12-05-10 10:17
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Swiss Musical Academy:
We will close the Swiss Musical Academy (SMA) at the end of June 2010. In order to continue to offer a full time professional program for Musical Theater that is affordable and competitive with our German speaking neighbours, we needed a commitment of some financial support from the city or canton. As this support is not forthcoming, we cannot continue to offer the quality education that has characterized the Swiss Musical Academy in the past. Turning the SMA into a “hobby school” is not, and has never been, the reason for the existence of the school.
Finding experienced professionals from the Musical Theater world with teaching credentials has been a big challenge and the SMA was very lucky to have gathered an international group of dedicated, experienced individuals who were willing to work extremely hard to set up the school. Our Eduqua SQS- Management certification and inclusion into the Federation of Private Schools in Switzerland as well as our many graduates finding professional work in the Musical Theater world, is proof that the education did indeed reach our goal to prepare young people for the profession.
Founding a professional school for Musical Theater in a country that doesn’t have a musical tradition has been a huge challenge. I am grateful to the numerous individuals who had the courage to join me in the journey of founding and running the Swiss Musical Academy. Although the basic techniques of singing, acting and dancing all come from the relatively same “classical/traditional” arena, Musical Theater has its’ own specific styles, skills, and requirements that students need to learn. If a student attends one of the Hochschulen in Switzerland, these specific requirements and skills aren’t yet addressed to the degree needed for them to be competitive in the Musical Theater business at home and abroad.
I hope that-eventually- the Hochschulen will see how easily they can integrate Musical Theater into their current programs. The Hochschulen have the infrastructure and financial resources that students and teachers alike need in a professional school. A four year program ending with a B.A. in Musical Theater would be a fantastic addition to the educational offerings and a wonderful opportunity for young people in Switzerland. This opportunity exists in Germany and Austria and I hope to see it one day here as well.
Thank you to each and every one of you –teachers, students, secretaries, parents, techies, guests, audiences-who helped me with the SMA with your dedication, trust, hard work, support, and joy. It has been a terrific journey and I have learned so much. I have also shared a lot of sublime moments with you in the last 9 years and will hold those memories very dear to me forever.
I wish you all good memories of the school and a bright future. I look forward to my next endeavours with positive energies and hope that our paths will cross again in the future!
Warmly,
Carole Augustus
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