Lillehammer Institute of Music Production & Industries is a private music institute located in Lillehammer, Norway. Focused on contemporary music creation, the institute offers a one-year, hands-on advanced program designed for international artists, songwriters, and music producers.

The curriculum is built on a model of accelerated career development, emphasizing collaborative studio work and direct mentorship and close contact with music industry professionals over traditional classroom instruction. Mentors include high-profile industry professionals, including Tor Erik Hermansen (Stargate), Emily Warren and Ina Wroldsen.

LIMPI enrolls a select cohort of around 68 talents annually, with instruction provided in English. Graduates of the program earn 60 ECTS credits and a diploma in “Advanced Program in Professional Music Production & International Music Industries.”

Limpi is a one-year, portfolio-driven program for producers, songwriters, and artists, focused on real output and mentorship. It is designed as a one-year alternative to traditional four-year music degrees. Its approach is built around “learning by making”, with constant studio work, collaboration, and deadlines. Students are provided with full studio access 24/7, enabling continuous creation and collaboration. LIMPI is known for its collaborative cohort structure, where students build strong creative and professional networks that last well beyond the program. LIMPI emphasizes high output throughout the year, and many students graduate with 100+ (often around 120) finished tracks.

We enrol a total of around 60 talents to our program each year.

Yes! After completing the program at Limpi you will achieve a diploma in "Advanced Program in Professional Music Production and International Music Industries" and 60 ECTS-credits. Limpi is approved by NOKUT.

Admissions for enrolment onto the 2026/27 program are now open.

First and foremost: two days at LIMPI are never the same, but a regular day always consists of making a lot of music. Every week you will be given new projects where you will be collaborating and making music with other students who complement your talent, aiming towards commercial release, or experimental tasks that inspire creativity and shape your music and music making abilities. Most weeks you will spend Mondays and Tuesdays working with one of our world class mentors, including Amund Bjørklund, our in-house mentor. From Wednesday through Friday, you will take part in different classes and workshops with our core teachers, Thomas Kongshavn and Guttorm Raa, both at the top of their fields within the music industry, while also immersing yourself in your own music projects.

The program is built up of compulsory courses (50 credits) that are mandatory for everyone and one specialization course (10 credits) per student in which they will have the opportunity to prioritise the role of either artist, producer or songwriter.

In Practical Production 1 and 2 you will develop your roles and talents as artists, songwriters and producers in interdisciplinary production teams that mirror real-life collaborative productions. You will work on defined song assignments in our production studios set and guided by mentors. As a result, students will immerse themselves in the production process and learn how to contribute towards a variety of productions, in a mix of genres with a wide number of creatives, thus improving the student’s collaborative ability.

In Music Business 1 and 2 you will learn how the current international music business works and how it is structured. Students will gain knowledge of what the key roles are within the industry, and of how to navigate their way through the industry as an artist, producer or songwriter, either independently or in partnership with industry players. You will learn how to release your own music, how to manage splits and deals, and about project and financial management.

Music Collaboration provides an introduction to the roles of artist, songwriter, and producer, what these roles mean when it comes to making music collaboratively, and how the roles overlap and interact in the creative process. The course will focus on studio preparation, idea generation, communication, professional conduct and creative toolkits. Students will leave the course with the ability to plan and contribute effectively in studio sessions.

In Music Performance?you will explore live performance in both studio and stage settings, focusing on the roles of artist, producer, and songwriter and the ways in which they perform. The course focuses on performance terminology, studio expectations, rider creation, live preparation and live music tools. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to plan and deliver live performances and reflect on their own performance. This course will provide the building blocks for the specialization subjects in semester two.

At the end of the first semester students will self-select a specialization course of either Artist, Producer or Songwriter, and in the second semester students will attend workshops in their chosen field designed to provide specialist insight into their specified role, giving them the opportunity to further develop their talent and learn how to operate at a highly professional, international level. Their decision will not limit their creativity in the studios, but rather help them to dig deeper into a specific role and give students room to refine and cultivate their creativity through a more focused lens.

If you choose the Artist Specialization, the focus will be on developing student’s artistic identity through practical exercises, live performances, and mentorship. There will be an emphasis on artist branding, stage presence, and visual expression. If you choose the Producer Specialization, the focus will be on enhancing the student’s skills as a producer, covering the entire music production process from initial concept to finalization. Students will gain expertise in production techniques, artist guidance and vocal production. If you choose the Songwriter Specialization, the focus will be on enhancing the student’s songwriting skills through practical exercises, mentorship, and collaborative projects. Students will refine their songwriting style, expand their understanding of song structures, and develop lyrical, melodic, and topline writing skills.

