasingly divided society (...), cultural education is associated with the hope that it has the potential to strengthen cohesion within society again."
Concepts are needed that impart cultural education outside the school system and inspire people to take an interest in culture.
We need spaces where encounters can take place and cultural education can be experienced. Analogue spaces where people can try things out and find their own forms of expression – regardless of their age, abilities, social or cultural background. We need spaces where people have the courage to truly encounter the (initially) unknown – then empathy can develop. We need spaces where diversity and immediacy enable personal encounters on an equal footing – then respect, tolerance and compassion can grow. Then it is possible to understand each other with all our senses – in the truest sense of the word – to break down barriers and form a colourful community in which everyone has their place.
Summer party of the Carl Orff Foundation 2019, Wilfried Hiller in conversation (photo: Anja Wechsler)
The more virtual and digital our world becomes, the more important it is to create places where people can share immediate and creative experiences with others. The Carl Orff Foundation is establishing such a place at the home and creative centre of the educator and composer Carl Orff in Dießen am Ammersee: In the new and expanded COMU Carl Orff Museum, people of all ages, abilities, origins and cultural backgrounds will be able to step out of their everyday lives for a brief moment and immerse themselves in new experiences. Here, people can experience the power of music, become creative together and engage in conversation with one another.
The museum will focus on providing access to the life and work of the artist Carl Orff. In this way, COMU is committed to promoting cultural education and preserving the legacy of the world-famous artist Carl Orff. By providing insight into Orff's work and life story, the museum aims to foster understanding and appreciation of his musical and educational achievements.
The museum contributes to strengthening cultural awareness and increasing recognition of Orff's influence on music education and contemporary composition. In keeping with Carl Orff's spirit, the COMU exhibition area is not intended to be a dusty place for passive observation of objects or art appreciation.
The aim is to make Carl Orff's work tangible with all the senses and to fill the rooms with the facets of his life. Interactive and accessible offerings encourage visitors to follow in Carl Orff's footsteps and experience how music can be created using the body and various sound instruments.
The COMU is a place of education and (further) training, offering visitors regular courses and programmes where they can gain creative experience and deepen their knowledge together with others. It is based on the Orff Schulwerk, which uses music, language and movement in creative ways to open up new possibilities for human expression.
Musical elements encourage people to find their own expression and thus their own musical language. Music can be experienced with all the senses and becomes a medium that creates trust and promotes communication regardless of language barriers. This makes music accessible to everyone. Playing the body-based instruments requires no prior musical knowledge and can be mastered intuitively after a short introduction. With its educational aspirations, COMU promotes musical education and creative forms of expression for diverse groups of visitors in an innovative, playful and scientifically evaluated way.
The concept enables low-threshold, non-verbal access to music, language and movement and promotes self-efficacy in each individual. The music education programmes are also ideal for people with linguistic, motor and cognitive impairments. By making music together, participants learn what it means to listen to one another, communicate respectfully and engage with others.
The COMU is also a place for community and encounters, as well as social integration. People should be able to interact with each other in an uncomplicated manner and on an equal footing, and have the opportunity to develop a sense of community through shared experiences.
Nestled in the expansive landscape of the western shore of Lake Ammer, the museum invites visitors to come, stay, share experiences and enjoy new discoveries. The museum creates spaces where people can simply pause for a moment or engage in conversation with others. MUSIKÉ, the museum's café and sound bar, offers plenty of space to sit down, relax and indulge in culinary delights. Families with children can explore the outdoor area next to the exhibition spaces. An interactive sound playground is to be created there, inviting young and old alike to play and experiment with sounds in the great outdoors.
The museum is aimed at a broad and diverse target group: in addition to classic culture lovers, it appeals to children and young people with their families, older people, educational institutions and facilities for people with special needs. People from all walks of life will be able to come together through music and making music together.
COMU is a flagship project for barrier-free offerings and social encounters in the Dießen am Ammersee region. With its experiential spaces, it contributes to making social change possible and tangible.
Carmina Fest at the Carl Orff Foundation, summer 2015 (photo: Anja Wechsler)
As a place of cultural exchange and encounter, COMU has developed a charisma that extends far beyond the western shore of Lake Ammersee. As part of the Orff COMMUNITY, you will be supporting a project that promotes cultural diversity and social cohesion through its activities. Join us and work together with others to fill the COMU's spaces with diverse vitality and strengthen respect and tolerance in society.
Download the brochure now free of charge in PDF format.