The House of Music is a place of lively debate that playfully opens up new approaches to music. Our aim is to convey understanding, open-mindedness and enthusiasm in dealing with music. Since its opening in June 2000, over 3 million visitors from all over the world have been able to discover and experience music in all its diversity.

Maestro Zubin Mehta took over the honorary presidency of the Haus der Musik after the opening. What motivated him to do so was the cheerful and direct presentation of the content, which brings people with the most diverse musical tastes together and into conversation, arouses interest and breaks down prejudices against the discussion of musicological topics.

The birthplace of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

The former Palais Erzherzog Karl, today's Haus der Musik, was once the home of Otto Nicolai (1810 - 1849), composer of the opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor", who founded the Vienna Philharmonic Concerts here in 1842. For this reason, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is closely associated with the House of Music. The Vienna Philharmonic Museum is located here, as are the archives of what is probably the most famous orchestra in the world - with historical treasures from many years of musical history.

Vienna has always been a city where music has been approached in new ways and where people have not been afraid to find unconventional approaches. With the House of Music, we want to reflect Vienna's character as a pioneering city when it comes to music and enable an approach that helps our visitors to gain new experiences and consciously deviates from classical music education.

Communicating music in all its diversity in an innovative and interactive way.

Particularly important - alongside the historical elements - is the interplay between natural and electronic sound production, between analog and digital. The aesthetically and artistically realized musicological content builds a bridge between tradition and innovation. Playfully rolling a waltz, hearing its name as an original composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, creating your own "sound being" - a so-called "clong", or virtually conducting the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - music is presented in a new way here. The great masters of classical music as outstanding composers of sonatas, quartets and symphonies are waiting to be rediscovered in all their facets.

Giving children and young people access to music. Worldwide.

I am particularly pleased that our interactive sound museum is repeatedly used internationally as a reference project. For example, Haus der Musik was also a licensor and partner in the realization of a Mexican music museum based on the Viennese model. The Casa de la Música de Viena en Puebla was opened on January 13, 2015 in Puebla, near Mexico City, and was open until 2022, with the same installations and the same basic idea and intention as the Vienna Sound Museum. The House of Music is also an official partner and ambassador of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation. The aim is to implement new music education measures and give children and young people access to the world of music where this is not readily possible. For example, urgently needed musical instruments are purchased for school classes and music education initiatives are launched.

Awakening curiosity for music and fun in making music as early as possible is the main aim of the music education work at the Haus der Musik. Music as a universal language helps to build bridges between people. It promotes linguistic and intercultural understanding, strengthens cohesion, boosts self-confidence and: makes people happy.

My team and I wish you an exciting musical journey of discovery and much pleasure during your visit to the House of Music.

Simon K. Posch
Director Haus der Musik