TUNE: Intensive Week – Norwegian folk music and dance traditions

What is TUNE: Intensive week?

In March 2025 approximately 25 students will gather at Campus Rauland for an intensive, one-week blended intensive programme to study Norwegian folk music and dance traditions. Students will work closely with professors and peers in USN’s friendly and stimulating campus environment.

The intensive week will be held at Campus Rauland from March 18–22, with two preparatory online sessions taking place on March 6 and March 13.

During the intensive week in Rauland students will gather to immerse themselves in Norwegian folk music and dance traditions. Students will also exchange tunes, rehearse together, and attend workshops, jam sessions, and concerts. In addition to musical activities, the week will include outdoor activities and visits to local cultural sites. The intensive week will conclude with a concert performance involving all programme participants. Participating in the intensive week will provide students with a unique opportunity to enrich their musical practice and broaden their worldview.

TUNE (Traditional Music Undergraduate Network in Europe) is a network of undergraduate-level programmes in traditional/folk music in Europe. The TUNE network was established through an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership project from 2021–2024. Following the completion of the project the partners established the joint module "TUNE: Traditional Music Beyond Borders". The blended intensive programme "TUNE: Intensive week – Norwegian folk music and dance traditions" is one of two courses comprising the joint module.

Housing

Accommodation for the Intensive Week is available at Raulandsakademiet, which is located on campus. We recommend that participating institutions make group bookings for participating students and teachers. Contact Ingrid Hamberg to make a group booking.

Funding and cost of the course

Although there are no tuition fees for this course, students are expected to cover the cost of travel, accommodation, and food.

Students who are travelling from institutions taking part in Erasmus+ can apply for Erasmus+ funding from their home institution. The course is structured according to the requirements of an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme. Such courses can be awarded funding from Erasmus+. Students must contact their home institution to ascertain if they are eligible for funding and how to apply.

The estimated cost of the course may vary depending on travel, food, housing, and so forth. We estimate that food and accommodation costs approximately 5000 NOK for the week. Travel costs to and from Rauland will also differ depending on where you are travelling from. This also applies within Norway. But as an example, transport to Rauland from Oslo Airport, and return may cost approximately 1000–1500 NOK in total depending on the route taken. Student discounts are available on public transportation.

In Rauland, the student accommodation is located on campus and is within walking distance from grocery stores. The university will provide transportation to all excursions planned as part of the course.

Social and cultural activities

While academic content is a priority, USN also promotes intercultural learning through:

• Social gatherings
  The programme offers social gatherings in the evenings. Social activities include jamming, dancing, concerts, and time to socialise.
• Local attractions
  Rauland is a small, peaceful mountain village (pop. 1,500) located amid spectacular Norwegian scenery. The village is a popular ski and hiking destination and is located at the foot of the Hardangervidda National Park, the largest national park in Norway and Europe’s largest highland plateau. Rauland is also home to rich local folk music and folk art traditions.

About USN

USN was established on May 4, 2018, and is Norway’s fourth largest university with 17,000 students attending classes on eight campuses located in the municipalities of Kongsberg, Drammen, Bø, Ringerike, Notodden, Porsgrunn, Rauland and Vestfold. The campuses provide USN with a foundation in some of Norway’s most dynamic regions.

The university’s four faculties, the Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, and the USN School of Business offer range of bachelor, master, and PhD degrees as well as continuing education programmes. The Faculty of Humanities, Sports, and Educational Science (HIU) has a broad program portfolio operating on virtually every college campus. We offer both studies in major professional education as a teacher and kindergarten teacher as well as studies in disciplines such as art, culture, folk music, and sports.

Getting here

keyboard_backspace How to get to campus Rauland.

Course objectives and learning activities

This blended intensive programme aims to give students an experiential, practical introduction to Norwegian folk music and dance traditions. Students will be introduced to traditional Norwegian vocal and instrumental music repertoire and will gain knowledge of Norwegian folk music genres, instruments, and terminology. Students will also receive practical group instruction in a selection of Norwegian folk dances. The course also aims to increase awareness of the diversity of European traditional/folk music cultures among participating students through the exchange of local music traditions in an international context.

Participating in the course will give students a unique opportunity to explore Norwegian folk music and dance traditions; enrich their musical practice; build a strong international network; foster transversal skills, including linguistic, social, cultural, and digital skills; and foster values of tolerance, mutual understanding, and respect.

The course will be organised as an international experience through blended learning, involving online and in-person learning activities. Learning activities during the in-person component (Intensive Week) in Rauland will include music and dance workshops, peer learning and collaboration in music ensembles, concert performances, lectures, seminars, and visits to cultural sites. Online learning activities will include synchronous and asynchronous activities such as lectures, group work, and workshops/tutorials.