When I was a music student at university - at the now defunct Department of Musicology (hereafter MI) - we often discussed the importance of lectures in basic Western music history. Understood as music starting with Gregorian chant and ending with today. Or rather, we actually discussed the lack thereof... Decided studies in this field were absent throughout my five years at MI. Instead, we were ’left’ to the - sometimes narrow - musical preferences of our teachers. If your teacher didn't have Bach or Beethoven in the curriculum, we heard nothing of said Germans. Throughout the years, I was annoyed by this omission and the historical gaps in our knowledge of the repertoire that the teaching method entailed. On the one hand, I felt ill-equipped to understand and comprehend the complicated musicological issues that were also presented to us. On the other hand, I felt a bit cheated of the general classical repertoire knowledge I thought MI would give me.
I felt lucky when I was given the opportunity to join the board of the Friends in 2008. It was an opportunity to get closer to some of the music I missed in my studies, but also an opportunity to help make classical music more accessible to my generation. I joined the board with the aim of reaching out to the younger segment and getting more young people to join the Friends. And thereby give them the opportunity to hear music - and not just read about it!
In the board, we have often discussed how to attract young people to the organisation. What should the offers look like? And who is the target group more specifically? There are many fun things and activities that capture the interest of young people, and it's not easy to make a music organisation sexy! The board has assessed that there are many potential ’friends’ to be made if you address a target group that already has an interest in music in general and classical music in particular, but who may not have found their way out to DR Koncerthuset. According to the small introductory anecdote from my student days, I know that there is not always a match between the musical educational institutions and some of the music that DR's ensembles represent. And this is a tendency that is also known from other institutions. The great classical works are to some extent neglected in favour of narrow and more niche genres, works and composers. The Friends have spent a lot of resources on approaching music students. This is where the interest lies, and there is probably an unfulfilled desire to become more familiar with the classical repertoire.
In 2013, Venneforeningen launched the study group Ven med Værket (hereafter VmV) - a study group specially organised for music students. In short, Venneforeningen invites music students to an exclusive study group whose topics and discussions are based on the DR Ensembles' concert calendar. The works that will be scrutinised are those that can be characterised as the great works in music history - the monuments. At a meeting well in advance of the chosen concert, a thorough presentation of the work is given with music historical references and anecdotes about the composer's life and times. The doors to the concert hall are then opened and the music is taken in as a listening experience. Here, the music students will be inspired and feel the overwhelming rush that a large orchestra, choir or big band can provide. In total, each study group will have access to five concerts from the concert programme and five associated study group sessions. Since the award season, VmV has been led by music journalist and conservatory teacher Søren Schauser.
In May, the fourth round of TtL was finalised. There are many indications that the organisation has found a format that works. Many of the study circle participants are returning from previous seasons, and educational institutions are talking about VmV as a regular feature in the annual calendar. The high motivation of the participants, combined with Schauser's inspiring communication skills, makes the study circle a serious supplement to the participants' respective studies, whether at university, conservatory or something else. Rasmus Riegels, a music student at the university, has been part of VmV for the past three seasons, and for him the study circle is a natural part of being a music student. He considers his participation in VmV like any other student-relevant initiative:
"To me, an offer like TSM is something that should be expected of students at the same level as you invest in textbooks. When TSM came along, some of my friends and I agreed that it was almost our duty to seize the opportunity that TSM gave us.”
And Rasmus has no doubt that VmV contributes to the music students' professional profile:
"I know that art historians have a lot of agreements with museums around the country on either cheap or free admission, because they believe that it's important to get out and experience art in its real environment. I have found this to be largely lacking in musicology - and this is something that VmV can offer. The performances are in many ways the practice we have a theory to tie to. Through many different subjects, we have been able to discuss all sorts of theories from the courses against the performances we have seen - something some of those who have not been to VmV have found difficult."
Along with the concert and the study circle sessions, all participants in the study circle receive free membership of the Friends (until they turn 30). The ’Young’ membership category has increased from 2 to more than 80, a lot of ambassadors for DR's ensembles and many future audience members have been hatched, which is also confirmed by Rasmus Riegels:
"On a more educational level, VmV has broadened my horizons greatly. It has been a kind of fieldwork that has shaped me to also choose courses in classical music - despite it being the genre furthest away from me. It has also meant that I keep up with what other concerts are happening around Copenhagen and have spent even more money on classical experiences.”
The VmV programme this year has included Verdi's Requiem, symphonies by Beethoven and Strauss’ So spoke Zarathustra.
The Friends' closer connection to DR's big band and choirs makes it obvious to include these ensembles in VmV's programme. Or perhaps create a separate VmV-like programme with the big band only. In the past - and with great success - VmV has included a big band concert in the programme, and this is certainly a direction for VmV that the board views positively.
There are no concrete plans yet for the studio circle next season. But plans will be finalised soon so that we can once again attract new audiences to the concert hall while expanding the live music experience of a number of future musicians and music educators.
