Nordtrad is a Nordplus-funded network for music academies offering folk and world music programs. The need for such a network is significant; at most participating institutions, these programs are relatively small, with few students and faculty within the genre. Nordtrad therefore becomes a vital platform for belonging to a larger community where everything from pedagogy to specific musical traditions can be exchanged.
This year, the music also moved beyond the walls of the academy. Through a new collaboration with the Malmö Folk Festival, which moved to a spring schedule this year, students performed for the public at venues such as Malmö Live and the Lund City Hall.
"Music of Minorities" – A Profile for Malmö
The choice of the theme "Music of Minorities" was a direct reflection of Malmö's multicultural musical landscape. Pär Moberg, project manager for Nordtrad 2026, believes the theme highlights something unique to the Malmö Academy of Music.
"Unlike many other programs within Nordtrad that primarily focus on folk music from the 'majority culture,' our program has always been open to all forms of world folk music, including those from the many different minorities living in multicultural Malmö. This is an important profile for us that we want to share," says Pär Moberg.
The program challenged the traditional image of Nordic folk music by encompassing everything from lectures on Ålandic music to the role of Arabic culture in Nordic musical life.
Community Across Borders
One of the events Pär Moberg highlights as a peak of the week was Saturday’s concert, featuring the network’s "mixed ensembles." In these groups, students from different countries are brought together in entirely new constellations to learn from one another—the very core of the network’s mission.
The whole point of Nordtrad is to get people from different schools to meet and play together. In these difficult times, anything that can bring people together across borders is incredibly valuable, and we felt that everyone shared that sentiment," says Moberg.
A Project Requiring Heart and Time
Successfully managing such a large international project is an extensive process requiring significant effort. For Pär Moberg, this year’s event was a personal milestone; he has been involved in all three instances of Nordtrad being hosted in Malmö. In 1999, he participated as a student, and for the two most recent occasions, 2011 and 2026, he has been responsible for organizing and managing the event.
– I am very happy that everything went so well, but also very glad that it will hopefully be another 15 years until the next time we host – because it is a lot of work!" Moberg concludes.