Roland Vuataz - October 3, 1938 - September 17, 2013
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- Photo: © Georg Editeur
Roland Vuataz was unable to celebrate his 75th birthday. He passed away on September 17 in Geneva hospital. We have lost an irreplaceable friend, who ensured the smooth running of our association thanks to his natural authority and his human approach to management, marked by competence and collegiality.
As Roland did not want us to revisit his career, we will confine ourselves to recalling just a few milestones. Born into a musical family, he lost his mother at the age of eight. This event affected him so much that he grew up without music, much to his father's regret, until he discovered a passion for improvisation at the age of 17. He then began studying music with Pierre Segond. He completed his schooling with a classical Maturité, then went on to study theology, Greek and Latin. After graduating with the Prix d'histoire from the University of Geneva, he taught languages at the Collège de Genève. Teaching became a new passion for him, and the training of music teachers was particularly close to his heart. He began work on his doctoral thesis: Teacher training. His interest also turned to politics. Elected to Geneva's Grand Council, he tabled a number of socio-political and cultural interventions, and chaired the Education Commission of Geneva's Socialist Party. In 1975, he was appointed Director of the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique de Genève, and took up the challenge of proving that an academic was capable of managing both administration and high-level musical education. In addition to this already onerous task, he was an active member of the Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale SSPM for 30 years. He sat on the Committee for 22 years and was its President for nine. His positive attitude and openness to new ideas were much appreciated. It was he who established for the association a model and a charter of ethical and professional objectives for music teaching. Convinced that the association needed to adapt to the new directions taken by the training system, he took the first steps towards recognition of professional training in the musical field. On October 25, 2005, the Swiss Academy of Music and Music Pedagogy ASMP was founded. In the early years, Roland was involved as a consultant in the financial and institutional aspects of the new foundation. His particular commitment to the issues of music pedagogy was motivating for all those who had to work with him, as was the trust he placed in each and every one of them. The following lines also recall his spirit of collegial friendship.
Brigitt Leibundgut
In memory of Roland Vuataz
- Nov. 11, 2013
To evoke Roland Vuataz, it's impossible to pretend to be exhaustive, so diverse and multidimensional was his life.
So I'll confine myself to recalling memories that concern me, in which we took part together.
I met Roland shortly after the creation of the Geneva section of the SSPM, when I re-joined. He was on the committee of which his wife, Nouche Vuataz, was to become president.
It was he who encouraged me in my activities as head of children's orchestras and teacher training, when he was already running the Conservatoire populaire de Genève CPM.
It was he who encouraged me to become a member of the SSPM Central Committee, when he was elected Central President of the Swiss SSPM.
What lively discussions we had on the train between Geneva and Berne, over breakfast on the way there and on the way back after the sessions, as fatigue set in!
Right from the start, he was part of the project to found the Swiss Academy of Music and Music Pedagogy (ASMP), whose official foundation in Aarau we still remember vividly.
Implementation took time, but he was able to see for himself that the creation of our Haute Ecole de Musique was coming to fruition.
It wasn't all plain sailing, as Roland Vuataz's health was seriously affected on several occasions, but he managed to get back on track with astonishing energy and serenity.
We also met on cantonal music commissions, in which he participated as director of the Conservatoire Populaire de Genève.
His opinion was listened to and his suggestions taken into account.
After his retirement as director, his activity as a musician took on greater importance, and he continued to take part in think-tanks, where his perspective on musical training was invaluable.
I won't go into other aspects of his biography, as he expressed his desire not to talk about himself at the memorial service on September 23.
It's therefore a subjective and personal testimony that I'd like to offer, recalling the good times we spent together, in the various meetings, the lively and sometimes tense conversations, and the impression he gave of knowing how to listen to his partners.
His joie de vivre overcame his personal difficulties with a smile or an optimistic remark.
It is with gratitude that we can recall his memory and appreciate all that he achieved during his lifetime, both in Geneva and throughout Switzerland.
To his family we send our messages of sympathy and the assurance that his name will long remain associated with many activities and achievements within the SSPM.
