Nordic Performance Master in Folk Music, NoFo

The application is open December 1, 2022 – January 16, 2023. You submit your application online at universityadmissions.se. External link.

Entrance tests
You will receive an email from KMH shortly after the application is closed with information about the entrance tests and a link for uploading files. It will be sent to the address you used when submitting your application on universityadmissions.se.

You can find all information about the tests in the document "test description" at the bottom of the page.

Deadline for uploading your material to KMH is January 25, 2023, 11:59 p.m.

Further digital tests will be held during week 9 (27 February - 5 March), 2023.

Provide application documents
You need to to submit documentation to demonstrate your eligibility for the programmes you've applied for. For your documents to be accepted, it is important that they are officially issued. Last date for uploading supporting documents is January 25, 2023.

Find out what’s required based on your country of study (universityadmissions.se) External link.

Fees and document your citizenship
If you have citizenship in a EU/EEA country, or Switzerland, you must document your citizenship to be exempt from application and tuition fees. For your application to be processed you need to document your citizenship status by the deadline January 25, 2023.

Document your citizenship EU/EEA country (universityadmissions.se) External link.

If you have citizenship from a country that is not an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, an application fee of 900 SEK is required for your admissions application to be processed. The fee is paid in conjunction with applying on universityadmissions.se and must be received by the deadline January 25, 2023.

More about application fees (universityadmissions.se) External link.

Admission results
After the entrance examinations tests, a selection is made of which applicants will be accepted. Notifications to all applicants are sent out by universityadmissions.se.

• 13 April 2023
  Admission decision 1. Log in on My pages at universityadmissions.se. External link.
• 26 April 2023
  Deadline for accepting your place through My pages at universityadmissions.se External link..
• 11 May 2022
  Admission decision 2. Log in to My pages at universityadmissions.se External link..

Introduction week begins August 22, 2023 and autumn term starts August 28, 2023. You will receive more information by email.

In order to prepare for your future vocational career, courses with the aim of deepening the knowledge of the main instrument, ensemble play, arrangement, composition and music theory are conducted.

Also courses in marketing and stage performance are included. You also get the opportunity to take elective courses and student-driven artistic projects and a degree project.

We had the best teachers in all of the schools and met fantastic people everywhere. And the best thing was that I could do both – I could be a solo musician and do my own thing – and create a successful band (Rim) and try out a lot of ideas at the same time!
Sunniva Abelli, alumnus

Courses in the Programme

Each university college contributes to the programme with it's special competence for you to develop as a musician. Following courses give you the best conditions to become a Nordic folk musician.

Instrument Studies

Teaching within the main instrument is based on your own profiling and your degree project, so the actual content and distribution of different elements can look very different for each student. Student and artistic supervisor/main teacher summarise the content of the course.

The following elements are normally included in the instrumental courses regardless of instrument/song:

• Instrumental technique, based on techniques used in Swedish and Nordic folk music,
• Repertoire profiling based on your profile,
• Artistic expression, interpretation, variation and improvisation within the genre,
• Methodology in the field of instrumental and artistic problematisation and independent artistic work,
• Playing and singing for concert and dance – developing the ability to handle and plan a performance situation,
• Ergonomics – knowing how to perform and practice so that you do not hurt the body.

Ensemble

Ensemble plays a central role in the programme. To the ensemble, the course's arranging and composition lessons are linked and you as a student are composing and arranging for the ensemble. It's when you play in the ensemble that you work creatively to find new ways to express yourself in the various Nordic folk music traditions.

Particular focus in the ensemble courses is to listen, follow and lead, to play music with different metric structure, analysis and development of musical form, repetition technique and group dynamics in the ensemble.

Vocational Courses

A general goal that permeates the entire programme is that the transition between education and professional activities should be as smooth as possible. As part of this endeavour, you will gain knowledge in:

• the international music market for folk musicians,
• legislation relating to a career as a freelance musician,
• copyright issues,
• construction and negotiation of contracts,
• information about different networks, organisations and organisers in folk music.

You also get a practical and theoretical orientation in local folk music traditions regarding stylistic features as well as historical, socio-cultural and music-theoretical aspects.

In addition to this, special interest is devoted to working with promotion, distribution and production of various types of information/PR material.

Degree Project

Although it passes over all four semesters, the thesis is regarded as a coherent course with a clear final goal. Part of the course's activities take place at the four education institutions but with KMH supervisor and part-examinations each semester with KMH examiner.

In addition to your own artistic work and development of the instrumental skills, the course, whose final goal is the presentation of your independent degree project, also contains supporting elements that aim to give you the opportunity to develop new expressions of Nordic folk music together with your fellow students.

You will be able to develop your reflective ability in the course, and to formulate and report this. This is done through seminars and supervision where you are given the opportunity to put your own artistry in relation to questions about creative processes, musical aesthetics and knowledge development.

You also get to work with analysis of Nordic folk music based on tools and analytical methods developed within the various Nordic folk music traditions – to promote stylistic awareness and creativity within the framework of musical tradition.

Joint Tour

As a preparation for future work life, the final exam will be scheduled for the fourth term together by the student group and will be conducted in the context of a joint tour of the four participating Nordic countries.

One of the strongest drivers behind NoFo is to prepare students for a life as a professional musician in a Nordic folk music scene.

You will gain experience in planning and implementing various performances in terms of artistic content, marketing and finance.

In addition, you will be able to plan a Nordic tour and join an ensemble while deepening your artistic skills – invaluable knowledge for a folk musician seeking an international career.

Previous students are distinguished today on the Nordic folk music scene and work as freelance musicians in different constellations.

NoFo has provided me with invaluable knowledge, contacts and experiences for my professional life, as a musician, performer and music teacher. It really expanded my artistic vision and courage, my pedagogical work and above all my confidence. I get to use my NoFo knowledge every day, whether I am teaching Twinkle Twinkle on the violin to a 5-year-old, or creating a solo performance.
Sven Midgren, alumnus