The full version of the study plan is available here:

https://limpimusic.com/uploads/Limpi_STUDYPLAN_2025_T.pdf

The program at Limpi consists of the common subjects; Introduction to Professional Music Production and International Music Industry, Practical Production 1 and 2 and The Challenge. The specialization subjects you can immerse yourself in are songwriter, artist and producer, or even management if you’d like. The program has a total of 60 credits, whereof the specialization subjects make up 20 credits.

At Limpi we combine productions, practical exercises, lectures, workshops, case assignments, individual work, master classes, professional counseling individually and in team, mentor and career guidance and plenary evaluations.

The mentor role is central to the program at Limpi. Throughout the year, you will receive follow-up and guidance both one-on-one and in groups from the different mentors (depending on the ongoing project), but also from other professionals associated with Limpi.

At Limpi we believe in learning by doing. The curriculum is built on a model of accelerated career development, emphasizing collaborative studio work, direct mentorship and close contact with music industry professionals over traditional classroom instruction. At Limpi you will develop several productions from idea to completed product. The purpose is for you to increase your productivity and work ethic, to develop the ability and know how to go from making good music to great music, and to become the very best collaborator possible and prepare you for a career in the real-life music industry.

Yes! At Limpi you will be organized in interdisciplinary shifting teams which will always include at least one producer, songwriter and artist. The aim of these sessions is for the students to develop their roles and talents in constantly changing production teams that mirror real-life collaborative sessions. In these groups students work on defined song assignments set and guided by mentors. As a result, students will immerse themselves in the production process and learn how to contribute towards a variety of productions, in a mix of genres with a wide number of creatives, thus improving collaborative ability.

The goal is for you to get used to working methods and standards of the industry, and to develop the work rate and pace that is required. Our main focus is working in collaborations, but you should also expect to work individually - of course under guidance of mentors, faculty and your peers.

Yes, that is what we are aiming for, especially during the second semester.

You will receive weekly feedback on your song assignments. In addition, you will be evaluated through various exams, such as individual reflection assignments.

All courses, lectures and supervision will be in English. To apply to Limpi you will need to document a sufficient level of English to complete the program.

We have 19 fully equipped studios, but we expect you to bring your own laptop or tablet to use for your individual work. You can also bring your own home studio if you prefer.

The year at LIMPI is a time-efficient investment in a future career within the music industry, and the tuition fee of NOK 235,000* covers the entire education, including full access to production studios throughout the year. You will have to cover housing and living expenses in addition to the tuition fee.

*converts to 23,293 USD or 20,036 Euro as per January 19th 2026, but tuition must be paid in NOK when due.

The fee covers all classes throughout the year, including optional courses. You will have to cover housing and living expenses in addition to the tuition fee.

The program is approved by Lånekassen, and students with Norwegian citizenship can apply for grants and loans. At lanekassen.no you will find information about requirements and conditions for applying. To get a loan and/or grant, you will have to confirm your enrolment at LIMPI.

For more information, see:

https://lanekassen.no/en-US/grants-and-loans/norway/university-and-university-college-in-Norway/

To apply, you either need a bachelor's degree in music, music management or similar, or equivalent experience as a songwriter, artist or producer.

The admissions process runs from January through May. The first step is to upload one-three songs that you have played a part in creating. Within a few weeks you will receive an application form that you need to complete and send back to us. If your application is suitable, we will then make contact to arrange an interview. Admissions for enrolment onto the 2026/27 program are now open. Deadline: 31. May.

https://limpimusic.com/apply

Great! The Limpi program includes all three fields, and you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in all areas before deciding which role to explore further via the specialization courses in semester 2.

Every year Limpi receives several hundred applications from around the world. In selecting the best candidates for the program, we are looking for talents who have the potential to put their mark on the music industry of tomorrow. You need to have the motivation and ability to translate your talent into value for yourself as well as the people you'll collaborate with.

Yes. As long as your relevant experience is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, you will be considered for enrolment. Through the application process, you will be asked to upload your CV, diplomas, and music you have created or contributed to.

Limpi is located in Lillehammer, 2 hours north of Oslo and 1,5 hours from Oslo International Airport.

Lillehammer is a student city with nearly 5000 students attending Høgskolen i Innlandet, The Norwegian Film School and the Department of Television Education. The infrastructure connected to Gardermoen and Oslo makes it easy to get around. The city has a vitality in cultural industries that you will usually only find in significantly larger cities. At the same time it is close to beautiful nature with high mountains and lush landscapes, where creative souls can gather inspiration in tranquil surroundings to work on what matters the most: music.

Limpi does not offer student housing. Most students tend to rent privately, often with fellow Limpi students. Our students can also apply for student accommodation through the Student Association in Innlandet: https://www.sinn.no/lillehammer/studentbolig/.

https://www.sinn.no/lillehammer/studentbolig/