Danish New Music Academy (DNMA) is a course that aims to create and promote new music through close collaboration between composers and musicians. The course, held in Aarhus, is designed to strengthen both the Danish and international environment within contemporary music. DNMA differs from the traditional teaching situation, as participants learn through joint creation of music rather than through formal teaching.

The course brings together six composers and six musicians who together develop new works that are performed at public concerts. The approach consists of workshops, rehearsals and seminars, where the participants work closely with guest artists and ensembles, who also actively participate in the creative processes. This open atmosphere creates a fertile ground for collaborations, where all participants contribute to the final artistic result.

DNMA is organized by Anja Nedremo (consultant at Art Music Denmark and saxophonist and teacher at the Royal Academy of Music of Denmark), Sofie Thorsbro Dan (violinist in Curious Chamber Players) and James Black (composer and artistic director of Klang Festival). The course has been developed in close collaboration with Art Music Denmark and the Danish Composers’ Association, which provides consultancy, PR and administrative support. In addition, the Jutland Academy of Music is a significant partner, providing facilities for rehearsals and seminars.

DNMA has also wanted to expand the reach of their concerts by including venues such as Institut for X and Volume. This approach not only strengthens the connection between contemporary music and Aarhus’ cultural growth layer, but also distances itself from the traditional concert hall and the long-standing norms and rules that unconsciously accompany this. The aim is to create a free and flexible concert situation.

Art Music Denmark’s purpose is to promote classical music, sound art and new compositional music in Denmark and internationally, and initiatives such as DNMA are an important part of this mission. DNMA gives Danish musicians and composers the opportunity to work together with international ones, which strengthens the position of Danish contemporary music on the world stage.

The collaboration between DNMA and Art Music Denmark is not only an investment in the future of new compositional music, but also in the networks and relationships that are created through the course. This benefits both the artists, the institutions and the wider music scene. For Art Music Denmark, DNMA is a strategically important project that supports the organization’s goal of creating a platform for artistic growth.

Danish New Music Academy 2024 is supported by a number of Danish foundations: William Demant Foundation, Augustinus Foundation, Knud Højgaards Foundation, Politiken Foundation, Statens Kunstfond, Hoffmann & Husmans Foundation, Louis-Hansen Foundation, Toyota Foundation, KODA/DKF – Production Support, Art Music Denmark, Det Jutland Musikkonservatorium and Aarhus Municipality Music Fund.