Abstract:

The profound changes, in recent years, in Swedish design and cultural industries are the backdrop to this research project. Such changes includes the music industry where digitalization and online music distribution as well as new music production methods has led to that production traditions as well as the competences among the professionals in are challenged. Many Swedish design-intensive companies have been internationally successful for several years. And the international success of big companies in the music industry, like Spotify, as well as smaller companies, like Cheiron and Maratone and individuals like Max Martin and Shellback, has resulted in a growing interest among students in higher education to study music in combination with design and new media technology. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse the motives that exist among young people who choose to study music in combination with design and new media technology and to compare such motives with perceptions among leading music industry professionals. The collected data are analysed in a theoretical perspective including learning theories as well as entrepreneurial theory. The study is expected to lead to new knowledge that is valuable in developing future education in music in combination with design and new media technology. The empirical data consists of qualitative interviews with industry professionals and focus group interviews with students in higher education in music. In addition, the collected data also include analyses of selected music industry magazines and journals 1988-2018 as well as analyses of several curricula for higher education in music production and music related to new media. The results firstly indicate that there is a clear discrepancy between the content in the analysed educational programs and what the students value as important. Secondly, there are also differences between what successful music industry representatives highlight as valuable and what is offered in the courses and study programs included in the analysis. One clear such difference is that entrepreneurial skills are valued much higher by the interviewed music industry representatives compared with what has been offered in the courses included in the analysis. A key conclusion is that expanding entrepreneurial aspects in future curricula, in order to strengthen practical as well as theoretical entrepreneurial skills, should reasonably lead to increased employability for future students.

Keywords:

Music, entrepreneurial skills, music industry, design, music production, students.