Educational goal and target group of this advanced training

• The Nyckelharpa training at BURG FÜRSTENECK (Germany) and at the Scuola di Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli (Italy) should enable the students to play the nyckelharpa on a rather high level in concerts and / or to teach it competently or play it for their private use depending on the personal emphasis.



• The training is mainly for professional musicians and music pedagogues with a certain previous knowledge. Dedicated amateurs with sufficient previous knowledge of music and playing the nyckelharpa (or starting the nyckelharpa but playing another instrument on advanced level) can ask for admission.

Extent of the training and organisation

One year of training consists generally of 6 seminar blocks of 2,5 days each. A total cycle of studies usually takes 2 - 3 years of training. One can only enrol minimum for one year, not for single blocks. Should a student miss a block, the fee cannot be paid back. The lessons will take place in a class, individual lessons in presence of the class as well as discussion and reflection hours.

Responsible for the content of the training are Marco Ambrosini, Ditte Andersson, Jule Bauer, Didier Francois and Annette Osann under the auspices of Marco Ambrosini. Other teachers might be called in from time to time.

Contents of the training:

• Basics

• play techniques
• how to hold the instrument and the results of different ways
• technique with the bow
• technique with the left hand
• knowledge of the instrument
• elements and versions of the nyckelharpa
• basic repair and maintenance measures
• measures to enhance the sound


• history of the nyckelharpa
• in Sweden
• in continental Europe

Work out of a repertoire of musical pieces

• elements of early music
• Middle Ages
• Renaissance,
• Baroque


• elements of folk
• Swedish traditional nyckelharpa music
• other folk, especially pieces referring to regional traditional music from where the participants live and where the seminars take place


• elements of contemporary music

Playing practice

• ensemble
• soloist playing
• performing practice

Elements of education science

• apects of methodology and didactics of nyckelharpa lessons
• pedagogical issues
• development of a teachers personality

Elements of composing and arrangement

• Write and arrange music for nyckelharpa

Each topic has to be covered, but in arrangement with the techers one should work out one’s individual main focus and decide on how intensively the student deal with each topic. The topics will be filled in an attestation form signed by the training leaders.

Extra tasks along with the seminar

The students are required to visit and write reports about 6 lessons or concerts

• Lesson attendance with one or more instrument teachers (not necessarily nyckelharpa); for example main focus on observation and reflection of methodology and didactics; dealing with the material from a pedagogical point of view, the instrumental technique and the students; personal aspects and conclusions.


• Concert attendance; for example: analysis of location, organizer, frame conditions, audience, programme, affection, selection of the pieces, mood, tension, interviews with musicians and/or organizers, personal aspects and conclusions.


• Total of 6 attendances with reports altogether (2 concerts + 4 lessons, 3 concerts + 3 lessons or 4 concerts + 2 lessons possible).
  

Written report about an own experience in teaching or own performance

Dealing with a music piece

• for example content, history, author, variations, special characteristics, musical analysis, interpretation, existing recordings, personal reference.

Report diary

• In the course of the whole seminar the students should write a diary about their own personal experiences, personal progress, pedagogical reflections and dealing with the material in order to re-enact their learning stages in arrears.
• Attestation forms have to be filled in.

Wiki

• An online platform is available. Collaboration in the wiki is expected.

Individual learning stages

• The nyckelharpa training requires each participant to practice regularly between the seminar blocks and to work along with the lessons contents at home with high activity. This is an important condition to participate.

Completion

A) Attest

• The institutions concerned will attest the participation in the training and the extra tasks for each student.

B) Certificate

• Moreover after successful participation during at least two years, but normally three years, students with a good personal and professional qualification can possibly obtain a certificate by academy BURG FÜRSTENECK and Scuola di Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli after a final exam.
  
• According to the individual learning tempo of each student and their personal previous knowledge, BURG FÜRSTENECK and the seminar leaders will decide whether they can do the exam or whether extra practice or additional seminar blocks will be necessary. Students do not automatically have a right to do the exam.
  
• The final exam normally will consist of a written part, a public foreplay (playing in front of the leaders and maybe an auditorium or a concert), a demonstration lesson and a final conversation.
  
• The subject of the written part will be decided on together with the leader of the training. It should be handed in at the latest 30 days before the date of the exam.
  
• The exam itself might causes additional costs which will depend on the frame conditions of the exam.

If you are interested please contact us! There are some places in the training for the year 2012, even for rather beginners and not professional musicians. Just ask about the conditions.

The dates at BURG FÜRSTENECK (Germany) 2012

Fees 2012

Each 3-day seminar part cost 250 Euro inluding accomodation and food. You can only inscribe for a whole year of training, normally.

The European Nyckelharpa Training in Italy

For dates and condition at the Scuola di Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli (Italy) see www.musicapopolare.net

Additional Information

For a lot of infomation on the nyckelharpa look at the EU-Cooperation „CADENCE – Cultural ADult Education and Nyckelharpa Cooperation in Europe“ - www.cadence.nyckelharpa.eu

Newspapers writing about the European Nyckelharpa-Training you find here (only in German, Swedish and Italian ;-( )