Should the music be silenced? 

Should the music in the future only exist on sheet music in archives, be performed electronically, or should we have the opportunity to play instruments? Music instruments require professionals; instrument makers, repairmen, tuners and restaurateurs. But the knowledge and intangible cultural heritage in this field is disappearing. 

Musical instrument making schools and knowledge organizations are gone in several countries and only present at a critical minimum level in other countries. Across Norway, the Nordic countries and the Baltics, there is a lack of professionals and educational institutions to attend to the field. 

From 2020, project manager Musikkinstrument Akademiet AS, together with partners from the Nordic countries and the Baltics, has travelled within the countries that our partners represent, to find out what professionals are available and what is needed. 

The goal of the projects is to preserve and develop what exists, so that the music industry gets a sustainable development according to the UN’s goals. The projects will contribute to establishing a knowledge environment for instrument makers, repairers, tuners, restaurateurs, musical instrument making schools, museums, festivals, wholesalers, acoustics institutes, guilds, musicians, orchestras and education. 

No musical instrument making school, no musical instrument maker, no repairmen, no restaurateur, no tuning — no music and dance!