Forskning
Musikalske Besøgsvenner have a potential to promote well-being and build relationships.
Anthropologists from Aarhus University have conducted extensive research in regards to Musikalske Besøgsvenner resulting in four in-depth reports. These reports explore various aspects of how intimate musical experiences can enhance well-being and cultural participation among vulnerable groups. The research has played a significant role in the development of the hybrid concert format SOLO, which builds on the experiences from the more than 300 concerts held under the "Musikalske Besøgsvenner" project.
The Four Research Reports
Musikalske Besøgsvenner 2021 – From Experiment to Hybrid Concert Format This report documents the project's initial phase, where "Musikalske Besøgsvenner" evolved from an experiment into an established hybrid concert format. It analyses the learning processes and experiences gathered from over 100 intimate concerts held between April 2020 and May 2021.
The report is written by Amalie Bakkær Munk Andersen, Kenni Hede and Nanna Schneidermann.
Read the full report here.
8 Recommendations for Culture and Health Projects
Based on experiences from the first phase of "Musikalske Besøgsvenner," this report offers practical recommendations for projects operating at the intersection of the cultural and health sectors. It focuses on the importance of participant-centered approaches, partnerships, flexibility, and sustainability.
The report is written by Amalie Bakkær Munk Andersen, Tanja Kronborg Hansen and Nanna Schneidermann. Read the full report here.
Six Dimensions of Access to Art and Culture for Lonely Seniors Marking the second phase of the research project, this report delves into various aspects of cultural access for seniors. Through ethnographic fieldwork, it presents how intimate concerts create meaningful cultural experiences and foster a sense of community.
The report is written by Amalie Bakkær Munk Andersen, Tanja Kronborg Hansen and Nanna Schneidermann. Read the full report here.
Well-being Enhancing and Access Creating Potentials of Hybrid Concert Formats: A Comparative Analysis of "Musikalske Besøgsvenner" and SOLO This report compares "Musikalske Besøgsvenner" and SOLO, analysing their ability to promote well-being and create access to cultural experiences. The report highlights how music can function as an alternative language that fosters emotional expression and community.
The report is written by Amalie Bakkær Munk Andersen, Tanja Kronborg Hansen and Nanna Schneidermann. Read the full report here.
Fourth Report Available as Audio
The fourth report, "Well-being Enhancing and Access Creating Potentials of Hybrid Concert Formats: A Comparative Analysis of Musikalske Besøgsvenner and SOLO," is also available as an audio report that you can listen to on the go. The report is divided into four sections, narrated by Researcher Tanja Kronborg Hansen, who has been involved in the research. The audio report features a soundtrack created by musician Sylfide with the song titled "Mikrokosmos". Click on the individual icons below to listen to the report's four sections.
In regards to the collaboration, Lector and Researcher Nanna Schneidermann states: "Research collaborations of this kind are extremely valuable not only for the cultural sector but for us "within the walls". By collaborating we create space for development – both for the concrete project and for the wider cross-section between culture and health sectors. In the reports we describe, amongst others, the challenges of using the home as a concert venue and as a location for artistic encounters, resulting in a strengthened relation between artists and the recruitment of citizens who are to receive a concert.
The Anthropologists have examined Musikalske Besøgsvenner and barriers for access to cultural life – not merely as physical barriers but as social and cultural. Furthermore, the research also sought to document the possibility for up-scaling the project and making it sustainable.
"The research has, during its first year, demonstrated structural challenges for this project as well as for many other of its kind. I refer to this as "pilotitis". There is funding available for experimental and short-term pilot projects but it is almost impossible for succesfull experiments to become sustainable projects. Musikalske Besøgsvenner is a treasure trove of experience that will be useful for other projects in the future," says Nanna Schneidermann.
Director of ROSA, Conny Jørgensen, elaborates: "Music is more than music, which the research has highlighted. We hope that the insights generated by the research will enhance the curiosity on the nature of music and contribute to the narrative on its many attributes.
You can watch two of the videos that were produced by Amalie Bakkær Munk Andersen, Visual Anthropologist and Research Assistant at Aarhus University, as part of the research on Musikalske Besøgsvenner.
"Rent kropsligt synes jeg bare musikken gjorde noget":
The musicians have experience with managing grief and other difficult emotions through music. During the concerts the participants get the chance to perceive their emotions in a new light and thereby access their experiences by mirroring the musicians emotions. When it is succesfull the participants can experience physical release.
"Når noget ved det musikalske møde ikke lige klinger":
Concerts are co-created encounters that require the participants to have the courage to open the door to their private homes to an artist they have never met before. But it also requires that they are receptive to the unfolding of the concert. As a musician, it can be difficult to prepare for who they will meet and how they will react. As co-created encounters, intimate concerts can also create distance despite the physical proximity. The encounter is influenced, among other things, by music preferences, time, space, fellow audience members and expectations. Therefore, distancing has nothing to do with the quality of the musician's performance.