Europe: One big place—through IN.TUNE

Lucie is a student representative on the Governing Board and a member of the Student Council. It's part of her job to discuss what happens in IN.TUNE and and give the student perspective on relevant topics. As head of the Student Committee (SUT) at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Lucie feels like many of her tasks overlap.

As we are speaking to Lucie, IN.TUNE has just announced the new educational formats the alliance has chosen for development. Lucie, who studies choir conducting, has a few obvious favourites:

– I'm really hyped about the choir one!

She refers to the so-called joint module "IN.TUNE European Choir", led by Conservatoire de Paris in the French capital – coincidentally Lucie's native city.

– And coming from Paris, it's even more interesting because they don't have a choir conducting department.

She compares to how choirs are a natural part of Nordic conservatoire life. Now, she hopes that Paris can learn from partners with active choir departments.

– It's a bit like shaking the musical world from south to north.

– There is also the "Socially Engaged Musicking" one, which I think is really interesting.

This educational format asks questions Lucie often has discussed herself with fellow musicians: Is music political or not? How do you engage socially through music?

– We don't need to agree, she emphasizes. – But it's a good way to talk about it.

The format, led by Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, is a so-called Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). It acts as a pilot for possible future joint Master Programme.

Lastly, Lucie mentions the format "EchoLab: 19th-Century Performance in Practice", which the Royal Conservatoire The Hague is the leader of.

In France, there is a stronger tradition for working with performance practice than in Norway, according to Lucie. She thinks exchanging experiences here can be helpful for everyone.

– Especially in 19th Century music.

The Oslo-led format is called "Joint Online Course for Conference Practices", in collaboration with Uniarts Helsinki. The initiator is Ram Reuven, Associate Professor of Music Theory at the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Lucie says that Ram asks essential questions in his format, for example how and how long to teach without losing the students' focus.

– He has really good points, she thinks, adding that when teaching, being a musician is not enough. You need to be a pedagogue as well.

Not just on paper

Lucie believes the student's voice is crucial when developing new educational forms and other projects. She wants the activities actually to help the students and thinks that should be the goal, not just creating projects that look nice on paper. She encourages our students to get informed now that the time has come for the next phase: Call for Student-led Projects.

To receive good proposals, all students and employees at the institution must know and understand what IN.TUNE is. If you are receiving guests from other institutions, don't keep it a secret that the alliance is why they have been able to come, pleads Lucie. Only last week, three teachers from alliance partner ESMUC in Barcelona visited Oslo to join a master class in choir conducting. Lucie thinks it's a win-win situation to meet students and employees from other institutions and that everyone can benefit from networking across borders.

When applying for student-led projects, Lucie's personal recommendation is to aim to network or take advantage of a unique resource at one of the institutions. Some conservatoires may have rare instruments, special equipment or—like the example mentioned above—ongoing masterclasses with international experts in their fields.

– For me, it's this idea of Europe being one big place. We should all collaborate, also in research. We cannot do that until we know each other, she says.

– How can we all fight together so that our profession is recognized?