Germany
Member since:
1999
Website
Director
Stephan Schulmeistrat
Address
Weberstraße 59, 53113 Bonn
Germany
Services
Introduction
The German Music Information Centre (miz) is the central institution for information, documentation and research on musical life in Germany. Through databases, studies and analyses, it makes visible how institutions, musical practice and cultural policy interconnect within a historically developed and highly differentiated system.
About
Organisationally anchored under the umbrella of the German Music Council, the German Music Information Centre (miz) operates as a research- and service-oriented centre for the entire spectrum of the music sector in Germany.
Its work focuses on documenting, analysing and communicating developments in musical life. The thematic scope ranges from music education, amateur music-making and professional music-making to concert life, festivals and the music industry. In doing so, the miz highlights institutional structures, fields of activity and interconnections within the music ecosystem, while also placing them in broader cultural and policy contexts.
The miz provides a wide range of information services for professionals, researchers, policymakers, journalists and the interested public. These include comprehensive databases covering musical institutions, such as orchestras, music schools, festivals and educational organisations, as well as statistical resources, thematic dossiers and practical guides on topics including copyright and professional development. The miz also operates Compass Music Studies, an online guidance platform offering information on studying music in Germany, career paths and higher education opportunities in the music sector. By consolidating information from a highly decentralised cultural landscape, the miz creates transparency and orientation within the German music sector.
A central pillar of the miz’s work is its own research activity. Through regularly published studies, surveys and sector analyses, the centre generates empirical knowledge on structures, working conditions and current developments in musical life, thereby contributing to a data-based understanding of the music sector and its ongoing transformation.
For international audiences, the miz offers structured access to the German music landscape and its institutional framework. Bringing together information, research and institutional knowledge from across the sector, the miz provides a central point of reference for understanding musical life in Germany and its diverse structures, actors and fields of activity.
The booth of the German Music Information Centre at Classical:NEXT 2025, photo: Stephan Röhl
Services
The miz offers many services
- Infrastructure Database
A comprehensive directory of more than 11,000 music institutions and organisations, searchable by genre, region and field of activity. - Music Statistics & Infographics
Curated statistical data and visualisations covering education, amateur music-making, professional practice, funding structures and the music economy. - Research & Sector Studies
Regular empirical studies on key structural topics such as amateur music-making, professional music, festivals and gender representation in publicly funded orchestras. - Thematic Portals
Curated knowledge hubs on central fields of music life, including music education, funding systems, music theatre and concert life, contemporary music, jazz, early music and the music economy. - Expert Articles on Music Life
In-depth contributions analysing structural developments, trends and policy frameworks in different areas of the sector. - Music Atlas
A digital topography visualising the geographic distribution of institutions and infrastructures across Germany. - Compass Music Studies
A searchable platform mapping higher-education programmes and training pathways in music throughout Germany. - Copyright & Research Guides
Practical tutorials explaining legal frameworks, research tools and structural conditions relevant to musicians and researchers. - Training & Conference Calendars
Listings of professional development opportunities, congresses and sector events. - News & Policy Documents Archive
Curated updates and key reference documents on developments in the German music sector.
Have a look at the miz website to view all information they have to offer about German music life.
Visit the miz website
Recent Publications
The miz offers a range of publications. Here is a selection.
- Music Festivals in Germany
A nationwide structural study of Germany’s festival landscape, examining organisational models, financing structures, artistic profiles and cultural relevance across genres.
→ Music Festivals in Germany - Amateur Music-Making in Germany
A nationwide study analysing participation patterns, social backgrounds, access routes and voluntary engagement in amateur music across age groups.
→ Amateur Music-Making in Germany - Professional Music-Making in Germany
An nationwide empirical study on employment structures, income sources and working realities of professional musicians, including gender-specific differences.
→ Professional Music-Making in Germany - Musical Life in Germany
A comprehensive reference work on Germany’s music landscape, covering institutions, education, cultural policy, funding structures, musical professions and current developments across all areas of musical life.
→ Musical Life in Germany
- Compass Music Studies
An online guidance platform providing information on studying music in Germany, higher education institutions, degree programmes and career perspectives in the music sector.
→ Compass Music Studies
Insights into Our Work
Study: Amateur Music-Making in Germany, © miz
Study: Amateur Music-Making in Germany, Cover, © miz
miz-Study: Music Festivals in Germany, © miz
miz-Study: Music Festivals in Germany, Cover, © miz
miz-Study: Music Festivals in Germany, © miz
Interview
Stephan Schulmeistrat
German Music Information Centre – Director
Stephan Schulmeistrat – Director of the German Music Information Centre
For readers outside Germany: How is musical life organised and structured?
Musical life in Germany is shaped by a highly decentralised structure. Responsibility for culture and music education lies primarily with the 16 federal states and municipalities, resulting in a diverse landscape that varies across regions. While the federal government mainly supports institutions and projects of national significance, cultural life is largely sustained at regional and local level. Publicly funded institutions such as orchestras, theatres, music schools and universities exist alongside a vibrant independent scene and a strong tradition of civic engagement through associations, ensembles and local initiatives.
Professional and amateur music-making are closely interconnected, and musical life is sustained through the interaction of cultural institutions, educational structures, artists, volunteers and civil society. This creates a broad and dynamic ecosystem that ranges from internationally renowned organisations to locally rooted musical activities.
Where does the German Music Information Centre fit into this structure?
Within this diverse and decentralised landscape, the German Music Information Centre (miz) serves as a central point of orientation and knowledge. We bring together information from across the music sector, document institutional structures, conduct research and publish studies on current developments in musical life.
Rather than representing specific interests, the miz aims to provide reliable information, context and transparency. By connecting perspectives from music education, professional practice, cultural policy, amateur music and the music industry, we help make the complexity of Germany’s music landscape more accessible and easier to navigate.
Why is miz relevant for national and international target groups?
The miz supports a wide range of users, including policymakers, researchers, journalists, cultural institutions, educational organisations and music professionals. Our databases, studies and thematic resources offer reliable information on structures, institutions and developments across the German music sector.
For international audiences, the miz provides a gateway to understanding musical life in Germany. By combining research, institutional knowledge and practical information, the miz offers insight into one of the world’s largest and most diverse music landscapes and fosters international exchange and dialogue across the sector.
