Meet the people behind the Strengthening Music in Society project! All material on this website is written and provided by seven thematic Working Groups (WGs).

They are supported by the SMS Steering Committee and the SMS Content Coordination group. The Steering Committee is in charge of strategic planning, while the Content Coordination group focuses on the content and synergies between the different groups and themes.

The project is coordinated by the Project Team, which is composed by the coordinators of the WGs.

Steering Committee Members Content Committee Members Project Team Members
Eirik Birkeland – AEC President
Deborah Kelleher – ExCom member
Stefan Gies – AEC CEO
Linda Messas – AEC General Manager
Paulina Gut – Project Manager
Helena Gaunt – chair of Music in Society WG


Helena Gaunt – chair of Music in Society WG
David-Emil Wickström – chair of Diversity, Identity, Inclusiveness WG
Renee Jonker – chair of Entrepreneurship WG
Camilla Overgaard – co-chair of Entrepreneurship WG
Christofer Fredriksson – chair of Internationalisation WG
Jon Helge Sætre – chair of Learning and Teaching WG
Stefan Gies – co-chair of Learning and Teaching WG
Luc Nijs – chair of Digitisation WG
Eline Accoe – co-chair of Students WG
Miranda Harmer – co-chair of Students WG
Michael Dartsch – chair of Early Childhood Music Education WG
Paulina Gut – Project Manager
Paulina Gut – Project Team Coordinator, Entrepreneurship WG coordinator
Linda Messas – Music in Society WG coordinator
Alfonso Guerra – Diversity, Identity, Inclusiveness WG coordinator
Sara Primiterra – Internationalisation WG coordinator
Ellen Stabell – Learning and Teaching WG coordinator
Till Skoruppa – Digitisation WG coordinator
Barbara Lalic – Students Working Group coordinator
Chiara Conciatori – Communication coordinator

External Evaluator – Dame Janet Ritterman

Quality is very important to us. Dame Janet Ritterman, who has worked to raise the profile of music and education , evaluates the project and helps us improve the quality and relevance of our work.