Monique Buunk Droz
-
- Photo: © Georg Editeur
Roland Vuataz was unable to celebrate his 75th birthday. He passed away on September 17 in Geneva hospital. We have lost an irreplaceable friend, who ensured the smooth running of our association thanks to his natural authority and his human approach to management, marked by competence and collegiality.
As Roland did not want us to revisit his career, we will confine ourselves to recalling just a few milestones. Born into a musical family, he lost his mother at the age of eight. This event affected him so much that he grew up without music, much to his father's regret, until he discovered a passion for improvisation at the age of 17. He then began studying music with Pierre Segond. He completed his schooling with a classical Maturité, then went on to study theology, Greek and Latin. After graduating with the Prix d'histoire from the University of Geneva, he taught languages at the Collège de Genève. Teaching became a new passion for him, and the training of music teachers was particularly close to his heart. He began work on his doctoral thesis: Teacher training. His interest also turned to politics. Elected to Geneva's Grand Council, he tabled a number of socio-political and cultural interventions, and chaired the Education Commission of Geneva's Socialist Party. In 1975, he was appointed Director of the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique de Genève, and took up the challenge of proving that an academic was capable of managing both administration and high-level musical education. In addition to this already onerous task, he was an active member of the Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale SSPM for 30 years. He sat on the Committee for 22 years and was its President for nine. His positive attitude and openness to new ideas were much appreciated. It was he who established for the association a model and a charter of ethical and professional objectives for music teaching. Convinced that the association needed to adapt to the new directions taken by the training system, he took the first steps towards recognition of professional training in the musical field. On October 25, 2005, the Swiss Academy of Music and Music Pedagogy ASMP was founded. In the early years, Roland was involved as a consultant in the financial and institutional aspects of the new foundation. His particular commitment to the issues of music pedagogy was motivating for all those who had to work with him, as was the trust he placed in each and every one of them. The following lines also recall his spirit of collegial friendship.
Brigitt Leibundgut
In memory of Roland Vuataz
To evoke Roland Vuataz, it's impossible to pretend to be exhaustive, so diverse and multidimensional was his life.
So I'll confine myself to recalling memories that concern me, in which we took part together.
I met Roland shortly after the creation of the Geneva section of the SSPM, when I re-joined. He was on the committee of which his wife, Nouche Vuataz, was to become president.
It was he who encouraged me in my activities as head of children's orchestras and teacher training, when he was already running the Conservatoire populaire de Genève CPM.
It was he who encouraged me to become a member of the SSPM Central Committee, when he was elected Central President of the Swiss SSPM.
What lively discussions we had on the train between Geneva and Berne, over breakfast on the way there and on the way back after the sessions, as fatigue set in!
Right from the start, he was part of the project to found the Swiss Academy of Music and Music Pedagogy (ASMP), whose official foundation in Aarau we still remember vividly.
Implementation took time, but he was able to see for himself that the creation of our Haute Ecole de Musique was coming to fruition.
It wasn't all plain sailing, as Roland Vuataz's health was seriously affected on several occasions, but he managed to get back on track with astonishing energy and serenity.
We also met on cantonal music commissions, in which he participated as director of the Conservatoire Populaire de Genève.
His opinion was listened to and his suggestions taken into account.
After his retirement as director, his activity as a musician took on greater importance, and he continued to take part in think-tanks, where his perspective on musical training was invaluable.
I won't go into other aspects of his biography, as he expressed his desire not to talk about himself at the memorial service on September 23.
It's therefore a subjective and personal testimony that I'd like to offer, recalling the good times we spent together, in the various meetings, the lively and sometimes tense conversations, and the impression he gave of knowing how to listen to his partners.
His joie de vivre overcame his personal difficulties with a smile or an optimistic remark.
It is with gratitude that we can recall his memory and appreciate all that he achieved during his lifetime, both in Geneva and throughout Switzerland.
To his family we send our messages of sympathy and the assurance that his name will long remain associated with many activities and achievements within the SSPM.
Monique Buunk Droz
