Possible Consequences of the lack of training

• The industry decide to turn down the showcasing artists because of the lack of performing skills.
• In case they sign an artist (based on a professional studio recording) they will spend expensive time and resources to unleash the artists’ true live potential.
• Both the artists and the music industry then suffers from the lack of the crucial skills shown from stage in a real live concert event.

The solution

We have developed a prototype of an intensive concert simulator, which we want to further develop as being a part of an intensive training program for aspiring artists at showcase festivals. The simulator is an on-site facility, complete with realistic back-stage and on-stage areas as well as an interactive virtual audience. This new training facility offers a unique opportunity for young artists to practice their performing and auditioning skills.

Why using the showcase festival?

The perfect event of which to introduce and establish the intensive concert training program is the showcase festival. Showcase festivals are national music industry events that provide a platform for artist discovery, business networking and education. They combine live music performances, conference programmes and grade shows. This makes them the innovation hubs of the music industry. Whether it’s about artist discovery, professional education or capacity building, it all happens there.

Collaboration

The concert simulator will function as a platform for collaboration between artists, producers, entrepreneurial agencies and academics, and will aim to make the performance more professional for the future artists of Europe. It will open up possibilites for new approaches and methodologies for use by artists, arts organizations and businesses, aiming to strengthen the professional level of cultural exchange between the European countries, but also between Europe and the rest of the world.

Trondheim Calling

Trondheim Calling is an annual music Conference and showcase Festival situated in the middle of Norway and one of the country’s biggest music industry events. Trondheim Calling draws yearly more than 8000 specators including 1000 conference delegates both industry and musicians.

Objectives

1. To develop and run an intensive concert simulation training program designated for young emerging musicians of Europe, who want to develop and maximize their performing skills in live concert situations.
2. To shorten the distance between the international music business demands and the emerging young artists creative aspirations, by creating an environment of common involvement in the development and operation of the concert simulation training program.
3. To promote and integrate the transnational circulation of the simulation training-program within a network of already established European Showcase Festivals, making it possible to get a productive cooperation between the cultural and creative players involved in it. Thereby establishing a common European focus on developing professional live acts for the international market.
4. To establish a European research group that shall be a leader in the field of live music performance science, using the concert simulation training program and the European Showcase Festivals as their research facility.

Musicians’ health project

Nord University has conducted the largest survey of work, sleep, mental health and use of healthcare services among musicians. Resulting in several international publications. The main message from this project is that musicians is a group at risk for anxiety, depression, poor psychosocial work environment and excessive use of healthcare services. Further research should focus on measures which promote musicians sense of mastery when meeting the challenges of the industry.