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Greeting by Christian Ude – Patron Music and its impact on society: this is what the Freies Musikzentrum has been committed to since 1979 in an exemplary manner, and I expressly welcome this engagement. As an independent academy with a wide influence, the Freies Musikzentrum helps thousands of people each year to find their own artistic expression. The variety and internationality of its teachings make the Centre appealing far beyond Munich. For a long time now, music therapists have been trained at the Centre's Institute for Music Therapy. Where music can have a healing effect in society, the Institute has developed new concepts – for example «DrumPower», a methodology for violence prevention in schools. Youth are not innately violent. However, the readiness for violence in this age group has risen since the 1980's: the triggers have become more trivial, inhibition levels have become lower, and the type of violence has often become more raw and brutal. «DrumPower» with its musical and theatrical basis, takes these tendencies of adolescents and offers a social training which they undergo happily and do not dismiss as a compulsory exercise. I have very happily taken on the patronage for «DrumPower» and wish the project great success. To all participants, foundations and donors who make contributions, I give my heartfelt thanks. Christian Ude |