Instruments for Every Kid

North Rhine-Westphalia's state premier, Jürgen Rüttgers, launched the initiative, dubbed "For Every Child an Instrument" (Jedem Kind ein Instrument), in the Ruhr Valley city of Bochum. The state government and the federal government's cultural foundation initiated the 50-million-euro ($65-million) project, which is set to begin next school year and continue for four years.

"Direct contact with art, culture and music can expose our children to new worlds," Rüttgers said in a statement. "That encourages qualities and abilities that one doesn't need only to make music. A creative potential will be released in the young people that will change the region over time."

All 212,000 pupils in 1,000 elementary schools in the Ruhr Valley are supposed to get the opportunity to choose an instrument they would like to learn to play and receive instruction -- in addition to the mandatory music lessons they already have in school. Thirty-nine local music schools will support teachers in providing the extra instruction.

The children will be expected to chip in 10 to 35 euros per month to take part in the project, but those who can't afford the fee won't have to pay anything.

Making the Ruhr musical

The aim is that within four years, each school will be able to start an orchestra, and when the region celebrates its year as one of Europe's designated cultural capitals, in 2010, the best young musicians will put on a concert in the Ruhr Valley's Auf Schalke stadium, in Gelsenkirchen.

Rüttgers said the project would be expanded to the rest of the state if it proved to be a success.

Federal Culture Secretary Bernd Neumann added that he hoped the project wouldn't be limited to the region, but that "the spark from North Rhine-Westphalia will ignite in other states, too."

The project is based on a similar program that was started by pupils and the local music school in Bochum in 2004. Around 3,000 kids took part in it, according to Mayor Ottilie Scholz.

Widespread support

To give a taste of what the future might bring, the regional children's orchestra Kinderorchester Ruhr performed in public for the first time after the launch, showing off their skills by playing excerpts from Mozart's "Magic Flute."

So far, hardly a word of public criticism of the project has been uttered. Politicians, teachers' unions, musicians and media have lauded it.

But ksta.de, the Web site of Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger daily, located in North Rhine-Westphalia's biggest city, Cologne, was concerned that the project might not succeed in reaching all children.

"Here's the problem: How can it be prevented that only those children profit from the assistance -- participation is voluntary -- who actually don't need it?" ksta.de asked. "The extent to which children from less educated classes are involved is also decisive for the success."