For a number of years, the competence centre Live Music in Schools (LMS) has been responsible for the school concerts in Copenhagen, but the task has now gone to Mikkel's Music School.

This surprises the chairperson of the Danish Artist Association, Sara Indrio:

"The whole idea that there should be concerts for children has suddenly been jeopardised. It seems as if the thinking now is that the City of Copenhagen has instead chosen a solution that constitutes a kind of compensation for the lack of music education in primary schools, which we all agree is severely lacking. But these are two completely different disciplines and therefore completely unacceptable."

This year, the Children and Youth Committee chose to put the concert assignment out to tender, in accordance with the rules in the area. Mikkel's Music School has stated that it is his company that has been awarded the contract.

This solution means different working conditions, including a new way of thinking about remuneration, which is hourly based and thus more similar to music teaching conditions.

In an invitation from Mikkel's Music School to the country's musicians, it states that as a musician in the scheme, you will be employed as a music school teacher at an hourly wage of DKK 300.

Both Sara Indrio, chairperson of the Danish Artist Association, and board member Brian Risberg Clausen, who represents the creative and performing organisations in the City of Copenhagen's Music Committee, are very surprised by the whole process.

They are critical of the fact that the students may lose quality in the concert experience and that the musicians do not receive the payment that has been agreed in the area via the Danish Musicians' Union. They need answers to what kind of musical experience the municipality wants to give Copenhagen's schoolchildren, and what is behind the choice of Mikkel's Music School. Brian Risberg Clausen has put the topic on the agenda for the Music Committee's next meeting and proposes that the choice of provider be reversed.

"It's all turned into a very muddy process, which the local politicians should defend, just as they should explain why the Music Committee has not been consulted. The starting point was that the pupils should have concert experiences, but the task was given to a music school. As it stands, it's a big deterioration for both children and musicians when the salary has been cut so dramatically and there is apparently no longer any curation based on a concert product or format," says Sara Indrio.

As it stands, it's a big deterioration for both children and musicians
Sara Indrio, Chairperson of the Danish Artist Association

The Danish Artist Association is in dialogue with the Danish Musicians' Union - which is the union that has the aforementioned collective agreement and agreement with LMS regarding tendering and quality assurance.

Facts about tendering and pay

The Children and Youth Administration in the City of Copenhagen describes how the supplier is chosen:
'The bidders had to fulfil a number of minimum requirements, including that the students must be offered a concert experience with live music, i.e. that the music is created in the concert situation by one or more musicians and instruments, that the concerts must have a high musical quality, and that the concerts and music content must be relevant to the students' grade level. students' grade level. However, there was no requirement for a specific concept for school concerts, and bidders could therefore solve the task in different ways.

Read more at the City of Copenhagen Questions about offering school concerts (kk.dk))

Mikkel's Music School has contacted a large number of musicians and described salary and working conditions. Musician Kjeld Lauritzen has shared the email he has received. Below is an extract:

'Good and fixed hourly pay of DKK 300 incl. holiday pay - and you will be paid for all relevant tasks, not just for organising concerts. Permanent employment as an hourly paid employee at Mikkel's Music School with an employment contract.
Salary: As an employee at Mikkel's Music School, you will be paid higher than the current collective agreement for music teachers under DMF. Paid tasks include both the concerts and the work around them. Typically, you will play between one and four concerts on the same day, which corresponds to a working day of three to six hours.'