Wiebren Buma: ‘Make the most of every opportunity during your four years at the Academy of Music’
From 1 September, Wiebren Buma will be the new director of ArtEZ Academy of Music in Zwolle. He studied classical trumpet and choral conducting in Zwolle himself and, as a student, embraced everything the Academy of Music had to offer. He wants to encourage that same curiosity in students. ‘You only have four or six years to study. There’s so much to learn, so much to develop. Go for it. Make the most of every opportunity you get.’
Being good at your instrument isn’t enough
It has been a while since Wiebren was a student at ArtEZ Academy of Music. He graduated in classical trumpet and earned his diploma in choral conducting in 1998. Music education has changed a lot since then. ‘When I was studying, there was less focus on entrepreneurship and the programme was very much geared towards the stage. That’s different now: the curriculum has become more relevant. With all the subjects it offers, a music programme prepares you to become an independent professional with a practice of your own.’
Wiebren believes it is important for students at the Academy of Music to receive a broad education. ‘I’ve had discussions with old-school musicians who think that if you just practise hard enough, you’ll make it. But it takes more than that. You need to be very good at your instrument, but you also need to be curious about the world around you and find ways to connect with it. As a musician, how do I make sure that what I create and share finds its way to an audience?’
‘I have tremendous faith in music and in art. Especially in times of polarisation, we need good musicians and artists.’
A director who is also a musician
Wiebren brings his own experience as a musician to his role as director. ‘If you work in the cultural sector and spend a lot of time working with musicians, it helps to understand how things work. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a lot of music involved in the day-to-day work of a director.’
His background does help him understand what students experience during their studies. ‘I think it’s important for a director to understand what it takes to graduate from an Academy of Music.’
According to Wiebren, students need a safe learning environment and attention to their physical and mental health. ‘Playing an instrument means spending a lifetime maintaining your craft. Physical problems can prevent musicians from reaching the finish line or force them to leave the profession earlier than planned.’
Being a musician is about more than performing on stage
According to Wiebren, students still often start at the Academy of Music thinking they will eventually earn their living by performing on stage. He believes the conservatory needs to be honest about that.
‘Not to discourage students, but to show them the wide range of possibilities out there. For example, there is a huge shortage of teachers in amateur music. You don’t need to complete a four-year conducting programme to lead groups of people who want to make music together. But you can make sure that, as part of your studies, you develop your arranging skills.’
‘We have a wealth of heritage in the form of wonderful music that is still relevant today. What is changing is how you present that music and connect with your audience. As a musician, you need to be ready for that.’
Making music doesn’t start at the Academy of Music
Wiebren emphasises that he sees many Dutch students performing at a high level. He adds some nuance to the NOS report about the decline in the number of Dutch students at conservatories.
‘The NOS article published in July is about master’s students. The percentage of Dutch students is higher in bachelor’s programmes. But it is a worrying trend. If anything, it only makes me more determined. We need to get to work together.’
According to Wiebren, this is not something the Academy of Music can tackle alone. ‘We all know that affordable, organised music education has been cut back considerably. I think that, as an Academy of Music, we need to work with teachers, freelancers and music schools to create a continuous talent development programme. Combined with a broad education, of course.’
‘I hope students won’t notice there’s a new director. The open, safe and welcoming atmosphere will simply stay the same.’
One Academy of Music, three locations
Wiebren believes close collaboration between ArtEZ Academy of Music in Arnhem, Enschede and Zwolle is important. ‘We are one Academy of Music, across three locations.’
As director, he wants to start by listening. And by talking to as many people within ArtEZ as possible, starting with the heads of programme. There are also several challenges ahead. ‘The Executive Board has also given me a number of priorities to work on. There is a financial challenge, research is underway into a new location in the Spoorzone area, and the Academy of Music could have an even stronger presence in the city of Zwolle.’
At the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen, where Wiebren previously worked as a programme manager, he saw what collaboration can achieve. During one project, Jazz students, Music in Education students and Classical Music students worked together on a programme inspired by the Metropole Orkest.
Composition students wrote the music, while the art academy created the visuals. Not everyone was convinced beforehand. ‘The violinists were incredibly sceptical about what they could learn from this collaboration. But after just one rehearsal, they were completely won over. They said: we’re learning things here that we’ve never learnt before. They talked about timing, blending with other styles and playing with in-ear monitors.’
Wiebren already sees many collaborations like these at ArtEZ Academy of Music. As director, he wants to keep supporting and encouraging them.
