The Zwickau Schumann Society is the oldest of the three Robert Schumann Societies in Germany. Established in 1920 this society has been active continuously, in spite of the political upheavals and necessary reconstitutions of the years 1943, 1949, 1957 and 1990. Its members include music lovers from across Germany as well as renowned artists and musicologists from all over the world — from Argentina as well as the USA and Canada, to Russia or China.
The society located in the composer’s hometown Zwickau aims to promote the memory of Robert Schumann by organizing concerts, lectures and conferences as well as issuing publications. The association supports the annual Schumann Festival Zwickau and the International Robert Schumann Competitions taking place every four years. It is responsible for the list of candidates with regard to the Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau, awarded every two years. Furthermore the publication series ‚Schumann Studies‘, currently edited by Dr. Ute Scholz and Dr. Thomas Synofzik, has been published under the aegis of the Robert Schumann Society since 1988.
The Robert Schumann Society functions as support of the Robert Schumann House and therefore sponsors acquisitions of the archive with international significance, particularly with regard to autographs and documents. Moreover, the Society wants to promote young talents: It regularly endows a special prize for the Small Robert Schumann Competition, a contest for young pianists from across Germany organized every two years by the Robert Schumann Conservatory. Additionally it offers a research fellowship for young musicologists from all over the world who may come to Zwickau to stay and work here for free.
