Description
Since Iceland is one of the most dynamically developing countries in contemporary music, in January 2014 Dr. Gyula Fekete, head of the Composition Department at the Liszt Academy visited the Iceland Academy and the Dark Music Days contemporary music festival to evaluate the possibility of future cooperation in student and staff mobility. Dr. Hródmar I. Sigurbjornsson, program director at the Iceland Academy, and Dr. Fekete agreed to initiate a mobility program for students and professors: 5 students and 2 professors from the Liszt Academy would visit the Dark Music Days festival in Reykjavík. In return, 2 professors and 5 students from the Iceland Academy of Music would participate in the International Kodály Seminar in Kecskemét. Students, participating in the events above, would visit composition and music education courses and professors would hold master classes. Both courses are recognised international festivals with unparalleled educational and innovative values. By implementing the characteristics in educational expertise of the two institutions, both parties will have the unique opportunity to establish bilateral musical relations and participants can embrace a new, genuine approach in contemporary music and in the field of music education. The mobility program aims to renew the spirit of Zoltán Kodály who is internationally esteemed and highly praised both as composer and music educator.
Summary of project results
While the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music has not had any cooperation with an institution in Iceland before, the country has one of the most relevant contemporary music scene in Europe. The need to expand our professional an interinstitutional network to Iceland arose many years ago thus applying for a Preparatory visit was an obvious decision from us. During the preparatory visit at the Iceland Academy of the Arts it became apparent that a joint mobility project would be of great relevance for both institutions: through the realization of the planned mobilities, students of the Iceland Academy will have the opportunity to learn and experience Hungarian contemporary music and the Hungarian students can gain a deeper knowledge about the unparalleled Icelandic music scene. Apart from the student mobilities, through the realization of staff and teacher mobilities we have achieved a mutual better understanding about the other institution thus laying the foundation for further projects. During the project we realized multiple mobilities; in fact, we managed to include more participants than what we originally planned. In order to achieve a better understanding of the contemporary music scene of the country, we also realized a series of presentations and conferences where students and teachers alike could share their professional experience and artistic solutions. We have also organized a concert with the pieces of the participating professors at both institutions in order to involve a wider audience to the outputs of the project. Throughout the project, 9 students from the Liszt Academy travelled to Iceland (instead of 5) and 5 staff members (instead of 2). From the Iceland Academy of the Art 7 students arrived to the Liszt Academy (instead of 5) and 3 staff member (instead of 2). Among the realized project events we have organized 2 concerts, a conference, multiple lectures, around 20 masterclasses and a cultural tour in Budapest for the Icelandic participants. During the public events (concerts, lectures) we have reached an estimate of 100 people.
Summary of bilateral results
The cooperation between the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and the Iceland Academy of the Arts was initiated through a preparatory visit, also funded by the EEA. During this visit, two representatives of the Liszt Academy had the chance to evaluate the possibility and interest of a joint project with the involvement of both institutions. During these meetings, representatives of the Iceland Academy have shown great interest in moving forward with a joint, smaller scale mobility project. After being granted the funds to organize the mobilities, both institutions were eager to create the most ideal framework for the planned events. During the implementation of the project, bilateral relations were efficiently strengthened both on a personal and institutional level. Based on the success of the project events, the two institutions plan to work together after the project is completed.Throughout the project events, participating students could gain a deeper understanding of the host country’s classical and contemporary music scene, enabling them to further widen their creative possibilities. During the project implementation, participating students had the opportunity to share their artistic expertise and gain exceptional experience from the most renowned composition professors of the two institutions. Following the mobilities, participating students returned to their home institution with a better understanding of one of the most influential contemporary music scene. These experiences can prove indispensable later in their career when international and intercultural expertise is among the most required attributes of a musician. Bilateral funds contributed immensely to the project: in 2013, two representatives of the Liszt Academy visited the Iceland Academy for the first time in frames of a Preparatory visit and laid the foundations of the project through meetings with the academy administration and visits to classes and lectures. Our partner had an exceptional role in strengthening the project results: their artistic tradition and especially their exceptional, innovative approach is invaluable for the Liszt Academy students and professors as well. The Iceland Academy administration staff was also fundamentally dedicated in our joint project and proved to be an element of great importance during the implementation of project events.