Creating, organising and collaborating: that is what you do during the Integration Week of the Music in Education programme at Conservatorium Maastricht. Creating and sharing are at the heart of this week and the months leading up to it, during which first-, second- and third-year students create a performance for a specific target audience.
The level of responsibility increases with each year of study, allowing this week to grow alongside the student’s development from learner to teacher. From writing the story to performing and attracting an audience, this is the moment to bring together everything you have learned.
For the third-year students, the central theme in 2026 was ‘fleeing’. Their target groups were young people and adults, for whom they created and organised a complete musical performance. We asked third-year student Brigit Meeusen to reflect on her experience during this special week.
What did you do during this Integration Week? What was easy and what was challenging? What lessons are you taking away from it?
During the Integration Week itself, our task as third-year students was to create a performance within one week together with upper secondary school pupils from various schools in the region, centred around the theme of fleeing. The performance we had created served as an example and source of inspiration. The musical elements we used in our own performance were then taught to the secondary school pupils during the week. This included composing a soundscape, using sonata form, and writing a poetic text.
Together with two of my classmates, I had the opportunity to coach a band of secondary school pupils. We gave the pupils tools to help them start writing their own song, for example through association games to explore the theme in greater depth. I learned that many different ideas emerge when you work together, which can sometimes be challenging, but can also lead to something truly beautiful and varied.
What do you learn from this type of education, where different year groups come together and you collaborate with both internal and external students and pupils?
At the beginning of this process, I had many questions. How are we going to approach this? How will we divide the tasks? What does it all involve? In the end, it came down to trying things out and learning naturally whether something worked or not, especially during the writing process of the performance. Sometimes you have an idea, but during rehearsals it turns out not to be possible, or not as suitable as you first thought. However, through the different ideas of all the students, you eventually arrive at a varied and balanced performance.
These different opinions can sometimes cause friction, but this only contributes to the group process and encourages critical thinking, ensuring the performance remains achievable. What I learned most from this was that it is important to make decisions, to accept when something is ‘good enough’, or when it simply does not work and it is okay to start again. I was able to apply this immediately while coaching the secondary school pupils. You also learn where the strengths of your fellow students lie, and when you use those strengths effectively, you can create something truly special.
Which part did you enjoy the most? How does an Integration Week help you discover your strengths and the areas in which you would still like to develop?
Performing the show and the creative process leading up to it was the part of the Integration Week I enjoyed most. I really loved writing original music and gradually seeing a real performance take shape. Standing on stage and performing work you have created yourself together with fellow students is an amazing feeling.
Because there are so many different tasks involved in writing the performance, organising it, and coaching the pupils, you quickly discover where your strengths lie. You naturally feel more comfortable with some tasks than others. That is why it is so valuable to work with classmates, as it allows you to divide responsibilities based on everyone’s strengths.I quickly realised that writing lyrics and creating melodies came naturally to me and that I really enjoy it. I would still like to develop further in writing instrumental music.
Do you have any tips for first-, second- and third-year students who will take part in the Integration Week in 2027?
For first-year students: enjoy it! Let the week unfold naturally. Watch and learn from the wonderful show created by the second-year students, develop new skills, and perform at the end of the week for special education pupils, in my opinion, the most rewarding audience of all.
For second- and third-year students: six months may seem like a long time to create a performance, but do not underestimate it! Start early, divide the tasks, and do not spend too long on one single part. Make decisions, move forward, and create a performance you can be proud of!
