The Development and Structure of the Icelandic Community Music Schools

Extract

In spite of its small population, scattered over a wide and largely rural area, Iceland has developed an extensive and exciting infrastructure of music education through a large number of local Music Schools. Although such schools have existed for fifty years, it is only within relatively recent times that the system has been able to be developed to its present extent. Expansion has been made possible through the collaboration of state and local authorities which between them cover all tuition costs. However, the scheme is once again threatened by cuts in funding so that, currently, no increase in student enrolment is possible. The author, who is Head of the Department of Music Education at Reykjavik College of Music, describes the history and development of the Music Schools and gives some interesting statistics of the national and regional take-up of this important music-education provision.