Aalborg

The Northern Jutland’s Music Academy has offered highest level education to musicians and music teachers within both classical and rhythmical music since 1930. With the annual admission of approx. 25 students, the study environment at the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy is known for its open and informal communication between students, teachers and administration.

1930-1956

The music academy was founded in 1930 under the name of Det Jydske Musikkonservatorium AalborgDet Jydske Musikkonservatorium

The first teachers and owners of the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy (NM) was the concert singer G. Thune Steffensen, violinist Rolf Kjeldahl, cathedral organist Axel Pedersen, organist Ernst, pianist Louise Ernst, concert singer Miss Mangor, town clerk Schiøler, violinist and court musician Peder Møller and pianist Palle Alsfeldt.

1956-1969

During the first years, the Academy functioned as a self-owned institution receiving only a limited support from the state and municipality. However, it went so well that in 1956, the NM could be expanded and moved to better premises in a fine villa on Hobrovej 7. The new location next to Alfarvej helped to spread the knowledge about the Academy outside the musical society as well.

During the 1960’s, the wish to increase the number of students had to be cancelled due to financial crisis and the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy had to continue being an educational institution within its own walls.

The villa on Hobrovej had to be levelled with the ground in order to give space for the expanding traffic in Aalborg and in 1965 the NM had to move temporarily to four single-level houses on Plantevej in the quarter behind Scheelsminde.

1969-1980

In 1969, the NM moved in the Sohngaardsholm Castle in fairytale-like surroundings. However, the idyllic outside facade did not correspond to its interior and its suitability for a music academy that again initiated a new search for more appropriate premises.

So far, the NM had been a self-owned institution, but in 1972 it was taken over by the state by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. During the years after the takeover, there were plans to integrate the NM in the new University Centre Aalborg (AUC), but they were never carried out.

1980-2009

In 1981, after the plans regarding the integration within AUC were set aside, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs found new and more suitable premises for the Academy at Ryesgades Skole. It was a great gift from the Ministry and in the same year the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy could celebrate its 50th anniversary. The beautiful yellow buildings on Ryesgade were swiftly taken over by classical and rhythmical students and their teachers.

The premises in the “preservation-worthy buildings” were far from suitable, especially when the rhythmical department grew larger. Sound problems were complicated and expensive to solve and when the Ministry of Culture during the 1990s inspected the buildings with an aim to take over the school (that was owned by Aalborg municipality), it was found out that renovation works were certainly too expensive.

Therefore, another building or an entirely new building was needed! The idea about building a “multi-functional building” in Aalborg came about in mid 1990s by the existing principal at Aalborg University, Svend Caspersen, who was supported by our principal Jens-Ole Bak. They spotted the opportunity for collaboration and mutual inspiration between the university’s music and design departments, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and Northern Jutland’s Music Academy.

The decision on the “House of Music” was born in1999 as a result of the collaboration with the above-mentioned institutions and Aalborg municipality. Unfortunately, the first project failed, but it succeeded the second time and in May 2010 the first ground was broken for the House of Music.

On January 1, 2010 the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy was merged with the Royal Music Academy Aarhus, so that the Northern Jutland’s Music Academy is now called the Royal Music Academy Aalborg.

In the Summer 2013 the Academy moved into new and modern premises on the waterfront in the House of Music!