The Project “Open Labour Market for Young Musicians from Europe – Open Mind, Open Future”
Project acronym - OpenYourMusic
Project ID number - 2019-1-LV01-KA202-060449
Duration period – 01.09.2019.-31.08.2022.
Herman Braun Foundation together with partners from Estonia OSAUHING ERP and from Sweden The Real Group Inspiration AB is starting the project OpenYourMusic for young musicians. The project is co-funded by European Union Erasmus+ programme. This is the ideological continuation on the previous Erasmus+ project “VET alternative opportunities for young musicians’ better integration into labour market”. The target group of the project is learners of music schools and music colleges from the age 14 till the age 24.
Combating unemployment is one of the main priorities in social and economic policy of the European Union. Unemployment is an important economic factor for any country. Young musicians are in a risk group of unemployment and they need complex activities for strengthening their position in the labour market in a near future – they need knowledge in management and business, competitive professional level, social and intercultural competences, new contacts and information sources. From the other hand VET institutions need support in methodology for non-formal education, need new management programme, which could be used as facultative, need information source for informing young musicians in fast and effective way.
The project objectives and activities are the following:
- strengthening young musicians’ capacity in a labour market in a long term;
- developing innovative learning programme in music management and new methodological material in non-formal learning;
- organizing various training events for VET learners (young musicians) and staff (teachers, trainers, experts in a music field);
- developing new Internet portal for young musicians’ access for labour market and entrepreneurial activities;
- providing international communication skills to music VET learners for better integration into multicultural musical environment.
Implementation of Erasmus+ project for young musicians is going on in 2021
26 March 2021.
From 22ndtill 26th of March international training event for music schools learners from Latvia, Estonia and Sweden took place online from Stockholm in the frame of Erasmus+ OpenYourMusic project (No 2019-1-LV01-KA202-060449).
3-year project foresees to improve professional capacity of 250 young musicians, the project was started in September 2019. 8 training events in total planned in the project, and this is the 4th event organized by partners despite of pandemic restrictions.
In March 2021 14 -24 years old students took part in vocal, improvisation and music management workshop “From School to Profession – 2”. The aim of such training event is to improve young musicians’ professional level, as well as to give them social skills in international communication.51 young musicians from music schools and colleges participated in the event. They said: “This is amazing opportunity to build my career in future!” “After the workshop I see a new way how I can realise my potential!” “I finally understand fully what it means to be in a state of flow – it is the ability to improvise!” Labour market of musicians has been greatly affected by pandemic, and young generation of professionals should have very strong motivation for professional growth and desire to connect their future with music.
Based on the results of this workshop and other training activities experts are developing methodological materials and learning programme for young musicians and teachers. For strengthening positions of musicians in the global labour market IT portal has been developed by group of experts, and it will start to operate this year.
Implementation of Erasmus+ strategic partnership project is ongoing despite of Covid-19 pandemic
20.12.2020.
From 15 till 19 December 2020 international training event for music schools learners took place in Riga, Latvia in the frame of Erasmus+ OpenYourMusic project (No 2019-1-LV01-KA202-060449). Due to Covid-19 restrictions and closed borders the activity was organized online for Swedish participants (learners of music schools, colleges), Estonian learners was not able to participate. Latvian learners (learners of music schools, colleges) participated in the activity physically after several consultations with The Ministry of Culture, State Education Development Agency Republic of Latvia and Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC).
14 -24 years old students from Latvia and Sweden took part in music management workshop and chamber music workshop. The aim of musical workshops is to improve young musicians’ professional level in music, to give them skills in musical management and ways of career development, as well as practical knowledge how young musicians can overcome stress and uncertainty in today unstable world and economics.
During the training activity skills in music management were provided to VET learners-young musicians according to the module “Lessons of Management”, which was developed by partners in previous Erasmus+ project. On 19 December 2020, the Charity concert “Toys’ Symphony” was organized online due to restrictions, and some of the participants gave practical skills in online-concert organization process. 1500 people watched the concert of young musicians on the internet.
From 10 till 14 July 2020 international training event for music schools learners took place in Tartu, Estonia in the frame of Erasmus+ OpenYourMusic project (No 2019-1-LV01-KA202-060449). Students from 14 till 24 years old from Latvia, Estonia and Sweden took part in percussion workshops, workshops in music management and psychological workshop. The aim of all the workshops is to improve young musicians’ professional level in music, to give them skills in musical management and ways of career development, as well as practical knowledge how young musicians can overcome stress and uncertainty in today unstable world and economics. Participation in such activities gives them extra social and intercultural competences, all participants received certificates. On the basis of the training and some further project activities methodological materials will be created in the project (innovative learning programme in music management and new methodological material in non-formal learning). The partnership is planning also other international events in upcoming months.