In September 2015 the METRIC strategic project was started. METRIC stands for “Modernising European Higher Music Education through Improvisation”.
The conservatoires of several European cities (London, Barcelona, The Hague, Antwerpen, Tallinn, Helsinki, Paris, Bucharest, Leipzig, Vilnius, Oslo, Glasgow, Gothenburg), together with the AEC are focusing on creating a European Master course for improvisation.
This aim is to be achieved in two ways.
On the one hand a Manual for Improvisation is developed. This manual will consist of a website containing educational video material of the several approaches to improvisation. These videos will inspire future teachers improvisation to explore the varied world of creativity while improvising in different styles. Additionally informational texts and documents will be available on the website.
On the other hand Joint Modules will be organised between the different conservatories. A first module (Barcelona, The Hague, Antwerp, London) will deal with tonal (in a large sense) improvisation. A second module will focus on contemporary improvisation (Glasgow, Vilnius), a third module on ensemble improvisation (Helsinki, Oslo, Vilnius). In each module the teachers of the institutions involved will travel to teach their approach to the students of each institution. These modules will be organised in about eight sessions, spread out into an academic year, on master level, with assessment.
In March 2017 an Intensive Programme about Improvisation was organised in The Hague. During seven days, about 40 students and 20 teachers of the institutions involved organised workshops and concerts, shared their experiences and exchanged ideas. During this week the video material for the website (Manual for Improvisation) was shot.