Artists featured in
ambitious endeavour
for primary school students

18 artists take the lead in a new morning singing mission, led by Phillip Faber and the Ministry of Culture.

Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt and Phillip Faber have gathered a "strong team" of 18 artists from across the country to participate in a new morning singing mission. The project has two goals: to get more students to sing morning songs and to show how artists and musicians can enrich teaching and inspire students in schools across the country.

Musicians spread morning singing across the country

There is no shortage of studies and research showing the direct and transferred positive effects of music in schools. Unfortunately, the subject has been cut back in recent years and it has been difficult to find qualified music teachers to teach it. This is according to Folkeskolen.dk.

"I've seen first-hand the effect that singing together with many people can have on each other. Singing counteracts loneliness, it promotes learning and it creates an instant sense of community. And that's why it's a penalty kick without a goalkeeper to do this." says composer, musician and community singer Katrine Muff, who is part of the new Morgensangkorps.

An important agenda is being rearmed

Katrine Muff has worked with community singing in prime time in the DR programme "Fællessang - hver for sig", and emphasises the importance of high-profile artists being ambassadors for an important agenda:

"I think music has been particularly under-prioritised in schools, and this is an opportunity to get it back on the agenda."

The area is now being strengthened with more funding for initiatives for teachers and pedagogues, as well as a pool that schools can apply to for instruments and skills development. There will also be a corps of artists to spread the joy of singing among the country's primary school pupils.

Will make a huge difference

Each of the 18 artists has committed to singing morning songs in at least five schools before the end of the school year in 2025. The country is divided into nine regions, with two artists assigned to each region.

"From the outset, it has been a high political priority to ensure that a quarter of the country's primary schools will be singing morning songs within six months. I'm sure that the musicians' commitment to the morning song mission will make a huge difference to the children and adults they meet when they visit the schools." says Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt in a press release from the Ministry of Culture.

The mission opens a wider conversation

To motivate schools to participate, a competitive element has been introduced. The musicians compete to get the most schools in their region to sing morning song. The winning region gets the opportunity to win a concert with some of the morning song corps members.

The project is funded with DKK 10 million, which will not only go to the morning singing corps, but also to projects for teachers and pedagogues, as well as a pool where schools can apply for funding for instruments and skills development. Schools that sign up will automatically be entered into the competition for a school concert with corps members.

The Morning Song Mission also opens up a wider conversation about how schools and artists can work together to enhance students' creative expression.